# Leather reins or nylon reins?



## Wanstrom Horses (Dec 23, 2012)

I think nylon is a lot tougher than leather when it comes to breaking.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Yes, leather will break a hundred times faster than nylon will.

You can get thin leather reins, but you won't have any sort of feel with them when you pick up. Heavy and thick reins are highly desired. For reining, I refuse to show in anything not heavy and not thick and weighted. Mare can't feel it otherwise.

For barrel reins it depends. i don't really care. I like the knotted reins a lot so essentially as long as there is knots or the leather is grippy.


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## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

I like both personally. I own a pair of light blue and black knotted nylon barrel reins but often use my trainers thinner rolled leather barrel reins. 

I have to agree with the nylon being stronger though.


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## Wanstrom Horses (Dec 23, 2012)

In my day of training barrel horses, I didn't care for riding in leather reins. The always felt bulking and stiff to be, when I'm running I want to grab a handful of rein and run, not mess with sliding my hands around on still leather that wouldn't fold. But I guess everyone to their own lol. Now all I ride with is rawhide or horsehair. I actually hate leather reins no matter what western discipline.


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

SorrelHorse said:


> Yes, leather will break a hundred times faster than nylon will.
> 
> You can get thin leather reins, but you won't have any sort of feel with them when you pick up. Heavy and thick reins are highly desired. For reining, I refuse to show in anything not heavy and not thick and weighted. Mare can't feel it otherwise.
> 
> For barrel reins it depends. i don't really care. I like the knotted reins a lot so essentially as long as there is knots or the leather is grippy.


Yup, I use double stitched leather slit reins and they're weighted at the ends too...when I bridge them, they are bridged! Not flopping down and looping over the horn.....that bugs me!


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## Barrelhorsetrainer (Jan 7, 2013)

I dont know i had on pair of nylon reins and i ran in to run poles one day on my old horse went to check him to turn and the rein snapped! I was running around on a sycho pole horse trying to get him to stop with the reins dragging
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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

I've never used nylon reins. I like longer split reins so I can pop the horses butt if its not responding to cues. I don't think nylon would have enough weight to do anything.
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## Barrelhorsetrainer (Jan 7, 2013)

All my leather reins are custom made so they are tinyier at the end i hold them and have a knot on one side and a knot on the other so i still have grip when i am barrel raceing
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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Trust us, leather is going to break easier. That is why all breakaway halters have leather, that is why a lot of people don't use leather latigos, and that is also why some peoples bridles can snap in half if they are poorly made. Ask anyone out there.


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## Barrelhorsetrainer (Jan 7, 2013)

I use leather reins for poles, and all my ropeing events but nylon for barrels
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## Barrelhorsetrainer (Jan 7, 2013)

I think there are some good pairs of leather reins out there i prefer them if they have been used some so they are soft and supple
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## BarrelRacingLvr (Feb 26, 2012)

Depends on what I am doing.....when I am training, doing slow work, ect I am 80% of the time in Split Reins and a snaffle. So I have leather Split reins....and have had A LOT of broken reins through the years (mostly my fault lol). And in the certain situations braided nylon reins wouldn't have broke. 

When I am running I NEVER use leather reins...one because my hands are always clammy so my reins get slick and my hands slide. And two I don't trust them lol. But I also don't trust snaps so I rubber band the claw snaps closed. 

So when training, slow work, ect I have Leather. For fast work, drills, runs, ect I always use nylon and prefer nylon.


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## Barrelhorsetrainer (Jan 7, 2013)

All my tack is handmade out of leather except my barrel reins and they have never snapped
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## ligoleth (Sep 9, 2011)

I like nylon over leather. Some reigns are just too stiff for me leatherwise. 

But I am very picky about my reigns in general. For my bitless riding I use a heavier set of nylon reigns, and bitted I use my lighter nylons.


