Slobber straps or rein snaps

[k s swigart]

Ruby said:

> I've always ridden with slobber straps and was taught that they
> help 'cue' a horse because of the feel of the hinge effect of those
> straps between the rein and the bit.

Personally, I never ride with slobber straps on my reins not because they don't
unsnap (more on that later), but rather because they "disconnect" the hand of
the rider from the mouth of the horse.  So, I consider the hinge effect of those
straps between the rein and the bit to be a hinderence to communication, not a
help.

Metal rein snaps also produce a small "hinge effect" between the rein and the
bit, but it is nowhere near as bad as the one created by the slobber straps, so
I will "tolerate" it when riding a trail horse because of the convenience of
being able to unsnap them and turn your reins into a lead rope.

When riding in an arena where I don't expect to need a lead rope with me, I
connect the reins directly to the bit, which provides a connection that allows
for a much more nuanced communication.  All my jumping and dressage reins are
connected directly to the bit. 

As far as I am concerned, slobber straps are just something to stick between you
and your horse to deaden your communication and cannot, for the life of me,
figure out why, other than as a fashion statement (which is how I see many
people use them), anybody would want them.  Even the rein snaps are a mild
hinderence, but they at least confer the advantage of making the rein quickly
detachable (which may not ALWAYS be an advantage, like if they detach
themselves--been there, done that).

>  I'd love to hear feedback from people who have pondered what
> the feel of metal on metal is like for a horse's mouth and how it
> affects communication. Huge difference from slobber straps or
> no big deal?

Rein snaps provide you with a little bit of the "hinge effect" between the rein
and the bit, but nowhere near as much as slobber straps do.  If you LIKE the
feel of that hinge effect, but still want the advantage of snaps, I sugges you
get some BIG snaps.  The bigger the snap, the more that effect.  I have not
found that it makes much difference what material the hinge is made of (so it
doesn't matter if it is made of metal), just its length and weight.  So you
could probably get the same feel of a slobber strap with a shorter metal snap,
except that the metal snap is less likely to turn the bit in the horse's mouth
the way a slobber strap does (another thing that I consider to be a draw back of
them).

A true purist wouldn't be caught dead using either.

kat
Orange County, Calif.
:)

[Lynne Glazer]

Would you want to modify that statement to read "traditional English purist"?

Have you investigated how the vaquero-style and buckaroo riders use them, so that the slightest picking up of the reins sends a signal? Or cutters? Especially beautiful to watch on finished horses. I'll admit to not having researched, just from watching experienced horsemen who aren't into gimmicks.

I would agree there's no point to using them in distance riding.

I find the use of clips akin to "shutter lag", the time between when someone presses the shutter button and the activation of the shutter on lower quality cameras. Also willing to put up with that for both convenience and for the swivel action so I don't need to straighten out tangled reins as much, but much prefer the feel of directly connected reins.


Lynne

[he...@sagehillcmk.com]

That vaquero-style "feel" is akin to what I was talking about in my post, Lynne.  I grew up riding with homemade reins with big, heavy harness snaps that functioned very much like that.  The lighter snaps don't have as much "feel" to them, but still have a similar effect in horses that are used to that sort of communication...

 

Heidi 

 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to ride...@endurance.net

To post to this group, send email to ride...@endurance.net
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ridecamp+u...@endurance.net
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/a/endurance.net/group/ridecamp?hl=en

[David Lewis]

Kat, you're assuming that everyone wants to ride with contact. The slobber straps might be a hindrance with traditional dressage or english style riding, or when you want to maintain constant bit contact. The slobber straps are designed for more light or loose-reined riding and allow for a touch-sensitive feel to the horse. There is certainly significantly more "lightness" possible in a slobber-strap bridle over the snaps when riding without constant contact. I ride with as little contact as possible which is why I prefer slobber straps for bridle training (not english), but I find I prefer the convenience and light weight of the snaps when training for distance.

-- David

Redmond, WA

[Ruby Redd]

David's post summed up the philosophy I also follow. But it sounds like it will be best to convert from the 'feel' of slobber straps (someone also mentioned vanquero, and that's how my horse was trained - she is LIGHT!) to regular snap reins for distance riding, if only for the convenience factor. Currently I have a lead attached to her rope halter under the bridle and I just detach it from a clip on my saddle when I need to lead her, but it's a bit of a PITA to deal with both reins and lead rope. 

Thanks for all the feedback - gotta love the diverse opinions on Ridecamp! : )

Ruby

---

From: David Lewis <highwa...@gmail.com>
To: ride...@endurance.net
Sent: Wednesday, September 5, 2012 11:01 PM

Subject: Re: [RC] Slobber straps or rein snaps

[k s swigart]

David said:

 

> Kat, you're assuming that everyone wants to ride with contact.

