Contact

[SaddlePsych'D]

Contact came up as one of the (many!) things to work on in my lesson this week. I got positive feedback on how I'm carrying my hands but had a lot of encouragement to shorten my reins and be firmer with the contact. To me it felt very firm/really short reins but watching the video back it doesn't look how it felt at all so I think I'm going to have to sit with the 'weird' feeling for a bit!

Looking back at all my riding videos, there's definitely some slight flapply reins going on. Not full washing lines and not pulling on the horses mouth (although I think if I am more consistent it would probably be more comfortable for the horse instead of rein movement?)

I just wondered if anyone has any cues/tips/videos/books for helping me think about contact.

 

[Roxylola]

Softness comes from the elbow not the hand, actually hold your reins like you want to keep them - not like something the dog did.
So ideally not a death grip, like you'd hold a small bird though. Palms face each other - holding ice creams (or prosecco). Lift the hands a little, so the wrist is level/straight (again think ice cream cones) - around level with your hip bones. Then soft heavy elbows that allow the arm to follow, and a light forward thinking hand

 

[MuddyMonster]

I find my contact improves when my elbows are more engaged - I tend to let them get a bit loose and then my contact follows but if I can remember to keep them soft and not tucked in per se, but just engaged, then my contact becomes much steadier.

I also tend to be a bit too casual and relaxed with my grip on my reins and find a couple rubber bands where I'm supposed to hold them helped me remember to hold a bit tighter (sometimes ? ).

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Thank you both. Sounds like I definitely need to focus more on my elbows. I can definitely relate to not having a firm enough grip. If I were holding wriggly small birds they would very likely escape!

 

[teapot]

I think one of the hardest things to learn is that the feel of a contact in the hand/wrist/elbow is actually 'heavier' and can be 'shorter' than everyone ever leads you to believe to

Relax the shoulders, the elbows will follow. @Roxylola 's comment of hold the reins like you want to hold them is a great description

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I think one of the hardest things to learn is that the feel of a contact in the hand/wrist/elbow is actually 'heavier' and can be 'shorter' than everyone ever leads you to believe too

Is this why it feels like 'pulling' to me but when I watch it back it doesn't look like that?

 

[LEC]

I think of good contact like the perfect handshake/handholding. It should be just right. Not pulling, not to light, enough weight etc. it also needs more leg than you think as the greater the pressure in the contact then the more leg you need to add. I have a horse who is just about to get sorted in the contact as not taking it enough thus her mouth is a bit dry and the power ratios are reduced from behind as blocking slightly.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Softness comes from the elbow not the hand, actually hold your reins like you want to keep them - not like something the dog did.

This prompt has been particularly helpful in the couple of lessons since I posted, thank you! It's made me realise I am giving the reins away, and notice how much my instructor points out to shorten reins and close my fingers around them. Looking a little better in the videos and feeling more aware of them when I'm riding. First step to change is awareness so hopefully on the right track now. ?