Choosing The Right Horse Split Reins | Web Shop Manager

Split reins are used to direct a horse for riding and also aid in slowing it down. Reins can be made from leather, nylon, metal, or other materials and often need to be broken in to achieve maximum comfort for both your hands and your horse. Soft Lines’ horse split reins are made from a multifilament polypropylene material that is soft and stretchy, giving your horse maximum comfort and giving you an easy grip that won’t cause cramps or rope burn to your hands without needing to break in the split reins. Horse split reins are most often used in western style riding where the reins are not attached to one another at the ends. The purpose of split reins is to prevent your horse from tangling its feet in a looped rein, especially while you are dismounted. Split reins are traditionally much longer than closed reins, usually being over 6 feet long on each side of the horse.

While riding, most of your communication with your horse goes through the reins. Split reins often come in a variety of widths, and Soft Lines’ carried both 1/2” and 5/8” widths to accommodate your riding style and your horse. Most people decide to go for the 5/8” reins as they are a good “middle of the road” option and will fit comfortably in most people’s hands. The 1/2” width reigns are a better option for younger riders and people with smaller hands. Split reins are most often used if frequent dismounting is required by a rider. One of the main disadvantages of split reins is that they can accidentally fall down, but good handling can easily fix this issue. Split reins are kept crossed over the neck to prevent them from falling down, and a great way to keep your split reins from falling is to tie them together where you will be holding them most often and where they intersect over the neck of your horse with a piece of string, leather, or rope.