driving question on holding reins

[kaykay]

some of you know fran and i are just learning to drive along with crunch. I have seen people hold the reins several different ways. Is one more correct?? Originally i was taught to weave the reins going under the little finger. This is really hard for me as I have really small hands. So is it okay to hold them in a loop?? Some I have asked say no and some say it doesnt matter.

Pictures would be great too

thanks

 

[barrelchick93]

It dosen't matter, I watched lots of national driving classes this year and EVERYBODY was holding theres different

: JMO, Steph

I will try to get some pictures

 

[SkipsMom]

KayKay- for driving you hold the reins as you would if you were riding English. That is to say the rein coming from the horse is guided under either your pinky or ring finger and comes up to be held in place by your thumb against your pointer finger. You have two opitons for dealing w/ the extra length- either sit on it or loop it and hold it w/ your thumb. Just don't let it drag on the ground.

Plow reining is different.

Go here: http://www.threegfarms.com/meet.html let this page load because there are lots of large pictures. You will be able to see how they hold the reins.

Good luck!

 

[Jill]

In my opinion, the proper way to hold the driving lines are to have the reins pass between your ring finger and pinky, then come up through your hands and out the top beteen your thumb and index finger. I see SO many pictures of top winners holding the reins through fist shaped hands with the reins coming out either the top of the bottom. This, no matter what color the ribbon, doesn't seem proper to me. Having many driving and some riding horses, I do not know how you have soft hands and a fist at the same time. My horses respond to the slightest twitch of my ring fingers and just can't imagine how much louder my hands would be if held as I see so many pictured.

 

[HGFarm]

I totally agree Jill.... soft hands is the only way to go with the ultimate control. And this is correct. I would wonder if I saw other methods.... just because others do it other ways does not mean it is correct.

 

[SILVER]

Kim of willowoods showed me at a clinic where she was teaching driving. If she is on maybe she could post a couple pics of her holding the reins for you ( and a reminder for me

 

[Margo_C-T]

There are no rulebook-specified ways of holding the reins in either mini breed registry-not even in the ADS. Like others, though, I feel that a two-handed hold works best if each rein enters the bottom of the corresponding hand, either under the little finger or under the ring finger, and exits 'over' the first finger, with the thumb resting lightly but firmly upon said rein-similar to the 'ice cream cone' hold we used to use when riding with romal reins. It is also possible, with practice, to allow the rein to come unto the hand under the little finger and exit between the first and the middle finger. This frees the first finger and thumb to hold the whip. You simply can't have nearly as light a touch, as much sensitivity, IMO, when the reins come into the TOP of the hand and exit out the bottom. Not sure what you meant by 'hold them in a loop', kaykay? If you meant those literal loops that attach to the reins-I would say absolutely NOT! All those do is make the driver "haul on" a horse's mouth-maybe on the trotting/pacing track, but otherwise--not for me! There are ways of 'bridging' the reins that can be very effective;you aren't likely to see that in a breed show ring, but that wouldn't preclude you from learning how to use it well, along with one or more reinholds common in the breed show ring. There CAN be more than one acceptable and workable approach! I also recommend training the horse to, and maintaining, light but firm contact, bending on the corners, etc.-which, with competent driving judges, should stand you in good stead wherever you show-for that matter, wherever you drive!

I have to add that I have observed that most miniature horse breed show ring drivers in no way utilize the whip,much less properly(I believe that the AMHA rules, at least, no longer even require it to be in the driver's hand, but only 'in the vehicle'....which is idiotic, IMO)--now, as has happened before, someone may well LEAP to point out, 'this is not the ADS"--and you're ONLY too right, it ISN'T(thank goodness!)....and since how horses are driven in the breed show ring, at least minis, is a very different situation from the 'wider' world of driving-then no, I am NOT saying that they can really be compared---BUT, speaking from personal experience( I STARTED in the miniature breed show ring-and with success--and have "moved on" to a more ADS-orientation of driving)-no matter where, and why, you drive, you will NOT go wrong by learning and practicing the proper (and amazingly successful,WHEN proper!) use of the driving whip! The BEST way to do that is to learn to drive one-handed-but THAT takes dedication and practice, and isn't easy.

What I am saying is that you can learn to do a good job in both a show ring style AND a "wider world" style, to both you and your horse's benefit, IF you care to study and learn, and work at it. Certainly lightness and sensitivity,along with consistence of cues, are ALWAYS of prime importance!

