Romal Reins

[FlatWaterCowboy]

I am wondering the dimensions for Romal Reins. Santa Ynez style is best, as I am not a fan of bulky romals. Also what about a core for the romal?

Thanks,

[HorsehairBraider]

Do you mean the length of the reins? I think it depends on the horse... I ride some high-headed horses and use shorter reins on them than I would on a "peanut-roller" type horse.

Anyway for rein length, I always went out and looked at the horse as he was standing there tied up, and used a piece of rope to go from one side of his head to the other, with a little raised up part where the saddle horn is. Usually (for me) each rein measures about 50", so I double that. The romals I usually make 40" (and then add the popper on the end). Whatever looks good with the length of rein, and the height of the horse.

As far as a core for a romal, I'm pretty thrifty that way. I'll use a piece of cord or rope if I have it, or a piece of rawhide or leather, or an old split rein cut down etc. Whatever I've got.

[rgerbitz]

I have only made one pair of reins so for and the reins were about 4 foot long, and the romal was around 3 feet (4 ft. once the popper was on.) Course it would matter if there would be rein chains attached or not, and like Horse Hair said the dimensions of the horses being rode. As for the core I used 2 stripes of rawhide that when laid together were about 1/8 inch by 3/8 wide. It made for a moderatly stiff romal. Course you could use anything, tradition would say that you use some kind of rawhide core, and old reata, a bunch of small strings, a twisted peice of hide. It all demends on the diameter and "feel" you are going for.

Rob

[FlatWaterCowboy]

Thank you,

The dimensions I am wondering about are for the string. I'd like a 12 braid body for the romal. So I'm wondering would 1/16" be to small. I like very tiny reins so I've even considered using no core at all. Tradition is important but definitely superseded by function. Thanks for the help.

[megabit]

Like the other have said how the reins will be used has a good deal to do with it. For a traditional bridle horse in the spade or half breed with chains Ed Connell in Bits and Bitting recommends 42", with knots up the 1st 18" and a total romal length of 42". Most of the ones you see these days are longer than that but I think that or even shorter is a real good length if you are going to be roping with them. You get 50"+ reins and 60'+ of rope and it starts to get to be a bit much to deal with.