Exploring Rein tension & the effect on horses
Rein tension is a critical aspect of equestrian training and riding, directly influencing the communication between rider and horse. It refers to the amount of pressure applied through the reins by the rider to guide the horse's movements. Proper use of rein tension is essential not only for effective riding but also for the welfare and well-being of the horse. Excessive or harsh tension can lead to stress, discomfort, and negative behaviors. This can compromise the horse's welfare, resulting in physical issues such as mouth sores, musculoskeletal problems, and psychological stress.
How much rein tension do riders apply?
In a study investigating the rider effects on horses (Christensen et al., 2021) found that the overall level of rein tension for the 96 rider & horse pairs was 26.9 ± 0.6N for the right rein (3.01 kg) and 27.4 ± 0.6 N left rein (2.79kg). There was a significant effect of the rider on there rein tension level. Some of the riders applied significantly more rein tension than others, when riding the same 10 horses through the same dressage test.
When looking into ridden and unridden rein tension, a study found that the mean maximum ridden rein tension was significantly higher than non ridden tension. The results showed that the mean maximum ridden rein tension was 24.0 N ± 12.3 N (2.44 kg) (Piccolo & Kienapfel, 2019), similar to the results found in the above study.
This study also looked into the effect of the rein tension on conflict behaviours. It found that without a rider, 7 out of the 13 horses showed conflict behaviours compared to 11 of 13 when with a rider. It was also noted that tail swishing and unusual oral behaviour was more frequently seen in the ridden horses than unridden.
Voluntary Rein Tension
When looking at voluntary rein tension in young, untrained horses, a study had some interesting results. The objective was to investigate how much rein tension young inexperienced horses are willing to accept in order to obtain a food reward, over three consecutive test days (CHRISTENSEN et al., 2011). Fifteen 2-year-old horses, that were new to the bridle, were encouraged to stretch their head forward over a bar, in order to obtain a food reward. The horses were exposed to three tests:
Two control tests of loose Reins:
- Intermediate rein
- Short rein
The results showed that the horses applied significantly more tension on the first day of the testing, an average of 10.2N (1.04kg) compared to day two (6.0N) and day three (3.7N). The horses also showed more conflict behaviours when on the short rein test. From this we can conclude that the horses learned to avoid the tension rather than habituate to it.
In conclusion, we can see that horses opt for a lower rein tension when unridden that with a rider. Higher rein tensions have been associated with more conflict behaviours in the ridden horse.
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####References
Christensen, J.W. et al. (2021) ‘Rider effects on horses’ conflict behaviour, rein tension, physiological measures and rideability scores’, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 234, p. 105184. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105184.
Piccolo, L. and Kienapfel, K. (2019) ‘Voluntary rein tension in horses when moving unridden in a dressage frame compared with ridden tests of the same horses—a pilot study’, Animals, 9(6), p. 321. doi:10.3390/ani9060321.
CHRISTENSEN, J.W. et al. (2011) ‘Rein tension acceptance in young horses in a voluntary test situation’, Equine Veterinary Journal, 43(2), pp. 223–228. doi:10.1111/j.2042-3306.2