Ideas to stop my hand wiggling all over the place when riding?

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Polar Bear9

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I have recently developed a slight problem with my hips that mean one sits further forwards and is much looser than the other. I have had physio on these and they have got a lot better however a side-effect of the hips is that one of my hands moves more than the other. Particularly when rising in trot (but in other paces as well) one hip moves further forwards and the hand on that side does the same, I end up with one steady hand and one hand which jiggles uncontrollably. While the hip problem seems to have more or less gone the hand has become a habit which I now cannot shake no matter how much I concentrate on keeping it steady. Obviously this isn't very helpful when schooling. I've had several instructors look at it, one said it wasn't an issue (it definitely is, I can't take up an even contact at all) and the others basically just said to stop doing it, again not very helpful. I feel like it's now becoming a serious problem which is holding both me and the horse back. Has anyone got any ideas on exercises or anything else which might help?
 
I had an instructor once give me a loop of thread to hold around my wrists; others have mentioned holding a thin stick between both hands...basically something that makes you aware of where they are and how much they are moving.
 
I was doing this when I came back to riding after having my little one - had been riding through pregnancy but not schooling really. The best plan we came up with was to undo Velcro on the strap on numnah on that side and hold it alongside reins. Does make you super aware of what you are doing! Although.... Turns out my horse was having an issue bending (undiagnosed ulcers causing him pain in left hand side therefore not sufficiently off my left leg, so on left rein, right hand wiggling as he wouldn't let me move him into my right rein as the outside contact...)
Do you do it on every horse?
 
spookypony- I have tried the stick idea and it didn't have much effect but maybe I'll try it again. Do you put your hands through the thread or just hold onto it?

ecrozier- Yep, I do it on every horse, I've tried several. Its most noticeable on my friends very bouncy anglo-arab, on my own who's much less bouncy I mostly sit to trot to stop it being so dramatic but it is still there. I've tried holding the numnah which worked really well but one instructor told me I was masking the problem by doing that so I stopped. Maybe I'll try it again

Thank you both :)
 
The thread was a circle, my hands went through it. It provided a boundary, as it were! You could also try any other thing that makes you aware of your hand, even if it's not how you'd normally hold the rein. Like playing egg-and-spoon, or carrying a water glass, or maybe a little bell? :D
 
Okay, I think the thread is a good idea, I'll try that next time. Water glass might result in me getting very wet but I like the bell idea! :) Its so infuriating cos I know I'm doing it, I can look down and watch it happening but I just can't stop it :/ Thanks!
 
Whip held horizontally under your thumbs? Maybe thats what you did with the stick which didn't work but I had an old instructor who swore by this...
 
my old instructor either made me hold a stick across my hands or tied a loop of twine through the saddle d rings that i held
 
stick across my hands too, or tape on the reins and balance strap, my hands can be appalling having had a strong pony (well several) years ago, I really have to concentrate on not KNITTING!!! Gah!
 
do two or three sessions and some hacking with your hands higher than normal , exaggerate the bed in your elbow and put your hands right up forwards in front of you. I don't know how this works but I only needed to do it for a few days before my hands started behaving again. you just have to remember to forget the outline. you shouldn't do any damage to your way of going in a short space of time.
 
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