My trainer used draw reins on my horse.

[Waikato Valuta]

I recently hired a trainer to train my horse. She came higly recomened by my instructor who is a very compasionate caring teacher. She is always on at me about how we shouldent rush and different exercises to get results instead of pulling the horse down.

I trust my instructor because I have seen her in action with me and my horse. She recomended this lady because she teaches her and said she was a very good rider, and she is a good rider.

She was ridding my horse 6 days a week for about 6 weeks. I saw her work him 1-2 a weeks and everything looked fine. But he started having problems with his back legs. Steping very short and sort of ambling. Althought every time i came out he was working quite noce on the bit he was starting to get back into his old habit of leaning.

I went out on his day off and another lady who rides there was ridding in draw reins i dident want to say anything because it's not my horse. But she aproached me to tell me how wonderful they were and how her horse was so relaxed and going well.

Then she droped the bomb shell and said that my trainer had introduced her to them to her to them because she had asked about what was the thing my horse had on.

Needless to say she was promply sacked in the kindest was possible and I have moved my horse. I am having him massaged tommorow to see if we can sort out any problems that have arisen from the use of draw reins.

She probably would have ridden in them about 10-15 times maybe less. and each time would have been for abour 30min. I dont know if she gave him breaks or hept him in frame

How much damage do you think could have been done in that length of time? And do you know of any exercises to help a horse start to use his back end again or relax and stretch out? I have been doing carrot and leg streches.

How long will it take him to recover from this?

Thanks in advance for your replys.

If you are just going to start blaming me dont bother replying as i'm sick of it. I do try the hardest when it comes to my horses.

[Claire Louise]

Firstly I completly agree with you sacking the rider who was schooling your horse. SHe should have consulted you before using any form of schooling aid, be it draw rein or side rein or what ever. As an owner you have the right to know.

Secondly, although I agree that in the wrong hands draw reins can be a huge mistake, like anything used correctly they can be more helpful than distructive. I personally use draw reins on my hunter but only having warmed her up correctly and never in walk and never on a stronger contact than my normal reins, I find them to be of use as my mare has very log strides and needs the extra bit of help to come together, They are only on her for abot 15 mins out of an hours schooling session and I don't jump in them and always give her a good canter before we finish to let her stretch all her muscles before cooling down and finishing.

I think at the moment too much emphasis is put on the correct head carrige because it looks good as opposed to for the welfare of your horse. Correct carrige promotes good mucsleature(sorry about speling:confused: ) and also improves a horses ability to flex through their body and to jump well.

I think what I'm trying to say is that riders must be careful about using schooling aids and forcing the horse into a position it is not ready for.

Best way for builing back end up again I found it works wonders for my horses is lots of hillwork, Especially in trot or canter. Although it should be noted now that both my horses are extremly fit and used to doing this kind of work.

[Waikato Valuta]

thanks i will try hill work.

Draw reain was just the last straw for me. My horse was becoming very dificult to comtrole on the ground and attacking hosres and people who tryed to enter his paddock.

This was extremmaly odd for him considering he was the quietist horse i have ever know normmaly. I have had tottal begginers ride him(usually on the lead). He just puts up with so much.

we dont have many hills around here but i might try ridding up and down a few hills several times. I hope he dosent get bored because i only know of 3 hills around here.

[Claire Louise]

Sorry i couldn't be of more help, I also recomend riding in water, beach is great if you are nearby to one if not other things that would help may include lateral work, eg leg yield, turn on forehand, to get him to strech his hind end and engage, also direct transitions, halt to trot and walk to canter to encourage him to engage behind, Alternatlivly going out for a good gallop will stetch his hind end too.

It may take a few weeks for him to come right but i would suggest that every time you ride him you spend about 5 or 10 mins in walk trying to get him to walk on again on a long rein.

extending his paces may also help.

[Lucy J]

i am of a similar mind when it comes to draw reins, but they are not necessarily 'bad' if used correctly by professionals, i have been advised to use them on my horse as i have been working very hard to encourage her to lower her head without the use of anything and a few months down the line i am not much further forward. i have not used them yet though.

it could be that no damage has been done, like any of these aids it is all to do with how they are used, did you discuss their use with the person who was training the horse?

while some people do abuse draw reins, they do have their uses in certain circumstances.

hope your horse is OK though.

[Claire Louise]

Hi lucy J ,

If your not keen on draw reins you could try the bugie, it's basically a piece of elastic works very similar to a chambon, will encourage horse to lower head and can be used flat work ridden or lunging. No input needed from rider after in place just a careful eye it's not too tight.

Like all schooling aids I would advise speaking to an instructor untill you get used to them.

[Lucy J]

tried side reins and the bungie reins, t(and both at once!) they work in walk, but not trot, that was why my instructor suggested draw reins!

