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Post by chocolate on Jan 2, 2008 14:14:47 GMT 1
Just wondering what people thought of them. Good and bad points. Do you use them? I've never tired them.
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Post by smonebull on Jan 2, 2008 14:17:02 GMT 1
they are bad...use a de gogue instead, or side reins but avoid draw reins.
They are really just a quick fix, and head set only, they do not encourage the horse to work through its back, just make the horse look pretty. I used them, and learnt the hard way, did damage that it took me a year of lessons and constructive riding to undo
Draw reins , more often than not, are misused by uneducated riders or trainers that want quick results. This usually involves the rider pulling the horse's head in to achieve a "headset" rather than getting the animal correctly on the bit. Like the equally controversial practice of rollkur, the horse does not flex properly at the poll, but rather flexes improperly at a lower neck vertebrae.
These pieces of equipment can have very detrimental effects if they are adjusted tightly, used strongly, or if used for long periods of time. Horses may become hard-mouthed and heavy, and they will begin to travel on the forehand if the rider can not keep sufficient impulsion. Additionally, many horses that are continuously or incorrectly ridden in draw reins may never learn to engage the hind quarters and lift their withers for self-carriage, and this habit may permanently damage their training. In extreme cases, horses may develop neck and back pain from being forced to hold an artificial position for long periods of time.
HOWEVER in some (not often) circumstances, competent riders who correctly and tactfully use the draw reins can have success in correcting specific problems in horses that require retraining to get rid of bad habits. These are often the riders who use the equipment the least, because they can achieve correct results through good riding instead of gadgets
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holly
Olympic Poster
Posts: 511
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Post by holly on Jan 2, 2008 14:18:05 GMT 1
personally i am not a big fan, but i am sure others have used them with much results. I find if you are not sure on the feel of your horse or how to engage the hindes whilst using this training aid it can develop muscles in all the wrong places and make the horse very on the fore hand. x
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Post by specialsparkle3 on Jan 2, 2008 14:18:47 GMT 1
Use of Draw reins = How to ruin the shape of a horse's neck for good , and ruin it's stride in one easy lesson. IMO they have no place in the correct schooling of a horse.
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Post by Yann on Jan 2, 2008 14:22:11 GMT 1
I've never used them, I'm not aware that they do anything other than winch the horse's head down into a 'position', which I can't see the value of. I've also witnessed them being badly abused trying to make horses work in a supposed outline.
They can easily cause serious damage to the horse's neck.
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lc
Olympic Poster
Posts: 670
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Post by lc on Jan 2, 2008 14:37:25 GMT 1
Never used them and never would! There was a short article about them in Your Horse this month which confirmed all my own personal suspitions about them for me! I know people who use them and love them but they are not for me or my horse.
My friend has used them on her mare and I personally don't like the effect it's had on her neck as it seems to be building the wrong muscles up IMO.
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nuala2
Elementary Poster
Posts: 69
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Post by nuala2 on Jan 2, 2008 15:10:32 GMT 1
The only time I've used them is to educate a horse who was really anti lowering his head. Used them once then moved onto my bungee(my favourite piece of equipment!). They are useless for doing any sort of schooling in and I suspect I could now achieve a similar result as I did without them.
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Cara & Jewel
Grand Prix Poster
Grand Prix Poster
Cara + Jewel...forever...and ever!!!
Posts: 1,873
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Post by Cara & Jewel on Jan 2, 2008 15:37:33 GMT 1
My instructor thinks that before Jewel was imported from the Netherlands, she was in draw reins, because the muscles on her neck are very pronounced if you like, and therefore she has become very stiff and hard in her neck, so no I would never ever use them, they are just a quick fix, and agree with SS3, they don't teach correct schooling!
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Post by ellibell on Jan 2, 2008 15:39:05 GMT 1
Hate them as drawreins, love them when use 2 as longlines as they are a good length.
I personally would never use them as draw reins, I have to work on so many horses that have been damaged by them.
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berylsmum
Grand Prix Poster
My Baby
Posts: 1,712
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Post by berylsmum on Jan 2, 2008 15:56:02 GMT 1
Personally I loath them. I have seen far too many people using them appallingly badly, a lot of people seem to think if they winch the front end in with draw reins then they are in a perfect outline regardless of what the back end is doing. Beryl was schooled a couple of times in them before I got her and all they did was teach her how to overbend to evade the contact.
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Post by justinej on Jan 2, 2008 17:23:42 GMT 1
I believe there is a research paper out there somewhere that says that 5 minutes in draw reins can cause lasting muscle damage.
I can't see any need for them at all.
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Post by lindaandrascal on Jan 2, 2008 17:43:36 GMT 1
Were going to have to have a word about draw reins with Brambles rider, she said the other day "i went shopping for draw reins and came back with a sweat rug" I was shocked, but haven't said anything yet. We will do though, I'm not having draw reins on any horse of mine! We've done without for 25 years, i see no need to change now, i honestly think they are cruel especially with a fairly inexperienced rider, as she is. She doesn't jump yet! Anyway don't draw reins go up between the horses front legs? Or do they go from the girth near the saddle through the bit rings and to the hands that way? Not sure, we don't really use gadgets! If they go between the front legs like a martingale Bramble cant have them, she has a sarcoid there
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Post by justinej on Jan 2, 2008 18:46:19 GMT 1
I think you can set them high or low, to the girth between the legs or the bottom of the saddle on either side like side reins.
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Post by maggiesmum on Jan 2, 2008 18:48:34 GMT 1
They should be banned - or burnt!
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Post by indibindi on Jan 2, 2008 18:51:40 GMT 1
I hate them. I have a horse who has been wrecked by their use. Hacking out in them even!
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