JUNE 2023 THE RIDER /29


What’s The Difference Between The Inside Rein And The Outside Rein?


By Kathy Farrokhzad. While we generally want the


reins to act and feel the same dur- ing our rides, they do have different uses and techniques. The better we get at riding, the more subtle these aids can be. However, there are still different things each rein can do at different times to maintain the overall balance, power and straightness of the horse. How are the inside and out-


side reins used? What is the differ- ence between them?


Inside Rein


Slightly open for flexion When you are on a turn or cir-


cle, the horse should be looking slightly to the inside, in the direc- tion of movement (flexion). We often see horses either stiffly point- ing their noses straight out and against the reins, or even pointing to the outside and turning in the op- posite direction! While there are leg, seat and torso aids involved in truly bending the horse in the direc- tion of movement, the inside rein is also a key player in maintaining flexion. Keep the inside rein slightly


off the neck (open) to maintain bet- ter flexion.


Slightly open to create room for the inside shoulder The slightly open inside rein


also allows the inside shoulder space to move into. While you don’t want the horse to fall to the inside because you opened the rein (use your inside leg to prevent this from happening), you also don’t want to block the inside shoulder from being allowed to reach for- ward in the stride. People often close the inside


rein in attempt to stop the inside shoulder from falling in. Do the op- posite. Take the rein only a few inches off the neck and allow the shoulder to move forward. Stop any lean with your inside leg in- stead.


Give/release often The inside rein is the giver!


Release as soon as you get some desired response from your horse - whether you wanted flexion or bet- ter rounding. The release can be from your


elbows or shoulders. Push the reins forward without letting the reins slide through your fingers. Ideally, the inside rein will have tiny flut- tering releases as you ride along.


No pull Avoid pulling back on it.


Pulling on the inside rein creates many problems including loss of


balance, crookedness, blocking of the inside hind leg, and much more. Create contact through a


“hold” on the reins rather than a “pull.” And then look for opportu- nities to release.


Outside Rein


Indicates a turn (neck rein) One of the main uses of the


outside rein is to initiate a turn. We often think that we need to pull on the inside rein to turn, but the out- side rein is the preferred method because it helps keep the horse much better balanced. The horse needs to be taught to move away from the pressure of the neck rein.


Prevents the outside shoulder from bulging or “drifting out” The outside rein can also


work on regulating just how much the outside shoulder can “step out”. Many times, the horse will turn but drift out in the opposite direction. It is the outside rein’s job to block the drift.


Prevents the neck from pointing too much to the inside The final use of the outside


rein is to keep the neck from swinging too much to the inside. This is also important for balance and control. The rider must help the horse keep a straight body even while bending around a turn. Hold the outside rein steady when turn- ing and make sure your inside rein isn’t forcing the horse to swing his neck too far to the inside.


Steady contact The outside rein is responsi-


ble for maintaining steady contact. It steadies the horse and helps to maintain the horse’s overall body outline. This rein should have a “feeling” give to it but much less than the inside rein. The rein should stay fairly straight and con- sistent in length most of the time.


Half-halt The outside rein is also usu-


ally the half-halt rein, although as mentioned before, the hands are the last component of the half-halt. In general, the half-halt helps to main- tain balance and a improve connec- tion.


A few parting notes


Avoid crossing either rein over the neck We often try to prevent the


horse from leaning one way or the other with our reins. Have you seen someone take their rein up and across the horse’s neck in attempt to control the inside shoulder? Un-


fortunately, this will never work and actually causes the horse to lean even more on the shoulder. The pull will block the inside


hind leg from coming under the horse’s body (thereby preventing him from being able to balance better) and will actually twist the horse’s head and neck away from the body - and this will also affect his balance negatively. Instead, try to use the slightly


open rein to prevent leans, drifts and dropped shoulders.


Keep the neck between both reins


The neck is meant to come


straight out of the shoulders – whether on a turn or a straight line. One of the oldest sayings about the reins is to “ride the horse straight between the reins and legs.” It’s true!


Even contact and hand positions Strive for developing an even


contact - not one rein stronger than another. Also keep your hands par-


Bio: Kathy Farrokhzad is an EC coach and author of the Horse Lis- tening book collection, Goal Set- ting For The Equestrian: A Personal Workbook, and the cre- ator of the Practice Sessions online program. If you liked what you read here, check out her blog at HorseListening.com for many more articles about horses, riding and life in general.


allel to each other, in front of the saddle. While you may need to venture away from the front of the saddle area at times, come back to “home base” as soon as possible. In our dreams, the hands stay there just beside each other all the time.


The seat, weight and leg aids I didn’t mention the rest of


the aids here because I wanted to highlight just the use of the reins. But there are many other aids in- volved in all of the turns, straight lines, changes of bends, and transi- tions that will be included in each of your rides.


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