[Lieslot]

http://www.rstor.co.uk/dressage-a-flatwork

Hmmm, ran into this by accident and wondering if this could come in handy when riding the young spooky horse.
I use a neckstrap, but usually I'm way too late grabbing the neckstrap, because it's too low in the neck, too far away from my hands when things go pearshaped and in that split oh-owww second my brain & handcoordination never make it to the neckstrap .

With this at least you can't be too late grabbing it. But I'm worried this may be less safe as it looks. I'm wondering if this could risk you a twisted strained wrist when you do make your way down. Say sideways spook and you are nevertheless on your way down, yet still holding this thing.

Would love to hear what you COTH-ers think of this before I buy .

[ideayoda]

Almost all riders who come off in a spook/etc do so because they collapse forward rather than get left behind. How that is supposed to help I do not know. And a neck strap also effects the change of the entire neck, which could make a difference. Don't see the point.

[Lieslot]

And a neck strap also effects the change of the entire neck, which could make a difference.

Sorry, don't quite understand, do you mean it changes the way the horse holds himself?

Almost all riders who come off in a spook/etc do so because they collapse forward rather than get left behind.

Yes good point, that's why I thought it could actually be a bad thing, whilst it may not help, it may cause hurt if you don't open your hand during the fall I guess.

[vbunny]

If it's got as much range of motion as it looks like, you'll be off anyways before it comes into effect.

As far as the neck strap, maybe she means it can have and influence on the way the horse carries it's neck? I can see for some it would but to me they would be quite far on by then and perhaps not as ill-behaved or erratic? I dunno. I do a lot of youngsters (love them) and I looove my neck-strap .

[Lieslot]

If it's got as much range of motion as it looks like, you'll be off anyways before it comes into effect.

You're probably right.
Nevertheless I ordered one, perhaps it'll work just on my mind and I'll be able to ride more pro-actively as a result, fingers crossed .
I will report back once I've got it .

I do come to realize (after money spent ) that it probably won't do much for the situation I have in mind.
I had some issues in the past, but both our confidence has come on by leaps & bounds until last week & earlier this week my area had the joys of some unpleasant winds gusting to 45mph and seems baby horse doesn't cope with that all that well and found a new trick: drop the outside shoulder, duck head to ground and do a 180 degree spin, -of course preferably just in the upward rise of the trot-, when gusts were blowing some dead leaves in his direction. I'm not used to suddenly have nothing in front of me, his neck is gone when he ducks/dips & spins.
Thinking of the mechanics of this, the gadget probably won't be of much help, but the neck strap isn't either. I guess nothing will be in that situation other than a velcro butt or go the smart way, don't ride in those winds .

[NotGrandPrixYet]

The only real protective value that I see in this device is if the horse suddenly lurches forward (if you are the type that gets left behind), or you get pulled forward and lose your balance when your horse starts to buck.

I do, however, see it as a good teaching device for a rider on a lunge line...the type of rider that uses reins for balance or gets frightened without something onto which to hold. Starting out students with this device will keep them from banging the horse's mouth with a bit until the new rider obtains a decent seat.

[mbm]

well..... my guess is that anyone using this will open their hands well before the "device" is of use. also given where it is located and how it is one sided, it will just create a different point of "rotation"? for the rider to fall around.

a neck strap or oh-shit strap work really really well. they keep you centered over the horses center of gravity etc.

plus they are free (use an old stirrup leather!) be sure tho, if you use a neck strap to thread it thru an oh-shit strap so it doenst come over the horses head in cases of emergency.

[nomeolvides]

Not really got an opinion on the product, but their old video was hilarious- guy bumbling round on a cob with someone flapping an umbrella at them.

[Lieslot]

LOL, agreed nomeolvides, I watched the video, not really a convincing marketing tool, haha.

also given where it is located and how it is one sided, it will just create a different point of "rotation"? for the rider to fall around.

Yes, that's exactly what I'm wondering & concerned about, could it make your fall worse. I tried to find some reviews about it on UK forums, but couldn't find anything.

a neck strap or oh-shit strap work really really well. they keep you centered over the horses center of gravity etc.

Does depend a little on the type of unbalancing behavior of the horse, wouldn't you say. Like I mentioned above, in the 'dip & spin' situation, I can't see many be quick enough to grab the neckstrap. In the 'horse starts a buckingspree' case, the neckstrap is very handy.

[Wayside]

I thought it looked like it might be a good tool for learning to hold one's hands steady.

[KPF]

Bumping this back up because I was curious about them and did a search.

Lieslot-- did you get one? What do you think? Does it help when the sh*t hits the fan?

