dorito
Well-Known Member
...does it mean you and horsey are finally in harmony?
does it mean something else?
is it important?
does it mean something else?
is it important?
for the classical riders: when the reins feel like rods...
- Thread starter dorito
- Start date
Sugar_and_Spice
Well-Known Member
I don't understand what you mean about reins feeling like rods. When you & horse are on harmony the contact should feel very light, as in the weight of the rein is the contact, there may even be a minuscule amount of loop to the rein. But not because you've let the reins out & you're holding the buckle. Hope this makes sense.
Sugar_and_Spice
Well-Known Member
Do you maybe mean the horse has taken up the contact and is going forwards into it? Like you can feel the horse start to push from the back end, the head drops and you can feel the impulsion being contained by the reins? If so then this is a good thing, as long as the horse isn't leaning on you or pulling like a train.
spaniel
Well-Known Member
If you feel as though you are being carried on the top of a wave then youve got it.
dorito
Well-Known Member
Sorry, should have explained myself better to begin with.
Somewhere in my reading about classical riding, I have seen reference to the reins feeling like rods. but cannot for the life of me remember who said it...I have felt it just a few times, and it is not just a figure of speech, it is literally as if the reins are rods.
However there is not much mention of it, just wondered about others' thoughts...you either will 'get' this idea or you won't, I didn't until I felt it for myself.
hope that makes sense.
Somewhere in my reading about classical riding, I have seen reference to the reins feeling like rods. but cannot for the life of me remember who said it...I have felt it just a few times, and it is not just a figure of speech, it is literally as if the reins are rods.
However there is not much mention of it, just wondered about others' thoughts...you either will 'get' this idea or you won't, I didn't until I felt it for myself.
hope that makes sense.
nona1
Well-Known Member
yes I'd heard this - it's about more 'pushing' the reins than pulling them. quick google turns up Mary Wanless article that mentions it:
http://www.mary-wanless.com/Article9.html
I've never achieved it, but well done!
http://www.mary-wanless.com/Article9.html
I've never achieved it, but well done!
labruyere
Well-Known Member
FWIW
sugarnspice - I'm with you all the way on this one....
sugarnspice - I'm with you all the way on this one....
Sugar_and_Spice
Well-Known Member
What a fabulous article nona1 thanks for linking it, I was really bugged by not understanding the "rods" analogy but I get it now. OP to answer your question the rods thing is a good thing. I do something similar when riding strange horses. I lack balance (on the ground too, due to physical disability) & whilst I'm fine with horses I know & ride regularly, with poorly schooled horses who I don't know I'm inclined to wobble around. So, I'll give away the inside rein, stay in sitting trot and hook my fingers under the pommel to stabilize myself. to turn I use my hips as described in the above article, increase pressure with the inside leg, and push my outside hand forward an inch or two to turn the horses head.
Sugar_and_Spice
Well-Known Member
Sorry, on my phone and hit the post button too soon, meant to add the horse naturally follows the missing contact on the outside rein. It's a good test of your position and whether the horse is resisting, with there being no inside rein to rely on at all.
Superblue
New User
The whole idea and feel about Contact is: it all depends 
Only when a horse has found losgelassenheit (unconstrained muscles all over his whole body) can the contact truly come from "behind". This means as a result, that the energy of the hind legs is able to reach the front of the horse, thanks to back muscles that are "non restricted".
Therefore, to have "feel" in the hands, of what is happening in the whole horse, one must be able to ride the whole horse, without tension in the muscles (horse AND rider).
Most so called "lightness" of feel in the reins is sadly achieved by not realizing that in fact the horse is blocked in the back (hold himself tight behind the contact). This is often achieved by using a double bridle too early in the training.
One must beware trainers who call themselves "classical" and promote the use of a curb, or a stiff rider position, so as to achieve "lightness".
True contact is felt in the hands, but in the calf, seat bones too. The rider must be very well coordinated, all his muscles and joints made supple. The rider must be poised yes, but not tense.
This is the real difficulty of improving as a rider: but it the work on the whole rider that will improve the whole horse!
