swinging reins

[Marlene Moss <MARLENE.MOSS@WCOM.COM>]

Ahhh, I just ran home for a lovely ride over lunch - have to make up the
extra time tonight, but it was worth it!

Anyhow, my poor mare that has had so many obstacles - my fear of her energy
for which I put her through a year of dressage, ill-fitting saddle and
needing 2 months of chiropractic work - is doing beautifully.  She may
actually like me now!  She actually came up to me to be rubbed, even after I
was so cruel to take her from her pasture buddies and put her on her first
increased speed ride.

The only problem we encountered was her reins.  I recently bought some nice
long reins with the scissor type snaps on the ends.  Well, the looseness and
the heaviness of the snap allows the reins to start swinging in rhythm to
her trot.  This does 2 things - annoys the hell out of her so she starts
flinging her head, and makes her think she should lower her head.  She
lowers her head because that's what she was taught to do by my trainer when
she would lunge her with side reins with donut weights on them.

It's kind of nice that she stretches out, but I don't want her tripping on
her face on the trail!  And of course the head flinging is no fun for either
of us.

Does anyone have any suggestions of any way to keep these things from
swinging?  I tried looping a leather thong (all I had with me on the ride)
in and around and it helped a little, but that kind of defeats the purpose
of the easily unclippable reins.  One other thing - I suppose it would help
some if I had more contact with the bit, but that's one thing I never got
out of dressage.  My mare doesn't like much contact and doesn't really need
it most times on the trail.

Thanks for any ideas!

Marlene and Venesza