I just ordered one, hoping it'll help me stay on when my normally quiet horse does one of his rare but scary "I see dead people" spook/bolt moves.

[netg]

Does depend a little on the type of unbalancing behavior of the horse, wouldn't you say. Like I mentioned above, in the 'dip & spin' situation, I can't see many be quick enough to grab the neckstrap. In the 'horse starts a buckingspree' case, the neckstrap is very handy.

See, my horse doesn't give me a warning - and I'm too busy trying to sit and push him forward to reach down for something on his (lowered so his head is between his knees) neck. The only time I find my oh shit strap of use is if I am about to have a CTJ with my horse and know he may be displeased with me for it...

[meupatdoes]

The way it is pictured it looks so long and floppy that I can't imagine it doing much good.

You have to be like a foot away from the horse (or have your arm up by your boob) for it to come into play. If you're already a foot away from the horse just accept your fate and kiss the ground hello.

[phoebetrainer]

I ride all my young horses with one hand on my buck strap (and the rein) at all times. Swop hands when I change the rein. I like it because it helps pull me deeper into the saddle.

This looks way too loose to help keep you in the saddle.

I also use a neck strap, but that is more of a whoa signal or for use in the first few trots.

[Jackie Cochran]

About the RS-tor. I have not had a horse blow up yet, and I hope that no horse decides to blow up under me. For the grammar police the RS-tor is pronounced "arrestor".
If I had an RS-tor in my hand the one time an 18.2 half drafter did a double barrel kick under me I would not have ended up on his neck. Since the arm usually stiffens at a forward fall I would have been able to stop my forward motion. There have been one or two really bad stumbles in my past that I think the RS-tor would have been really helpful.
If I had an RS-tor the last two times horses suddenly bolted under me I would still have hit the horse's mouth (or rather his mouth would hit the end of the rein), but I would not have lost my seat in the saddle and started going off the side. It would also have helped me not strain my outside gripping muscles in my upper thigh.
The last few times horses twirled or shied the RS-tor would have helped me limit my sideways motion, preventing straining my outside gripping muscles.

The straps that anchor the RS-tor to the stirrup bars join at the center to a inch or so big ring. Then thick elastic comes off the center ring for around 4 inches, this elastic is stretchable but it does not stretch easily. The elastic is to help soften the shock on the arms. When I pull on the RS-tor I have a reference point that is a little to the front of the center of the pommel. If I had wanted to I could have made the stirrup bar straps longer and given me more room to move to the front, which would end up moving the reference point further back.

I use 1/2" reins, and I find the hand strap of the RS-tor to be a bit too wide for me. I am sure it will feel more comfortable the longer I use it. I think it is a good idea to practice holding this, the reins, and your crop, changing the RS-tor between the hands, just like you had to practice the first few times you used double reins. I do have to be careful that the tension of my thumb holding the RS-tor against the base of my pointing finger does not carry over and destroy the suppleness of my other fingers, but I am a uncoordinated neurologically handicapped person so regular riders may not have that problem. I find that the RS-tor limits my opening rein, but then I do a WIDE opening rein.

I hope this helps.

[Appsolute]

Yeah I don’t get it. I start youngsters, and ride random horses pulled from auctions (ie – unpredictable horses!), and I do not see how this would help keep me on.

Staying on a spooking or bucking horse is all about a deep center of balance, staying over your center, and keeping your legs down and deep for support. I have never used my hands to stay on in any way that I think this strap would help (I may use my hands to catch myself, or brace against the neck.

I have never liked to use “grab straps”, and I reserve neck straps for jumping (when my hands are going up on the neck). I do not use neck straps for staying on a bucking or spooking horse (how would that work?).

In my experience, staying on in a sticky situation is all about sitting deep – which takes a certain level of relaxation. Bracing and gripping will result in a stiff body – and you are more likely to end up hitting dirt.

Ride those spooks like a cow boy on a cutting horse – sit deep, get those heels down, and go with, do not brace against the motion.

[paulaedwina]

Having just this evening experienced a sudden unscheduled dismount from a joyous buck whilst galloping up a hill in 2-point, this gadget wouldn't have saved me. I had planned on putting a neck strap on him-high up so I'd have something to do with my hands - but forgot. Not sure that would have helped either. For me, if I were sitting when he bucked I would have been able to stay on so I wouldn't have needed the RS-tor, and in 2 point it wouldn't have worked. So it's not a gadget that catches my fancy.

Like the OP I think I'd be worried about torquing a wrist coming off anyway.

JMO of course.
Paula

[merrygoround]

Doesn't seem like anything too useful. The advantage of a low set hand on a neckstrap is the rider's ability to pull back on it and set his seat deeper.