Where are your hands?

[Casey76]

Never where I think they are!

I have an awful habit of riding with my hands too low.

Me on my youngster:

 

[MrsMozart]

On the ends of my arms...





I plead old age and a head cold.

 

[oldie48]

I love to watch Charlotte ride, her hands are just wonderful and she always inspires me. However, I'm afraid mine tend to be too low and because I don't always keep my fingers closed on the reins they get too long too.

 

[Sprat]

Try carrying a short whip horizontally, tucked under the joint of both thumbs. It makes you very aware of when a hand wobbles.

I think I'll have a crack at that, I have a terrible habit of letting my reins get to different lengths as well so I imagine this would help!

 

[dibbin]

Always too low and too far back ... I've seen photos/video of myself in canter and I think they're up in front of me but I look like I'm trying to sit on them!

I do consciously make an effort to lift them and push them forward but if I'm thinking about something else then they quite often slip

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

On the ends of my arms...





I plead old age and a head cold.

There had to be one didn't there!!!!!!

 

[MargotC]

Oh how I wish I could find a picture of my hand position. I am fairly sure I tend to drop them just a bit low (I have long arms/limbs, no idea how that affects this) unless I focus specifically on hand position. I have also struggled with tilting my hands (the angle of my thumbs) a little, though I'd like to think I have gotten better.

It has of course been a good number of years now since I rode regularly for an instructor, so when I do get back on I am sure the unfortunate instructor in question will have any number of things to pick apart.

 

[MrsMozart]

There had to be one didn't there!!!!!!

Y'upY'up

 

[WindyStacks]

I found this article very helpful in explaining the *why* our elbows should be further back than the majority ride with. It's a false security to go forward as it does disengage your core. http://dressageaholic.com/2015/01/04/handsandarms/

And now for the unpopular bit - I dislike Charlotte's hands/arms - I'm sure she'll cry herself to sleep tonight after my critique!

PS Don't forget many dealers in addition to resting hands on pommel/clawing head into vague "outline" also have their toes 12" in front of their hips...

 

[Equi]

I try to think "charlottle hands" when i'm riding lol not go those in canter yet. I don't get pics or videos of me riding a lot, if ever, so i can't even correct myself. on of the pics i have of me cantering. My reins are too long an im bouncing, but its a work in progress. Horse is more capable than me though.

These are my trot hands

 

[ester]

sort of here
https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...1_10156245608715438_7394100716578344813_o.jpg
or here
https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...7_10156245608690438_5133337212878617614_o.jpg

Oh and I think Frank would like to go be an honorary member of cortez's costume gang he is well practiced with them
https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...=838ccca214fc08a0ae2b8f34aa8aeb97&oe=57207D84

Am I the only one that wants to go and meet all of her lovely horses!

 

[WindyStacks]

ester - first dibs on your horse when you're bored of him please!

 

[ester]

There's a bit of a queue, and as he is 22 I rather suspect those in it might run out of time. I didn't post the oh **** what stride do you think that was in the workers hand positioning

 

[only_me]

I think my hands are ok. Thumbs aren't always on top but I'm trying to remember! I had hours of lessons when young with a whip across my back behind both elbows plus it appears I'm lucky as I have long arms

I need to look up & be thumbs on top!!

 

[kassieg]

Your elbows should be a right angle! I hate hate hate pics of people with hands glued to the saddle pulling the horses head in !

 

[Tiddlypom]

Always aiming for higher and more forwards than where they would like to be.. With relaxed elbows.

As soon as I get this cracked, the instructor changes her mind and decides that this is all wrong, despite having chivvied me for months to do it :confused3:. The horse was going better than he ever has done so before, so I ditched the instructor!

I hate hate hate the apparent fashion for low fixed hands.

 

[Red-1]

On the ends of my arms...





I plead old age and a head cold.

LOL, that was my first thought too.

I jumped onto Phtotbucket for the first ridden shot I could see and found this one, the first time I rode Betty at home. I think it is not perfect, but OK for a first ride on a new horse!

She is going great for her new owner BTW.

 

[Apercrumbie]

Your elbows should be a right angle! I hate hate hate pics of people with hands glued to the saddle pulling the horses head in !

Your elbows should be at a right angle if the horse is established and uphill enough for there to be a straight line to the bit. If elbows were at a right angle on most amateurs' horses, particularly when taking conformation into consideration, the hands would be far too high.

Admittedly my hands do tend to be too low. My bad habit is tipping forwards slightly and my hands go with it. When I remember to properly engage my core, then my hands tend to sort themselves out....as I long as I remember to avoid 'piano hands'!

