This is called an SOS strap. Some people call it a grab strap, some people call it a bucking strap (but I try not to use the word bucking.) And they're fabulous. You need one that's long enough. You don't want the ones that are really short. Dressage Extensions has a longer one, I believe Dover does as well. And they're just really great if your horse gets fractious or gets spooky or gets silly, and you feel like you need to stabilize yourself a little bit. You can hold your reins and your SOS strap at the same time.
All of my dressage saddles have an SOS on them.
Product Description:
This Rolled Grab Strap buckles onto any saddle to become a useful asset. 11.5" long including buckle ends.
A grab strap is a simple piece of rolled leather that attaches to the two dees at the front of an English saddle, just under the jockey flaps, where it can become useful to any rider in a variety of ways. It can:
Stabilize an unsteady/beginning rider’s hands to protect a horse’s mouth from sudden jabs through the reins.
Assist with mounting by providing something other than the horse’s mane to hold.
Offer a feeling of added security if a horse spooks or leaps.
Help a rider while being lunged when reins have been taken away.
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