Help my hands...

Shantara

Shantara

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I've been debating posting this for a while, but I get so frustrated with myself I felt it was time. I get very nervous posting things like this, in fact I've typed it out a good 4 or 5 times! So please, for the love of Darwin, be gentle with me!!!

I have rather heavy hands when I ride, which I think is a confidence thing. Any hints and tips I could practice while out hacking?

*deep breath*
 
Im the same ... so no real advice that will definatly work. Perhaps a neck strap? Then you have something to grab if feeling unsure. Is there a particular time when it is worse or all the time?
 
Jumping is the worst, although Ned's first rider (I used to hate him, haha! Wouldn't know that the way I talk about him) used to gallop him at jumps and now he thinks that's ok, which is really frustrating for me.
Out hacking, it's a gradual thing, it's fine when we're just walking and trotting along, but in canter (I'm fine in gallop for some reason) I feel them getting heavier and heavier and I feel bad!
 
I can understand that. your trying to keep control of the speed with your hands basicly? but feel ur being too heavy. does he try to gallop off if you dont keep tight hold of him?
 
Just to remind yourself of how the slightest movement on the reins affects the bit (and consequently the horse's mouth) : drape the bit over your naked upper arm and get someone to pull on the reins or bit rings.

Don't be so hard on yourself - even the best riders in the world have got room for improvement!
 
jumpingjasper said:
I can understand that. your trying to keep control of the speed with your hands basicly? but feel ur being too heavy. does he try to gallop off if you dont keep tight hold of him?
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The good thing about Ned, is that he will never properly take off with me (as in, pass the leader out on hacks) as the fear of leading the ride, is always greater than anything else.
And yes, you got it spot on! I've got a huge fear of being bolted with. It happened to me when I was small, the pony bolted after another, galloping through a field littered with rabbit holes, how it didn't break a leg I will never know.
I think perhaps it might be a balance thing also? I'm not really sure!
 
Im the same! Worried hes going to leg it! as time has gone on and ive bonded with him more it has got easier but still have issues. as above dont be too down on your self. afterall its your life presevation instinct working! i have found it so difficult to let go and relax. i find lots of transitions help so you know hes listening. then as your cantering jus make an effort to push your hands forward gradually. any improvment is great but it will soon build.
 
A small bird in each hand - if you tense up the budgie gets it. :eek:

Please notE before you call the RSPCA I am talking about cruelty to imaginary birds here.

Also possibly a few good blasts at lat out gallop (somewhere safe of course) - so it isn't such a terror.

Anyhow don't listen to me, I'm the other way. Most common thing heard when I have a lesson is "shorten the reins".

Paula
 
Hehe we sound similar! I've bonded with Ned too and it had got much easier, he's much more chilled, I could barely get him to stand before, he would dance and go mini rears if he had to wait for more than a moment. We had to wait for a gate to be opened today and he almost fell asleep!
He's an ex pacer, but recently he's decided that he misses his pacing and on sunday, after a good year or so of no pacing, I didn't get one single canter! I find it ever so hard to let go when he paces, he gets faster and faster!
 
If you ARE turning them a trick I have learnt is to " Close your armpits" :) sounds funny I know BUT you can really turn them when you have your armpits closed!! Reckon get a neckstrap until you are so much more confident , just so you don't pull your horse in the mouth ( we all do it the odd time but if you find you are being heavy its worth a shot )

Nah said:
Ooh, I'm not sure :O I'm riding tomorrow, so I'll try and be aware of them turning!
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Engaging your core muscles will help make your hands independent of your seat - you can try it just sitting at home. Your torso will be more balanced and you can keep yourself straighter as you reach out for things (eg reaching for a glass as you sit at a table) if you use your core - and the same applies for riding. You can't push your hands forward without engaging your core. If your heavier hands in canter are a response to the extra speed, squeeze and release in a definite half halt rather than taking a dead pull - and for this you cannot be using the rein to balance, so back to core engagement!
 
Have you tried just " Letting go " & see what happens?? I used to tense up very much when jumping but let her have the reins and learnt she wasnt going to bolt off

Nah said:
Hehe we sound similar! I've bonded with Ned too and it had got much easier, he's much more chilled, I could barely get him to stand before, he would dance and go mini rears if he had to wait for more than a moment. We had to wait for a gate to be opened today and he almost fell asleep!
He's an ex pacer, but recently he's decided that he misses his pacing and on sunday, after a good year or so of no pacing, I didn't get one single canter! I find it ever so hard to let go when he paces, he gets faster and faster!
Click to expand...
 
Paulag said:
A small bird in each hand - if you tense up the budgie gets it. :eek:

Please notE before you call the RSPCA I am talking about cruelty to imaginary birds here.

Also possibly a few good blasts at lat out gallop (somewhere safe of course) - so it isn't such a terror.

Anyhow don't listen to me, I'm the other way. Most common thing heard when I have a lesson is "shorten the reins".

