Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was co-authored by Ted & JoAnn Dawson. Ted and JoAnn Dawson are Equestrian Experts based in North East, Maryland. Ted and JoAnn gained years of business and horse experience operating Carousel Farm & Riding Stables in Delaware from 1986 to 1998, and in 1999, they opened Fairwinds Farm & Stables, offering riding lessons, trail rides, equestrian summer camp, horse-drawn carriages, pony rides, and special events including weddings and birthday parties. Fairwinds Farm has been selected as a Maryland Horse Discovery Center and was inducted into the Cecil County Business Hall of Fame. It has also been awarded Tourism Business of the Year and Cecil County Outstanding Farm Operation. Fairwinds Farm is a “destination” farm and B&B, featured on Good Morning America, in The New York Times, The Baltimore Sun and Country Woman, Horse & Rider, and Maryland Life Magazines. The Dawsons both teach Equine Science classes at Cecil College, are members of the Maryland Farm Bureau and Maryland Horse Council, and work as animal wranglers for film and TV. JoAnn has a B.S. degree in Animal Science and Ag Education and a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Delaware. She is the author of the Lucky Foot Stable series of books for ages 8-13, and screenwriter of the film Cream of the Crop, now streaming on Amazon Prime. Ted holds a B.S. degree from the University of Delaware in Business Administration and Finance.
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Reins are an important part of horseback riding. They connect the rider to the horse and allow the rider to give it commands. While you can always buy reins from an equestrian-supply shop, making your own is easy. Best of all, you can choose your own colors to suit your tastes. Paracord is a great choice, due to its strength, durability, and vast range of colors, but you can try another material if you really want to.
Steps
Cut 9 strands of paracord twice the length you want your reins to be. Measure and cut one cord first, then use it as a guide for cutting the others. You can use however many colors you want, but keep the color combination in mind.[1]- If you want a thinner set of reins, cut 6 strands instead.
- Most packs of paracord will be close to the right length. If they are too long by 12 or 24 inches (30.48 or 60.96 centimeters), you don't have to cut them.
Arrange the cords side-by-side. If you are using more than one color, arrange the cord in the combination you want. For example: green-black-green, blue-black-blue, purple-black-purple.[2]Advertisement
Heat-seal the ends together with a lighter or heating tool. Seal the cords in groups of 3 first, then join the groups together. Keep the cords flat as you seal them; do not bundle or clamp them together.[3]- If you are making a 6-cord braid, seal the cords in groups of 2 first.
- A stick lighter will work better than a regular lighter. You can also use a heating tool, such as a hot knife.
Clamp a large binder clip over the heat-sealed ends. Hang the binder clip from a hook or nail. Make sure that it is at a comfortable working height for you.[4]
Divide the cords into three groups. The first three cords on the left will be your first group. The three cords in the middle will be your second group. The last three cords on the right will be the third group.[5]- If you used six cords, then separate the cords into groups of two.
Braid the groups together. Take the 3-cord group on the left. Cross it over the middle group. Next, take the 3-cord group on the right, and cross it over the middle as well. Keep braiding like this until you are close to the end of your desired length.[6]- Keep the groups flat at you braid them. Do not twist and turn them. Make sure that all of the colors are visible.
