I'm still learning about horse body language, so I could be wrong, but even when I just looked up "draw reins" in google images, a lot of the horses wearing them look really uncomfortable/in pain.
You have a good eye. The head-behind-the-vertical position is not one a horse can or should hold for very long - it's something they might do when playing or when trying to impress other horses, but they need to be able to release that posture and open up the angle between head and neck after a few strides.
Naw, any decent equestrian should have read black beauty at 8 years old and known never to use draw rains. I mean really, what kind of horse person are they
My original degree is human kinesiology. The whole idea of using gear to put the horse into a position they are trying to avoid makes zero sense from an exercise physiology POV. It’s not just dangerous and cruel (to interfere with a mammals ability to balance (and I’ve witnessed a horse flip over trying to evade side reins), it doesn’t work. At best, it develops the horse’s ability to tolerate the restricted position and build whatever compensations it needs. More likely, it’s just making the horse stronger at resisting the very position we’re trying to somehow “fix.” Why would I ever want to modify a symptom and not address the reason it’s happening? People using these auxiliary rein aids/tools are trying to stop the horse’s body from doing the best movement it can under the circumstances. If they don’t like the movement, they need to figure out why the horse is choosing it and solve the underlying problem… if there even is one. Most restriction/posture “fixes” introduce a half-dozen new problems for every one they supposedly “fix.” 😣 Good training is inconvenient I guess 😑
I have a 3x3 rule: any additional tool, whether that is draw reins or a flash should come into effect no more than three times per ride, for three rides. Either they had the desired effect, or they are the wrong tool. This rules out side reins and any other fixed auxiliary reins, because you cannot release them. (I've never yet met a horse I wanted to ride in draw reins; though I have used a flash. Once.)
Also the word "asking the horse" if you asked the horse to be tortured and abused, trapped in bondage, nope absolutely not! You wouldn't accept abuse......
Starting from the front of the horse to have the head and neck look like the horse is in self carriage is backwards. You need to get the hind quarters strong before you ever think about the look of the head and neck. If you get the hind quarters engaged the head and neck will take care of themselves. People do this wrong all the time and no wonder horses get routine hock and stifle injections without that seeming weird to anyone. A good exercise for correct carriage is extended trot uphill and collected trot downhill - not too steep and gradually increasing time spent on this.
Draw reigns aren’t abuse when used correctly one of my friends who has been riding for 10 years and she is almost in college uses them only To help her horses hind end she uses them correctly and knows right from wrong ❤❤❤
@@nchorsegirl7 it does, I recommend getting an experienced trainer who understands biomechanics to explain it better or watch the whole video to learn how the pulley system works. 10 years of riding isn’t a very long time and I did the same things in the past because I wasn’t educated on how things work.
@@Milestone-Equestrian umm my friend is very educated and she has been riding since she was like 6 so 11 years her mom and dad know a heck ton about horses and her trainers also do too. So yeah
@nchorsegirl7 draw reins r actually abusive, and they aren’t comfortable for a horse. People use them as an easy way out and use them to force a horse into an unnatural position. Draw reins are an artificial training aid, and they exert pressure on the horse’s mouth, which causes them to put their head down to get release from the pressure. Draw reins pull a horse’s head behind the vertical, which is the wrong way to ride no matter what type of riding u r doing. Riding BTV causes many problems like putting more weight on their shoulders and forehand, muscular strain, restricted airflow, limited field of vision, etc. It results in a bulging overdevelopment of the muscles along the top of the neck, and the parotid glands become enlarged and permanently protrude. It’s not comfortable, safe, or beneficial for horses riding BTV or using artificial training aids to try to hide the problem or find a quick solution.
I think in general society wants a quick fix for everything and that’s just not reality for anything including animals. If you want an animal to do something correctly you have to put the time and practice into it. There are no quick fixes.
I wish people would just take the time to teach their horses correctly instead of going right for the training gimmicks. Back in the day, I used to use this crap too - I've since learned better ways, through people like you. Thank you for all you do, all you teach and all you struggle to do to make horses lives better, and to make us better riders.
Curious if these are some form of draw reins or not: A while back I did a few riding lessons and as a beginner the teacher had these lines that connected from the bridle to the saddle "because you're not steering right now". They definitely required the horse to keep her head in a certain position (downwards but not arched as much as here), and now I think maybe she was really uncomfortable. Were those draw reins? Edit: Looks like they're side reins, based on some quick googling. They seem marginally better than draw reins, but still uncomfortable and risky.
Yes!! I ride as free as possible, often bridleless, and if we use a bridle, it's just a rope halter. We are a team, and go on trust and connection instead of extra tools.
I can't wait to own a horse, maybe 15 years into the future when I have my own job so I can do this ❤ one of the reasons I had to quit riding is because of my second barn being borderline abusive in the way they taught kids to handle bits and bridles, I go on trail rides maybe 2 times a year now in a place that's much further away but not abusive at all
@appl_equestrianeditor.official Be proud, and enjoy that clean conscience! ♡ Better horse friendly 2 times a year, than knowing that your pleasure is causing them pain. For me, it's one of the reasons that I didn't ride for a while before I got my own horse, well, before I met him I should say, I took care of him for his previous owner before he really became mine. But yea, I'd rather be horseless (omg I can't even, I have to suppress that feeling quickly) , than abuse them in any way.
Look for the classical dressage trainers like Egon von Neindorff (Erik Herbermann's 'Dressage Formula' is a good introduction. Gert Schwabl von Gordon is another author that has impressed me a lot.) It takes more time in the beginning, but you'll see more sustainable progress later - instead of having to fight with the horse every time you ride, you'll be able to more or less pick up where you left off.
I LOATHE draw reins. People use them as a shortcut and as a substitute for correct riding. Correct riding promotes freedom of muscle movement in the horse, draw reins do not - they block that.
thank you so much for this explanation!! I see them used so heavily and wondered if there must be some proper application but it seems it just serves to create a particular look without any real maturity and willingness to accept and move through and into the contact with relaxation and proper engagement of the hind quarters up through the back and resulting in a light and flexible forehand that can maintain a frame comfortably. Subscribing!! This is amazing info🙏🏻🫶🏻🤍