Margo

 

[kaykay]

i looked at skips moms pics and that is not at all what I have seen??

And NO i dont mean the loops that attach to reins. If i wasnt so wornout from the farrier just being here I would take pics of what I mean lol.

Surely someone has a good pic of their hands driving??

I do have very light hands from years of riding big horses (western) and painting and I would never be rough on a horses mouth

 

[MiLo Minis]

I tried to post pictures but they were too tiny to see well - sorry. There are several different methods of holding the reins and they are all correct. Use the method that is comfortable for you. I bring the rein through between my pinkie and then out between my index and pointer finger on my right hand to allow me to hole the whip more easily. My left hand the rein goes in the same way but comes out over top my hand and I clamp it (so to speak) with my thumb. The Aachenbach or brideged method of holding the reins is a great way to be able to switch from 2 handed to one handed driving to open your right hand up to use the whip but it takes a bit of getting used to. Some people bring the rein in over the top of their hand, clamping it with the thumb or in between the index and pointer fingers and then out the bottom leaving you the use of your pinkie finger if you should need the extra strength (still very light). Do not ever loop the reins around your hand. That would be dangerous if you should ever take a spill.

 

[Leeana]

I learned how to hold the reins right over the summer. I look at pics in MHW and The Journal and see so many different styles.

How i hold the reins is between the pinky/ring finger and then they loop under my pointing finger and overtop my pointerfigner. I cannot hold the reins the way i see some of them being held where they go between the pinky/ring finger and then over the pointer finger and then loop infront of the hand. I will try to get pics of how i hold the reins and ground driving chief Sunday, im curious if thats the correct way or not.

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Kay, Since I just had this lesson I'll share what was told to me for the beginner driver.

I was shown to hold the lines between the index and middle fingers of each hand with the remainder lying in the palm being held with the 3rd and pinky. The reason he teaches this way is that it's the easiest and most secure way to be able to shorten the lines when needed quickly by laying the right line over the left and sliding the hand forward. It also allowed me to handle them and manage the whip properly. Everybody has a different way/style and he showed me several but it felt very natural and allowed me to manage it all without having to think about it.

 

[Relic]

Well l'm not sure does this look right?? This is how we were taught 16 years ago but l've seen a few other ways people hold the reins but l still prefer this way.

 

[Sheryl]

Skip'smom, thanks for the link, I enjoyed those driving pictures!

 

[Robin1]

I know the proper way to hold them but due to arthritis it just isn't possible. :no:

I do hold them in a fist way with the reins coming between my index finger and thumb then going down my palm. I have very soft hands and only have to wiggle my index finger to get a response.

:

Robin

 

[Jill]

Well l'm not sure does this look right?? This is how we were taught 16 years ago but l've seen a few other ways people hold the reins but l still prefer this way.

That is exactly how I was trying to describe the right way (my opinion) to hold reins! That's how I have always held them, on or behind a horse.

 

[Devon]

Relic-- Thats What I belive to be th eProper Waya nd How I've been taught.

:

 

[whitney]

Kay you should try the Achenbach Method it ROCKS!

You have to have flexibility in your wrists. Something that I am really working to perfect on the rein board.

It's not really a one handed approach because the right hand is always "assisting in one way or another" it also frees up the right hand to use the whip. It's covered extensively in "Carriage Driving A Logical Approach Through Dressage Training", by Heike Bean.

The seminars that I went to last fall showed us how to do it and it's really quite amazing what a little turn of the wrist can accomplish.

 

[_minihorses4ever_]

Well l'm not sure does this look right?? This is how we were taught 16 years ago but l've seen a few other ways people hold the reins but l still prefer this way.

I hold mine that way too! Though, I do "bridge" my reins a lot too.

:

 

[kaykay]

thanks for everyones help

but i have to say i have never seen anyone in the show ring hold the reins with the ends flipped over like that?? they always go out the back of the hand and hang down?

I think im more confused now lol. i went and looked at some driving trainers web sites and again none are held like that. So is this just for driving at home?

 

[SkipsMom]

Great photo Relic and that is correct though I hold my whip down and over my mini's spine.

Sheryl- glad you liked the photos. I love them because they are so large and you can study detail. I took some driving lessons up there from a visiting gal, Robyn Groves, this past spring and learned a lot. That farm is all about driving and they have something going on or planned all the time. If it were just a wee bit closer to me- it's a solid 5 hour drive- I'd do more things up there.