A Review of the Rein Tension Meter

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Critique and Opinion of the Rein Tension Meter

The reins provide an important link in communication between the horse and rider. Maintaining a correct contact is one of the fundamental requirements for a rider to be able to effectively train a horse.

How much pressure to hold in the reins has traditionally been very difficult to teach and is often referred to as the elusive “feel” of the rider.

The Rein Tension Meter however, now provides the coach and athlete with a new and exciting tool to quantitatively measure rein pressure.  The product measures and continuously records the left and right rein tension close to the bit. The data is recorded on a data logger but software enables the rider to download this into excel for statistical analysis.

 The rider and coach to can then use this to:

·      Detect asymmetries in the contact
·      Compare the pressure on different horses
·      Compare pressure by different riders on the same horse
·      Examine the pressure applied by experts
·      Use in conjunction with the accelerometer to determine if the horse or rider are pulling
·      Provide a more descriptive definition of correct contact.

Research published using the rein tension meter includes:

·      Examining the action of different bits on the horses mouth
·      Examining if there is an increase in heart rate as a result of the different types of bits and different pressure applied to them
·      Defining the use of the aids
·      Exploring the pressure on the bit and the welfare of the horse, www.reintension.net.

Such a device also has the potential to revolutionize the sport of dressage. I can see future applications including, data collection for judges in the warm up and competition arenas. At present there is a controversial method of training horses referred to as rollkur. In this method, force is used to have the horse submit his head and neck carriage to the rider. Previously, the amount of force used has never been able to be detected. The rein tension meter offers a system for measuring and quantifying such force. This could then be converted into a rating system that is used to assign marks to the rider for their contact during the warm-up and competition.

Future applications of data loggers may included pressure detection of the seat and leg aids when influence the horse, as well as detection of frequency of the application of the aids.

The data logger could also possibly be adapted in future to provide feedback to the rider by providing feedback when the contact becomes too heavy or too light. This may then assist in training the muscle memory of the rider, much like the basketball computer that Miles describes in his voice thread presentation.

At present, the only thing stopping me from integrating this technology into my coaching is the price. The set up cost is over $2000! Also, some of the descriptions on the website are complicated and possibly aimed at experienced researches. The other problem is that I was unable to find any of the journal articles referred to online or a video demonstration of this product in action, although the website did provide a description of how the data logger is secured to the bridle of the horse (see below).

Reference:

www.reintension.net