I think that these reins are an important tool to have in your tack room. They are rubberized nylon at the hand end of the rein to provide a good grip. The front is tough buffalo leather that stands up to all weather conditions. That’s important because that’s when I use these the most. They are great for driving in wet weather, but that’s not where their utility ends for me. 

The light weight of the rubberized nylon is great for a horse that I’m having trouble getting to carry my contact. Sometimes a fully leather rein is just too heavy. These lightweight reins make it easy for me to be quick and responsive with a very sensitive horse. 

My anti-slip reins have a series of 8 knots tied in them at even intervals. If you tried this with leather, bio-thane or some other materiel that has similar body to it, the knots would come out way too large, and eat up too much rein length. The knots in an anti-slip rein don't come out too bulky. Why would I tie knots in my reins?

In the words of someone wise “In each life, a little rein must fall.” Maybe that’s not exactly how it was originally phrased, but it’s sure true for driving. It’s happened to me, and I’ve seen it happen to others. It seems that a poplar place to loose your grip on the rein for a critical second is driving a hazard. The knots sure go a long way to prevent that. 

Leave the surfing on the beach! The knotted anti-slips come out of the tack room when I run into a student who just won’t stop moving up and down the reins. The knots give the student a solid place to work from, and discourage them from the constant dance on the reins. 

In the winter these are pretty much the only reins I use. Gloves alone, no matter how good they are, can't keep your hands warm if there is no circulation in your hands. Circulation is encouraged by muscles that flex and relax. The critical part of that equation is the relaxation. If your hand is flexed the whole time you are driving, there will be diminished circulation. In the winter this is exacerbated by the fact that we are usually wearing a bulky glove, so it’s hard to keep a leather or synthetic rein in place. As I drive, these knots seat themselves just behind my fingers, so there is very little effort expended upon gripping the rein. This allows me to drive with a slightly open, relaxed hand despite the fact that I have winter driving gloves on. 

3/4" wide.  With nickel or brass hardware.  Sizes (measured from buckle end to center buckle):  Shetland (168"), Pony (170"), Cob (179"), Horse (191").