Good hands are one of the most important aspects of good riding. It is probably one of the most difficult to learn and to teach. The most important part of learning good hands is that you are sympathetic to the horse. This means that you must train yourself to keep your hands in such a way that they don't pull on the horse's mouth or give him mixed signals.
When you think of the bit, think of it sitting on the bars of the horse's mouth. The bars are an open space of his gums between his incisors and molars. So, just imagine a heavy piece of metal banging on your gums and I think that would make you careful.
To make your hands able to not pull, or accidently jerk the reins, takes lots of practice. All of my beginner students start on a lunge line, and don't get to hold the reins until theydevelop enough balance to do so. This is finding your seat. I was taught this way. (With no saddle to boot!)
Once yoou are balanced enough to hold the reins "independently" you can learn about contact. Often, beginners are taught to ride on a loose rein at first. This is OK too, if you have a trusty school horse. But eventually we must learn contact. Contact with the horse's mouth means a gentle feel through the reins. It has often been described as "elastic". It should be consistent. So, how long or short are the reins? Well, your hands should be well in front of the pommel of the saddle. If they are too long, your hands will end up in your tummy and have nowhere to go. Too short may cause you to tip forward. But the shorter the rein, the more control. In jumping, or Hunt Seat, you are forward, so therefore the reins are naturally shorter.
How high or low do you carr your hands? A simple rule. There should be a straighty line from your elbow to the horse's mouth. That takes the guesswork out. Your hands should be fairly close together, but not touching. One on each side of the neck. Elbows should be at your side, hanging relaxed, not out like duck wings.
So when the horse walks, there is movement to his head. You must follow this movement with your hands. The movement is allowed in your elbows. The elbows open and close, but still stay brushing youur sides. In canter you must follow also - it is even a bigger motion than wal. Interestingly, gallop has less forward and back than canter. Jumping has one VERY big follow over the fence, but that is another subject. The really hard one is trot. There is no head movement to follow, but if you are posting you are moving. So how do you keep the hands quiet in trot?
This also takes practice. The best way I have found is to practice on the lunge line. Or, if you are riding and have enough control you can practice anytime. Simply put your pinky fingers, or even your knuckles on the horse's withers and try posting without the hands moving. This may break you straight line to the bit, but that's OK for this purpose. To keep your hands still, you must allow the elbows to open and close. So if you are posting, when in up position, arms are straight. When in sit position, elbows are bent. Do not become tense. Just let gravity keep the hands down. They should just "lay" on the withers. You can even practice this at the kitchen table! So sit trot? A little faster and bouncier. You must work at having a good seat for sit trot first, and then the same excercise can apply.
SEE THE SLIDE SHOW BELOW TO SEE HOW ELBOWS OPEN AND CLOSE
More on Good Hands to come....
When you think of the bit, think of it sitting on the bars of the horse's mouth. The bars are an open space of his gums between his incisors and molars. So, just imagine a heavy piece of metal banging on your gums and I think that would make you careful.
To make your hands able to not pull, or accidently jerk the reins, takes lots of practice. All of my beginner students start on a lunge line, and don't get to hold the reins until theydevelop enough balance to do so. This is finding your seat. I was taught this way. (With no saddle to boot!)
Once yoou are balanced enough to hold the reins "independently" you can learn about contact. Often, beginners are taught to ride on a loose rein at first. This is OK too, if you have a trusty school horse. But eventually we must learn contact. Contact with the horse's mouth means a gentle feel through the reins. It has often been described as "elastic". It should be consistent. So, how long or short are the reins? Well, your hands should be well in front of the pommel of the saddle. If they are too long, your hands will end up in your tummy and have nowhere to go. Too short may cause you to tip forward. But the shorter the rein, the more control. In jumping, or Hunt Seat, you are forward, so therefore the reins are naturally shorter.
How high or low do you carr your hands? A simple rule. There should be a straighty line from your elbow to the horse's mouth. That takes the guesswork out. Your hands should be fairly close together, but not touching. One on each side of the neck. Elbows should be at your side, hanging relaxed, not out like duck wings.
So when the horse walks, there is movement to his head. You must follow this movement with your hands. The movement is allowed in your elbows. The elbows open and close, but still stay brushing youur sides. In canter you must follow also - it is even a bigger motion than wal. Interestingly, gallop has less forward and back than canter. Jumping has one VERY big follow over the fence, but that is another subject. The really hard one is trot. There is no head movement to follow, but if you are posting you are moving. So how do you keep the hands quiet in trot?
This also takes practice. The best way I have found is to practice on the lunge line. Or, if you are riding and have enough control you can practice anytime. Simply put your pinky fingers, or even your knuckles on the horse's withers and try posting without the hands moving. This may break you straight line to the bit, but that's OK for this purpose. To keep your hands still, you must allow the elbows to open and close. So if you are posting, when in up position, arms are straight. When in sit position, elbows are bent. Do not become tense. Just let gravity keep the hands down. They should just "lay" on the withers. You can even practice this at the kitchen table! So sit trot? A little faster and bouncier. You must work at having a good seat for sit trot first, and then the same excercise can apply.
SEE THE SLIDE SHOW BELOW TO SEE HOW ELBOWS OPEN AND CLOSE
More on Good Hands to come....
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