Most think they have a true contact, when in fact they only feel what is happening in the horse's neck: this is not yet true contact.
The weight in the reins depends also of the level of the horse, what counts is that the rider learns to "receive" and "allow" energy, without dropping the contact, without restricting the horse, and this is done so easily a horses are so so sensitive.
This is the only way the horse can learn to "carry the bit" in the mouth, without feeling pain and while keeping the reins taut, moving with the whole (rider supple in back and arms with closed hands but allowing hands!).
What one reads now in horse magazines is often just plain non sense.
Only when a horse has found losgelassenheit (unconstrained muscles all over his whole body) can the contact truly come from "behind". This means as a result, that the energy of the hind legs is able to reach the front of the horse, thanks to back muscles that are "non restricted".
Therefore, to have "feel" in the hands, of what is happening in the whole horse, one must be able to ride the whole horse, without tension in the muscles (horse AND rider).
Most so called "lightness" of feel in the reins is sadly achieved by not realizing that in fact the horse is blocked in the back (hold himself tight behind the contact). This is often achieved by using a double bridle too early in the training.
One must beware trainers who call themselves "classical" and promote the use of a curb, or a stiff rider position, so as to achieve "lightness".
True contact is felt in the hands, but in the calf, seat bones too. The rider must be very well coordinated, all his muscles and joints made supple. The rider must be poised yes, but not tense.
This is the real difficulty of improving as a rider: but it the work on the whole rider that will improve the whole horse!
Most think they have a true contact, when in fact they only feel what is happening in the horse's neck: this is not yet true contact.
The weight in the reins depends also of the level of the horse, what counts is that the rider learns to "receive" and "allow" energy, without dropping the contact, without restricting the horse, and this is done so easily a horses are so so sensitive.
This is the only way the horse can learn to "carry the bit" in the mouth, without feeling pain and while keeping the reins taut, moving with the whole (rider supple in back and arms with closed hands but allowing hands!).
What one reads now in horse magazines is often just plain non sense.
Last edited:
Superblue
New User
Would anyone be interested in a thread about "contact"? I would start it if this could entertain and inform and open a dialogue (very needed in my view).The whole idea and feel about Contact is: it all depends
Only when a horse has found losgelassenheit (unconstrained muscles all over his whole body) can the contact truly come from "behind". This means as a result, that the energy of the hind legs is able to reach the front of the horse, thanks to back muscles that are "non restricted".
Therefore, to have "feel" in the hands, of what is happening in the whole horse, one must be able to ride the whole horse, without tension in the muscles (horse AND rider).
Most so called "lightness" of feel in the reins is sadly achieved by not realizing that in fact the horse is blocked in the back (hold himself tight behind the contact). This is often achieved by using a double bridle too early in the training.
One must beware trainers who call themselves "classical" and promote the use of a curb, or a stiff rider position, so as to achieve "lightness".
True contact is felt in the hands, but in the calf, seat bones too. The rider must be very well coordinated, all his muscles and joints made supple. The rider must be poised yes, but not tense.
This is the real difficulty of improving as a rider: but it the work on the whole rider that will improve the whole horse!
Most think they have a true contact, when in fact they only feel what is happening in the horse's neck: this is not yet true contact.
The weight in the reins depends also of the level of the horse, what counts is that the rider learns to "receive" and "allow" energy, without dropping the contact, without restricting the horse, and this is done so easily a horses are so so sensitive.
This is the only way the horse can learn to "carry the bit" in the mouth, without feeling pain and while keeping the reins taut, moving with the whole (rider supple in back and arms with closed hands but allowing hands!).
What one reads now in horse magazines is often just plain non sense.
Superblue
New User
Who is interested in a thread about "contact"? How it is achieved,and how to prepare for a good rein contact without restricting the horse, but also without "dropping" it?
dorito
Well-Known Member
well yes, I would be interested in a thread about contact, if this isn't already a thread about contact?!
i do want to find the original reference(s) to the 'reins like rods' though, to which the Mary Wanless article refers, it is bugging me so much.
i do want to find the original reference(s) to the 'reins like rods' though, to which the Mary Wanless article refers, it is bugging me so much.