Neck reining vs. direct reining

[Chickerdoodle13]

This is another curiosity question but something that I thought of today.

We recently acquired a new horse and my dad has been riding her for the past couple of weeks. Today was the first time I had a chance to get on her back. Anyways, before that, my dad had told me the horse didn't turn well and wouldn't stop. When I got on her back today, I realized she turned perfectly fine if you direct reined her. She also stopped fine when you had two hands on the reins.

This was definitely a western trained horse, but she wasn't trained for any specific western discipline. She was used previously as a trail horse and that's probably what we will use her for as well. I'm also thinking of dabbling in a few small fun shows, but that will come in time.

Anyways, my question is, what do you prefer? I've always liked the direct reining. I feel like I have more control over the horse and its generally just more natural for me. My dad likes a horse that will neck rein. Obviously certain disciplines require a specific way of using the reins. If I wanted a western pleasure horse, I'd have to train it to neck rein. However, what do you prefer for your general trail/pleasure/"fun" type horse? My dad said that if I like the direct reining, we will just keep her like that. I think I'd like my horse to have some sense of neck reining, but if I'm not going to show her professionally, I don't see too much reason to change her. (I used to participate in barrels, so I almost alway direct reined for the speed classes. That's probably why I like it better)

So...what is your personal preference and why?

 

[nightshade]

I personally do not have a preference between the two. I have one of each lol I have found though that ones that neck rein seem to listen really well to voice commands also, or at least the two we have had over the past few years did.

 

[Bronco Hollow]

They learn to turn in direct rein - such as in a snaffle. As they progress in their training they are taught to neck rein. You don't say if the horse has been bridled for a bit..... I assume not. Are you riding Western or English?

I prefer neck reining, but more so with leg action than actual neck rein action - if that makes sense? My young colt is learning neck reining in a snaffle... it will be be another year most likely of good riding before I will even start to think of bridling him to a bit. We ride Western... otherwise I would not consider moving him to a shanked bit or bosal.

I'd say to teach what you are the most comfortable with!

 

[haviris]

I prefer neck reining. When starting a horse we start out direct reining, before we advance to neck reining, so all horses I have trainied will do either. And even after one is trained to neck rein someone could still direct rein, what I'm saying is I'd go ahead and train her to neck rein, and then ride her however you feel comfortable, that way she's good for whoever rides her (and it may be helpful if you deside to show in western later on).

I like having the extra hand when riding.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

This horse is actually trained for a bridle. I am not quite sure what she was previously used with, but she seems to take our snaffle pretty well. We have a couple different kinds of snaffle bit due to our gelding who had some "bit" issues, but the one we have her on now is a typical broken snaffle with round cheek pieces (Sorry, I've always been bad with naming bits!) There isn't any shank to it. This particular snaffle we use with a chip strap (Not a chain), but I know we have a couple snaffles that we don't use with any straps.

I think I probably will look into teaching her some neck reining, just so she knows the general idea. I don't think it will be too difficult to do. She's very willing to please, so as soon as she gets the jist of what I'm asking, she'll do it perfectly.

(I swear, our barn looks like a tack shop from all our different horses we've had over the years. We have all kinds of bits from curbs to tom thumbs (which I've come to learn were not a good choice of bit! We don't use those anymore) and we have a few other things I couldn't even tell you the names of. However, I've come to really love the snaffle bit. Seems like it is just so versatile with just about any horse. Doesn't take a lot of pressure to get a response either and there are so many different kinds too)

 

[laughingllama75]

I prefer either.......because a horse should work of your leg, more than it's mouth. Preferably. That said, most ranch horses and ranch versatility classes want you to use 2 reins now, they say they prefer it on a working horse, and they like to see a snaffle.

 

[sterlng&sierra]

I like to do whatever the horse is trained with; if you want to talk to someone, do it in the language they are most comfortable in, right? Our horses do direct reigning, and I like this better as I can bend my horse whichever way it needs to, and I can also help it if it stumbles much easier. Also with neck reining, there is a tendancy to get the reins too long and thus there is less control.

 

[Countrymom]

From your discription I would say she was started and not finished or fine tuned. That isn't a horrible thing since I get a lot of horses that are just muscled into neck reining and don't even do that properly.

I can't say I necessarily am particular to one way, but I do like a horse that is more advanced with their body control. You see, we start our guys in a snaffle in either an O ring or D ring. (I say we for my daughter these days!) A snaffle being a direct rein bit that isn't shanked or curbed. (Most people think a snaffle is what the mouth piece is.) I teach horses to get away from my leg by using pressure from the outside. So when I turn them I will point their noses in the direction I need them to go and follow through with the outside leg to get them around. Also can disengage a horse by using the leg to the back of the girth to move the hip over. As you progress in your horses training like this neck reining seems to just fall into place. If you focus your mind on just the rein pulling them around, they tend to neck rein by swinging their noses to the outside and then bringing their shoulders around. I hope that makes sense. LOL Kind of wiped out this morning from all this heat we have had.

Anyhow, a bridle to me is a curbed bit with whatever mouth piece. And yes, I will direct rein start in a snaffle, teach more body control in a snaffle and eventually they will neck rein in a snaffle. Of course, I also will direct rein in a curb if needed. It keeps them aware of what their nose is doing and which way it is going. Whatever you teach or decide to do with your mare, make sure she follows her nose and doesn't swing it away from the turn.

 

[Countrymom]

I like to do whatever the horse is trained with; if you want to talk to someone, do it in the language they are most comfortable in, right? Our horses do direct reigning, and I like this better as I can bend my horse whichever way it needs to, and I can also help it if it stumbles much easier. Also with neck reining, there is a tendancy to get the reins too long and thus there is less control.

A very well trained horse that rides in a very loose rein and neck reins can be easily stopped or turned. The problem most people have is that lack of proper training and pusing a horse to neck rein without all the basic body control steps. Once you ride a well trained horse that can do whatever in a very loose rein you would know the difference. And you would be to spoiled to ever bother with a ill trained horse. (Not saying a direct reined horse is ill trained, but that a poorly trained neck reined horse is a nightmare to me.)

Just wanted to add that your control of a horse should come from your body and legs moreso than from you hands and the bit. I see way too many people that hang on the bit - English and Western. It doesn't matter the dicipline or the reining preference, it matters the level of training of the horse and your ability to ride a horse with your body that gets the control and bend you need. My old Dressage horse use to ride with the reins dropped and solely from leg and body control. We have just a few that way now, but then most of ours are in their first year of training.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Countrymom, I think you are right on. This horse was started, but has not been finished. She's only five, so I still have a lot of time to work on everything. I just have to start getting out there and working with her (Yes, its STILL raining! We had ONE nice day that I got out there and the rest rain!)

I do have some other questions, but I just wanted to breeze through and see what everyone has posted.

As for leg pressure, for some reason my dad has this idea that you use the inside leg to turn. Don't ask me where he even heard that. I use outside leg to turn, unless I want the hips to turn away from my leg in a turn, like in barrels. So suffice to say, my dad has been training his horse to move away from inside pressure. Totally backwards for me, but he got mad when I was doing it "my" way. Sooo...with MY horse, I'm going to teach her MY way, and he can do whatever he wants with his LOL. (Perhaps there are trainers out there that teach this way, or maybe I am completely backwards, but it just seems so unnatural the way he is doing it. It makes more sense to me that if you want the horse to move AWAY from pressure, and you are turning to the left, you use your right foot.)