Draw reins - Anyone used them?

[julie]

Jo Sounds like you have the situation sorted and the hanging snaffle has helped, well done. I am so cautious about instructors advising draw reins as its so often with the wrong idea, sounds like yours is fine! hope you will enter the dressage if we can run it!

[khristyne]

NOT CHRISTINE POSTING THE DAUGHTER!

I always avoid schooling aids I think if you can't do it without sawing, pulling or worse the surely you are putting more damage in!
I always find holding my hand steady and riding forwards eases horses into a relaxed head carriage and when they are fitter and ready I start to ask for more bend and push energy through from behind and hold the contact they then relax into a light contact.

I like doing it like this but it only really works with well produced horses or if you go back to stage 1 because if they have had their mouths sawed at they take a while to realise that the person on them doesn't want this.
I find one stride trot poles 3 in a row encourages the horse off the forehand and turns/ circles etc.
Hacking because most horses are more forward and coming through from behind helps too!