Crossing Objects: John Lyons Reins

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Here's the best way I can put it: I have learned the way for me to make the most money is to let the reins and bit do their own talking. So, I tell folks "You don't need to buy any special equipment for our clinics. You'll need to use a snaffle bit and I would suggest our "continuous loop" reins - but you can borrow them from us if you don't have them already." (See, then they show up and don't buy them from somebody else in the meantime.) Then, whey they begin using the pair they've borrowed from me, nearly 100% (maybe it is 100%) buy them before the day's out - because it makes training so much easier. I've also learned that when somebody gives me a hard time ("My horse will neeeeeevvvvvvvverrrrrrrrr go in a snaffle bit with those reins"), I let them ride in whatever makes them happy. Without fail, two hours later (I've had this happen a few times; human nature doesn't change) they'll turn to me and say "How come my horse isn't going like her horse? I want those results." And I'll say "The bit you want to use won't allow the horse the flexibility he needs - and the reins you use don't allow you to make changes fast. Swap them out and try ours." Then at lunch time, I'm selling them the reins and bit. The full cheek bit allows you to skip the addition of a curb strap, so it save you a couple of bucks. (It keeps the hors from opening his mouth, allowing the bit to get pulled through from one side to the other.) The reins allow you to concentrate on training. That knot you may have in the middle of your two separated reins, for instance, will hit your hand each time as you try to pull it through. Simply put, to be the most efficient, you need reins that will slip through your hands, allowing you to easily keep even pressure. As opposed to those you might have seen used by a barrel racer, ours our longer; they're made for day-to-day training. The black ones are a bit more course than the gold ones. They're also a tad more narrow. Bony guys like me like the larger gold ones. "Shorter-fingered" folks like the black ones. Some say the copper keeps the horse salivating and therefore more "sensitive." Others say "whatever to that." It's your call. If you're asking me about using reins and bits (and the proper use thereof) you should check out some of the articles on our site like: The Snaffle Bit vs the Shank Bit: http://www.horsemanship101.com/John-Lyons-Training-Newsletter/Issues/Snaffle-Bits-vs-Shank-Bits.html Teach Yourself What a Give Feels Like: http://www.horsemanship101.com/John-Lyons-Training-Newsletter/Issues/Foul-Weather-Riding-Exercise.html You should also sign up for our (no-cost-to-you) online study course, "Speed Control," as Day Two deals with similar issues: http://www.horsemanship101.com/Courses/index.html Hope this helps. Write back with any other questions. Regards Keith Hosman horsemanship101.com