What is the purpose of the knot in the reins?
When an exercise rider gets on a horse there are three things he / she will check. The girth (make sure it is tight enough), the styrup length and the knot in the reins, not necessarily in that order. A rider prefers a particular type of knot, some really bunch the end of the reins with a huge knot, others just do a simple one cross over knot. The knot adds a little weight to the end of the reins which provides a little balance to the reins and where they fall behind the rider’s hands. The knot limits the length of the reins so if the rider’s grip on the reins comes lose he / she can recover via the knot. For some odd reason, the knot is actually very important!
