Your opinions on Flexi-reins?

[Casey76]

Has anyone used them? What are they like?

I have an awful habit of snatching the rein when I panic (and this can happen quite a lot :rolleyes: :o ) so I thought this might alleviate some of the pull on Pinto's mouth, as well as encouraging him to look for a contact too.

[Sophini]

I used them on Kitty when i first got her as she seemed frightened of a contact and thought they were good, i was never in danger of setting against her and she didn't feel worried or have anything she wanted to fight against

[Tharg]

What are Flexi-reins?, I`ve never heard of them before

[Pink's lady]

They're bacisally a spring (or piece of elastic) that you put into the reins (clip it to the bit and attatch the reins to the other end). It absorbs any accidental jerks the rider makes with the reins, making the horse more relaxed about a contact. They're not a training aid for the horse, they train the rider ;)

[Portia]

basically ordinary reins with a short section of elastic inset (current derby house catalogue pge 52). Blurb says 'allows horse to flex neck/poll as elastic absorbs sudden movements on a highly sensitive mouth...'.

[Colorado Sunset]

Can you get a horse working correctly, in a nice shape in them?

[Pink's lady]

Yep, it encourages them to accept a contact and relax, one of the most important parts of an outline (apart from obviously working from behind ;) ) They don't stop you having a proper contact, they just absorb any jerky movement.

[Colorado Sunset]

Thanks Pinks Lady, just never heard much about how they actually work, thanks

Jo

[kardeb]

I have recently gone from a cob that was very heavy on the forehand that i rode for over 4 years to a thoroughbred X who won't tollerate heavy hands and tries to run away from any pressure on her mouth, and have found the flexi-rein an execellent training aid for me, It really has helped me to soften my hands which have been so used to holding my previous horse up especially into canter.
I have also found that she softens and settles a lot sooner than with an ordinary rein.

[Roseanne]

This thread has been very useful for me, as my left wrist is on the mend after breaking it some while ago, but I have arthritis is both hands, and having the cast on for almost 12 weeks seems to have made the left one much worse, and as my mare sometime tries to jerk the reins from my hands, I know this is going to hurt like hell when I start to ride again soon, The flexi reins might just solve this for me from the sound of it-but are there any downsides to the reins I should know about, I mean as far as my horse is concerned?

Think I'm going to buy them anyway, but as I've also been considering buying a Western bridle, would be interested in any more comments about the flexi reins before I go ahead.

Roseanne

[Lucy J]

i think they would be great for schooling, but i wouldnt like to use them on a hack if you got run away with, i could see them stretching and stretching and streching.....snap!

[Pink's lady]

i think they would be great for schooling, but i wouldnt like to use them on a hack if you got run away with, i could see them stretching and stretching and streching.....snap!


They have a built in safety mechanism and can only stretch so far. The degree of stretch can be set to the level you want

[tbtess]

They sound absolutely fab, i think i'll have to have a pair of those. :D Oh no OH's gonna kill me, more spending!!!! :eek:

[Jessey]

I have a bungee which I also convert to use as reins (only when schooling), it just helps me to ensure a soft, constant contact and helps my horse to recognise smaller/subtler signals.

I think they are well worth trying.

J x

[Styric]

I have something like that, they're called Soft Corrections and it's an elastic (almost bungee cord like) doubled over so it's two stranded, with a ring on one side and a clip on the other.

I'm thinking of trying them again :) They were useful when I used them a couple years ago, and I think they'd come in handy again. They're also really good on crossties with horses who hate the 'restrained' feeling.

http://www.windandwithers.com/store/products/PAAAIAGHCIBKDBAJ.html