If all else is correct, you will find that you barely need the reins, if at all, which is of course our goal. If you no longer need your reins for basic yields and rein positions, you can then use them for greater refinement and accuracy. This is particularly true of support reins, often confused with neck reining.
A support rein has little to do with laying a rein on your horse at all, and everything to do with the outside or pushing side of your body yielding the outside of your horse’s body when steering the front end of your horse.
The support rein speaks to the outside front foot, i.e. when turning to the right, it speaks to the left front foot. When turning left, it tells the right front foot when to move. The support rein asks the outside front to step across and catch up with the direct rein foot either stepping in front or behind the other front leg, depending on what your focus and seat points ask for. Neither response is right or wrong, just different. The direct rein offers the open door to step through; the support rein hurries it up. Support reins are discussed at length in Lesson Nine of the QS programme.
Riding with two Sticks will improve your support reins by exaggerating their movement and responsibility. As discussed previously, the support rein comes from turning your focus and allowing the outside of your body to yield the outside of your horse. As your focus turns, your outside hip and leg will naturally come forward…if you are turning from the hips. Many women turn naturally from the waist and forget to turn their hips also, so it is important to remember to focus with your whole body. Turning from the waist will bring your outside leg backwards behind the girth, instead of forward toward the front leg.
As with all yields, work on your focus and you will find that your body dynamics will happen naturally. The more you try to get into position, the more rigid your body will become and you’ll find you begin to resemble a pretzel! Relax and allow it to happen.
Having the stick in your hand will ensure that your arms and hands are in the right position. At no time should your support rein hand cross your horse’s wither. If it does, you may inadvertently activate an indirect rein, which tells you that you were trying to make the support rein happen with your reins, rather than causing it to happen with your focus. As you turn your body, you will find your direct rein opens up high and offers an open door. Your support rein hand will go forward toward your horse’s nose, causing it to turn in the direction you wish to go.
Have a look at where your sticks are pointing. You may think that your hands and focus have been pointing in the right direction. Your sticks will exaggerate this now and some of you may find that ultimately your sticks were ending up pointing toward the ground in your direct rein or trying to come across your horse’s wither in the support rein.
Remember to sit back on your back pockets, look up and offer an open door with your direct rein. Allow your support rein to come forward and influence the outside of your horse’s body. Ultimately your horse’s nose should lead in the turn and be pointing in the direction you wish to go.
Read More Road To Horsemanship articles.
- By Meredith Ransley, Quantum Savvy.