Lunging

Trainer’s Notes

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Refresh your Lunging Training knowledge 

Today’s sticky note is about the sliding side reins “The Lauffer reins”.

This is a piece of lunging equipment named after a dressage trainer from around the beginning of the 20th century. It is a type of rein which does not have the disadvantages of solid side reins, which can only act in one direction and become tighter when the horse tries to change the position of his head and neck.

Benefit of Lauffer reins
The Lauffer rein is especially of benefit for horses which are thigh in the back, tend to carry their neck to high and cannot find the way long and low. This double rein invites the head to slide downwards while it gives the horse enough freedom of movement. Sliding side reins allow a horse to maintain contact with the bit in a range of positions, particularly as he lowers his head and stretches his neck.
Unlike regular side reins, they do not tighten or loosen as he changes the position of his head and neck.

 

Attaching the Lauffer reins
Depending on the training stage of the horse and if you want to achieve a long and low stretch, or a horse that carries the head higher for collection, there are different ways to attach the Lauffer reins. In general, before every exercise in collection, the horse should first be worked long and low to loosen up – no matter if you are on the horse riding or on the ground lunging.

Start to attach the Lauffer reins on the lowest ring – which should be at the height of the elbow –  and the middle ring. Sliding side reins run from an upper surcingle ring through the bit ring and back to a lower surcingle ring on each side, forming a triangle. With this position of the reins the horse can easily stretch up and down and while reaching the wanted long and low exercise. The length of the reins should be as long or short adjusted so that the horse can make contact with the bit when he carries his neck slightly arched, with his face at or slightly in front of the vertical.

Check out the video of sliding side reins:
👉🏻 Tip: In case the video does not play, click on “pop-out”