Advice/exercises to help soften elbows and keep hands still when anxious?

[Meadow21]

I suffered a nasty fall a few years ago while showjumping so pretty much only hacked for the past 2 years. I have recently got back into riding in an arena and found when my horse speeds up or takes big strides my elbows and hands stiffen and he (understandably) falls out of the contact. I’ve had several people watch me and most agree it is me stiffening in my elbow so my hands move up and down rather than remaining independent. Is there any methods to prevent this that works? I tried the whip under the thumbs and it freaked my poor boy out and he couldn’t settle so I gave up! I never ride with a whip so it’s understandable he would be so alarmed.

 

[holeymoley]

Try shrugging your shoulders. That should automatically loosen your arms ?

 

[Bernster]

Not sure if this is the same issue that you have but I’m working on trying to avoid bracing with Bertie, in the downward transitions. Part of this means I need to stop myself from pulling back or hanging onto the reins, and to be softer with my hands. It helps me to think about riding him from my elbows - the elbow being connected to the bit That always seems to soften my hands, take the reins slightly forward (but not waggly reins) and he def responds. It’s subtle but it works for me.

 

[sbloom]

It could come from all sorts of issues, for instance lack of scapula stabilisation, instability in the pelvis causing too much movement higher up....each part compensates for another, and tense arms could be making up for instability in all sorts of places. Essentially the better we can make our whole body work, when things are going well, the better it works when things are more challenging. It may be worth talking to your bodyworker, and also looking either/both on board biomechanics, or a rider conditioning course such as Activate Your Seat, Refined Riding or Rider Reboot, all on FB.

The ideal is a decent bend in the elbow but the hand then offered forwards a little, then the solar plexus engages. We have to be straight and upright to do this though, and that is rare, not least because so many saddles hinder us, and horses and we are both crooked...

 

[TotalMadgeness]

I found using a good quality balance strap on the saddle; thinking about riding with my elbows rather than hands and Activate Your Seat work have all helped me over the years. If you use a balance strap get a leather one with clips and a decent length/width. I think I got mine from an online dressage shop. Anyway just gently holding it with one finger was enough to remind me not to raise my hands in rising trot. Also a course of lunge lessons may be beneficial for you.

 

[mariew]

Could you try a couple of lunge lessons on either yours or another horse? It helped my shoulder tension no end especially as most of the time there were no reins to pull!