driving question on holding reins

[Minimor]

Kay, I'm just flipping through couple of Journals here, and there are many show photos with the drivers hold the lines as Relic's photo shows. There are plenty with the lines the other way, coming in over the top of the hand & down through the palms, but I'd say there are more that hold them Relic's way.

I was taught differently (same as shown in Doris Ganton's book), but I actually prefer the way that the photos here show. (I do like Doris Ganton's "one handed" method, though obviously not for the green horses I'm just starting, & I'm not sure how that would go over in the show ring?) I hold the lines as pictured above when I'm long lining--I find it very comfortable & I can be very light that way.

 

[Jill]

At the risk of ticking some people off, I think the reason we see reins held so many different ways (when, again, I think the way Relic shows is the RIGHT way), is because a lot of mini people -- including trainers -- do not have any big horse / riding experience. A lot just don't honestly know right from not so right.

 

[nootka]

The way Jill describes and Relic illustrates is what I've learned and similar to what I learned w/full size horses. I think Jill may be right on about the method to the madness so to speak.

Those rein loops may in fact be a good thing for some people who have disabilities, but they are not a good tool for teaching, I would think.

I have enjoyed this thread. Heike Bean's book is a great one, IMO, if you can get ahold of one for learning to drive/understanding the principles.

Liz M.

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

At the risk of ticking some people off, I think the reason we see reins held so many different ways (when, again, I think the way Relic shows is the RIGHT way), is because a lot of mini people -- including trainers -- do not have any big horse / riding experience. A lot just don't honestly know right from not so right.

I think therein lies the problem they are coming from a riding horse background not a carriage horse background. While I don't think Relic's way is wrong in any way I don't think it's the norm in full sized horse carriage horse pleasure driving and have even found a reference to what I was taught in "The Essential Guide to Carriage Driving. It does list Relic's way as a basic hand position, not incorrect by any means, but I wished to learn effective rein handling for a proper carriage horse whether is it common in mini driving or not. Might as well get used to it from the start instead of trying to retrain myself later.

Good luck Kay you will have a lot of different ways to consider and should choose the one that makes the most sense for you.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

kay I have asked several top trainers and a couple of judges and really the basic answer I get is there is no equitation when it comes to driving(in our breed shows).. There are MANY different ways in holding the lines and it is all about what works for you and what feels the most comfortable from what I understand.

Some drive with hands way up in the air, others kinda low, some with thumbs up, others with what I call puppy dog paws and many of them are very good drivers not only with ribbons but with results

 

[Minimor]

I think therein lies the problem they are coming from a riding horse background not a carriage horse background. While I don't think Relic's way is wrong in any way I don't think it's the norm in full sized horse carriage horse pleasure driving and have even found a reference to what I was taught in "The Essential Guide to Carriage Driving. It does list Relic's way as a basic hand position, not incorrect by any means, but I wished to learn effective rein handling for a proper carriage horse whether is it common in mini driving or not. Might as well get used to it from the start instead of trying to retrain myself later.

Just what I was thinking too Shirley.
As I said I use Relic's rein hold when I'm longlining. Why? Because as a rider I am comfortable with that. While it's an acceptable way of holding the lines, it is not THE correct way by carriage driving standards, and when I'm actually driving in the cart I do tend to go with the hold described in Doris Ganton's book as I mentioned earlier. I was going to post a photo of that hold but I can't find the one I want. As Lisa said, in the show ring there isn't one official "right" way to hold the lines.

As far as the pictured hold being light & a hold where the lines run through the hand from top to bottom being heavy handed, that's not necessarily true either. It's more in how the individual uses the lines than how he/she holds them. Using the hold in Relic's photo a heavy handed driver can exert a huge amount of force on the horse's mouth! And likewise a driver with good hands can be incredibly light handed even while holding the lines in a different way.

 

[kaykay]

thanks so much everyone that replied

i got a couple pms and most said what lisa said. there is no right or wrong or more correct way to hold them. So this must be way we see so many different ways in the show ring.

I do come from a horse riding background (western) All the horses i grew up riding were trained to neck rein so I never used a split rein to ride.

 

[NyborFarm]

This is how I hold my reins. I was first taught to hold them between the thumb and index finger. But once I got a horse that had a lot more get up and go then the horse I origionally learned to drive on, that method didn't work for me. I felt my reins kept slipping out of my grasp. So my older sister (who has ridden hunt seat for over 10 years) showed me how to hold them this way. I feel it has given me more control over a horse that is head strong, yet has a surprisingly light mouth.