Full leather reins or half rubber or other?

Star the Fell

Star the Fell

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2015
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I have a fantastic pair of really grippy reins, not sure of the make but my hands are kind of glued to them if I wear gloves. This is great as it stops naughty pony sneakily taking more rein by stretching ever so slightly every few minutes until I am riding on a loose rein. Naughty girl.
However the down side is that in canter, if she decides to SNATCH the reins she nearly pulls me over her head. This is a new trick she has learnt since having a cough. She has realised that if she acts as if she is going to cough, I release the reins and slow to walk. I am now trying to teach her otherwise, but in the meantime need to change my reins to a pair which I can let slip through my fingers and make her carry on cantering on a loose rein, and gathering them up again whilst keeping her going.
So I am looking for a faily cheap pair - £20 ish. Do I go for full leather, rubber, or the ones which are leather outside and rubber inside so I still have some grip.
Which do you prefer and why?
 
I have continental reins and love them. Kis Vihar who used to be on here made them for me. I hate half rubber reins, all stiff and horrid!

By the way Ziggy does exactly the same - "..Can I have 1 inch more rein? Thanks. Can I have 1 inch more rein? Thanks. Can I have..." Repeat!
 
I think mine are classed as continental, they have little 'stoppers' every so often. They have leather ends but the actual main length is a really soft flexible 'pimply' rubber. They are very thin and light and flexible. Only thing against them is that they are black leather and white rubber with black stoppers. They look really smart once clean, but very quickly get grubby looking. Will keep them for most riding, just want a decent pair for serious schooling/ lessons.
 
I have half rubber / leather reins, they came with the bridle years ago. Think it's a tredstone?! One, probably got that name wrong......
I like them tho they do deteriorate over time. I had plaited leather reins which I disliked for J. Used those up for thing around gates etc.
 
My rein of choice for English riding is continental (with webbing), I also have half rubber which look smart but they aren't my favourite to hold. I dispise full rubber reins, they are too fat in my hand and make my fingers sore. For western I loved my 8ft 5/8 harness leather reins as they have better weight to them.
 
I use rope reins by Light Rider, I think they have UK stockist now. Literally just sold my pony length, I could have lent them. Another lady has made some too, Western something, as I'm very fussy ;)
Why, because when I did nh stuff everything you touch is rope. I just haven't gone back to English reins.
If I did I like plaited and laced.
 
I actually like plain leather reins on my welsh D, & although I ride without gloves I find the grip is great. I must confess that the reason I changed to them was that they tangle less in his long mane & don't break it, but I wouldn't change to any other type for him now. My pair are fairly thin & I keep them well soaped so they're very soft & supple, I suspect that lets me get a secure hold on them as they mold nicely to the hand, if the reins are to bulky I find it hard to close my hand around them & that means it's easier for them to slide through the hand.
 
I have just been looking at a pair of rope reins on Ebay Newforest, was going to ask if anyone had ever used them.:)
There are some round ones and some flatter ones which I like the look of. Also 'watching' some nylon pony games reins.
I really like the suppleness of my current reins so am looking at replacing them with something similar.
 
I have the dressage reins (leather outer rubber inner) and I prefer those, however I love my plaited showing reins for grip but allowing me to give rein should I need to :)
 
Current pair were made by Urban Cowgirl without slobber straps.
You can buy them with leather billets from someone else, but not tried those.
I like the weight as I use the halter as well.
 
Star the Fell said:
I have just been looking at a pair of rope reins on Ebay Newforest, was going to ask if anyone had ever used them.:)
There are some round ones and some flatter ones which I like the look of. Also 'watching' some nylon pony games reins.
I really like the suppleness of my current reins so am looking at replacing them with something similar.
Click to expand...

I personally don't like my rope reins & have gone back to using traditional reins, even with my halter. I find them too slippery & not enough grip - particularly for fast work & jumping or in the rain.

I'm currently just using a flexible rubber pair :) I do like plaited reins though & will probably get a pair at YHL next month.
 
I have a pair of Shires leather and rubber reins but the rubber covers webbing so they are soft and bendy. Can't abide stiff rubber-over-leather reins. I do have some rope reins but I find them too thick....so Dom has them on Jack's bridle....he has bigger hands and loves them.
 
Rope reins were a fashion among western and some NH riders. I like the opposite - to wear thin gloves and use thin supple reins so I have a sensitive contact between my fingers and the horse's mouth. I have small hands. Idont ever ride without gloves as somewhere while learning to ride I was told one might burn ones hands if a rein or rope were pulled through too fast. But I dont hold any reins tightly enough to prevent the horse taking more rein. Exactly because I dont want to be pulled forward at speed. What3ever reins yo use a human arm is not going to withstand the weight of a hors'es head pulling down if it really wants to.
Grace certainly wants more rein. She wants to do her own thing out hacking. I hold the reins lightly enough for the horse to get a long rein to cough or more likely to try to eat or to shake its head wildly. I let her do it while the heat and flies were bad. I was soft hearted.
However, I have dealt with all this over the last few rides taking a behaviourist approach rather than changing the reins. A firm no in canter. In walk and trot, I began to adjust my riding as I did on my share. If the horse asks for more rein it must walk forward into the contact which takes up any slack. It also prevents the horse tripping. One can get a cycle, They ask for more rein. You allow it, and then a school trained horse (or old horse) will trip because they are so used to being ridden with proper contact.

I did once buy Maisie a new pair of reins leather with rubber but they soon became just as twisted as the other RS reins.
 
The other thing is.... I don't like reins with metal snap hooks on bitted bridles. I read an article once which made me question whether the metal jangling on bit rings is distracting and uncomfortable for the horse.
 
domane said:
The other thing is.... I don't like reins with metal snap hooks on bitted bridles. I read an article once which made me question whether the metal jangling on bit rings is distracting and uncomfortable for the horse.
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I add snaps to all my reins, never had a problem with it, if the contact is consistent thet don't rattle about.
 
And what about those rubber stop things on reins? I think they are for the martingale. If one no longer uses a martingale, does one need those rubber bits? They annoy me but then I forget to ask if one can take them off?
 
domane said:
The other thing is.... I don't like reins with metal snap hooks on bitted bridles. I read an article once which made me question whether the metal jangling on bit rings is distracting and uncomfortable for the horse.
Click to expand...

Just changed today from the scissor snap to billets, not because of that as if it annoyed her I would know pretty instantly.
Transitioning phase for me so just trying to get the right feel.
I debated on shipping some light rider over from aussie :)
 
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