Desperately seeking good hands

Flibble

Flibble

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 September 2007
Messages
4,282
Location
Gloucestershire
www.annamason-art.co.uk
Please all you guys on here that are pouring out good advice , I know you are here I ave read it.
I am pig sick of my rubbish hands. What my brain says are soft, still hands are not. When I think I am closing my hands I am pulling back. Try as I might it doesn't happen. Soft and still is fixed.

Please please please send me your tips and advice don't tell me to have lessons I already am that's how I know just how crepe I am.

This is for flat and jumping I have just seen a photo of my hands not allowing over a jump my brain told me I was. It lied dammit.
 
Honestly?

New instructor.

If the current one is not able to help you then they are not the one for you.

Or it could be that actually you are not as bad as you think you are. There is a difference between having a hold/contact over a fence and using the reins to keep in the saddle. Ideally over a fence you should have a contact - having a loop is not normally considered good!

Have you videos of you riding, or pictures?
 
Nugget La Poneh said:
Honestly?

New instructor.

If the current one is not able to help you then they are not the one for you.

Or it could be that actually you are not as bad as you think you are. There is a difference between having a hold/contact over a fence and using the reins to keep in the saddle. Ideally over a fence you should have a contact - having a loop is not normally considered good!

Have you videos of you riding, or pictures?
Click to expand...

Ok firstly just changed intructor secondly no I cant share apicture it really is too awful.
 
Are you bending your elbows? I wish I had a pound for every rider I see with straight, stiff elbows. It's damn near impossible to have soft, following hands if they're rigid through their elbows. Still, quiet hands aren't really still. They're moving along with the horse. If your hands are completely fixed, you'll have to be braced somewhere and your horse will feel as though he's hitting a wall. No give. If your elbows are bent and soft, they will work as a hinge and allow your arm to follow the horse's head as he moves.
 
Forget about your hands and think soft shoulders and elbows. Your hands are just to hold the reins . Think about your elbows and shoulders softening and if your elbows and shoulders are soft you can't have hard hands.
 
One of the problems of course is your horse cannot vocalise that you are being heavy handled. One thing that really helped me when I was learn is having my instructor hold the end of the reins, I held the other and she simulated the movement of the horses head and gave me feed back on what my contact felt like to her. Very useful insight which the horse cannot give.
 
It's a bit hard without seeing what you do first hand (pardon the pun), but I only actually grip the reins with my ring finger on each hand and then tighten the other two fingers around the reins to increase the pressure in stages if that helps. If you're struggling to give over the fence though it is probably more likely to be your elbows and shoulders that are at fault.
 
I'm exactly the same when jumping! Slowly getting there with the help of a great instructor and growing trust in my pony! The only way I have been able to do it is by riding with longer reins than I usually would, don't go in with short reins else your horse cannot stretch. You need to trust your horse and let him go. Hard, believe me I know! Also a neck strap works wonders, hold that and then you won't pull on your horse
 
There was a great thread in CR ages ago, which if I'm remembering correctly (and it is something I try to practice so hope I've been doing it right!) said to open your armpits at the front - so effectively you rotate your shoulders back so the blades are lower in your back - this also opens up your chest, and helps to relax your elbows and your hands. - I'm sure it was a Kerillee tip.
 
I have also heard a lot of people say that yoga has really helped them with becoming more body conscious, and has dramatically improved their ability to control each body part separately. I've never tried yoga myself, but it is one of those things that is on my to do list.
 
Can you try lessons on a mechanical horse? My RI gave me a tray to hold with wine glasses with water in the different gaits - good job she saw the funny side of getting wet a few times! But you really do have to go with the movement to keep the glasses upright.
 
Right helpful people I have the following update.
I went on a long hack yesterday with a friend which gave me the opportunity to analyse my riding and my contact without having to think about going round the bend :) we have had major issues historically which shot my confidence and I find my arms are almost defensive so my hands thought they were forward but the rest of my body was thinking backwards.

Today I booked our little school to practice before my next lesson. I worked on me first him second and found that I need to open my shoulders more and carry my arms like a ballerina with a bend in my elbow.

I imagined that my chest and shoulders were a giant sunflower opening up and smiling in the sun (even tho we indoors) every time he wasn't so good I analysed me and yet again the shoulders had scrunched forward and the body locked up.

Charlie says thank you very much and if you have any more suggestions he would love me to hear them even if I am a little odd.he did however enjoy being ridden by a sunflower.
 
Caol Ila said:
Are you bending your elbows? I wish I had a pound for every rider I see with straight, stiff elbows. It's damn near impossible to have soft, following hands if they're rigid through their elbows. Still, quiet hands aren't really still. They're moving along with the horse. If your hands are completely fixed, you'll have to be braced somewhere and your horse will feel as though he's hitting a wall. No give. If your elbows are bent and soft, they will work as a hinge and allow your arm to follow the horse's head as he moves.
Click to expand...

This ^^

blitznbobs said:
Forget about your hands and think soft shoulders and elbows. Your hands are just to hold the reins . Think about your elbows and shoulders softening and if your elbows and shoulders are soft you can't have hard hands.
Click to expand...

This^^

Echo Bravo said:
Pretend you have two soft balls in your hands and squeeze them gently alternately when riding.
Click to expand...

Very unhelpful post when you have no idea of the horse, rider, level of ability or issues. If you did that on either of my horses, they'd shut down and refuse to do anything.

Flibble said:
Right helpful people I have the following update.
I went on a long hack yesterday with a friend which gave me the opportunity to analyse my riding and my contact without having to think about going round the bend :) we have had major issues historically which shot my confidence and I find my arms are almost defensive so my hands thought they were forward but the rest of my body was thinking backwards.

Today I booked our little school to practice before my next lesson. I worked on me first him second and found that I need to open my shoulders more and carry my arms like a ballerina with a bend in my elbow.

I imagined that my chest and shoulders were a giant sunflower opening up and smiling in the sun (even tho we indoors) every time he wasn't so good I analysed me and yet again the shoulders had scrunched forward and the body locked up.

Charlie says thank you very much and if you have any more suggestions he would love me to hear them even if I am a little odd.he did however enjoy being ridden by a sunflower.
Click to expand...

Love the sunflower analogy :)

The basis of anything you want from your horse has to come first from your own position, balance and supple. How can your horse be supple if he is having to work around your stiffness. How can your horse be soft if you are not? How can your horse be balanced if you are not?

Your attitude of sorting yourself out first is not only responsible, but is to be applauded.

Where in Gloucestershire are you?

I have mentioned on a few threads now that I would be happy to give pointers/lessons in person, but just for the record, I am fully insured to teach, but I am not qualified and I DON'T CHARGE any money....I do it for the personal love of horses and not for money...not even fuel money, so if I offer help, it's not for any personal gain other than just hopefully helping if I can.
 
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