Instructions
Attaching the Reins and Mounting
Attach the reins to your horse̵7;s bridle. Most split reins attach to the bit via lacing or buckling. Some reins may need to be snapped onto the bit or, more rarely, split reins may come sewed onto the bit and require no actual fastening. For non-sewn options, fasten each rein snugly according to its attaching mechanism.
Hold onto the ends of your reins as you mount or have someone else hold them for you and then hand them to you.
Gather both reins in one hand. The traditional technique is to hold both reins in the left hand, but use whichever hand you feel most comfortable with.
Form a fist with your thumb closest to your face and your pinky finger closest to the horse's withers. Draw the reins into your fist from the bottom, at your pinky finger, through the top, over your thumb.
Take the extra reins over your thumb and across your body. Hold the loose ends with your opposite hand and rest them against your thigh.
Riding with Split Reins
Use split reins while riding in any style -- in Western or English riding. Hold one rein in each hand as though you were working with a closed rein. You may want to knot the ends of the rein and drape the knotted end across one side of your body for easier use.
Work with split reins in the Western style, paired with indirect reining, or "neck-reining." Leave a few inches of rein between the horse's withers and your hand as you ride. Move the hand holding the reins in the direction you want the horse to move when turning. For example, to turn right, move your hand to the right so that the rein draws against the left side of the horse's neck.
Pair indirect reining with leg cues for effective Western riding style. Each time you lay the rein against the horse's neck to turn, apply pressure with your leg on the same side as the rein. Don't kick, but be firm enough that the horse feels the cue. After sufficient training in leg cues, you can wean off using the reins to turn at all.
How to Work With Split Reins
The reins are one of the primary ways you communicate with your horse when riding. Riders in the English disciplines usually work with a closed rein, which loops around the horse̵7;s neck from one side of the bit to the other. Split reins are more common for Western-style riders. These two separate lengths attach to each side of the bit.