# home made side reins



## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

You need to know why your horse is carrying his head so high. 

Have you checked his teeth? Look there first. A lot of horses resist rein pressure because it hurts their mouth.

Do you have a video you can post. A lot of horses are resisting a rider's bad hands. Side reins will not fix that . 

Some horses have such low-set 'ewe necks', that they cannot get their head carriage very nice and are literally build to carry their heads high. No equipment will correct poor conformation.

Bad hands coupled with poor technique is responsible for most high headed horses. If you take hold of a horse's mouth and push and bump with your heels (no spurs) and do not give the horse any relief but continually drive the horse forward into this rein pressure, every horse will eventually drop its head to find relief somewhere. They usually first throw their heads higher, shake it from side to side, brace stiffly -- you name it and they will try to figure out how to get rid of the steady pull on their mouth. If you DO NOT offer any relief until the horse drops its head trying to find some way to get away from the pressure, you will teach the horse to lower its head. 

The rider must offer relief in the form of a slack rein the instant the horse drops its head. It works just about every time. I can usually get on a bracey, high headed horse and have it carrying its head knee high within about 20 to 30 minutes. I have done it time after time at the clinics I used to conduct. I would do it just to show that if you develop timing and feel and offer release or relief at the right time, you can get a horse to do just about anything. 

I did not do it to teach people's horses to carry their heads knee high. I did it to show that when you offer relief consistently at a certain time when the horse does a certain thing, then the horse will do that thing to get the relief.

Conversely, if a horse throws its head and you quit pulling on the reins because you do not want to aggravate the situation worse, you have just taught the horse to get relief by throwing its head up.


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## beauforever23 (May 6, 2010)

Cherie said:


> You need to know why your horse is carrying his head so high.
> 
> Have you checked his teeth? Look there first. A lot of horses resist rein pressure because it hurts their mouth.
> 
> ...



I apologize in advance if I come across as a snob in this one post i'm just very tired, aggravated, sick to my stomach{literally}. ugh. 

anyway.. i have honestly no videos of me riding, other than videos on my old trainers horse and that has nothing to go with my horse so, I'm not posting that. His teeth were checked and he's fine, the saddle fits, ruled out pain and nothing, he just naturally holds his head up high and he's done it ever since I adopted him. 

I don't really hold the reins tight unless, he is acting like a complete *** {bucking, trying to rear, bolting, or just being a dork} and that's when I tighten up my reins, other than that I hold my reins nice and loose and let him have his head so, I see NO REASON for him to hold his head so high. 

I don't pull on him either but, he's never done the head shake, throw his head higher or brace up in anyway. I have tried the 'pinky trick' or opening and closing the pinkies to have him lower his head but, he drops it and than the minute I stop and praise him he brings his head right back up. 

That's why I have resulted in trying something different, side reins, surcingle, anything at this point that will train him to keep his head down. 

BTW, we do NOT have a round pen.


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## beauforever23 (May 6, 2010)

i'm just bumping this up a little bit.


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## equinesalways (Jan 5, 2010)

If you really want to make your own, go to the hardware store and get a 12' length of nylon rope and 4 double ended snaps. Make two ropes about 6' long. Tie the snaps on at the end and then make a half a dozen loops on one end. That end is the part that goes attaches to the girth and then the other part goes through the bit and back onto itself to one of the loops. The hard part is making the loops even on both sides. Really, you'd be better off buying a cheap pair, either nylon or leather to get the job done. Country Horse Supply has some cheapies:

Driving, Training & Lunging | Side Reins & Balance Systems - Horse.com


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## beauforever23 (May 6, 2010)

yeah, that sounds way to complicated for me to do on my own. I'll just buy them.


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## Valentina (Jul 27, 2009)

You don't need side reins to teach long and low - using L&L will help horse relax - that's probably why he likes to put head in air.

See earlier post here for how to get L&L.


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## beauforever23 (May 6, 2010)

i'm assuming L&L is long and low... and yes, i responded to that post already... see above... also, like i said in my previous post i don't hold my reins tight...


