Why can't the internet resist playing vet when not asked?!

[SuzieQNutter]

That article is written by someone who freely says that she does not use or has been taught to use side reins.

As I said side reins should never be used in walk as they ruin the walk. The photo she has is of a horse in side reins and commenting on the walk. This is not the fault of the side reins. It is the fault of the trainer.

The same with photos used of horses pulled in with side reins. Again this is incorrect and not the fault of the side reins. It is the fault of the trainer.

Now this is more controversial than anything written so far but my horses will tell you it works. As well as my experience when I was taught.

Do not use elastic/rubber. A horse learns from release of pressure. The horse pulls, the elastic/rubber gives and voila the horse has been taught to pull. This ends up with an unhappy rider. You have a bit of an injury. You are not as strong as usual and you find you have a horse that pulls.

Put side reins on loose and lunge and yes they will look like they are ‘doing nothing’. Lunge for a week and if at the correct length (experience is needed to know this) the horse will start to react to the long rein and soften and round. And yes I sm talking about a hollow horse that looks at the sky and has never felt contact under saddle.

In dressage we never pull back. With side reins we also do not pull back. It is experience and the horse who says to shorten the side rein as their understanding increases, NOT because the trainer wants the horse’s head vertical.

With the solid side reins. The rein gives when the horse gives. The horse gives, the rein gives and voila the horse is going how you want it to go under saddle. A horse that accepts the bit and gives. You have a happy horse and a happy rider.

If you do not have the patience to watch a horse lunge in side reins that ‘are not working’ then do not lunge in side reins. Definately do not do them up so the horse is pulling against them. Please also do not post and tell all and sundry that the sidereins were useless.

Used in kind, considerate ways with time and patience, yes they work.

For those that want a gadget that imnediately pulls a horse into working vertically. I am afraid in reality you are actually taking the slow road.

[SuzieQNutter]

[QUOTE=Appsolute;8093823]
I know horses that will LEAN or curl all day long in side reins. Really depends on the horse. I see too much of THIS with side reins.

http://www.sustainabledressage.net/tack/gadgets.php

From sustainable dressage:

[I]Out of all of them, the chambon is the only one which really works satisfactorily in its true context - lungeing. The chambon is the only device that lets the horse stretch fully forward-down-OUT.

Sidereins are as inanimate a gadget as anything else, and does not improve the stretching forward-down-out but rather teaches the horse to keep the shape of the neck and jowl and drop from the withers. This is NO STRETCH![/I][/QUOTE]That article is written by someone who freely says that she does not use or has been taught to use side reins.

As I said side reins should never be used in walk as they ruin the walk. The photo she has is of a horse in side reins and commenting on the walk. This is not the fault of the side reins. It is the fault of the trainer.

The same with photos used of horses pulled in with side reins. Again this is incorrect and not the fault of the side reins. It is the fault of the trainer.

If the horse is leaning all curling all day in side reins, then you have a trainer that is more focused on the head than the hindquarters. Also remember that 10 minutes working in side reins is equal to an hour of riding so if they are leaning because they are tired then no good is being done. Little and often does not just refer to feeding.

Now this is more controversial than anything written so far but my horses will tell you it works. As well as my experience when I was taught.

Do not use elastic/rubber. A horse learns from release of pressure. The horse pulls, the elastic/rubber gives and voila the horse has been taught to pull. This ends up with an unhappy rider. You have a bit of an injury. You are not as strong as usual and you find you have a horse that pulls.

As someone said above. Put side reins on loose and lunge and yes they will look like they are ‘doing nothing’. Lunge for a week and if at the correct length (experience is needed to know this) the horse will start to react to the long rein and soften and round. And yes I am talking about a hollow horse that looks at the sky and has never felt contact under saddle.

In dressage we never pull back. With side reins we also do not pull back. It is experience and the horse who says to shorten the side rein as their understanding increases, NOT because the trainer wants the horse’s head vertical.

With the solid side reins. The rein gives when the horse gives. The horse gives, the rein gives and voila the horse is going how you want it to go under saddle. A horse that accepts the bit and gives. You have a happy horse and a happy rider.

If you do not have the patience to watch a horse lunge in side reins that ‘are not working’ then do not lunge in side reins. Definately do not do them up so the horse is pulling against them. Please also do not post and tell all and sundry that the sidereins were useless.

Used in kind, considerate ways with time and patience, yes they work.

For those that want a gadget that immediately pulls a horse into working vertically. I am afraid in reality you are actually taking the slow road.

Why do you want your horse round and coming through from behind?

Because it physically helps your horse and they then (hopefully) live a longer, sounder life.