Rhythm beads seem to be catching on as a way of enhancing your horse and for adding some interest, joy and rhythm to your ground play or riding.
The style I tried were from www.wranglerjayne.com and are made in the USA. Your chosen coloured beads come on a leather thong and have slightly louder (but still sweet sounding) bells. They have a clip to attach to the mane so the beads don’t drop down and get trodden on if the horse puts its head down.
The first time I introduced the beads to the horses, I jingled them around without them being attached. Both horses accepted them with no concern but I had them in the roundyard just in case one was spooked.
The bells do make a nice sounding rhythm for you and the horse to focus on and would brighten up the training session or dress up the horse for playdays. They could even be useful on the trail so other users can hear you approaching (unless they’re on a noisy machine!).
I think they’d make a lovely gift and when not in use on the horse, I hang mine where they can catch the breeze clipped to a curtain.
You can also find many beautiful designs for rhythm beads on Etsy here or you can even try making your own.
This video shows you how to make and introduce the beads to your horse. And this page explains more about the origin of rhythm beads and their use today.
