Raising the inside hand ???

[Achinghips]

With a young horse, opening the
inside hand out and down in the
school will encourage his
tendency to collapse into
the circle – try raising it
to encourage him to
step up and out. When
you watch a dressage rider
coming down the long side
into a turn, you’ll often see
their inside hand slightly
raised for the same effect.

Can someone explain this to me please and why it moves the horse? My instructor has tried explaining this but I just cannot get it

 

[Cahill]

it`s like-on a corner,dont drag the pony around,INVITE him around(like thumbing a lift)

 

[MiCsarah]

I do it as it lifts my horses front end and helps to keep him a correct outline as he's very on his forehand

 

[doratheexplorer]

I have to raise my inside hand to encourage B not to drop his head, just gentle little shakes to open up the inside flexion and encourage self-carriage.

Your opening the door with your inside hand, so for a corner your opening up to allow a horse to move through, yet they will most likely increase the half-halts in the outside hand and increase the inside leg, while keeping their outside leg back a little guarding the hindquaters from falling out! So although the horses general outline will not change, their direction will!!

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Yes, by dropping the hand down and out, the horse 'falls' that way, and becomes heavier on the inside. Lifting the hand instead helps the horse keep the balance - you need the shoulder to stay up so the horse moves smoothly through the bend. It does work, I've tried it on our youngster!

 

[blitznbobs]

You want the horse to bend down it's length and lifting the had slightly encourages the horse on the inside to sit backwards onto it's inside hock, thus engaging on the bend more.

Caveat. If your horse is not going forward then this will not work it will cause the horse to back off your hand and slow down rather than collect more.

Blitz

 

[Housemouse]

When you lower your inside hand you actually use your hand as an opposing aid - that is, swinging the quarters away (either backwards or sideways).
By lifting the inside hand, you are helping to balance the shoulder and allow the inside hind leg to swing under the body correctly.
Lifted, it also uses the bit correctly in the horses mouth and does not bring the bit onto the bars which has the effect of shortening the neck when what you actually need is the neck extending into the turn.

 

[Achinghips]

ok thanks everyone, just to get this firm in my mind ..... what would raising the OUTSIDE hand do?

 

[TheMule]

ok thanks everyone, just to get this firm in my mind ..... what would raising the OUTSIDE hand do?

Stop the horse falling onto the outside shoulder, but it Must be backed up by the leg

 

[Achinghips]

ok, so if I raise my outside hand she will not fall in to the circle and motorbike? Is that correct?

 

[blitznbobs]

No if you raise your inside hand it will help with motorbiking... But what will help more is sitting up and pushing him up into the bridle with your legs...

 

[Achinghips]

ok thanks, I will try this out and see what results I get.