Hand Position-any advice?

[sparky78]

Having just got back into the saddle after many a year as a non rider and having lessons I wondered if any of you could help me with my hand position. My instructor the other day told me to have the hands up and either side of the wither and when turning, say on a circle (with left hand being inside rein), my inside hand should open and my inside leg be the turning point (as in bend around my leg). Now in the past I was taught to move my inside hand onto the neck to stop them falling in but now I am very confused!!
So my question is, is that right to have inside hand opening in when turning? And where does the outside hand go? Open or on the neck?
Hope that makes sense!! Any advice gratefully received!

 

[Shilasdair]

It's hard to say out of context...but opening the inside hand is one of my many major faults...it tends to encourage the horse to drop in through its shoulder, and to fall on the forehand rather than working from the inside hind leg.
I do it out of desperation when the horse is resistant to staying on the bit, or to bending (but that's no excuse!)
But maybe your instructor had a specific purpose in mind?
S

 

[clipclop]

I have always been taught that you open your rein on a young horse to make it very clear what you want.
So if you are on an older horse you would keep the outside rein against the neck to stop the outside shoulder falling out. The inside leg should stop the inside shoulder falling in and keep the bend. If the horse is carrying himself properly you almost do not need the inside rein but the contact supports.

I hope that makes sense.

Your instructor may be asking you to open you inside hand to help correct something else that she can see. Have you asked her about it?

There are so many different methods of how to ride. She may have a perfectly good reason.

 

[sparky78]

Thanks you two

It is very confusing as every person I have always tell me something else! The horse I was riding tends to cut the corners on one rein and lean in so she was asking me to open the inside hand and then ask for the bend with the inside leg but i was all hands and legs and trying to breathe at the same time! I always over analyse stuff but I want to get it right! % years out of the saddle and I feel like a child again!

 

[clipclop]

Oh gawd, you sound like I used to be until recently.

I soooo wanted to get everything right that my mind would be racing and then I would be so focused on what I was doing wrong that I couldn't give my self a chance to do anything right. LOL.

I do still do this occasionally. It takes a lot for me to be nice to myself and compliment myself on what I can do well.

I find having a giggle helps or just the biggest cheesiest smile ever lightens everything up.

I also find focusing on the corner going beautifully really helps too.

Just a few ideas that help me that may or may not help you. Thought I would share em anyway

 

[Ravenwood]

I am absolutely no expert but it really helps to get someone to video your lesson for you and then pick it over later. You can really see what is going on and it I was amazed at my own lesson the other day - my god my hands are constantly in my lap!

I very often open my inside hand, quite exaggerately sometimes! because my horse is very strong and always wanting to go faster than I do, this relieves the pressure from the bit and tends to relax her. I think (but like you say it is almost impossible to do everything right at once!) my outside hand then comes up to keep her upright, maintain contact and pace. I have to be terrible careful about my leg position because she overreacts ie: to shoulder in diagonally across the school means trying to stop her shooting sideways when I put my leg on!