[Mercedes]

The closer the horse gets to self-carriage, the closer you get to piaffe on a looped rein.

What I'm trying to say is...there is no difference between engagement in english tack with a short rein, and engagement in western tack with a long rein. Engagement is engagement and is created only one way by the horse regardless of tack or rein length.

Your problem right now is that he's not engaged enough, period, end of story. Work on that in whatever tack you want...makes no difference.

As long as you are consistent and distinguish your aids, your horse should have no problem doing both dressage and reining, and you should find that both disciplines feed each other.

 

[Mercedes]

His biggest problem is that he's overcoming some conformation issues, some old mental issues and some physical limitations so engagement is hard for him in the "dressage" frame. He is more balanced and engaged in his hind end when his head is down and out and he can let himself go on the circles, changes and roll backs. His setbacks are the actual coming under of a stop and I'm not sure if he's capable of an actual reining stop but we're working on it. I was just wondering if letting him stretch it out would make him less willing to collect up for the dressage as he's now schooling 2nd and 3rd level movements with a pretty solid 2nd level test 1. So I don't want to jeopardize this but he's the kind of horse that can't be pushed in only one direction hard and not get sour fast. He is a special kinda guy...haha.

Okay, hang on...there is no difference in 'frame'. The more engaged a horse is, the more they step forward and center body, the more they lower their haunches, the more they lift their wither, the more they transfer weight rearward, the more the neck rises and the head falls freely from the poll.

There is only ONE way for a riding horse to engage, regardless of tack and riding discipline.

So, either he's on his forehand when he's doing his reining, or he's pulling a fast one on you in his dressage work, bracing, breaking at C3, and not coming through and is in a false frame...or something in between.

Again, the two disciplines should feed each other.