LEARNING THE BASICS
Long reining has long been an integral part of the breaking-in process, but it has benefits for older horses, too. Olympic event rider Kitty King explains how to do it safely and effectively
Fix it...
LONG REINING IS an art and it will only be of benefit if the handler is confident and competent.
Although this form of groundwork can help both young and older horses alike, I tend to long rein my youngsters the most as it teaches them to move forward independently, work into a contact and not rely on being led everywhere by a human.
I would always advise extreme caution when long reining a horse of any age, however. Young horses especially have quick reactions which means that the handler must be in the right position at all times to avoid either getting the reins in a tangle or finding themselves too close to the back legs and getting kicked.
There are many things that can go wrong quickly while long reining, and this can lead to greater problems down the line. Anyone keen to learn long reining should always seek professional assistance. [Dressage maestro] Jennie Loriston-Clarke had an exceptional gift for long reining — she could even get her horse to do flying changes and half-passes while on the long rein… I highly recommend watching her videos on YouTube. There aren’t many people with her talent.
PROBLEM: An experienced friend has suggested that I should long rein my horse, but I haven’t got a clue where or how to start.
FIX IT: I would suggest starting with a horse who has been long reined before so that you can learn how to do it, otherwise you could easily get in a mess. You need two long lunge lines and a roller, or your saddle which you then put the long lines through. If using a saddle, I tend to strap my stirrups down by threading another stirrup leather between them under the belly so that they don’t flap around and swing from side to side, and then I put the long reins through the stirrups and onto the bit. The other way of doing it is to strap each stirrup to the girth. You also need to use a bridle.
In terms of handler gear, I wo
