How to improve my grip on the reins?

[tabithakat64]

I don't have a great grip with my left hand and often find that the reins (thick rubber, laced, plain rubber, or half rubber) have unknowingly slipped through my hand making the contact uneven.
Is there any reins or rein/glove combination that anyone with similar problems can recommend please?

 

[xloopylozzax]

i let the reins slip aswell, so it must be pretty common

do you trap them with your thumbs on top?

you can also get web reins, with leather strips on so it will make you more aware of your grip and you can stop them slipping, or if you like fancy reins, you can get multi coloured rubber training reins so you can see when they have slipped.

their is some reins with handles, but not sure where you get them from

 

[mikh]

I have supre grip and they have those little leather slips on them about 5 inches apart they are great for keeping a steady contact

 

[Joyscarer]

you can also get web reins, with leather strips on so it will make you more aware of your grip and you can stop them slipping

I have those. I'm terrible for letting the reins go through my fingers

I bought some webbing (also known as continental) reins and since then I've found that my mare is straighter and much better at going into the bit. Those reins really were an excellent investment for me

 

[juniberry]

Thin grippy gloves and lopped reins

I use ariat or mac wet gloves for every day use and thin fake leather for competitions. All my gloves are very grippy but thin not the pimple type as I find them way to bulky. As soon as the gloves are bulky no matter how grippy they are I find they slip. I now realise because of my lack of grip on the reins spending £20 on decent gloves is worth every penny. For hacking I use the continental reins which as suggested before help reduce the slipping. I do still find these very hard to hold properly when schooling instead of hacking. So I have bought Gateway Equestrian "precision" reins with adjustable loops. They have been my saving grace and allow me to still compete. I have a plain leather pair which are very subtle and unless you look closely they are just like normal reins. I can now ride my horse off my little fingers as the loops do all the work and my reins are always the same length. As they still have normal reins on them too I can still lengthen them for free walk and streching my horse down. I do find the plain leather rein part difficult to manage in competition settings so Gateway are making me a set with the standard loops but on the main longer rein the continental rings are going to be added. These reins where used by a para rider in Hong Kong on a double bridle. They are pricely but again I have to say worth every penny. I now can ride longer and with a better contact in these reins. My horse also no longer has confussing rein signals from me due to dropping one rein and hanging off the other one.
The dressage inside riubber grip reins may also be helpfull as again they add grip with out adding bulk. Personally I did find this was also to difficult to hold evenly but it is really a case of trial and error.
On word of warning is do not mistake bulk for increased grip as if you already have slipping problems adding thinknes to what you hold in your hand may well make things worse.

 

[L34NN3]

You could try tying a knot in the reins at the right point so they wont slip through?

 

[thaxted]

You could try Rein-bows

http://www.reinbows.com/index.html

they are removable loops for your reins - I got a set and although a bit fiddly to get on they have helped me to maintain a correct contact with my weak right hand.

 

[Gnasher]

One low-tech solution to slipping reins can be a couple of elastic bands twisted around the reins at the point you hold. It just gives a small bump to grip onto, and if the bands are brown or black to match your reins, are totally unobtrusive when your hands aren't covering them. I know quite a few disabled riders with grip issues who use this solution.

Karen

 

[Julz]

my sister has arthritis in her hands, and it was suggested that she get a pair of reins made with loops on them, so she only has to hold the loops..no more slipping.

 

[juniberry]

Julz your sister may well find the rein bows and precision reins are cheaper that getting made sets. I think rein bows are about £20 and the precision reins are $149 including postage to the UK.