A bearing rein, known today as an overcheck or a checkrein, is a piece of horse tack that runs from a point on the horse's back, over the head, to a bit. A bearing rein is used to prevent the horse from lowering its head beyond a fixed point. A variation, called a side check, passes beside the ears through loops at the top of the bridle cheekpieces.
It can be attached to the surcingle of a horse harness, or to the harness saddle.
A bearing rein shares some function with side reins, draw reins, and the de Gogue, and has the opposite function to a chambon and martingale. It can be attached to the same bit as the reins, or to a second, separate bit.
Read more about Bearing Rein: Use, History, Related Equipment
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