how much contact when riding 'on the bit'?

[0ldmare]

Chatting to one of my friends today (successful dressage rider at prelim and novice, has lots of lessons, ambitious etc) and she was talking about how well her horse was working on the bit and how correctly it was going but that it made her arms and back ache it took so much effort. I didn't want to be contentious but was surprised.

To me my horse is really light in the hand when i think she is on the bit. Although I would expect to 'ask' I wouldn't expect to have to take a hold. Infact I would think that I was pulling it into a false outline if I had to do that, but maybe I'm wrong. (Its about 15 years since I competed and about as long since I had a lesson!) What do you think? How much contact do you need when working correctly? Starting to doubt myself suddenly!

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

I think you are right have seen some dressage riders schooling horses and they say that they work correctly when balaced and light in the hand and can get them to work in an outline in a looser contact. When leaning they arent working correctly and probably on the forehand.

 

[Flint12]

Currently having lessons to get my boy going well on the flat and my instructor had told me that i need a fair amount of contact. . .to start of with though that is. . .

Since he has been going really well in an outline and holding himself in the manner i have found i dont need to have as much contact even though the contact is still there.

I have also found sice he has started to hold himself and work from behind i use my legs a load more. . .but this probably shows how little i used them before lol

 

[Libbyn1982]

I thought the same - when a horse is 'on the bit' and accepting the contact nicely it should be light. B does and is very light in trot then in canter he gets excited overbends and becomes heavy. Maybe she is holding herself to ridged hence the aching??

 

[Shilasdair]

Every horse is different in the amount of contact it likes.
Of course there is too light - when the horse collects against you, and too heavy - when the horse leans like lead.
S

 

[KatB]

Yes we are all ultimately working toward a light and balanced outline. However, at the lower levels sometimes a slightly firmer but elastic contact wis what is required. This comes from having a good hold on the reins in your hand, but soft arms and elbows. TO start with it can feel slightly heavier than you are aspiring too, but if your contact is correct, it will never "Pull" the horses head in, just support ithe horses wy of going and contain some of the forward energy.

 

[the watcher]

I know when mine are going well and in self carriage because they go very light and I have to say the contact is very light (to almost non existent) - my personal view is that this is achieved by engaging the hind, not holding up the front - however I am not ambitious, nor am I competing regularly, nor do I have a regular instructor so I may be wrong, but it works for me

 

[Shilasdair]

I've always been sure that the way to get the horse's nose in is to saw from one rein to the other. If you coordinate this in time with hefty kicks to the ribs, and a grinding motion of your bum in the saddle, then it will be truly effective.
Spurs, and draw reins are my final tip for a light and fluid contact.
S

 

[shazza283]

My aim is to be able to ride "with a piece of cotton " - quote my incredibly gifted friend who can ride anything and produce the most beautiful balance and movement "on the bit". Also if you look at show hacks - who are meant to be perfectly schooled and mannered - in the top classes are ridden with 1 hand - it's supposed to show the good schooling and manners - again they must have light contact - oooo and 1 more thing - when you give and retake contact when a horse is working correctly it shouldn't alter the movement - it would with a heavy contact - shutting up now !!

 

[Eaglestone]

[ QUOTE ]
I've always been sure that the way to get the horse's nose in is to saw from one rein to the other. If you coordinate this in time with hefty kicks to the ribs, and a grinding motion of your bum in the saddle, then it will be truly effective.
Spurs, and draw reins are my final tip for a light and fluid contact.
S

[/ QUOTE ]

PMSLOL

 

[JoJo_]

I've had my mare since mid-may, her last owner was a novice so she hasnt been asked to work correctly. To start with it was a bit of a battle but my instructor said she needed a tight contact and a bit of elasticity when she is going right. Now she is much more willing and knows what shes meant to do but still for the first 5-10mins she needs a firm contact then when I give a bit she works much nicer. I'm hoping to get to the point when she is always light and balanced in an outline.

 

[the watcher]

Shilasdair, I can learn so much from you - who could have known I could have got it so wrong

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
Shilasdair, I can learn so much from you - who could have known I could have got it so wrong

[/ QUOTE ]

Anytime you want to come and try this technique on my TB mare, let me know. I am sure it will attract an audience to admire your skill

S

 

[0ldmare]

Shalasdair, thats so funny - perhaps we could come up with a HHO manual of how to achieve dressage movements! I've always wanted to understand the aids are for passage etc

.

I think there are some very good points made about novice horses needing more obvious aids, but particularly agree with MotherHen and Moog about the ultimate aim. I used to have a Show Hack and (on a good day

) she really was incredible to ride - its how I've always tried to get my horses going since (with greater and lesser degrees of success), but suddenly wondered if perhaps it wasnt 'correct' in terms of proper dressage.

 

[Persephone]

[ QUOTE ]
I've always been sure that the way to get the horse's nose in is to saw from one rein to the other. If you coordinate this in time with hefty kicks to the ribs, and a grinding motion of your bum in the saddle, then it will be truly effective.
Spurs, and draw reins are my final tip for a light and fluid contact.
S

[/ QUOTE ]

Aaah...did you teach the girl who was "schooling" my horse to be at the Dealers yard?

 

[arwenplusone]

Is your friend's horse a baby? Or just learning to accept a contact? A well schooled horse would be very light in the contact, but one that is argumentative

or lacking in muscle may have a tendency to lean.

 

[Gorgeous George]

when I first started to learn how to ride George in an outline it did make my arms and back ache, and of course it was a bit of a case of the blind leading the blind! But slowly I am starting to realise that as he learns he is getting a bit lighter in my hands. For me the difficult thing has been learning what it should feel like and that is really hard.

 

[Rachntabby]

[ QUOTE ]
I've always been sure that the way to get the horse's nose in is to saw from one rein to the other. If you coordinate this in time with hefty kicks to the ribs, and a grinding motion of your bum in the saddle, then it will be truly effective.
Spurs, and draw reins are my final tip for a light and fluid contact.
S

[/ QUOTE ]

PSML