So, these aren't made by 'Harls' - they're made by my offsider (he would say all-round good bloke and that seems fitting too), Wade. He had a rein clip break at a draft a while back (probably just a one off but it was real 'one rein stop' material!) and decided then that he would make his own, with a leather slobber strap.
The 12mm double braided rope Wade uses to hand craft these reins is manufactured in Australia for the boating industry. Therefore, it's UV resistant, colour fast, washable, non-abrasive on your hands (which is why I started using this style of rein in the first place!) and has an approx breaking strain of 3400kgs. Super strong and durable; won't rot or mildew, doesn't absorb water and is not affected by sweat (the rope is made for salt water!); doesn't stretch or shrink and stays flexible and pliable over their life.
As for the slobber straps, we feel they slow your hands down. When the rein is picked up, there is a signal to the horse that a cue to the bit is coming. There is a great explanation of this by Ken McNabb on YouTube that you might find helpful to understand the job of the slobber strap better. These are made from 1st grade Herman Oak skirting leather (4-4.5mm thick) and hand cut and stamped by Harls.
Aside from the near miss that Wade had with a set of factory-made reins with metal clips, we went with slobber straps for the smooth friction they give on the bit ring, the smaller increments of contact that was possible with leather versus metal, and that there is zero jangling around.
$120 per set, plus post (but you only pay post on the first set though if you're buying more than one!)
Options - 6ft or 7ft, plus custom lengths
