[drivingpairs] Pair Reins

Yes, thanks, Helen, you got it pretty correctly. The Achenbach reins are 
pretty much the same as English reins, with the following differences:

1. The coupling rein buckle is close enough to your hand, that by leaning 
forward you can reach it from the box to make adjustments without having to 
get down. (Good Achenbach drivers were supposed to be able to do that while 
driving without stopping and without disturbing the horses in the mouth). 
Most English reins don't have the buckles that close as it costs more 
leather.

2. The rein length and width is typically German NORMED, they all are exactly 
the same (or at least are supposed to be), and especially so for the holes 
for the coupling buckles, always 11 holes at normed distances, so that 
adjustments are NORMED. Coming from the military one driver could tell the 
next: This pair goes on holes 5 & 7, or this pair goes 5&5, or 6&6, etc, so 
then they new exactly how to do their reins to drive the pair.  We don't need 
that anymore, BUT, when I do a clinic and a pair driver comes up, by just 
looking at his English reins I have NO idea on which setting his reins are, 
and if they are adjusted properly or crooked or what. If he has Achenbach 
reins I can see exactly from the reins already where he is.

3. Their width is wide enough to hold them properly Achenbach style one inch 
(which costs more leather, thus is often not done, but if they ae not wide 
enough, it's hard to drive Achenbach well as the hands get too tired by 
having to press too much to avoid slippage)

4. The buckles on the coupling reins in front at the billet end, where they 
are buckled into the bits are sewn on what looks like backwards, so that each 
coupling rein is turned 180 degrees (looking from the front of the horses, to 
the right = clockwise on the right horse and left = anti clockwise on the 
left horse) to help the reins stay upright on the horses backs and not get 
twisted to the wrong side (small detail, which often are done wrong today 
even by top name harness makers).



In general, sure, I prefer Achenbach reins, but English reins will do, but 
advise very much against Hungarian reins, since as Helen says correctly, that 
can get very confusing. Especially so for a beginning pair driver and usually 
makes for more confusing and worse driving of not only the driver but also 
the horses, than a regular pair rein, even though often a beginner thinks 
otherwise and thinks with that he could work like with two single reins, one 
for each horse, but it really is very counterproductive for proper pair 
driving, and can be mastered properly ONLY by very experienced drivers, but 
not by beginners. Don't even think about being able to influence each horse 
separatly through the reins, that's the wrong route, you don't want two 
horses, you want ONE PAIR. So please, you beginners, do yourself AND your 
horses a favor and don't even think of Hungarian reins. Proper pair reins and 
knowing how to adjust them and work with them are one of the key elements for 
proper pair driving. The pair rein adjustment can and should be learned from 
the book and in theory first and needs to be fully understood, otherwise you 
won't ever become a good pair driver. But with a little logic and a good 
book, it's really not at all very hard. (I recommend the book "The principle 
of Driving by teh german National Equestrian Federation" or "Driving by Max 
Pape" both available from the ADS and CAA) 
Hardy 



In a message dated 5/16/2003 12:10:22 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

> Subject: [drivingpairs] Re: pair reins
> Date: Thu, 15 May 2003 18:27:02 -0500
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> <Okay,  novice piping up here.   How are Hungarian lines different than
> regular pair reins?>
> 
> OK Hardy, correct me if I'm wrong.
> Marjean,
> "Regular pair reins" are called (or at least that's what I call them) 
> English style driving reins(or lines).  The coupling rein buckle, while on 
> the horse, is right about at the rump of the horse.  You adjust by moving 
> that buckle.   Must get down to do this.  Can't do it from the box.  Too 
> far away.
> 
> Hungarian lines go all the way to the box.   You hold all four lines in 
> your hands.   There is an adjustment buckle but it is close to your hands, 
> either behind, or in back depending on the size of the horses (length), 
> carriage, reins.   There is a small section of one rein on each side.   The 
> shorter rein has a loop at the end of it, where the longer rein goes 
> through, ending in two reins with a buckle at the end, just like other 
> driving lines.   Lots of leather to hold on to.   The up side is that you 
> can easily cue each side of each horse independently.  Down side is that 
> it's easy to get into a mess with so many lines in your hands.   
> 
> There is a third style of reins which I've never used.  Achenbach.   I 
> understand that the coupling buckle is close enough to make adjustments 
> from the box, but you hold only two reins.   Am I right, Hardy.   I don't 
> know if I've ever even seen a pair of those.   
> 
> Helen



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