Clamp, cut, then burn the ends. When you reach the desired length, place another binder clip over the cords. Cut the cords just below the clip, then heat-seal them as before. Once the cords cool, remove the clip.[7]
Feed the braided rope through the conway buckle. Turn the buckle so that the pin/needle is facing up. Feed the braid up through one end of the buckle. Loop it loosely over the pin, then back down through the other end. Do not press the braid into the pin yet.[8]
Slip the end through a trigger snap hook, then feed it back through the buckle. Make sure that you are feeding the braid between the existing braid and the buckle itself. You want the end of the braid to be caught between the buckle/pin and the rest of the rope.[9]
Push the braids down into the pin. Repeat the process on the other end of the braid with another conway buckle and trigger snap hook.[10]
Cut four strands of paracord. The first two strands need to be twice the length you want your finished reins to be. The next two strands need to be four times the length.[11]
Heat-seal the first two strands of paracord together. Take the ends of the two short paracords. Heat both of them up with a lighter, then quickly press them together, end-to-end, so that you have a longer cord.[12]
Feed the cord through the eye of a trigger snap in a slip knot. Push the jointed end of the paracords through the eye of your trigger snap hook by about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters). Feed the tail ends through the loop, then tug down on them to tighten the knot.[13]
Slip the other two cords through the eye of the hook as well. Take the two longer cords, and feed them through the eye as well, but don't tie them in a slip knot. You want the cords to be centered and even on both sides. You'll have two strands on each side of the slip knot.[14]
Separate the cords into thee groups. The first two strands on the left will be your first group. The next two strands in the middle will be your second group. The last two strands on the right will be your third group.[15]
Braid the strands together. Take the 2-strand group on the left, and cross it over the 2-strand group in the middle. Take the last, 2-strand on the right, and cross it over the middle one as well. Continue braiding the cords until your reins are the length you want them to be.[16]- Keep the strands flat as you braid them. Don't let them twist or flip.
Feed the ends through another trigger snap hook, then weave them back in. Feed all of the cords through the eye of your second trigger snap hook. Take the group on the left, and weave it back into the braid. Repeat the process with the other groups.[17]- Follow the pattern of the braid as best you can.
- Do this for about 4 to 6 inches (10.16 to 15.24 centimeters).
Trim and burn the ends. Cut any excess paracord off, as close to the braid as you can. Heat the ends of the cords, then press them flat against the braid.[18]- It will be easiest to do this with a heat tool, such as a hot knife, rather than a lighter.
Community Q&A
- QuestionWhat size are conway buckles?
ReebokBeebokCommunity AnswerThey can come in a variety of sizes, the most common being: 13mm, 16mm, 19mm, and 25mm, That's the same as 1/2", 5/8", 3/4" and 1".
Tips
- Make sure that you use heavy-duty conway buckles and trigger snap hooks. Get them from a store that sells tack-making supplies.Thanks
- Paracord is a great choice for reins because it is strong and it dries fast.Thanks
- You can try this tutorial using other types of rope and cording, but be aware that it may not be strong enough.Thanks
Things You'll Need
Using Conway Buckles
- Paracord
- Scissors
- Binder clip
- Lighter
- 2 trigger snap hooks
- 2 conway buckles
Without Using Conway Buckles
- Paracord
- Scissors
- Binder clip
- Lighter
- 2 trigger snap hooks
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about caring for horses, check out our in-depth interview with Ted & JoAnn Dawson.
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibiyKC1JilY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibiyKC1JilY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibiyKC1JilY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibiyKC1JilY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibiyKC1JilY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibiyKC1JilY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z8ozpKCNsg
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z8ozpKCNsg
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z8ozpKCNsg
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibiyKC1JilY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6-s1hFTaoo
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6-s1hFTaoo
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6-s1hFTaoo
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6-s1hFTaoo
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6-s1hFTaoo
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6-s1hFTaoo
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6-s1hFTaoo
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6-s1hFTaoo
About This Article
To make a braided horse rein, start by cutting 2 strands of paracord that are twice the length you want your finished rein to be and 2 strands that are 4 times the length. Then, burn the ends of the 2 shorter paracord strands together with a lighter. Next, feed the joined ends of the paracords through the eye of a trigger snap hook, and feed the tail ends through the loop to make a slipknot around the hook. Once you've done that, feed the ends of the other 2 paracord strands through the eye of the hook so you have 2 strands on each side of the slipknot. Now, separate the strands into 3 groups of 2, and braid them together until you reach your desired length. When you reach the end, feed the strands through a second trigger snap hook, and weave the ends back into the braid. Finally, cut the excess paracord off, and burn the ends with a lighter. To learn how to make a braided horse rein using conway buckles, keep reading!
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