Working Indica in side reins?

You actually want the outside rein slightly shorter to mimic pushing her into your outside rein from your inside leg and keep her from throwing her outside leg on the rail and collapsing onto her inside shoulder. One hole is usually sufficient. Side reins usually have a rubber donut (at least all the ones I've ever seen have). When you put them on put them onto the girth first and then attach them to the bit. There will be a little bit of tension when you put them on her but not so much that it's going to suck her chin into her chest. This is a constant connection, which is the same as your hands.

I trained a Frisian horse for a lady. I got the job because the farrier couldn't trim her feet. Did all the ground work and she was ready to ride. I had this Frisian on voice and body language control... She would walk, trot, lope, stop, back, and reverse directions with no lead rope. I could ground drive this horse from behind using NO reins, just body and voice. Yes she did also work off the end of a lead/lunge rope also. She turned into a big "Love Bug", she just loved to be around people, and doing things. But since I was not a "Dressage" trainer she did not want me to ride her!....??? So she was done with me. Anyway it was time for this horses 'Currying' and she brought in a Dutch Frisian Trainer and I kinda secretly watched....It just broke my heart, I wanted to kick that guys a$$. He put her in side reins and lunged her then lunged her some more. The mare won the Currying but when the lady got her back she was dangerous to be around. She would pin her ears and flat come at you trying to bite and if you stood your ground she would rear up and try to paw you. I felt bad for the horse and offered to help for free but instead the lady sent her up north to a big dressage training facility to have her broke of her dangerous behavior and started. After a year and I'm sure 10 to 20 thousand dollars in training she got her horse back...now a green broke saddle horse. All that to say "I don't like side reins" ...not because they have no value, but because they are over used by some and have no "Feel" I have seen them used to ruin a horse. My 2 cents ... if you use them, use them sparingly. @<3 Fashion & Reining No worries... I will be the first to admit I know very little about side reins except what I've seen done by some, which probably was incorrect. In the disiplines I am involved in, side reins are rarely used, although some tie up the reins to their saddle and lunge, but not as precise as the real thing. I have tried it, but when I rode it felt like the horse automaticly assumed the position and there was no communication thru the reins. Like I already said my advice on this is worth about 2 cents!

They should be at a length that when she stands relaxed, they are just getting a 'tension' along when done up. Gradually you can shorten this up and couple of holes to achieve a higher outline. Don't put your inside one shorter, it teaches the horse to 'crick' its neck to one side. Allow her to drop the tension on the inside rein when she needs to instead, this should make sure she won't fall in through her inside shoulder. Remember not to tuck the end of the leather through the buckle, so you can undo them in an emergency, because I can guarantee you won't get near the bit. Take it slowly and have someone experienced watch you.

Make them just loose enough that she can feel they're there, but not feel at all restricted by them. When she's just standing still, they should have a little slack in them. No, it shouldn't be any shorter at all. If anything, it should be looser. Your horse should step into the outside seat, leg, and rein, therefore your horse turns off of the outside rein, not the inside. The inside rein should only be used to provide inside leverage so that your horse goes more sideways, more into the outside aids, then it should be released.