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
Famous quotes containing the words bearing and/or rein:
“There was ease in Casey’s manner as he stepped into his place,
There was pride in Casey’s bearing and a smile on Casey’s face;”
—Ernest Lawrence Thayer (1863–1940)
“Ignorant free speech often works against the speaker. That is one of several reasons why it must be given rein instead of suppressed.”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)