Reins are items of

horse tack Tack is equipment or accessories equipped on horses and other equines in the course of their use as domesticated animals. This equipment includes such items as saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, and harnesses. Equipping a hors ...

, used to direct a

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million yea ...

or other animal used for riding. They are long straps that can be made of

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hog ...

nylon Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic. Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from pe ...

metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...

, or other materials, and attach to a bridle via either its

bit The bit is the most basic unit of information in computing and digital communications. The name is a portmanteau of binary digit. The bit represents a logical state with one of two possible values. These values are most commonly represente ...

or its

noseband A noseband is the part of a horse's bridle that encircles the nose and jaw of the horse. In English riding, where the noseband is separately attached to its own headstall or crownpiece, held independently of the bit, it is often called a cavesson ...

Use for riding

Reins are used to give subtle commands or cues, also known as rein aids. Various commands may signal a turn, ask for a slower speed, request a halt or

rein back The rein-back is a dressage term to indicate the two-beat movement in which a horse is asked to back up. The horse picks up and sets down its feet almost in diagonal pairs, and moves straight backwards with the line of his forelegs following those ...

. Rein aids are used along with leg aids, shifting of body weight, and sometimes voice commands.

Harness reins

On some types of harnesses there might be supporting rings or "terrets" used to carry the reins over the animal's back. When pairs of equines are used in drawing a

wagon A wagon or waggon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals or on occasion by humans, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies and sometimes people. Wagons are immediately distinguished from ...

or coach it is usual for the outer side of each pair to be connected to the reins and for the inside of the bits to be connected between the pair of horses by a short bridging strap or rope. The driver carries "four-in-hand" or "six-in-hand" being the number of reins connecting to the pairs.

Other uses

A single rein or rope may be attached to a

halter A halter or headcollar is headgear that is used to lead or tie up livestock and, occasionally, other animals; it fits behind the ears (behind the poll), and around the muzzle. To handle the animal, usually a lead rope is attached. On smalle ...

to lead or guide a horse or packhorse. A long rein called a longe line may be used to allow the horse to move in a circle for

training Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. I ...

purposes, or for the purpose of a clinical lameness evaluation by a veterinarian. On certain designs of headgear, a third rein may be added to the paired reins, used for leading, longeing, or other specialized or stylistic purposes. The best-known example of a third rein used in the USA is the leading rein of the ''mecate'' of the classic bosal

hackamore A hackamore is a type of animal headgear which does not have a bit. Instead, it has a special type of noseband that works on pressure points on the face, nose, and chin. Hackamores are most often seen in western riding and other styles of r ...

Types

Types of reins include: * Closed reins, or loop reins: reins that are either a single piece or that buckle together at the ends. English riders usually use closed reins. Western riders in timed rodeo events use a single closed rein, as do those who use a

romal A Romal (pronounced ro-MAHL), is a type of long quirt attached to the end of a set of closed reins that are connected to the bridle of a horse. It is not to be used to strike a horse, but rather was a tool used to assist in moving cattle. A rom ...

. A closed rein helps prevent the rider from dropping the reins. * Double reins: The combined use of two pairs of reins, a curb rein and a snaffle rein. This is usually two single (buckled or sewn) reins, though sometimes split reins may be seen on western-style bridles. Double reins are used with a

double bridle A double bridle, also called a full bridle or Weymouth bridle,Gurney, Hilda. "Double Bridle Pros and Cons." ''Practical Horseman'' Sept. 2007. is a bridle that has two bits and four reins (sometimes called "double reins"). One bit is the '' brado ...

, with bits such as the

Pelham bit A pelham bit is a type of bit used when riding a horse. It has elements of both a curb bit and a snaffle bit. In this respect a pelham bit functions similar t ...

and, less often, on some

gag bit The gag bit is a type of bit for a horse. Because the cheek piece and reins attach to different rings (instead of freely moving on the same ring, like in a snaffle bit) there is leverage action. Severity of leverage action depends on where t ...

s used for polo. * Draw reins and running reins: long reins, usually made of leather or nylon webbing, that attach to the saddle or the girth, run through the

bit ring The bit ring is the ring on the side of a horse's bit, particularly on a snaffle bit. It is used as a point of attachment for the cheekpieces of the bridle and for the reins. It also has an effect on the action of the bit. Therefore, the design ...

