What length reins do I need?

The table below lists every chart where the maker gave a rein length, in inches, exactly as the chart states it. Dashes mean the chart has no column for that size.

'How long are the cob size reins?' and 'what is the length of reins with the pony size?' are both questions that have come to us, and the honest answer is the one the table shows: it depends on whose reins they are.

: the pony column runs from 45 to 55 inches, and the full column from 54 to 59. Collegiate lists its figure as the open length of the reins, and Horze lists it in a column of its bridle chart, so even the measuring point can differ. Check what the number is describing before you compare.

Some bridle charts carry a note about reins that does not match a size-by-size row. Several Henri de Rivel charts say the bridle 'comes with 54-inch reins' across their cob, horse and oversize columns, with no separate rein row for each size. One of them, the fancy bridle in the table, says 54 inches in its note and lists 53.5, 54.5 and 55.5 in its rows, so treat figures like these as approximate and confirm on the product page. If you are mixing bridle sizes, as our bridle sizes page describes, the reins may not change with them.

One more length to keep apart: draw reins. LeMieux's draw reins chart lists a rein length of 251 centimeters excluding the buckle, which is a different piece of tack with a different job. Our training aids page covers what draw reins are.

Collegiate's chart gives both centimeters and inches (its pony figure is 140 cm, or 55 inches). Horseware and LeMieux list inches only, and the LeMieux draw reins chart lists centimeters only.

Some charts break reins into parts. A Henri de Rivel chart for a mono crown bridle lists reins as a total length plus a front section, a hand loop section and an end section, and another Henri de Rivel chart lists the total length for one side and then the hand loop and tail separately. If a number looks small, check whether it describes one side or a section before you compare it to the table above.

When in doubt, the product page is the last word, because our charts come from the makers and some are written for one bridle style only.

Cindy Hale in Young Rider lists four English types: laced leather for hunt seat and hunter classes, web for dressage and eventing, rubber for upper-level dressage, cross-country and show jumping, and plain leather for bits that need two sets of reins and for the curb bit of a double bridle. She gives no lengths or widths, and says only that plain reins come in several widths.

The charts we hold do give a width in a couple of places. The Horseware jumper reins chart lists 4/8 inch for small pony and 5/8 inch for pony and full. A Henri de Rivel chart states a 5/8 inch rein width. Check the width on the product page if you ride with smaller hands, since this page has no source that says which width suits which rider.

Different rein types are not different sizes, so you pick the type first (your discipline) and then check the length for the bridle size (the table). Our martingale page notes that some reins carry stops for a running martingale, which can affect what you need.

Each has the same answer: it depends on the maker, and the table above gives the numbers we hold. For cob, the charts say 52 to 57 inches. For pony they run from 45 to 55. For a full-size or horse bridle, 54 to 59.

If the question is about reins that come with a bridle, look at the bridle's own size chart, since several of the charts above list the rein length as a column. If the bridle's chart has no rein row, check the product page or ask us before you order.

Horse Illustrated explains that a romal rein is a closed rein with a separate piece, the romal, ending in a popper, and that romals go only with shanked bits, not snaffles or ring bits. It says to check the rule book for your class, since romal reins are usually allowed in most judged Western classes but have rules about how they are handled.

We have no Western rein length in our size charts, so this page does not print a number. Check the product page for the exact style, and ask a trainer who knows your discipline what they like to see.

If the reins come with the bridle, the chart for that bridle is the one to read, and the product name often says 'w/Reins'. Our bridles and reins category lists reins on their own and bridles with reins included.

If you are between lengths, ask your instructor which they would choose for your position and discipline. They can see how you carry your hands and how your horse is built, and a page cannot.