british equestrian

If you've read up about our back story, you’ll know that our founder Laurie was inspired to develop safety reins after witnessing a child get tangled in her pony’s reins. It wasn’t the first time Laurie had seen an incident like this, but it was the most terrifying. The reins became wrapped around the child’s neck, and they were dragged as their pony ran loose, only being freed when the pony was caught by bystanders. Thankfully the child was just bruised and upset, but the whole thing could have been so much worse.

After seeing that scenario play out in front of her, and as the mother of a young rider herself, Laurie quickly set about developing our patented quick-release connector. An innovative addition to reins to ensure that if a rider or horse becomes tangled, the reins will simply release. That connector now forms the heart of all FR Vincitore safety reins today, and it’s helping riders and horses in so many ways.

A horse or the rider can become tangled in the reins due to miscommunication, inexperience or simply an accident. In this month’s blog, we’re looking at how our reins work in different situations to keep horse and rider safe when it matters most.

The rider falls from the horse

If a rider falls and they try to hold onto the reins, they might get tangled around their hands, wrists or arms. Or, in the case of the child Laurie saw fall, they fall out ‘the front door’ and the reins become tangled around their neck or shoulders. This not only means there’s a risk of being dragged if the horse bolts, but it could cause injury to the neck as the person falls. When FRV reins are being used, they will separate the moment the rider’s weight is taken by the reins, releasing them and any pressure on the horse’s mouth.

The horse gets caught after a fall or stumble

If you’ve ever watched jump racing, you’ll occasionally see a horse fall or peck badly on land, and when they get back up, they’ve put a leg through the reins. The resulting spectacle is not pleasant for any horse lover to see, as quite often the reins don’t break, and the horse is dragging its own bit onto its tongue and bars with every stride. The same can happen when horses get loose hacking, cross-country or team chasing, but with our reins the connector will immediately work, releasing the reins and freeing the horse's leg.

The horse steps on the reins

This can happen both when the rider is in the saddle or when they’re dismounted. If the rider is waiting for their instructor to start or space in the warmup ring and drops the reins or they dangle too low the horse can step on them. The same could happen If the reins are not properly secured or shortened when the horse is tied up and can get tangled by the horse shifting, pawing or rubbing its head. If this happens, the FRV connector will come apart when the reins are under that sudden, sharp pressure and release, stopping the horse suffering a horrible jolt to the bit. No broken reins to replace, and you can carry on and ride as you planned!

Getting in a tangle out hacking

If you’re out enjoying the countryside with your horse, what would happen if you’re miles from home and the reins catch and break? They could get caught on a tree branch, gate post or jump and not only potentially cause a painful jerk on the horse’s mouth but also lead to the horse to suddenly pull back and snap the reins. If you’re many miles from home and the rein is broken near the bit, that’s a long in-hand walk home… FRV reins are easy to reconnect when they come apart in incidents like these - just unscrew the connector and reattach the ball!

These are just some of the circumstances where using FR Vincitore reins will help keep both you and your beloved horse much safer. Why risk injuring them or yourself, when you can simply choose peace of mind instead? Shop our safety reins here.

The Paris Olympic Games have come to an end, and we know lots of our followers will miss having so much incredible sport on tap at all times of the day and evening! Of course, most of us had the equestrian disciplines pencilled in our diary, and Team GB certainly rose to the occasion in Versailles to deliver some outstanding performances. All horse lovers will know how much hard work and dedication that will have gone into earning these medals, and we’re so proud of everyone involved. Here’s a reminder of how our athletes got on in the three equestrian disciplines.

Golden glory in the team three-day eventing

The top-rated British riders secured the team gold medal, finishing ahead of France in silver and Japan in bronze. Our riders - Laura Collett riding London 52 and bagging a new Olympic record dressage score, Tom McEwen on JL Dublin, and Ros Canter with Lordships Graffalo - delivered consistent and composed performances across all three phases, which led them to the top of the podium.

Individually, Laura Collett also took home the bronze medal and her strong partnership with London 52 really shone throughout the competition. Germany’s Michael Jung claimed the gold, making history with his third consecutive individual eventing title and Australia’s Christopher Burton jumped two amazing rounds on the final day to secure the silver medal.

Dancing to bronze in the dressage

Team GB’s dressage riders and their amazing horses delivered polished performances that earned them a bronze medal, placing behind Germany (gold) and Denmark (silver). The team - Carl Hester on Fame, Becky Moody on her homebred Jagerbomb, and Charlotte Fry on Glamourdale - showcased their talent and experience to perform under extra pressure, and we were so proud of them.

Charlotte Fry then proved she’s a rider by winning the individual bronze medal behind Germany’s Jessica Von Bredow-Werndl who secured the gold and Isabel Werth who took silver.

Soaring to the top of the podium in team showjumping!

The showjumping arena was the stage for another golden moment for Team GB, as Harry Charles, Ben Maher and Scott Brash rode to victory in the team competition. The duo took the gold medal ahead of a strong Team USA and France, who narrowly edged out the Netherlands for bronze.

Individually, the competition was fierce, with Germany’s Christian Kukuk eventually claiming the gold medal. Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat put in a superb effort to win silver, while Maikel van der Vleuten of the Netherlands secured the bronze.

What an amazing Olympics it’s been! Medals for all three teams and in the individual competition in two out of the three disciplines. We're so proud of all the athletes, including the travelling reserves, and of course the horses, grooms, owners and support crews who make it all happen. With the action Olympics now just a happy memory, attention now turns to the upcoming Paralympics, where Team GB’s para dressage squad is tipped for podium success. Mari Durward-Akhurst will ride Athene Lindebjerg in Grade 1, Georgia Wilson will compete with Sakura in Grade 2, Natasha Baker will be riding Keystone Dawn Chorus in Grade 3 and Sophie Wells will take to the arena with Don Cara M in Grade 5. We’ll be cheering them on and hope you will be too!