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## Sweetwater Farms (Jan 7, 2013)

*
Greetings & Happy New Year! It is true Nylon is much more difficult to break than leather-which is not so bad depending on what you are using it for. When the "waterproof" faux leather tack, essentially nylong, first arrived on the horse scene there were enough wrecks caused when the nylon didn't break, although leather would have, resulting in one case in a nearly drowning 13 year old kiddo on a super well broke horse, who could've given an Olympic swimmer a run for the money. However, when this mare panicked in about 6 feet of water, galloping in our my horse while grabbing my knife out of my saddle pack to cut the nylon was easier said than done. Thank God & my super confident horse for helping what could have been a horrible disaster end safely with only nerves shattered & no real phyiscal injury to horse or rider.
Not so with some I have seen tie their horses around using nylon tied back to the saddle-as some "trainers" used older methods with unsuitable equipment & the lack of a backup plan should something go wrong. When a horse flips in a panick, especially while saddled the damage, which may not be immediately apparent, can actually cause long lasting, if not permanent injury to the spine, from croup to poll. In my opinion, do not use nylon without a knife handy. [/QUOTE][/QUOTE]*


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## Sweetwater Farms (Jan 7, 2013)

*Simple equation...Nylon tack + Horses=a Handy Knife Required*

*Greetings & Happy New Year! It is true Nylon is much more difficult to break & easier to clean than leather. That may not so bad-depending on what you are using it for. When the "waterproof" faux leather tack, essentially made of nylon/plastic based products, first arrived on the horse scene a few decades ago there were more than enough wrecks causing injury to horses &/or handlers/riders, when the nylon didn't break when leather would have. 

While trail riding locally, I personally witnessed the near drowning of a 13 year gal and her super barrel/gymkhana horse, who typically would've given an Olympian a swim for the money. However, the mare panicked in about 6 feet of water, when she went to raise her head to swim and somehow got a leg through the single nylon roping rein she was being ridden with, & found the more she pulled up, the deeper she went. As we neared the lake, it didn't take a rocket scientist to see the mare was totally freaked out, half rearing for a gasp of air & then falling over backwards again & again. She then began rolling like an alligator underwater, with the frightened, experienced rider still clinging to the saddle, with both more under water than not for lengthy times. Galloping into the water our my World & National Champion stallion, Breezin' Bull (who was worked frequently on trails & a month later won the World Championships in Pleasure Driving) while grabbing my hoofpick-knife combo out of my saddle pack, and diving off ol' Bull to cut the nylon & free the mare was easier said than done, but finally worked. Thank God for the gift of a super confident horse who helped avoid what could have been a horrible disaster, but instead ended relatively safely, with only many nerves shattered & no physical injury to horse or rider. 

Unfortunately, on Cape Cod in 2011, a youngster lost her life in a similar incident when her pony went down after also getting a leg through some sort of nylon tack. This time, they stayed down, with the poor youngster unable to free herself. This poor girl did not survive this incident, and yes, she was using Nylon tack to play in the Bay's shallows, so she didn't ruin her leather tack. I'd rather have my kids trash their best show saddles than loose their lives! And, cleaning & checking tack is enjoyable to me. Some knit or crochet to relax, but I'd rather sit on my favorite milk crate in the wash rack cleaning LEATHER tack, while rockin' to my favorites 80's music in the barn. To me that is therapeutic. 

In my travels working as a large animal vet, I have seen the results of "trainers" who use nylon "reins" tied back to the saddle to train their horses to be supple. The results of this type of wreck do not typically end well, especially if the horse goes over saddled on hard ground. Tying horses around (to the saddle) to help teach & gain suppleness through the horse's spine is still used effectively by many trainers. However, in my opinion this should only be done with suitable equipment & a backup plan, such as a sharp knife handy, should something go wrong-even when using leather. When a horse flips while panicking, & especially while saddled, the damage which may not be immediately apparent. It can actually cause long lasting, if not permanent injury to the tongue, jaw, & spine, from croup to poll, which then can affect the usefulness and soundness of the horse, as well as negative changes in its attitude also being noted. In my opinion, the use of nylon reins & ties without a knife handy, or in the case of gaming tack, (especially reins & tie downs) try to use those with reachable quick release snaps, should the horse go down, or worse.*


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I prefer braided poly or nylon line. I tend to make my own, as "Roper" are too short usually. I like a one piece 9 foot rein. long enough to drop on the horn but not so long I am dealing with a bunch of extra. I use 1/4" screw lock shackles on the end that stay put unless I take em off, to use the reins as a lead line or tie.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Well...you didn't include these in your question, but we ride with a woven cotton. Soft in the hands and easy to hold.
Between leather or nylon, I personally prefer nylon.


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