Hands..what's right what's wrong

TrasaM

TrasaM

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As title really. What do people do to make sure that their grip is correct. What is correct?
I try to remember the tip about holding a little bird in my hand; firm but not squeezing but usually end up with a too open hand according to RI.
 
i just make sure im holding firm enough that my reins wont slip through unless its a hard pull but tbh im not sure what is "correct" as such as of all the instructors i have had i havent been pulled up for my hands... i have always been told i have nice hands... its my legs i stuggle with because i have weak ankles, knees and hips :o
 
Your fingers should be closed around the reins, but not clenched. The little bird analogy is obviously not working if it is making you open your hand.
 
I think, once you build confidence in your seat, you stop focusing on the hand if that makes sense. The hands should just be there to control bend and give direction but speed usually comes from the seat as well as direction for turning etc.

When I think about it, my hands vary in what they do but at "rest" they look like I'm holding a mug of tea!! :D
 
I was thnking about this the other day....I must've got quite use to riding sloppy with my old pony. Had a few incidents with my new boy of him plunging forward into canter and he's caught me unaware more than once and I've not had him. Realised then when out hacking that I'm not really gripping the reins at all!! Whoops!
 
I have a thing I call the magic circle, which lives in my pocket, and comes out if I am teaching someone who needs a bit of help with their hands. It's a circle of elastic about the same dimensions as a flash strap, which you hook over the middle finger and ring finger of each hand. I mainly use it to stop people moving their hands too far apart, but its also really good at helping you remember to keep your fingers closed round the reins. If your fingers straighten, the magic circle pops off! It's very safe, doesn't get in the way at all, and is a very useful piece of kit.
 
Mine are guilty of letting the contact go when my mare fusses which in turn makes her fuss :mad: however new bit today and my hands were immediately better so I blame her :D. I don't have this problem on my other pony either. Or not so much that it makes a problem. I am focusing on keeping them up and a straight line from my wrist and not too far apart and not letting the contact go and well everything :o
 
I have a very light hold of the reins to be honest and if anything it is too light. I ride very much with my seat and legs and this kind of relegate my hands into obscurity so I never really notice what I am doing with them. One thing I do do is tend to play with my pinky fingers as though I a fiddling a curb rein when I a riding in a snaffle but when I have a double on my pinkies don't move. I'm a bit weird it seems!
 
I had troubles with opening my hands, having pinky straight or even not keeping thumbs up and it's been helped greatly by carrying my dressage whip. The whip should lay at about the middle of your tight and you get used to have the hand placed correctly (and switch the whip to the other hand once the first one is used to stay as it should). First session, my RI got some small stones to keep in my hands but when I was by myself afterwards I used the whip.
 
Palindrome said:
I had troubles with opening my hands, having pinky straight or even not keeping thumbs up and it's been helped greatly by carrying my dressage whip. The whip should lay at about the middle of your tight and you get used to have the hand placed correctly (and switch the whip to the other hand once the first one is used to stay as it should). First session, my RI got some small stones to keep in my hands but when I was by myself afterwards I used the whip.
Click to expand...

Mine has threatened to make me hold £ coins and she gets to keep any I drop :)

Actually my grip is not too bad as I seldom let the reins slip. I think I use my thumb and index to grip the reins and the middle two fingers tend to open when I relax my arms. Guess RI just thinks it looks untidy lol. Doesn't help when you can't feel your fingers from the cold.
 
I have been taught that your fingers can be as loose as anything, so long as your thumb is gripping, your reins won't slip. Works for me.
 
I always think of it as holding very thin cotton, too tight & it snaps, too loose & it drops. I also use 'teacups', its far harder to open your fingers with your hands in the right position. I used to always open my fingers on the inside rein & let it slip. A psychotic, but effective old boss cured that, by threatening to remove the inside rein completely if I didn't want it. Horse wasn't the type I fancied my chances on with no reins, & it wasn't an idle threat either, he would have done it.
 
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