Exercises to help improve my hands

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Hi All!

Looking for a bit of advice to help me get my hands sorted out. Over the last couple of years I've come back into riding after having a long break due to studies/finances/lack of available horse. Recently my instructor has pointed out that I have a bad habit of riding with my hands 'open'(fingers half extended if that makes any sense?), and quite often end up dropping them too low rather than holding the contact properly. I'm not sure where I picked this up, although I think it might be a reaction to a previous horse I rode who reacted very badly to too much contact, although it maybe something I've always done, it's just this is the first time I've had a instructor who has paid enough attention to pick it up.

I'm struggling to improve on it at the moment as when my instructor does pick me up on it he tends to make me take up a little too firm a contact and I know the horse I ride hates that as he tends to respond by dropping below the bit or freaking out (he's otherwise an excellent instructor, we just disagree about the level of 'pull' required for my guys contact - I suspect his horse probably works fine at that level). Usually after being told off I'm able to get it to the right 'softness' to keep the horse happy and but still give him something to work to, the problem is that as soon as I start concentrating on something else (like legs - boy have I lost a lot of strength since I last rode regularly!) the hands go back open again!

I'm looking for some exercises/tips to keep my hands under control so I can keep the nice contact for him to work into, without being too harsh for his mouth. Anyone got any ideas? Should I make myself carry something that I'm likely to drop without a proper grip, or is that just going to get in the way?
 
Replying so I can follow
My only suggestion is to put a whip across your thumbs. That will only help with position tho, not keeping your hands closed
Loads and loads of riders have less than perfect hands so don't stress , it's good u have an instructor who can help u fix it
 
I ride with fairly open fingers too and have done for as long as I can remember. I don't strive for a set position with my hands - I just do what's comfortable for me and what works best for the horse. Don't think about it too much or you'll end up doing something completely unnatural and probably worse!

If you're struggling for grip get yourself a good pair of grippy reins and/or gloves and make sure your reins are thick enough for your hands. I can't stand riding with thin leather reins because it's impossible to get a hold on them.
 
I ride with my hands far too open. I think what's improved it most is improving my core strength, which has meant my shoulders and arms relax properly and my hands just close naturally. You wouldn't think it was connected, but the open hands were just a symptom of weaknesses elsewhere in my position.
 
There's nothing wrong with riding with your fingers open - it allows you to communicate by squeezing the rein, rather than have to pull back. As long as you keep your thumbs on top to prevent the rein being pulled through.
 
Most good hands are due to the rider having good core strength and perfect balance, and the seat is independant of the hands. Until you can separate hands and seat, you will not have good hands.
So best to work on free jumping for example, where you jump a line of three smallish crossed poles in normal mode, then you ride with no stirrups [crossed over, then with no stirrups and no reins, this is a fun exercise and can be accomplished by most competant riders. If you can't do this, then you need to go back to basics, lunging hands free and then stirrups free.
Anyone can have reasonably good hands if the hands and the seat are independant of each other. You can do lots of different exercises with your hands, but always do this when you are balanced and riding from your core, you need the the horse to be going forward, and in modern terms, working through behind. What is happening up front is almost secondary, the engine is behind you!!!!
 
Bonkers2 said:
Most good hands are due to the rider having good core strength and perfect balance, and the seat is independant of the hands. Until you can separate hands and seat, you will not have good hands.
So best to work on free jumping for example, where you jump a line of three smallish crossed poles in normal mode, then you ride with no stirrups [crossed over, then with no stirrups and no reins, this is a fun exercise and can be accomplished by most competant riders. If you can't do this, then you need to go back to basics, lunging hands free and then stirrups free.
Anyone can have reasonably good hands if the hands and the seat are independant of each other. You can do lots of different exercises with your hands, but always do this when you are balanced and riding from your core, you need the the horse to be going forward, and in modern terms, working through behind. What is happening up front is almost secondary, the engine is behind you!!!!
Click to expand...

All of this - nothing Bonkers about it ;)
 
I'm not sure why riding with open hands should have anything to do with core strength... Would you expect a gymnast to automatically ride with their hands closed tight around the reins first time they get on a horse?

It's just something you need to keep correcting yourself on. There is some truth in the core strength thing in that the fewer other things you have to consciously think about, the easier it'll be to keep focusing on your hands. And one of those other things is balance.

