On my website I show many pictures of myself and my students riding with draw reins. Many questions have been raised as to why I use them. Before I answer these questions, let's examine the development of the draw reins and the horse.

If a horse is developed correctly as a baby or even as a newly schooled dressage horse, the horse should be developed on long lines. For those of you who are not familiar with long lines they are, in simple terms, two lunge lines placed on each side of the horse with the use of a circingle (a girth like device with rings to put the long lines through to help the placement of the horses head, neck and back). We will assume that our horse is kind, quiet, and is not a bully or dangerous on long lines for our discussion (see next months article on training with longe lines). With long lines the lunge lines can be placed through the bit and attached to the circingle as the horse is being either lunged or moving straight on a two track to allow the horse to start bending at the poll and soften it's jaw as the horse is free with out a rider to impede it's natural way of movement. As the horse develops his strength and understanding of how to place it's body so it uses the least possible energy and the maximum amount of power ,the horse then can be asked for different movements such as shoulder in, haunches in, leg yield, etc. So the use of long lines can become an invaluable tool to the trainer who understands how to utilize it correctly.

Now, with this said, the running reins, or draw reins, are just an extension of the long lines. Some horses do not have the need for draw reins, but most, at some point in time, do, just as some horses use side reins. I like draw reins for many reasons. The rider can softly place the horse's head and neck without using much force with it's half halts, and when needed has the option to utilize the draw reins... or not! The rider does not have to use major amounts of strength to "hold the horse together and drive it under itself" which should never be. The horse can slowly, and I really mean slowly, start to accept the "balanced position of his body without the rider creating the force to "keep the horse together " (which is wrong - the horse keeps itself together... not the rider ). As the horse starts to become soft, the draw reins can be moved up from the center of the girth between the horse's legs, to the sides of the saddle as the horse slowly gains strength and confidence in itself to balance itself. As the horse is moving freely with the maximum length of stride, and the rider does not have to chase the horse under itself with a banging leg on it's sides, and is starting to bend trhough it's back and concede to the hand around the corners, the horse is telling the rider that it is ready to take the next step in it's development. At this point the reins and draw reins should be taken up and light contact should be utilized. Light contact is approximately one to two pounds of pressure, to the ultimately desired "no contact". If your horse is being ridden with more contact, then your horse is not conceding to the bit and the rider is carrying the horse around... and the horse is not balanced correctly .

Finally we can get to the use of draw reins! Now if your horse is a consummate bully or loves to bore into your hands, and does not concede to your hands, the use of draw reins will help teach your horse to concede to the hand .

****** important ****** NOW REMEMBER I DID SAY HELP !!!

The horse, no matter what level, should never be forced into the bit... especially with draw reins. If you do try and force him then the horse will learn how to become frightened and will likely rear, or buck - both dangerous situations.

***************Now another foe paw in dressage***************

Ready? The practice of working the horse behind the bit. Most horses, especially dressage horses, are pushed under themselves and onto the bit. The heaviness in the hand at any stage should always be address especially at the lower levels. So many low level tests are ridden with the horse above the bit, with a U'd back, and are still in the ribbons. When i see this i see a horse that is resistant to the hand and is creating a length of stride because of force; not because of a soft, relaxed hand and leg allowing the horse its' natural length of stride. Riding the horse behind the bit gives the horse's neck, poll and back the ability to relax while keeping a length of stride. When I ride a horse that cannot be asked to go behind the bit, I always find a horse that is resistant to the hand. A test I use for self carriage of a horse - can your horse stay collected with light or no contact in your hands at a trot and canter ... when the rider takes its legs completely off the sides of the horse? What does your horse do if it changes its' pace, rhythm or stride, it is not in self carriage and is resting on the riders hands? Another fun test - at any gait, the horse should be able to go on the bit and in front of the bit and behind the bit. If you raise your hands when the horse is behind the bit, the horse should be able to follow the rider's hands so it will "naturally" elevate itself and be able to engage its' hind end more effectively, more easily and more naturally. Physics says that the horse has to bring it's head and neck closer and round its' back and come up at the withers to become more collected at any gait. The use of teaching the horse to be behind the bit is so that the horse does not learn to bore in the hand during these periods of building muscle and building a more engaged horse. It is marvelous to allow the horse a small area of relaxation - that being putting the horse behind the bit and not forcing the scared horse on the bit, allowing the horse brief moments of relaxation until the horse becomes comfortable with the new work. Then asking the horse to come on the hand. Now during all of this, the draw reins are being used and the control of the horse is being softly and slowly allocated to the horse, If the horse bores on the hand severely, the horse should be taken back to softening excersises. The basic excersises of dressage for either the horse or the rider has gotten away from them. Once a horse has learned to bore on the hand and not carry itself, further holding and driving will only aggravate the situation. I know of people that will not compete their horses at lower levels because the basic softness issues are not addressed, and they use solely a double bridle to work the horse in an air of pain and force .

