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These reins get their name Lauffer after the man who first used / invented them in 1900.
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The argument against the fixed side rein is precisely that it does not allow (the horse to move) the bit beyond the arc of a circle, whereas the sliding reins allow the bit to move anywhere along an ellipse. It is this perceived extra feeling of ‘freedom’ that some horses prefer.
With the side reins properly adjusted, the horse can carry his nose correctly in front of the vertical (A), but when he tries to push the nose forwards and out, he is compelled to overbend (B).
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Two advocates for the use of Vienna reins for showing a horse the way forward and down are top classicists, Gerd Heuschmann and Klaus Balkenhol.
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The method of attaching the reins, shown right, is much more versatile and the reins (having a buckle at each end) can be attached at various heights on the surcingle. The double reins (sometimes also referred to as running reins, but not to be confused with draw reins!) allow for more movement of the head and lead to a steadier contact in the rein from the higher level of play in the rein.
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The triangular method, shown left, of attaching the Vienna reins between the front legs can lead to horses becoming more on the forehand. It allows the horse to move his head up a little but the predominant action is in a downwards manner. As there is little room for any play in the reins when used like this, the horse may try to find relief from the niggle felt at every stride by going behind the vertical.
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