From: Allen
Dear Jessica, I wanted to ask you this in your tack lecture at Equitana and didn't get a chance, there were just too many people asking questions! Thanks for trying to answer so many, I know you couldn't answer them all. You said it was okay to e-mail, so here's mine:
Is it safe to replace the rubber on old rubber-covered reins? I can't seem to get a good answer to this. My huntseat instructor says it's not a good idea because it will weaken the leather. That makes sense, but my uncle has racehorses, and he says that they put new rubber on their reins all the time. Which one is right? That was an awesome lecture by the way!
Thanks a bunch! your fan, Allen
I'm going to agree with both your instructor and your uncle, because they're talking about two different situations and two different pieces of tack.
If you're riding in hunter classes, you are probably using reins that are made for English riding. They are relatively narrow, sometimes only a little more than half an inch wide, and the rubber coverings may be sewn on with one line of thread down the center, or with two lines on the sides. With reins like these, an extra line or two of new stitching (with new holes for each stitch) can indeed make the leather weak and unsafe.
Your uncle is speaking from his experience at the track, where leather reins are wide and heavy, and the rubber handparts are sewn on with one line of large stitches, and cover only a short section of the reins. There is enough tough leather in good racing reins to handle on or two -- or even a few -- replacements of the rubber handparts, if the replacement is done well and the reins are otherwise sound.
So, here are my thoughts: If you have a favourite pair of rubber-covered reins and they are wide, say 7/8", you may be able to replace the rubber quite safely if the person who does the work uses the original holes to do the re-stitching or puts in ONE line of large stitches (larger stitches = fewer holes). But be sure that the reins are otherwise in excellent condition -- if they aren't, don't have them re-done. New rubber can cover old, damaged leather, and THAT is very dangerous indeed.
Jessica
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