Now... this article reads like a dressage article; not one on draw reins. The draw reins should not be used unless one has a basic understanding of dressage. Some circumstances of when to use draw reins: if your horse is heavy in the hand and will not concede to your hand. First, make sure your horses' teeth are balanced by a reputable equine dentist (if needed I will tell you mine). Once this is ruled out, then look at your hands. Are you holding the horse together, so that the horse is now a work out machine and
you have biceps like Arnold? Does your horse fall apart at the trot and canter when you take your legs off (the horse's softness and gait should not change)? And can you place the horse's head and neck anywhere you wish during your dressage work? If the answer is no then you should go back to the basics of dressage - low and long, softening the horses jaw. Now remember you have a horse that is dragging you around the dressage arena, pulling on your arms and boring into your hands. You, or someone else, has taught him to do this... so get a professional and have him/her teach you the use of draw reins. Start on a 20 meter circle and slowly collect the horse with your fingers. At what point does your horse 's jaw become stiff? With your professional that understands the use of draw reins, put them (the draw reins) on the horse. The reins go through the bit rings to the under-side of the horse, attached to the girth between the horse's front legs. Hold the regular reins normally, and the draw reins around the little finger. The draw reins and regular reins should be "gripped" ONLY between your thumb and index finger softly. If you have a closed fist or a hard hand then your horse needs to learn how to concede to a soft squeeze release of your fingers. NEVER ... NEVER USE A CLENCHED FIST TO HOLD THE HORSE. Now on a 20m circle with the draw reins on the horse, softly bend the horse's head to the inside shoulder with your fingers softly squeeze-releasing, and see and feel the concession of the horse's head, neck and poll. As the horse slowly bends and gives the rider momentary slack on the inside rein, slowly take it back by moving your arm from your elbow back until you feel your horse starting to lose balance on th circle, or become stiff in the jaw. At this point your horse does not have self carriage and the rider needs to cue the horse with a half halt of the hand or using the appropriate leg to squeeze release on its side to maintain the horse's balance. DO NOT hold the horse with a hard hand or a hard leg. The rider maintains the softness of the horse; not maintains the horses balance. Now with the draw reins the horse will try to balance itself on your hands and the more your horse forces it's weight on your hands the more it actually fights itself. BE VERY CAREFUL AT THIS POINT ... your horse may become frightened of its concession and relaxation... and my try to rear or stop and prop up, then rear, drop its head and buck. This is a very dangerous time for the horse, for it is now learning how to balance itself and is not mentally prepared to accept its own self carriage, and that it holds the responsibility of self carriage; not you! Getting your horse responsible is a very dangerous thing, especially if your horse has developed the muscles to hold on to you and the muscles to be driven under its self. The horse has to use different muscles to perform self carriage. At first if done correctly the horse will become longer and more slender. The muscles have to become supple and the tendons and ligaments have to stretch and become stronger. This is why a horse learns to resist the rider. Dressage is like... body building. The wrong muscles have to atrophy while the correct working muscles become stronger. As the horse tries to fall and lose balance, do not grab with your hands; maintain them. Neither move them nor give. If your horse becomes hard and stiff, cautiously give him an upward half halt. He may react very negatively. If he accepts it become more severe until you find how much it takes to half halt your horse off your hands. Do not keep taking back. With the draw reins, your horses neck should be long and relaxed and should learn how to concede to the hand. This excercise should be done to both shoulders on a 20 meter circle. A hint: make four points in your circle; a top bottom and sides. Draw a straight line in the dirt connecting the points. Can your horse maintain the bend, and stay on the lines of the circle without the rider grabbing to the horse's mouth? If no then make a 4 foot channel, two lines 4 feet apart. How close can you come to staying in-between the lines? This excersise is done at the walk and trot and the draw reins are only there to help the horse support itself under stressful conditions.

Wow ... thats alot ... the draw reins will also teach the rider to be steady with its hands, because they are not banging the horse's mouth. The rider cannot learn how to be quiet until they ride a quiet horse. If you watch any trainer, they discipline the horse by moving their body. The statue position "just sit there" mentality has to fail because the horse is changing its body because it does not understand the work or does not have the proper muscles developed. Now one may argue that the horse and rider should not be progressed unless all these things are developed. Well at my farm they are not. But during development, mistakes are and have to be made on the horse by the rider. The horse does not have to suffer because the rider does not have quiet hands. The horses I have for my lessons are my personal competition horses. Ask yourself a question: Why does your instructor not let you ride their horses? Answer: Because you are not good enough. Therefore, what are you really learning? Food for thought. Oh, by the way - my horses get a maximum of two lessons a day, and I reschool them after each lesson.

Well, there is alot to be absorbed, and I only touched the tip of the iceberg on using draw reins... the use, the needs, the whens and hows. As all tools, like long lines, in the right hands it is amarvelous tool to help facilitate the development of the horse. In the wrong hands it can be very dangerous. I have spoken about some taboos in this industry: riding behind the bit... draw reins... and I hope I have helped you in understanding the need to teach your horse to be able to go "behind the bit" if and when necessary. The quality of the trainer is one who does not cookie cutter the horse, but can develop different techniques to help develop the horse's natural ability to become soft. I am very fortunate that I specialize in problem horses, because it challenges me each day to create a different combination of techniques to help my noble charges.

Have fun .. keep safe .. and good luck in your studies of our noble friends.

Mark Matyszyk
Sunrise Farm

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