This content was created by Mary Wanless. This content was uploaded by Mary Wanless. This is a YouTube video titled "Why the good rein & bad rein don't exist" containing a monologue by Mary Wanless from November 30, 2018. In this instructional content, Mary Wanless explains common misconceptions about horse riding rein control, emphasizing the importance of balanced shoulder positioning and rider posture to improve horse bending and turning techniques.
So I'll hear a lot of riders say that my horse has a good rein and my horse has a bad rein. And I think what they usually mean is, there's a rein that my horse will bend on and a rein that my horse won't bend on so easily. I really encourage you not to think of good rain or bad rain. Whichever rein is good, whichever rein is labeled bad. Essentially, what you're saying is your horse leans on one shoulder or the other and almost always leans on that same shoulder, no matter which way it's going round. For instance, if you think that your horse bends easily to the left, usually what that means is the horse is leaning on the right shoulder and you can bend him left and he's leaning right, so he's doing incorrect turning. Now, let's say you think that the left reins really good, and then you go on the right rein, and you're complaining that your horse won't bend, but the problem is he's still leaning on his right shoulder, and that is the issue. In fact, your horse is incorrect in both directions. There is no good rein or bad rain. So on the rein that you're saying is good, you actually have to straighten the neck up and bring the shoulder back into place. And on the rein that you're labeling bad is. It's actually exactly the same correction you have to make with your body. So if the horse's shoulder is over here, you're going to have to go right rein, right thigh, right leg, and push the shoulder back into place so that the horse goes round the turn evenly through both shoulders rather than leaning on one or the other. The typical way that people make a mistake when they turn is they twist. Now, what I suggest when you ride, when you want to turn, that you keep your shoulders lined above your hips. You can turn your head for sure, so you look where you're going, and your inside seat bone is more in advance. The problem is with turning shoulders is shoulders turn, seat bone falls back, inside hand comes backwards, rider collapses, and a whole load of things go wrong, and the horse starts jackknifing.