 

[dominobrown]

Your hands, wrist and elbow have a huge impact on the contact... or more accurately the way you use the rein and the bit. So many people pull back and end up with dire crotch or knee hands.
As cortez states... straight line along rein. As casey (and red1) demonstrates on a young horse.
A lot of people carry tension in their arms, wrists and hands and this tension is carried down the rein to the horses mouth. A few photos on this thread show tense wrists. Try now... turn your wrists up to the sky (veins up) and bend your fingers and take an imaginary half halt, then turn your wrists over (back of hand up) and do the same. See how much stronger you are?
Also pulling a hand back does not create (Correct) flexion, you are better to turn the wrist over... palms to the sky and move the rein out (not back!!!) to ask for flexion. When you take that pull back you inadvertently prevent the hind leg from coming through as essentially you are 'breaking' one side of the horse.
You can also at your keyboards imaging holding a pair of reins in your hands and sticking your elbows in and out and feel which would create the most tension down the reins. Also try purposely bending your elbows.... and then just letting your upper arm fall softly down with a relaxed soft bed in the elbow.
A lot of people need to try it on their horse and watch and feel their flash nosebands become an unnecessary accessory!

 

[LiffWee93]

also never where i want them!! i too have short arms and a midget pony neck to contend with --- i try to think a weight is pulling the bottom of my elbow down, after rolling my shoulder blades back/down/together -- i hold a LOT of tension in my shoulders and have eto be really conscious that it does not affect my contact - my mare is VERY fussy with the contact and likes things "just so" -- so its a work in progress -- but we are geting there -- they used to bobble about someting awful!!
usually my hands end up too low because i collapse through my waist - alot! the moment i sit up properly, they sit nicely! (i think) no recent photos after this epiphany! and they always so wayward jumping!

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Your hands, wrist and elbow have a huge impact on the contact... or more accurately the way you use the rein and the bit. So many people pull back and end up with dire crotch or knee hands.
As cortez states... straight line along rein. As casey (and red1) demonstrates on a young horse.
A lot of people carry tension in their arms, wrists and hands and this tension is carried down the rein to the horses mouth. A few photos on this thread show tense wrists. Try now... turn your wrists up to the sky (veins up) and bend your fingers and take an imaginary half halt, then turn your wrists over (back of hand up) and do the same. See how much stronger you are?
Also pulling a hand back does not create (Correct) flexion, you are better to turn the wrist over... palms to the sky and move the rein out (not back!!!) to ask for flexion. When you take that pull back you inadvertently prevent the hind leg from coming through as essentially you are 'breaking' one side of the horse.
You can also at your keyboards imaging holding a pair of reins in your hands and sticking your elbows in and out and feel which would create the most tension down the reins. Also try purposely bending your elbows.... and then just letting your upper arm fall softly down with a relaxed soft bed in the elbow.
A lot of people need to try it on their horse and watch and feel their flash nosebands become an unnecessary accessory!

Which ones are mine?

 

[dominobrown]

Which ones are mine?

Do you mind a bit of CC?
IMO your hands and wrists are fine. I would however like to see you roll your shoulders back and open your chest allowing your neck to come to the back of your collar (imagine you are wearing a shirt). Then aim to let your upper arm hand down so you can imagine your elbows fall closer to your hips.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Do you mind a bit of CC?
IMO your hands and wrists are fine. I would however like to see you roll your shoulders back and open your chest allowing your neck to come to the back of your collar (imagine you are wearing a shirt). Then aim to let your upper arm hand down so you can imagine your elbows fall closer to your hips.

Thank you.

That is something I have been working on for a while and still not totally getting it right. Physio thinks its due to the fact I have thoracic outlet syndrome. The first picture of me was two months post surgery to have six inches of my first rib out on my left side. The second photo was five/six months post surgery.

 

[dominobrown]

Ahh right, that would explain the tension in your shoulders as the rest of your position is good and your hands look 'soft' in the pictures which is why the horses look to being going well without resistance

 

[sarahann1]

I think not bad in this pic https://twitter.com/suzimethinks/status/652948790144573440

I've been trying to sit taller and carry my hands better for a while, it's slowly paying off.

But my wrists can do some pretty odd things, they are often a bad influence on my hands!

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Ahh right, that would explain the tension in your shoulders as the rest of your position is good and your hands look 'soft' in the pictures which is why the horses look to being going well without resistance

I'm lazy, I don't hold my horses heads up they do it them selves and when I set them a pace they stay in it until I ask for a speed up or slow down.

Thank you

 

[NiceNeverNaughty]

another with short arms! I recently had a light bulb moment in a lesson, I’m always told I try too hard to be correct and Ive been obsessed with having a bend in my elbow but as my RI pointed out, conformationally (me) that is not going to work and enable an elastic contact, my pony is also very green. I really think it depends on your own build and the level your horse is at. Trying to maintain that correct elbow bend I think has caused me a few problems. Previously Id have cringed at this pic and thought my hands were terrible but we were specifically working on my hands/contact at this point and Im assured it was ok.

where my hands creep to with noone shouting at me

 

[KautoStar1]

Last time I looked they were at the end of my arms !!

Seriously though my trainer always says shorter rain longer arm, keep the elbow soft & carry your hands - think Charlotte she tells me. I try as best as I can with this. Also another good tip I was given was to breath in through your body & out through your hands.