Reins are your connection to the horse, so choose them wisely.

Dennis demonstrates breaking in your leather reins.

By expert tack maker Dennis Moreland

When you’re riding, many of your signals to your horse go through the bridle reins.

You want that to be a clear channel of communication.

If the bridle reins are so lightweight that they feel like a dish rag, your horse may have trouble knowing what you want.

You want those reins to have some body, some “feel” to them.

You want a dense piece of leather with tight fibers.

Aside from the quality of the leather, you’ve got a lot of other choices when it comes to reins on a western bridle.

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1. Split reins come in a variety of widths, usually 1/2 inch, 5/8 inch, 3/4 inch and 1 inch, and it boils down to personal preference. The 1/2-inch reins might be perfect for someone with small hands, while someone with larger hands might want the 3/4-inch reins. The 5/8-inch reins are probably the most popular ones, since they’re middle of the road. For most people, 1-inch reins are too much to hold in one hand. They might be just right if you’re riding with a snaffle bit, using two hands.
2. Roping reins are one continuous piece of tack, and they’re typically used by ropers or people racing in speed events. They’re also good for kids so they don’t drop a rein. Roping reins are usually either ½- or 5/8-inch wide, and they frequently have snaps on the ends that allow you to hook and unhook them to the bit easily. Some may have buckles that let you adjust the length.
3. A lot of times, when you get a brand-new pair of reins, they’ll be stiffer than you want to ride with. But that’s easy to fix. Spray them down with liquid saddle soap, and then wrap them around a round piece of pipe (avoid angle iron with sharp corners). Pull the reins back and forth around the pipe, and that will help break the reins in and get them to where they’re comfortable in your hands.

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Hobbling is a good way to get your horse to accept restraint.

By horse trainer Mehl Lawson

On the ranch, when cowboys need to dismount and leave their horses for a while, they hobble their mounts. Hobbling is a practical, handy piece of training that any horse can benefit from.

Hobbling is a good mental tonic for a horse - it teaches him to accept confinement and control, and not panic with things around his feet. In the process of going through being hobble-broke, a horse gets to where he accepts being roped and having his feet picked up with a rope. He learns to accept restraint of any type and finds out it isn’t going to hurt him.

When I was showing, I had a few horses that would stand at the horse trailer and dig. Hobbling a horse that digs really cuts that nervous habit way down - they might still dig a little bit, but not nearly as bad. The hobbling discourages them enough that eventually they just give it up.

When hobble training a horse, I keep safety first. Take your time and be patient with your horse because too many things can go south in a hurry.

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I hobble train a young horse before I introduce the saddle for the first time. I like it when a young horse accepts something new - he never fights much of anything at that young age. Hobbling also teaches him to stand a little quieter when you put that saddle on the first time.

1. I like to start hobble training in a round pen because if he gets scared and tries to run off, he’s not going to go very far. If it’s a 2-year-old colt that isn’t broke to ride, I longe him and get him pretty tired so he doesn’t have any excuse to play. With an older horse, I go ahead and school him under saddle, then move to the hobble training.
2. Before I put the hobbles on, I put a rope around one foot. I do this with all four feet, then I start tightening that rope and pulling up until he lifts his foot. Normally, a horse will fuss around a little bit with a rope on his foot … the main thing is to be careful with him and the rope and take your time with him. He might run with it a little bit so keep a little tension on the rope so he doesn’t get tangled up. It won’t be long before he settles down.
3. Then I loosely tie him to the fence - just wrap the lead rope around a post and not tie him real hard, in case he gets scared and pulls back.
4. Put the hobbles on the horse’s front legs (scroll down to learn how). Once I get them on, I’ll push the horse over a little bit so he has to take a step and so he’ll feel that there is something on his legs. Again, the horse might balk at the hobbles, but take your time with him, and he should settle down pretty quickly.
5. Then I start rubbing my coiled lariat all over him. It’s kind of combining sacking out and the hobble breaking. Then, I uncoil my rope and rub a loop or two all over the horse, then just throw it over his back and shake it a little bit. From there, I’ll start swinging a loop and toss across his back. Eventually, I’ll toss it around his head.
6. After just one or two days, I’ll go into the round pen, hobble him and let him stand out in the middle of the pen. At this point, he can’t walk off.
7. I get my rope and start throwing big loops on him, always being careful not to hit him someplace that scares him.
8. The third day, I hobble the horse in the middle of the round pen and remove his bridle or halter. I want to see if he’ll just stand there. I rub around on him a little bit with my rope and then start tossing some loops around him.