Paula
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Oh gosh yes, at my old stables it was "Shorten the reins!! Kick it on!!!" I was happy to slop along like a cowboy most of the time!
Haha I like the bird idea! I'll try that too :P I saw a really old video of a man backing a young horse and he was using paper reins!
Hopefully I'll get a good blast soon, one of the TBs is needing a good blast, so I might go out with a friend and zooooom!
 
Ha well i have a 18yr old cob who ocasionally likes to think hes a racehorse im sure! you will get there dont worry. sounds like you have already made lots of progress so dont panic! i find if i stress too much about one thing then it only gets worse. so i focus on something else for a while, breath and then go back to it. we all make mistakes. we just need to take on board the advice and move on.
 
Definitely could be balance and so core strength is important. Do some Yoga or Pilates to help you here.

Also, you need to learn to develop an independent seat, and voice also. Get yourself a few lessons on a good schoolmaster. Try James or Emma at Esperanza Dressage in Raunds, Kettering which is not too much of a drive from MK. They teach Classical Dressage which places emphasis on balance and riding from the seat and they have great horses.

I can regulate the pace and stop my very hot PRE with my seat and voice. It takes some practice if you haven't done it before and your horse needs to learn to listen to things other than pulling on his mouth.

Hope this helps
 
I'll also have a go at just letting go! Providing I'm behind a horse who doesn't mind Ned up it's backside...just in case :P
I have a breastplate, so I'll use that for holding on to :)
 
I used to be able to just say "Whoa" and click at Blobby...oh how I miss that horse. He was fun but so easy. I would never get heavy hands on him. I could have ridden him bareback and bridleless (never did, but I could have!)

Lessons are a very good idea. I can't really afford anything fancy at the moment, but I might ask for a batch of lessons for Xmas/birthday (Parents don't want to get me anything material anyway, I have far too much stuff!)
 
With respect, just saying "woah" wasn't what I was getting at.
This is not about anything "fancy", its about really understanding how you can improve your skills and opening your mind to what you can really achieve. Yes, this means investing some time, energy and money in order to get there. Hey, you never know what you might learn...
 
Learn to slow him down with seat, legs and voice. You can practice on the lunge (you riding, friend lungeing). This will help your confidence. If you have a field or fenced bridleway with a gate at each end, tie a knot in your reins, put the horse into canter, put the reins on horses neck and let go. It should be no problem, the horse is enclosed so can't go anywhere and you can slow down using your other aids, with the reins there in front of you to pick up if necessary. If you're inclined to tense up through fear it will hopefully show you there's no need to hang onto the head.

If you're holding onto his head because he's strong, instill discipline by practicing transitions between trot and canter instead of cantering the whole stretch of a track. If horse is quick to get strong do two strides canter then back to trot, until he calms down and realises he's not getting to do anything exciting today, allowing you to release the brakes without him tanking off. Transitions will also help if horse is leaning on your hands due to a loss of balance, tipping onto the forehand and you're holding him up.

Make sure you're sufficiently balanced in your position and moving your hands a little with the nodding of the head in canter, otherwise horse comes up against your hand each stride, loses confidence or balance, becomes tense and starts leaning on the bit.

For jumping, approach in trot and put horse into canter three strides from the jump so he can't get any speed up. If he tanks off into canter from trot, approach in walk, trot a few strides, then into canter for the last three. It's also a useful technique for horses that run out.

Having ridden a lot of awkward jumpers, I have trouble giving with my hands over the fence. For me its a psychological problem not a balance problem. I'll think of reaching out to touch the horses ears and it helps. If you need to feel secure, try putting your hands on the neck but open your hands so the reins slide through as horse stretches over the fence. It means you land with no reins but you get quick at gathering them up on landing. You can also slip the reins like this if you get left behind the movement when the horse jumps. It's a short term measure though, ultimately you need to improve your position and balance so you don't get left behind or need to lean on your hands.

To have security for jumping you need your stirrups short enough that you can keep your knees and heels underneath your shoulders when you fold. If your stirrups are too long your lower leg swings back and you lose balance, or else you raise yourself out the saddle by straightening your knees making it harder to balance.
 
Herts05 said:
With respect, just saying "woah" wasn't what I was getting at.
This is not about anything "fancy", its about really understanding how you can improve your skills and opening your mind to what you can really achieve. Yes, this means investing some time, energy and money in order to get there. Hey, you never know what you might learn...
Click to expand...

Oh I know :) I was just reminiscing about good old Blobby and how simply it was with him.

I've been getting some helpful tips offsite (you know who you are ;)) so I'll be getting some help from them :) however, I will invest in some lessons too, at some point!
 
While jumping hold onto the mane as well as the reins, you can pull on his mane but keep the reins slacker than your holding onto his mane. Youve still got the feeling your not letting him go but also leaving his mouth alone. Also great if they take a big one and you don't end up getting left behind.
I also use this if I ever feel myself getting tense out hacking.
 
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