Y'all helped me pick a surcingle, now tell me what you like side reins and why . . .

[Bensmom]

I’m not talking poultice with you guys anymore. As soon as we had that thread, and I got all “well, I make my own, and it is so special” about it, my mare came up lame and I actually had to poultice a leg and a foot during the polar vortex (and yes, it DOES get cold in Florida and both epsom salt poultice and Ichthamol will freeze).

So, we are just going to talk equipment while we wait for her to heal and get better (good news is that it seems to be in the foot, as the tendons u/s without showing anything obvious.)

I’ve worked with several pros who liked different things in side reins – no elastic at all, donut elastic, stretchy elastic, and I can’t remember all the reasons for the preferences.

I typically have a rope set up that I made myself – kinda ghetto, but has worked as a running rein type thing, but I’d like some real side reins to have as well.

So, what say you? What do you use and why?

Libby

[JFCeventer]

I like leather side reins with the donut. They provide a little bit of stretch, but unlike the completely elastic ones, the leather will snap if there is trouble. I’m not personally a fan of side reins that have neither donuts or elastic, I think its slightly unfair to the horse for the side reins to have no give, as you’re basically ‘setting’ their head that way and they get no reward for going where you want them.

Good luck with the injury!

[RiverBendPol]

I haven’t used side reins for aaaages but the ones I liked were 1/2 elastic and 1/2 leather. Here they are. Pretty sure you could get them from Bartville for 1/2 price.
http://www.bitofbritain.com/Nunn_Finer_Leather_Side_Reins_w_Elastic_p/0196.htm

[EventerAJ]

I have the donut ones too. I like how the rubber donut adds a bit of weight to the reins when adjusted loosely, it’s a good introduction to the concept of contact for a green horse. Beware that the donuts can get very bouncy when cantering, and can bump the mouth. I usually don’t canter on the lunge with sidereins until the horse is educated about contact and will seek it himself, so it lessens the donut flopping.

I’ve been told that plain elastic/leather side reins encourage leaning; I don’t own any so I can’t say from experience.

I also like Vienna lunge reins and/or sliding side reins to encourage a horse to stretch down into contact. It allows the horse to find it’s own comfortable position working over the back, helpful with horses who’ve learned to shorten the neck up high and drop their backs in regular side reins.

[Starhouse]

I had side reins with elastics in them, not realising that they don’t give a good release. One trainer told me to get rid of them and I brushed the comment off, but when a second trainer was like, no really, GET RID OF THEM, I promptly went and bought ones with donuts.

ps- the soap arrived!! can’t wait to try it out!!

[Bensmom]

AJ – I like the sliding reins too, and that is what my ghetto-rope setup does. I was really happy with how it taught Buzz to stretch through his neck. I’m thinking that with The Princess, that is mostly what I will use, as she likes to “seahorse” her neck and drop her back.

But, I’ve also been told to incorporate some regular side rein work as well, and realized that I had to have new ones! Yay shopping!

This is really helpful – thanks for the replies so far!

[IFG]

I think that I am liking a chambon better than side reins or sliding reins. It is what LeGoff used to use, and, for my horse, who gets hollow with side reins or sliding reins, it seemed to work better.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

It depends on my purpose for lunging. I have several different types and use them all. For shows, getting the bucks out before I get on a green bean, I use a plain leather with a bit of elastic. These are what are legal at shows and since I’m not training, I’m just trying to keep control, they live in the trailer. They are also what we use when very first starting a green horse and introducing the concept.

I will often use a DeGogue for horses that are more educated and just working on getting them stronger in the top line. My deGogue can be converted to a chambon but I typically use it as a deGogue. http://www.doversaddlery.com/de-gogue/p/X1-30059/ These are very effective for horses who tend to get hollow–great for putting on correct muscling. But not as good for green horses who I want to educate about contact.

For just standard lunging or when I want to help educate a horse more on contact, I typically use sliding side reins like these:
http://www.dressageextensions.com/ProductDetail.asp?KEY=22751

But using all, you need to know what you are doing and make sure the horse stays engaged.

[wildlifer]

My side reins have been hanging on a back hook for years, ever since I discovered Vienna reins. The latter were my go-to for several years until last year, a BNR finally taught me how to long line usefully and very techincally, so now I do that. I will throw the Vienna reins on if I’m reallllly feeling lazy, but after having discovered what I can do with the lines after some practice and how much more correct I can be, the lines win most of the time.

[Ibex]

Depends on the goal. I loved the Vienna reins for teaching the llama pony to stretch without hanging on the end like she always tried to do on the regular side reins. Doesn’t do much for teaching contact, and I wouldn’t use them on a horse that wants to curl behind the bit.

Once she had the idea of “stretch without leaning” we went to the standard rubber doughnut ones, and if she tried to lean it could be corrected by as little as a cluck because she understood it.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=wildlifer;7370836]
My side reins have been hanging on a back hook for years, ever since I discovered Vienna reins. The latter were my go-to for several years until last year, a BNR finally taught me how to long line usefully and very techincally, so now I do that. I will throw the Vienna reins on if I’m reallllly feeling lazy, but after having discovered what I can do with the lines after some practice and how much more correct I can be, the lines win most of the time.[/QUOTE]

We use long lining as well–especially for the young horses but I’ve also used them on more experienced horses. I use them for a different purpose. They are great, but are still “me” riding–in the sense of the contact and release. What I like better about lunging with both the degogue and the sliding side reins is it basically takes “me” out of the equation with respect to the contact and release. It lets the horse figure it out without my interference. Long lining can be more effective for more advanced moves or when starting a young horse…but is more similar to me “riding” without me on their back.

[Winding_Down]

I love love love the Pessoa lunging system. That’s pretty much all I use now.

If two of us are lunging, one horse gets the Vienna reins.

[alto]

[QUOTE=Bensmom;7369789]

I’ve worked with several pros who liked different things in side reins – no elastic at all, donut elastic, stretchy elastic, and I can’t remember all the reasons for the preferences.

I typically have a rope set up that I made myself – kinda ghetto, but has worked as a running rein type thing, but I’d like some real side reins to have as well.

So, what say you? What do you use and why?

Libby[/QUOTE]

You need all the sorts :lol: it rather depends on the horse which is most appropriate … FP gets leather with elastic insert, very light & responsive; P does best in the straight leather, the donuts are around & get used as everyone’s 2nd choice (rather than being anyone’s 1st choice), also have a ghetto rope version, the Pessoa system is about but rarely used.