Once my horse is good with the hobbles, I’ll back off and not hobble him after every ride. Then, it’s just a matter of giving him a refresher course every now and then.

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Hobbling 101

Expert tack maker Dennis Moreland tells you how to put hobbles on your horse.

I prefer a Figure 8 hobble - that’s the shape it makes when it’s on a horse’s legs. It’s made of real soft 1-inch latigo leather and has two stainless steel rings. I like the 1-inch rather than the 1½-inch hobbles because the buckle gets too big on the wider hobbles. On hobbles that are narrower, the buckle is too small.

Don’t buy nylon hobbles. The nylon is very abrasive and will cut a horse’s legs. Also, look for hobbles on which the leather strap is short - 6 inches or less - between the two rings. If the leather strap is too long, a horse can actually walk with the hobbles, and you are defeating your purpose.

I also like a set of hobbles that has a long tail. Sure, when it’s on the horse, you’re going to have a lot of tail hanging, but if you have a colt that is squirming, you can buckle one of the first holes and gradually tighten it as the colt settles down.

Putting a set of hobbles on a horse is fairly simple:

1. Starting with the right front leg, wrap the end of the hobble strap clockwise around the leg and lace it through the first metal ring.
2. Lace the strap through the second ring.
3. Run the strap behind the left front leg.
4. Buckle the strap.

Safely open and close gates from horseback.

By Cherry Hill, www.horsekeeping.com

Whether you ride in an arena or in pastures or on trails, it is helpful to know how to open and close a gate safely from horseback. It is not only handy but it can also be the basis for introducing and using a good number of individual maneuvers. If you have a plan in mind before you approach a gate, things will go more easily. Before you try to ride a horse though a gate, be sure he has good manners as you lead him through a gate from the ground. Read the rest of this entry »

Become a cutting horse rider, not just a passenger.

As the cow turns, your horse should draw back over his hocks and then turn with the cow.

Cutting horse trainer and clinician Bill Kirkwood trains amateur cutters out of his facility in Thackerville, Oklahoma. Follow his three-step system on how to become a rider instead of just a passenger the next time you make a deep cut. Read the rest of this entry »

Maintain consistent cadence for plus scores in the arena.

By AQHA Professional Horsewoman Carla Wennberg

Illustration by Jean Abernathey

If you’re maintaining rhythm, you’re maintaining a consistent cadence and pace in a gait. The cadence of a gait is the number of beats - like the three-beat lope or the two-beat jog. The pace is how fast you hear the beats.

The importance of rhythm and movement plays into a lot of different classes, not just horses that are judged on the rail - it’s important in reining, horsemanship, trail, everything. Read the rest of this entry »

Avoid accidents by using training aids correctly.

Hook draw reins to the girth D rings.

Martingales and draw reins are important tools in many training programs. However, they must be used correctly in order to teach your horse how to carry himself.

AQHA Professional Horseman Tommy Sheets offers this advice on proper martingale and draw rein use, to keep these training tools safe and effective.

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It’s important not to make problems worse by misusing training aids.

By Martin Black

Visit Martin Black's Web site

Why do some horses have more trouble with their head position than others? This is a common issue with horse people, regardless of whether it’s a trainer with performance horses or recreational riders. Often, the solution is tying the head down or using leverage gimmicks that apply more pressure. In most cases, the person ends up identifying the symptom as the problem.

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A look back at one of last year’s winners at the AQHA World Championship Show.

Majestic Scotch and Charlie Cole in 2007

As we enjoy the excitement of the 2008 AQHA World Championship Show November 8-22 in Oklahoma City, let’s look back at the story of one of last year’s world champions.

Majestic Scotch added to his legacy with a world championship in senior western pleasure at the 2007 World Show.

With Charlie Cole piloting, the 1994 sorrel gelding walked, jogged and loped his way around the Coliseum in Oklahoma City for the second consecutive win in senior pleasure.

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