Elbows/contact

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Maz55

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Hi Im really struggling to maintain bent elbows/keeping elbows into my sides and keeping both hands shoulders elbows equal - any tips please?
 
I struggle with this as well and my instructor had me ride with a dressage whip behind my back so I had to keep my elbows back or the whip would bend. Just for a session and it showed me which muscles were lacking (largely along the front of my shoulders and pectoral area) so I could work on those independently once they'd stopped aching quite so much! I still try and do it every so often to remind me.
 
The dressage whip trick is a good one - but don't try it alone. If the horse suddenly bronced or took off for some reason it might put you at risk. (I know - H&S gone mad...) Another possibility is a lunge lesson working with your arms folded behind you back. To work on hands alone you can hold a short jump whip under your thumbs. Thats safe to do alone as should there be a situation you just drop it!
 
We were working this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, on symmetry and balance. The instructor put a lot of emphasis on holding the reins right in the palm of the hand, and maintaining even tension, even if the horse held it's head off to one side.

I was on a horse that never needs a crop, so to get the feel of the reins, I tucked my crop under my arm, and the instructor commented on this being a good way of making sure that my elbow was tucked in.
 
Keith_Beef said:
We were working this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, on symmetry and balance. The instructor put a lot of emphasis on holding the reins right in the palm of the hand, and maintaining light, even tension, even if the horse held it's head off to one side.

I was on a horse that never needs a crop, so to get the feel of the reins, I tucked my crop under my arm, and the instructor commented on this being a good way of making sure that my elbow was tucked in.
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That's a good idea KB. The position of your hand, if you get it right, will almost automatically put your elbows in place - thumb on top, hands above pommel! Like you're carry two birds (I still remember this from RS when I was about 8). Remember to follow the horses nodding - this helps. If you let your thumbs tip inwards, so it looks like you are holding handlebars, then your elbows will automatically turn out and people tend to drop and straighten their arms then they lose all the body position too.
 
Thanks for the suggestions! My mare is pretty sharp so not sure the whip behind back is a good idea 😬 but the short whip idea I shall certainly try and crop under my arm! Unfortunately no lungeing allowed in our school 😩
 
One tip I was given, many years ago, was to hold your hands as if carrying two coffee cups,(helps to keep thumbs on top and elbows in), the other thing is to carry your hands up, rather than letting them drop. I agree with Cortez that the hand come from a stable seat and work without irons will help with that :)
 
FestiveG said:
One tip I was given, many years ago, was to hold your hands as if carrying two coffee cups,(helps to keep thumbs on top and elbows in), the other thing is to carry your hands up, rather than letting them drop. I agree with Cortez that the hand come from a stable seat and work without irons will help with that :)
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That's something my instructor uses, too!

I've finally picked up Sally Swift's Centred Riding book (after having a centred riding instructor for about four years....) and the visualisations and exercises in it are really helping me.
 
I had some lessons on a simulator, the instructor filled two champagne flutes with water and put them on a tray for me to hold, without the water spilling(!). Easier at some paces than others but a very good exercise:)
 
Anything that is going to make you clamp your elbows/arms against your sides is not going to help, it'll just make you rigid and tight in your shoulders and neck. The idea of having bent elbows is to help you have a following, relaxed and soft hand that is able to follow the horse (with the whole arm if needs be). Everything needs to be supple and relaxed, from your ankles to your ears, and especially that straight line from your elbow through your wrist, fingers and to the horse's mouth. If your elbows are sticking out or flapping, then your wrists are rigid.

And you won't be able to do any of that until your seat is where it's supposed to be: in the saddle, over your ankles and under your shoulders.
AA riding diagram.jpg
 
I have seen a contraption called equicube (I think?) advertised to help people work on their hand position, might be worth a look? (I cant comment on whether its actually any good though)
I do agree with the others though, its the seat and core that need work so that you can independently carry your hand. If your hands react because of lack of balance/ strength elsewhere you will have all sorts of issues going on that will all fall in to place when you resolve that problem.
For lunge lessons I would try and go and find some on different horses to develop your seat, you can become quite good with one horses movement but practising on lots of different horses will help loads!
 
Maz55 said:
Hi Im really struggling to maintain bent elbows/keeping elbows into my sides and keeping both hands shoulders elbows equal - any tips please?
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What are your shoulders like? You need to be loose in the shoulder to maintain a proper elbow bend and hand contact, and be fit enough to ride independently of the hand.
 
I agree with Cortez too. You need to be able to absorb the horse's movement properly so that everything can free up. If you focus too hard on clamping your elbows to your side etc it's just going to add tension.

Going to share a couple of photos.... please don't crucify me I'm still a work in progress and the second photo was 3 years ago now. 1st photo 8 years ago when I first got Granny and hadn't sat on a horse consistently for several years. As you will see my hands were shocking for ending up somewhere near my knees, I didn't seem to have any control over this. It wasn't until I sorted my seat out that they got better. I got lessons with an instructor who focuses on the seat and who had endless buckets of patience! 2nd photo is the sit phase of a rising trot so my shoulders are slightly forward and my seat is far from perfect anyway BUT I hope it illustrates. The better (again, not perfect) hands came as part of the package of better seat and balance not through a quick fix...
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PapaverFollis said:
I agree with Cortez too. You need to be able to absorb the horse's movement properly so that everything can free up. If you focus too hard on clamping your elbows to your side etc it's just going to add tension.

Going to share a couple of photos.... please don't crucify me I'm still a work in progress and the second photo was 3 years ago now. 1st photo 8 years ago when I first got Granny and hadn't sat on a horse consistently for several years. As you will see my hands were shocking for ending up somewhere near my knees, I didn't seem to have any control over this. It wasn't until I sorted my seat out that they got better. I got lessons with an instructor who focuses on the seat and who had endless buckets of patience! 2nd photo is the sit phase of a rising trot so my shoulders are slightly forward and my seat is far from perfect anyway BUT I hope it illustrates. The better (again, not perfect) hands came as part of the package of better seat and balance not through a quick fix...
View attachment 28197
View attachment 28198
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And look how much better Granny is going in the 2nd photo!
 
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