[Claire Louise]

i work in draw reins regularly and find them useful.

I use them as in my original post at this thread.

[S_F_S]

Of course WV- you are entitled to your opinion- it is YOUR horse after all, and if you dont want draw reins used then thats fine.

However- they are NOT the devils schooling aid for want of a better description. If used in experienced hands (and your initial post outlines that this lady was indeed renowned and experienced) they cn be a useful schooling aids- but they ahave acquired a bad reputation from much misuse in the hands of people who are using them for the wrong reasons and the worng ways.

[Waikato Valuta]

ok well I guess I dont adgree with most of the post on here.

I did get the masuse out and she said the reson he is lame and stepping short is because of tension in his neck, back and rump.

She was using the reins every day she rode except when I was there and had them on him for the whole ride. not just 10-15 min.

Your welcome to your opinion but is it worth risking your horse for something so petty as the correct head set?????

I did alot of ridding in water today because as Australians would know melbourne just go hit by a 1 in 100 year storm and his paddock was tottaly floded. I got there thismorning and they were stranded on a little hill. So o couldent resist the opertunity to go simming as I know the paddock like the back of my hand.
He had lost of fun.

[Lucy J]

the reason i will be using them is to encourage my horse to work properly from behind, not just to pull her head into an outline. she has got into such a bad way of going that it hasn't crossed her mind to work through her body properly. presently she is doing herself more harm than good by the way she carries herself. i will not be using them for vain purposes.

[Waikato Valuta]

Draw reins only work on the front of a horses body if you want your horse to work better from behind I would say that IMHO draw reins are the last thing you should use.

I use a figer of eight bandage to engage my horses bottom. it wraps around th chest and bump crossing over the back. If you lounge your horse in that for about 15 min before ridding it will help. The horse should begin to lower it's head and relax.

Dont have them to tight though as you will restrict the movment.

This work on the back end for the back end. Whatever you do at the front especuially draw reins will only shorten your horses step and cause tension and possibly muscle damage.

I would try the cambon again and possibly add trot poles and caviletie for the horse to go over to encorage lower head carage and steping through from behind.

I'm not saying draw reins are the devils aid just dont expect draw reins to be a quick fix.

[Waikato Valuta]

p.s the body bandage only works in walk and trot. It dosent do damage in canter just dosent do any thing as it is not an even gait.

[Lucy J]

no but my legs encourage my horse to work from behind! I have used the figure of eight bandage, bungie reins, side reins, basically everything apart from draw reins, i do plenty of transitions, pole work, hill work serpentines, the lot.

i am not a fan of draw reins, as i think i have said, but they do have their uses in certain circumstances.

[cvb]

I have to say I'm on the 'anti' side for draw reins. I guess it really comes down to the 'why' the horse is not going in an outline.

For remedial work there can be a case for showing the horse the way to go, after having ruled out all physical reasons, but if they have not responded to eg chambon or bungee rein, I would want to understand more why they had not responded, as this may be the key to unlocking the whole issue.

Yes draw reins can be 'ok' when in the hands of a good rider, but most of the riders I respect have other means to achieve the required result and don't use them.

For me the outline is the result of a correct way of going, ie a result not an end in itself. So I don't see the point in creating an outline in isolation - what I want to create is forward, active, balanced, straight. And draw reins don't really help much with those things. (IMHO)

[Lucy J]

my horse doesn't like the poll pressure of the bungie rein (the little plastic thingy on it irritates her) and while side reins help to an extent i don't like riding in them, only lunging. ciara had physical problems which have been affecting her way of going and now they have been remedied she needs a little help to be shown the way forward. schooling and bungie reins help to an extent, but she just needs some extra help. my intention is to use them only a few times till the penny drops.

[cvb]

Lucy J - have you tried the 'fixed' version of draw reins (running rein?) ?

Then you are avoiding the poll pressure that a bungee and chambon give, have something more flexible than a side rein, and its something you can use for lunging.

(Basically you have the draw rein going from side of saddle, through bit ring, down to middle of chest, then same again to the other side).

[Lucy J]

haven't tried that, but would that not be harsher than 'normal' draw reins? surely you wouldn't be able to give with the draw reins if they were fixed? i can see the advantage if lunging with them, and will try that, but don't know about riding with them, ciara really likes to stretch her head down as she starts to warm up.

[cvb]

its cos they are fixed that they are less harsh - they give instantly when the horse doesn't have its head up, rather than relying on the rider to reward !

Of course they should not be adjusted too tight. You do end up with draw rein running bit to middle of girth, so be careful if you have a horse with high knee action :eek: But then, I'm assuming thats how you use your draw reins as well......so same issue.

Like with side reins - I would not have them on initially, until the warm up is done. (and actually I'd say the same for draw reins, though you can ride with them really long to start with - with care)