Some people despise check reins, but they can be useful when dealing with the ones that want to try to grab a snack when you are working with them (perhaps because their heads are already so close to the ground, this seems to be more of a problem with the little guys). When the horse simply can't get its head down to graze, it is more inclined to listen instead of tuning you out. If you start off by lunging and doing a lot of in-hand work like backing and yielding, it can be helpful in getting the horse to focus on you. I had the same fight a lot with Syd when we first started, but once she gets it into her head that she has to pay attention to me, she can be very good. I took her out in the neighborhood a week or so ago; something I hadn't done for a few months, and I was surprised at how well she did. She has come a long way, and appears to be retaining more than I had expected, seeing how sporadic my efforts with her have been.
