Romal Reins

Romal (or "romel") reins are a type of rein with a romal, or quirt, built into them.

Highly skilled Spanish vaqueros (working cowboys riding horses and handling cattle guided by Spanish tradition) first brought romal reins to the Western part of the USA in what would later become the state of California.

Romal reins are designed to be used on finished (well broke) horses and are ridden with one hand holding the reins, and one hand on the romal. The romal can be used either to cue the horse, to quirt cattle that are close by, or both. For more information on romal reins please scroll down underneath the reins for sale.

Below: Romal reins made of braided rawhide.

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About Romal Reins

As mentioned above, romal reins are a type of rein with a romal, or quirt, built into them. One side of the rein attaches to the shank on the right side of the bit, and one side attaches to the shank on the left. The reins are joined together, or closed, where the rider holds onto them. Attached to the reins near where the rider holds them is the romal, or quirt, from which the reins get their name.

Romal reins are often quite beautifully made, showcasing fine craftsmanship and intricate braiding. They typically have buttons braided into them where they lay on the side of the horse's neck; the buttons allow the horse to feel the reins with only a slight touch. There are also often buttons braided into other areas of romal reins, for example, on the romal itself.

Romal reins are strongly associated with vaquero traditions and styles of riding. They are commonly used by working cowboys and cowgirls as well as riders in arena competition. When used in competition romal reins are typically seen in classes that require handling cattle, and/or classes associated with the vaquero or "California style" of riding.

Traditionally, romal reins are made of braided rawhide. While rawhide is still one of the most popular choices you can also find romal reins made of leather, nylon or other synthetics, or a mixture of materials. While rawhide is usually the preferred choice of many riders it is also the most expensive.

Just a couple more things......

• The "romal" in romal reins is also sometimes spelled romel or rommel.
• Many people remove their romal reins from the bridle so they can be allowed to hang straight between rides. Leaving the reins on the bridle might cause them to hang with a curve in the reins; over time the curve can become "set" in the reins, changing their feel while riding.

Below: Romal reins being used in the Working Cow Horse class at a horse show.

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Save The Reins For Later

If you find a romal reins for sale on Etsy that you like but you're not ready to purchase them right away, you can always add them to your shopping cart so they will be easy to find later.

• In most cases, Etsy will keep track of items in your cart for 30 days.
• In the meantime, if you want to check out with other items you can click on "Save for later" to move specific items to a separate, but still easy-to-find list beneath your shopping cart.
• Also, if you put items into your Etsy shopping cart but don't check out after 30 days, Etsy will automatically move your items to the "Save for later" area beneath your cart. When you're ready to actually purchase any of these items, simply click "Move to cart" to put them back into your shopping cart and check out.

Important: Putting items in your Etsy shopping cart or "Save for later" list does NOT reserve them! It just makes them easier to find if they're still available when you come back.

Below: Screenshot image showing the "Save for later" and "Remove" links when an item is in the Etsy shopping cart.