bad habit-how can i break it ?

[Megibo]

any tips or exericises on how i can break this bad habit!

now I know that when I ride on the right rein i lower and tighten my left hand causing pony to be a bit p-o'd with me.

however went to a riding school today and rode a big, well balanced 17.2 thats very laid back a real sweetie however showed me just how severe this problem is! i naturally drop my outside hand when on a circle and hold it (mainly because i'm used to half halting and shortening my reins to stop her slipping into canter). now, i realised that in canter especially when on the right rein i have no weight down my right side and hold the left rein to balance and naturally shorten it when i change rein. this is so bad to the point i nearly fell off his left side whilst cantering but bless him he felt me going and pulled right up. when i made a conscious effort i could sit ok but it was at the point the saddle would move over the left slightly! i'd not realised that i was quite that bad, do you have any tips on how i can stop holding my outside rein and sit evenly when on the right rein? Thanks in advance

 

[scarymare]

Most of us have one stronger hand contact than the other. When my left hand gets really bad I take my gloves off - soon makes me more aware (and blistered) of my actions. Probably a bit basic an answer but because you are so self aware re the problem, you are actually half way to solving it. Good luck

 

[Megibo]

Most of us have one stronger hand contact than the other. When my left hand gets really bad I take my gloves off - soon makes me more aware (and blistered) of my actions. Probably a bit basic an answer but because you are so self aware re the problem, you are actually half way to solving it. Good luck

ahh thankyou-my instructor did say that actually so is good to know

 

[kickonchaps]

I do something similar, my horse leans on my left hand, I hang on with my left hand, and I didn't realise how bad the problem was until I attempted to ride 10m canter circles without using my hands... no problem on the right rein, but on the left if I don't haul him round we drift off into the next county!

What I've done is have a couple of lessons without stirrups, on a long rein, and get the hang of using my seat properly, and being able to work my seatbones independently - it helps to halt and sit on your hands to see how this feels if you're not used to it!

I've then been practising leg yielding etc on a long rein as part of my warm up, in walk, and thinking really hard about what my seat and legs are doing, and particularly focusing on whether my weight is with the bend (so left bend, weight in left seat bone etc).

Once I have that, I start to pick the reins up very slowly, like a couple of inches at a time, and as soon as I start to feel resistance or one-sided, I take an even contact for myself (even if that means having a horrible outside bend) and then try and use my seat and legs to put my horse's body back behind his neck, if that makes sense...

I still suck at it, but it's getting better, and I can now give away my inside rein on 10m circles left for a couple of strides without disappearing out the arena...!

 

[Megibo]

I do something similar, my horse leans on my left hand, I hang on with my left hand, and I didn't realise how bad the problem was until I attempted to ride 10m canter circles without using my hands... no problem on the right rein, but on the left if I don't haul him round we drift off into the next county!

What I've done is have a couple of lessons without stirrups, on a long rein, and get the hang of using my seat properly, and being able to work my seatbones independently - it helps to halt and sit on your hands to see how this feels if you're not used to it!

I've then been practising leg yielding etc on a long rein as part of my warm up, in walk, and thinking really hard about what my seat and legs are doing, and particularly focusing on whether my weight is with the bend (so left bend, weight in left seat bone etc).

Once I have that, I start to pick the reins up very slowly, like a couple of inches at a time, and as soon as I start to feel resistance or one-sided, I take an even contact for myself (even if that means having a horrible outside bend) and then try and use my seat and legs to put my horse's body back behind his neck, if that makes sense...

I still suck at it, but it's getting better, and I can now give away my inside rein on 10m circles left for a couple of strides without disappearing out the arena...!

thanks! i will try that hmm no stirrups...we shall see how long i last before madam realises and sends me flying

 

[horseless jorge!]

I do the same thing! I don't think it's quite as bad though, but I do hold with the right rein. Usually on ponies I'm not safe on haha. My instructor makes me bring them on a circle in the middle, so I have NO walls to 'lean' on, and she makes me release with my right hand and bring them onto a circle.

 

[Foxhunter49]

Two exercises you can do.
Instead of holding your reins the correct way hold them so that the rein goes down between your thumb and forefinger and then rest your forefinger along the rein with only thumb pressure on the rein which is laying against your big finger. This stops you fixing your hand.
The other is to hold the reins the same way but cross them over so that your left rein is in your right hand and right in your left. You still use an open rein for bending and all other aids but it makes you very aware of what your hands are doing.

 

[Megibo]

Two exercises you can do.
Instead of holding your reins the correct way hold them so that the rein goes down between your thumb and forefinger and then rest your forefinger along the rein with only thumb pressure on the rein which is laying against your big finger. This stops you fixing your hand.
The other is to hold the reins the same way but cross them over so that your left rein is in your right hand and right in your left. You still use an open rein for bending and all other aids but it makes you very aware of what your hands are doing.

i could try those but not sure of what you mean with the first one ? do you mean holding the rein just between your thumb and forefinger instead of having your middle three closed around it ?