I also don't think it's that important though. I ride with my fingers closed around the reins but I don't see how it advantages me over someone who doesn't... As long as the reins aren't slipping through your fingers, the important thing is being able to maintain an elastic contact that is easily adjustable. How you do that doesn't matter to the horse. Having loose fingers that are, however, closed around the rein is probably optimal. I suspect that if you relax your hands, this will happen on its own as it's the default position for hands at rest...

Keeping your hands up is a different matter. I think that's something you'll develop over time. I adapt the position of my hands to the horse (as you should - there should be a straight line from their mouth to your elbow at all times and the horse's mouth is not always in the same place!). If the horse is stretching down and relaxed, you'll have to lower your hands. If the horse is collecting and lifting its shoulders, your hands will have to lift also.
 
Bonkers2 said:
Most good hands are due to the rider having good core strength and perfect balance, and the seat is independant of the hands. Until you can separate hands and seat, you will not have good hands.
So best to work on free jumping for example, where you jump a line of three smallish crossed poles in normal mode, then you ride with no stirrups [crossed over, then with no stirrups and no reins, this is a fun exercise and can be accomplished by most competant riders. If you can't do this, then you need to go back to basics, lunging hands free and then stirrups free.
Anyone can have reasonably good hands if the hands and the seat are independant of each other. You can do lots of different exercises with your hands, but always do this when you are balanced and riding from your core, you need the the horse to be going forward, and in modern terms, working through behind. What is happening up front is almost secondary, the engine is behind you!!!!
Click to expand...

absolutely this!
 
I agree with Bonkers too. Remember to bend the elbows, so then you keep the straight line from hand to bit. If you bend your elbows, with shoulders back and down, then that is your core providing stability. That means your hands can be really soft and independent. (I thought Mark Todd doing his dressage test at Burghley was a perfect illustration of this.)

I'm not too sure about the free jumping, but maybe some work without stirrups at the start of each session.
 
Thanks guys. Not sure about free jumping. I don't think my horse has ever even seen a jump, so a first try without stirrups and reins might be ambitious! I do need to work on my core though, so I think that is something that might help. I was wondering about putting some elastic reins on to help 'remind' me when I'm not holding a contact, but no idea if that would work. I need to work on opening up my shoulders properly too.
 
I do this too. My instructor - who is an exceptional rider and trainer - says it is an issue because if your hands are open, you're not able to give as consistent and solid a contact. I agree with Bonkers2 that it's about not having the correct shoulder/arm position (for me that's because I hollow my back, so again, Bonkers2 dead on!). You don't see top riders riding with their hands open do you! Not ideal.

OP - for me, the problem is the muscle memory. I'm trying to work on my position SOOO hard at the moment but it's just frustrating because as soon as you work on something specific you forget. So if you don't have mirrors, what I do is to try and remind myself by fixing a point in the school - e.g C is position time! so every time I go past C I have to think about my position. Much easier than just having good intentions?!

If that doesn't work, how about: having a bossy friend nag you/recording your own voice reminding yourself/writing on your hands so whenever you see them you remember?
 
As you ride around every now and again put your knuckles together, it's a great way of working out if one hand is lower than the other or if your rein contact is uneven from side to side. The whip is great and works, but with knuckles you don't have to carry anything and it also gives you a slight feel for how balanced you are
 
I have the same problem, and my instructor came up with the suggestion of imagining I'm holding a teapot in each hand and pouring tea down the reins! Sounds ridiculous, I know, but it's really helped.
 
knowledge is power, if you get enough ideas from everyone, one of them may just work for your horse. Try everything and discard the bits that don't work for you. Another suggestion is to put your elbows at your side (where they should be!) & imagine your instructor has tied a rope around your body and knotted it tightly to hold your elbows in place, it helps you watch & feel where your forearms are you can carry them better. My arms aid in 4 seperate stages, shoulders, elbows, forearms and wrists, I don't use my fingers, my wrists are far more effective and the contact stays more even and stops the dreaded fiddling with the reins! The article posted was so right, elbows need to be in the right place but use them with your shoulders and it is a more even clear aid and doesn't tug on the mouth.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.
 
Thanks guys! Morgan, muscle memory is a big thing for me too. I will try some of the exercises suggested by everyone here and see what works best for stopping me tensing up and opening my hands. I've probably done it for a good decade now, so it'll be a tough habit to break!
 
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