s, and back to the rider. Several design variations, they add

mechanical advantage Mechanical advantage is a measure of the force amplification achieved by using a tool, mechanical device or machine system. The device trades off input forces against movement to obtain a desired amplification in the output force. The model for ...

to the rider's hands and may affect the horse's ability to raise or lower its head. Often used in conjunction with a snaffle rein by English riders, usually used alone by western riders. * Lead rein: A third rein used on bridles, not to be confused with the single lead rope of a

nor the direct rein aid known as the "leading rein". In North America a third rein is most commonly seen as part of the mecate of a

. In

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...

it is integral to the bridle, and tied to either a

or a chin strap. * Long reins, longlines, or driving lines: exceptionally long reins which allow the rider to control the horse from a cart, or from the ground, with the handler walking behind the horse. * Mecate: a style of rein seen on a

bosal A bosal (, , or ) is a type of noseband used on the classic hackamore of the '' vaquero'' tradition. It is usually made of braided rawhide and is fitted to the horse in a manner that allows it to rest quietly until the rider uses the reins ...

style

made of a single piece of rope that encompasses both a closed rein and a leading rope. *

Romal A Romal (pronounced ro-MAHL), is a type of long quirt attached to the end of a set of closed reins that are connected to the bridle of a horse. It is not to be used to strike a horse, but rather was a tool used to assist in moving cattle. A rom ...

reins: a rein style from the vaquero tradition that incorporates a closed rein with a long

quirt A quirt is a short whip associated with the Southwestern United States. It often has a braided leather lash. The falls on a quirt is made of leather, usually cowhide. The core of the quirt can be a leather bag filled with lead shot; the main p ...

at the end. *

Side reins Side reins are equipment used when longeing a horse, running from the bit of the bridle to the saddle or surcingle. As a horse training tool, they encourage flexion and softness in the horse's mouth. For longe line work with a rider up who doe ...

: used when

longeing Longeing (US English, classical spelling) or lungeing (UK English, informal US) is a technique for training and exercising horses. It is also a critical component of the sport of equestrian vaulting. The horse is asked to work at the end of a ...

a horse, attached from the bit to the saddle or

surcingle A surcingle is a strap made of leather or leather-like synthetic materials such as nylon or neoprene, sometimes with elastic, that fastens around the horse's girth. A surcingle may be used for ground training, some types of in-hand exhibition, ...

, they are not meant to be held by the rider. * Split reins: a rein style seen in

western riding Western riding is considered a style of horse riding which has evolved from the ranching and welfare traditions which were brought to the Americas by the Spanish Conquistadors, as well as both equipment and riding style which evolved to meet th ...

where the reins are not attached to one another at the ends. They prevent a horse from tangling its feet in a looped rein, particularly when the rider is dismounted. They are considerably longer than closed reins. * Two reins—reins used on bridles with two reins: ** Snaffle rein: Usually a laced rein that buckles at the center, used on the bradoon of a

, or the upper ring of a

pelham bit A pelham bit is a type of bit used when riding a horse. It has elements of both a curb bit and a snaffle bit. In this respect a pelham bit functions similar t ...

. ** Curb rein: The rein used at the end of the shank of a

curb bit A curb bit is a type of bit used for riding horses that uses lever action. It includes the pelham bit and the Weymouth curb along with the traditional "curb bit" used mainly by Western riders. Kimblewicks or "Kimberwickes" are modified curb ...

or pelham. Modern curb reins usually buckle together at the ends, though reins of the classical curb were sewn together at the ends to create a single rein.

In popular expression

In popular culture, to rein in means to hold back, slow down, control or limit. Sometimes the eggcorn,

reign A reign is the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation (e.g., Saudi Arabia, List of Belgian monarchs, Belgium, Co-prince of Andorra, Andorra), of a people (e.g., List of Frankish kings, the Franks, List of ...

in, is used. Usage of the opposing free rein dates back to Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400)Merriam_Webster
_definition_of_"free_rein".html" ;"title="Merriam Webster">Merriam Webster
definition of "free rein"">Merriam Webster">Merriam Webster
definition of "free rein" Accessed March 3, 2008 and means to give or allow complete freedom, in action and decision, over something.

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control Reins pt:Rédea The Best Org In The World (Rein Clan) https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCmr2j5VxT1nO4bBiUHyM_6w