Reins to Bit Connections

Austin wrote to say, "I found your site the other day and I have already read a good portion of it. I have read few horse blogs from time to time and I have found yours to be one of the best. You have some very good info and interesting opinions. Mostly though it is your approach that I really like. Anyway I was hoping that you would way in on what if any effect using metal rein clips vs something that doesn't vibrate like slobber straps. Does it bother the horse or affect command input? Or anything else that comes to mind. Thank you and don't squat with your spurs on. - Austin"

Thanks for your comments and the advice about squatting with spurs, Austin. I have done some dumb ass things in my life, but I have yet to impale my butt with a spur rowel.  Even when I was young where I would often hear my Pa say "Boy, you're so smart you must have two brains,....one the size of a pea and the other a little bitty thing."

Back to your question,.....I don't know if I'm that concerned about vibration, or noise for that matter, coming from metal snaps connecting reins to the bit. I think the biggest reasons people would use metal snaps to connect reins to a bit are that many reins they buy already have them as an attachment, and it is also a matter of convenience.

I would think that the weight of metal snaps connecting reins to a bit would serve as a preparatory signal as the reins are started to be picked up changing the feel of the weight of the bit to the horse. I think that slobber straps serve the same purpose. Look at the picture at top - right showing reins connected to a snaffle bit using metal snaps.  Notice that the reins are loose and the weight of the metal snap allows them to hang down with loose reins.  Once these reins are began to be picked up the weight shift of the metal snaps on the snaffle can be felt by the horse through the bit in his mouth.  So the weight change of the connecting metal snaps hanging down when the reins are loose, then going horizontal as the reins are picked up, would probably be less evident if the rider had really quick hands.    

While I have some reins with snap connectors of various types, they do have springs which eventually get oxidized and sticky, or the spring strength weakens or gets dirty - all of these impacting the integrity of the connection, but fixable with some routine maintenance - a small brush, maybe a can of compressed air and a drop of WD-40 would fix most connector issues.  I wouldn't try to clean my metal snaps with a can of compressed air while they were hooked to the bit in a horse's mouth, though....just saying....  In the picture above you see reins attached using snaps to a curb bit.  In the photo on left the rider has a little contact with the horse and as the reins are picked up the slack in the reins is taken out and the horse begins to collect.  I think the weight provided by metal snaps aids in the subtle signals to the horse.  By the way, that's my lovely wife on the other end of the reins and one of her horses, Charlie, above.
 

Slobber straps, in the pictures at left are normally used with round reins, like rope reins, or a mecate (also called McCarthy reins), and of course are less quicker to change out than reins with metal snaps. But I prefer slobber straps when I can use them.  You can see in the picture at far left the Slobber Straps are handing down with a loose rein.  Once the reins are picked up, the Slobber strap goes horizontal changing the weight on the bit, which is evident to the horse, so again a preparatory command.