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## IndiesaurusRex (Feb 23, 2011)

beauforever23 said:


> i'm assuming L&L is long and low... and yes, i responded to that post already... see above... also, like i said in my previous post i don't hold my reins tight...


That's the point - you need to get the horse to ride into the bridle BY holding the reins - but plonking side reins on it you're just short-cutting the problem and not really solving it.
As previously said, if you hold onto your reins tight and push him on into the bridle with your legs, then he will soon understand that he has to drop his head, and at that point you lighten your hand and provide relief.
Yes, it may take more effort than strapping him down in side reins, but ultimately, he will respect you more as a rider.


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## beauforever23 (May 6, 2010)

IndiesaurusRex said:


> That's the point - you need to get the horse to ride into the bridle BY holding the reins - but plonking side reins on it you're just short-cutting the problem and not really solving it.
> As previously said, if you hold onto your reins tight and push him on into the bridle with your legs, then he will soon understand that he has to drop his head, and at that point you lighten your hand and provide relief.
> Yes, it may take more effort than strapping him down in side reins, but ultimately, he will respect you more as a rider.


Once again, I apologize for being a shrew but, i'm aggravated by everything right now. I know that I have to hold my reins to get him to give to the bit but, when I tighten my reins he throws his head high in the air and doesn't drop and that's why I can't tighten my reins while holding reins. 

I know that putting him in side reins is not going to solve it but, it would be a start.


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## equinesalways (Jan 5, 2010)

For most people, the best way to teach a horse to understand an accept contact is by using side reins. Don't roast the girl over the fire for wanting to try this widely used and acceptable training practice.

Some quick tips for using side reins: Get the horse pointed in the right direction first. Put on the outside side rein and then the inside. Get behind the horse (not directly behind, just in a good position to drive the horse forward) and tell the horse to go. Some times if they fuss and drop a lot in the walk, it's better to trot them. Don't canter in them until the horse the horse is very balanced in that gait without them on. If you adjust them too loosely, it will just bump the horse in the mouth. You want the horse to be just about on the vertical (face perpendicular to the ground) while standing. When you change directions, take them off, turn the horse around and then put them back on.


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## beauforever23 (May 6, 2010)

equinesalways said:


> For most people, the best way to teach a horse to understand an accept contact is by using side reins. Don't roast the girl over the fire for wanting to try this widely used and acceptable training practice.
> 
> Some quick tips for using side reins: Get the horse pointed in the right direction first. Put on the outside side rein and then the inside. Get behind the horse (not directly behind, just in a good position to drive the horse forward) and tell the horse to go. Some times if they fuss and drop a lot in the walk, it's better to trot them. Don't canter in them until the horse the horse is very balanced in that gait without them on. If you adjust them too loosely, it will just bump the horse in the mouth. You want the horse to be just about on the vertical (face perpendicular to the ground) while standing. When you change directions, take them off, turn the horse around and then put them back on.


thank you equinesalways. I am going to get the side reins tomorrow so, I'll probably work him in them Saturday.


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## Arksly (Mar 13, 2010)

Not sure if this was brought up already but, I highly advise not to ride in them.


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## equinesalways (Jan 5, 2010)

> Not sure if this was brought up already but, I highly advise not to ride in them.


Good point! I guess I overlooked it because side reins are used as a lunging tool. It would be especially unwise to do it in the beginning, when the horse is just learning to accept them. They must learn to go really go forward into them and it's taught from the ground. I am not sure that was the OPs intent, but just adding this to clarify.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Cherie's first post is SPOT ON for why this happens, and how to change it.
You may not have harsh hands. Could be an old habit. AND, sometimes when holding reins neither looping loose, not tight enougth to follow the mouth, you get into that place where they are tightingin, loosening, tightining loosening. Horse gets snapped in the mouth with each stride . Hard for horse to make heads or tails out of rein contact that inconsistent MORE but consistent and meaningful contact, ala Cherie's explanation , is the way to getting them to learn to drop head. THEN you must learn how to always follow mouth well OR stay totally off the bit. No imbetween.


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