riding into a contact

dwi

dwi

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I appreciate that this post is going to make me sound really dim but I'm fairly sure that I don't know any of you in RL so I feel like I can ask without being laughed at.

Since I bought Daisy last March she has been a happy hacker, getting gradually back into work following time off with her previous owner so we've been working on general fittening and getting her hacking out alone.

Now that I can ride her out alone without her trying to hurl me into a hedge I want to start doing more "schooling" when we hack out.

When we first started hacking I rode her bitless because she couldn't stick her head in the air and evade the pressure to go bombing off so she hasn't been ridden bitted on a regualar basis for months. I've put her back into her loose ring sweet iron snaffle because she is much more sensitive to it so that we can start schooling.

My RI says that I need to get her into self carriage and bringing her back end underneath more which I absolutely agree with but we're having trouble getting there. She had me with much shorter reins and higher hands which seems to work for general hacking but as soon as we go into the indoor school she becomes sluggish, leans on my hands pulling me forwards and if I do manage to get her moving forwards with energy she sticks her head up like a giraffe and runs along on the forehand.

If I lower my hands and lengthen slightly it all seems much more comfortable and she'll do canter transitions properly rather than running on. When I looked at videos of myself riding yesterday my arms looked awful, our best canter was acutally when I took my hands off the reins altogether.

I feel like I'm trying to ride her with the hand break on with my hands higher and shorter, I end up nagging with the leg and I don't want to deaden her to it but at the same time she is far too sluggish. I know that its not her weight or lack of fitness because if I school her on grass she is really springy.

What should I be doing beyond "riding inside leg to outside hand". I'm obviously not doing it right because she's a really honest little mare but its not happening for us.
 
Ive had the same sorta probs with Troy he has just changed from bitless to bitted and has been charging round like a giraffe. Not sure if this will help you but we have been working on leg yielding out on a circle then back in again, also been trying to get him to come into the contact and as soon as her does relax the hands so he learns if he comes round he will have relaxed reins! sorry if it no help
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as soon as her does relax the hands so he learns if he comes round he will have relaxed reins!

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When she goes into a contact it takes the pressure of the mouth automatically because she isn't leaning and is holding her own head. If I lengthened the rein then she would drop her head back down to leaning on the bit again. She doesn't seem to think "Oooh, thats better I'll keep my head there" I wonder if its because its more difficult for her neck muscles?
 
Yeh i know what you mean, this was what my YO was getting me to do while in a lesson the other day, we do believe tho that he has been held up tight all his ridden life so that may reflect on him. We also have him in a happy mouth bit so he plays with it in his mouth, sorry i cant be much more help
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If your horse isnt used to working correctly, then it's physically very very hard for her to do so. As such, it's probably wiser to begin things by aiming for a long and low outline as opposed to expecting her to be able to work in a higher outline. She wont be able to work in a high and correct outline if the muscles aren't there and all that will happen is you'll fight.

Have you considered trying a balance strap? It attaches to the d-rings of your saddle and allows you to hook a finger around it. This will prevent your hands getting too high / too low or too far forwards.

I'd also consider some lunging lessons to help you get a good, independent seat before you start trying to influence her.

Ive had a quick look at the video you posted in the gallery regarding the leg yielding. Yes, at the start your hands are far too high. It's hard to see a great deal from the clip, but it also looks like they're rather wide apart. You want to feel like your hands are in quite a small box... if she pulls, they can only give so much or they hit the box wall. They cant spread like that or they hit the sides. Also remember to keep your elbows back at your side.

I'd be working to begin with on getting an active, responsive walk - ignoring her head position. You want her really pinging off your leg so that when you apply a leg aid, she walks on and keeps going at the same speed until you tell her otherwise. Turn your toes in and wrap your legs around her more. When you "ask" her with your leg, feel like you're using the whole of your lower leg - the inside part thats in contact with the horse. Keep your contact quite long, but still maintain it. That is to say, you want her strectching out through her neck, but you dont want washing line reins.

Once you have her working forwards actively in the walk, all you want to be doing to "ask" her to flex is the slightest squeeze on the reins. To ensure that you keep a good contact for her to work into... I'd be inclined at this stage to keep your outside rein firm and squeeze slightly with the inside. If she responds even in the slightest by dropping, then you stop the squeezing immediatly and ride her forwards.

With the clip of the leg yielding, you're losing all your forward impulsion. It's really tempting to slow everything down but thats precisely what you dont want. Until the motor is working, you wont get anything from the front end.

Lateral work IS however, good for getting the horse to use its back end so I would keep doing that. When you turn up the 3/4 line, ride straight for a few strides first. Make sure the walk is forwards and active and as YOU want it before you ask her to move sideways.

Once you're happy with the walk you can start applying your aids.

Keep your outside rein firm. In that clip, when you apply your leg, she's running straight out through her outside shoulder. I'd bring it slightly closer to her neck. Dont block her forwards movement though! You want to be checking her to stop her running out but dont stifle her forward movement.

Open your inside hand to encourage her to flex to the inside. Remember with leg yield they flex away from the movement - so in this case, flex inside and move to the outside.

Slide your inside leg back ever so sligtly, but try to do so right from the hip and thigh rather than just your calf.

Feel like you're stepping into your outside stirrup. In the clip, it looks rather like you're leaning your weight to the inside which will be confusing her. You need to stay sat central, but feel just slightly, like you're stepping down into the outside stirrup.

Apply the leg aid. As soon as she starts to move sideways, release your leg. The rewards has to be instantaneous or she won't learn when she's done well.

You look like you're aiming for a rather tight angle on your leg yield also. Remember leg yielding is both a forwards and sideways movement so keep her marching forwards as well. There is a certain amount of feel required in gaining the balance between *allowing* her forwards with the rein but *checking* with the outside to stop her running out through the shoulder. It looks a bit like you're trying to encourage her into the movement with the hand which would explain her resistance also (you've opened the outside hand and pressed the inside closer to her neck, when you actually want to be doing the opposite).

I really would try a balance strap as it will help you to understand so much where your hands should be. I wouldnt worry about her outline at all for the time being, but focus on getting her really moving forwards and getting your hands in a good position. You might find as you focus on these two things, she'll start to soften without being asked anyway
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Thanks Tierra, I think I'll have to have to print that off and have someone stand and shout it at me from the middle as I ride round.
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*wanders off to look at balance straps on ebay*
 
ok so if I use a bit of twine how long would it need to be?

(hope that I don't get drummed off my rather posh yard, I'm already the one with the bit of string on my bridle
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As llwyncyn correctly pointed out, a flash strap is perfect... so go find a flash on the yard if you dont have a spare and cut the twine to match.

And who cares what they think! Its a good piece of kit to help your hands
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I'll be sidling up to the nearest flash strap tomorrow when no-one is looking.

One last question - how should I hold the balance strap? I couldn't see from the article on HH, it said either slip a finger through or hook your thumb under but the way I'm picturing it that would surely twist your hand around sideways rather than square, one of the many bad habits I'm trying to rid myself of.

....must go and do the ironing, must go and do the ironing...
 
I hook my little fingers through mine which you can do without twisting your hands around (just be aware of that and make sure you dont).

You might find that after a week or so, you can let go and just use it occasionally (like when you think your contact is going dodgy).
 
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