 

Nope, when I ride a "bridle horse" (i.e. on a loose rein with a curb), I prefer weighted reins to slobber straps.  For me, the slobber straps put the weight in the "wrong" place for riding on a loose rein, and they mess up the "connection" even on a loose rein...perhaps even more than when riding with contact.

 

If I want the weight anywhere near the horse's mouth, I just put the weight IN the horse's mouth (i.e. I ride in a heavier bit).  That way I can achieve the same thing without putting a hinge in the reins.

[Ruby Redd]

I guess it boils down to difference in riding philosophy and/or 'style' of training...

The three best riders I have ever personally seen sit astride a horse all ride with slobber straps whenever they use snaffle bits...

Ruby 

---

From: k s swigart <kat...@att.net>
To: ride...@endurance.net
Sent: Thursday, September 6, 2012 10:30 AM
Subject: [RC] Slobber straps or rein snaps

[Janice Taylor]

That is sort of what I do. I prefer to slip the whole bridle off when I arrive at the VC. So he wears a light weight rope halter (that the bridle snaps over at the brow band) with a very light lead tied to the halter and back to my saddle. No snaps except on the reins to the bit. I haven't had any problem with the 'feel' of the snaps. Those snaps come in handy at times though...
Janice

[Dolores Arste]

Eeek! Don't let that rope halter get stuck on a tree branch as you are trotting down the trail. They do not break. 

Warmly,

Dolores

[Janice Taylor]

So far so good...:-)

[Anna Sampson]

Henry called a couple of days ago (i have been out of town) and wanted to again give his appreciation for all the NW riders thoughts and prayers.... also, he wanted to let all know he will not be making it to any more NW rides this year.... his offer of 20% discount for cash or check on orders is still going on....

see you all (or a lot of you) at OR. 100 on Sept. 15

anna

 

[Dolores Arste]

Only takes one. I had a tree branch take off my bridle once. Luckily my horse knows how to hold his own bit and we could ride to somewhere where I could get back on to fix it. 

Warmly,

Dolores

[k s swigart]

David said:

 

> Kat, you're assuming that everyone wants to ride with contact.

 

Nope, when I ride a "bridle horse" (i.e. on a loose rein with a curb), I prefer weighted reins to slobber straps.  For me, the slobber straps put the weight in the "wrong" place for riding on a loose rein, and they mess up the "connection" even on a loose rein...perhaps even more than when riding with contact.

 

If I want the weight anywhere near the horse's mouth, I just put the weight IN the horse's mouth (i.e. I ride in a heavier bit).  That way I can achieve the same thing without putting a hinge in the reins.

 

[Janice Taylor]

My boy does like to unsnap his browband...his little halter fits snugly, and has some stiffness on the nose piece for better manners. :-)
Janice

[Kathy Mayeda]

To me, it boils down to utility for whatever you are doing at the moment.  I learned to ride English, but grew up riding Western.  When I ride endurance, I am kinda not riding either....  I'm riding one handed because I'm lazy and going at a happy trot, I use one or two handed contact going up hills to encourage him to use his hind end, I engage a curb bit on the kimberwicke when I want to rate or stop.   To make a turn signal, body language is key, but I'll either neck rein or direct rein to reinforce the turn. Sometimes I just ride like a smarty pants, and colllect him to do a side pass at a trot up the hill just because I can and to cool his jets a bit.  Don't think lack of slobber straps is hurting me at all because I have never ridden them a day in my life.

This is NOT how I ride in an arena lesson. You don't need to be riding with that much "tight" communication going down the trail, but it's really good to practice that in the arena to supple your horse and increase communication skills.  I tend to ride more dressage style in private lessons, and usually I'm just taking lessons to make sure that Drako's not keeping me in a reactive fetal position all the time!  But I'm taking lessons in an Abetta western treed endurance saddle with biothane tack and an English bit.  Then I'll take a Parelli clinic and gawd knows what my hands are doing then.... hehehe....  My English eq instructor always asks me what my hands are doing if I take a lesson after a Parelli clinic because they are just plain all over the place...

The Parellis sell their regular bridles with slobber straps and mecate reins.  Slobber straps for the same "hinge" reason, not to protect the reins from water.  After all they are leather and the reins are nylon, so I suspect the nylon would retain it's integrity over the leather slobber straps in a wet situation...  

K.

[Barbara McCrary]

I can’t recall slobber straps being used any other time but with snaffle bits, and they are much favored by western trainers, who like to start their colts in either snaffles or hackamores – the real kind with rawhide bosals.

 

Barbara

--

[heidi larson]

I also ride with a rope halter under my bridle Ruby - I don't carry a lead though - I just unhook my reins and use them as a lead. . o o o o . o_ \ \____ o_ \_\ . (*)~(*)\_______/ . / \ . \______/ / . \_______/\ /- . o-- /_/ \ / . / \ / / . o o o-- / . / \ . o o heidi larson --- On Thu, 9/6/12, Ruby Redd <rideonr...@yahoo.com> wrote: