ADJUSTABLE Reins

A common perception, both conscious and subconscious, of many riders: 

It is through the reins that the rider consistently and even constantly controls the speed of the horse. 

Many, many riders hold this belief and it is an idea that can hinder one's riding.

Instead, realise that the reins are infinitely adjustable and no, you shouldn't need to worry about the horse tanking off, just because you want to adjust your reins. When you watch many riders, you see this tends to be a common scenario. One where you see the rider shorten the reins in preparation for trot because they don't think that once they are in trot they will be able to adjust the reins and they want the reins shorter so that even before the horse starts to trot they will have control over the faster gait, and end up with the horse just going faster and faster anyway. 

Of course the more advanced rider knows that you don't need to shorten your reins before you begin to trot. And that actually doing so can cause all sorts of problems for the horse both now and for his training in the future. The other thing a more experienced rider knows, is that if there is nothing else that you can trust, the one thing you can trust is that if you put a horse into a trot he will stay in a trot. That just because you happen to lengthen or even put down the reins on his neck, does not mean that he will break out into a gallop, Unless something in your body changed. Because the gait the horse is in has absolutely nothing to do with your hands. Hands do not tell the horse what gait to take. 

Think about it.

Do you pick up the reins from a halt and then do something special with your hands which magically tells the horse to trot, or canter or gallop? No. 

In reality you hold the pattern of the gait from within your body, it is your body that determines the gait, not your hands.

Many beginners, and even some more advanced riders, hang onto the reins with the mistaken misconception that if they don't, something terrible is going to happen. Nothing is further from the truth. You should be able to pick up, put down, shorten, lengthen and even play with your reins, and your horse should just keep trotting along, the pace and speed being established from within your body, not from your hands. Your body keeps trotting along and your hands and the reins can do whatever they want.

How does your horse react as you put down and pick up the reins? Does he maintain his speed, his gait, his rhythm? If the answer is yes, then you know that the weight you have in the reins after you pick up the reins and adjust them feels the same to the horse as when you put them down on his neck.  You also know that the energy in your body did not change and you did not grip with your legs.

Have you tested yourself lately? 

Doesn't matter how many years you have ridden. This might be one of those problems that have creeped up on you without your noticing it. Perhaps this is something that you have always done and didn't realise it, or perhaps you recently had an accident and don't feel as secure as you once did, maybe you were on a horse that would take off and it was something that you started doing thinking that it will keep you safe. 

Every rider at every level on any horse that they are riding should be able to pick up, put down, release, lengthen, literally let go of the reins and the horse’s mouth at any time in the trot, and have the horse maintain the gait, speed and the rhythm.  Finding the ability to ride truly independent of seat and hand, to know that you have the independence of your seat to let go of the rein, if even for a moment, demonstrates the ability of the true horseman/horsewoman.