Side reins vs. sliding reins

["S. Brown" <sbrown@wamedes.com>]

>Everyone seems to agree that correctly used side reins will build the
proper muscles ( top of the neck wither to poll) and will help teach a long
relaxed frame . The most often used method is the sliding side rein on the
lunge with lots of transitions . So for what it's worth - the Dressage list
recommends sliding side reins , lots of transitions on the lunge to help
build the right muscles and teach acceptance. 

Sliding side reins (or balancing reins -- same thing) are a very useful
item when training a horse.  They don't lock the horse's head into position
so that he lean on the bit (creates a horse heavy on the forehand and heavy
in your hands) but allow him to move his head around within a certain area.
 He learns to place his head in a more balanced position while
strengthening the topline.  As with any training aid, they can be adjusted
too tightly causing tension, bit evasion, or coming behind the bit.  Also,
beware of adjusting them *too* loosely -- the horse could lower his head
too much and get a hoof caught in a loop.

I have used side reins in the past -- not to hold the horse's head in
place, but put on very loosely (with basically no "holding" power) to add
weight to the horse's bit and encourage him to lower his head...and, if
he's a bit of a hot-wired nitwit at times, they curtail the impulse to
throw his head to the sky.  When he's relaxed, the extra weight will help
also him stretch his top line.  My primary objections to side reins is that
too many people put them on to *force* the head into a position creating
tension in the neck and (most importantly) in the jaw, lunge with both side
reins the same length (prohibiting the horse from being able to bend in a
circle), and "teach" the horse to lean on them for support with the
resultant over-development of the muscles under the neck.  Also remember
that when using any aid and the horse spooks and throws his head up as a
result, the effect can cause the horse to *really* panic since they
interpret the reaction as a restraint, thereby inhibiting their ability to
"escape" the evil monster.  I had a green horse flip over with side reins
on -- spooked, came into contact with end of the side reins, panicked,
thought she couldn't go forward so reared instead and lost her balance.
She was on the lunge-line (not being ridden.)  I learned a valuable lesson
that day. ;-)

Since I was the one who asked the question on running martingales in the
beginning (and remember...I stated that I noticed that *most* of them in
the photos I had seen were adjusted very long, which supports the comments
of their use coming into play during emergency situations only), I would
like to summarize my feelings on use of these aids.  Not a lecture (since
those on this list are here because we want to educate ourselves and
already have these philosophies permanently entrenched in our attitudes and
training. ;-))

These aids (as with a lot of aids, including the running martingale) have
some legitimate uses...and, in the uneducated or wrongly informed hands,
can be counterproductive, seriously abused, or deemed downright dangerous.
Our best defense against being caught up in trends or seemingly *wonderful*
devices is EDUCATION.  Since NO ONE has all the answers or knows all that
there is to know about horse training, we all need to be very diligent
about furthering our education on a daily basis!  Read, watch videos, take
lessons, audit clinics, and take that information with you when you ride.
Sift and sort the info that you feed into your head...discard the
dangerous, investigate the questionable, and then determine which of the
remaining info will work with which horse.  Amen. <g>

Sue 

   


sbrown@wamedes.com
Tyee Farm
Marysville, Wa.