Elastic Rein Inserts
Randle and Abbey found that rein tension was generally lower in the elastic reins when the rider just maintained normal contact. But when the rider asked for a transition from walk to stop, rein tension increased significantly in the elastic reins compared to traditional reins. | Photo: iStock
Elastic rein inserts might sound like a great way to keep an “elastic” contact with your horse’s mouth, but a group of equitation scientists has found that they could actually interfere with effective communication and training.

“We need to be aware of products that look like they’re supposed to have a positive effect on our horses, when actually they’re having a negative effect,” said Hayley Randle, PhD, researcher in the equitation science department at Duchy College in Cornwall, U.K. Randle presented on elastic reins at the 2014 International Society for Equitation Science conference, held Aug. 6-9 in Bredsten, Denmark.

Randle and Alison Abbey, BSc, also of Duchy College, measured rein tension using a rein tension gauge on 30 horse-and-rider pairs moving at a walk and then coming to a stop. They also asked the riders to drop their rein tension completely, several times during the test. They observed each couple once with nonelastic reins and once with reins fitted with a commercially available elastic insert.

Randle and Abbey found that rein tension was generally lower in the elastic reins when the rider just maintained normal contact. But when the rider asked for a transition from walk to stop, rein tension increased significantly in the elastic reins compared to traditional reins

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