Lost Confidence

[Nadia]

Hello all beautiful people,

My last post in July i finaly managed to share that i went off the lead rein in a walk.

This past weekend i finaly tried to go into a trot off the lead rein. It felt great. But in some way and i dont know why, my confinfence in troting using both my hands is not working. I grew up on a farm so i am use to riding with one hand. english riding became new to me about 2 years ago. i could trot even canter using both my hands. this past weekend as soon as i put my left hand on the rein its like an automatic switch that i cant controll to pull back the reins. im in tears about this. using only one hand to trot i go around and around the arena.

My instructor has been the most amazing person and said we can work slowly in each lesson by bringing the left hand in. even if its for a couple of seconds. Any other advice would be really appriciated.

Oh and i can still hardly walk from my last lesson.

 

[Jessey]

If you are used to riding one handed, can you switch hands and use your left hand comfortably? If not it’s probably literally just a matter of practice to develop the feel.

I learnt English, then switched to western for many years and back again and there was a chunk of building new muscle memory for each switch, it all felt alien for a while.

A bit off the wall, and I’ve not heard of it being done, just an idea, but perhaps get a rope or old reins and hook it over your feet (so you get secondary feedback) and practice taking and holding an even contact with both hands, to help that muscle memory along, and develop the feel in your non dominant hand, between lessons?

 

[Nadia]

If you are used to riding one handed, can you switch hands and use your left hand comfortably? If not it’s probably literally just a matter of practice to develop the feel.

I learnt English, then switched to western for many years and back again and there was a chunk of building new muscle memory for each switch, it all felt alien for a while.

A bit off the wall, and I’ve not heard of it being done, just an idea, but perhaps get a rope or old reins and hook it over your feet (so you get secondary feedback) and practice taking and holding an even contact with both hands, to help that muscle memory along, and develop the feel in your non dominant hand, between lessons?

Thank you very much for this advice, I will really try all of this. Havent tried switching hands so will try.

 

[carthorse]

You could also try putting the let hand in place but not holding the rein, maybe just touching it with your knuckles.

What are you wanting to do? Does it matter if you ride one handed?

 

[Nadia]

You could also try putting the let hand in place but not holding the rein, maybe just touching it with your knuckles.

What are you wanting to do? Does it matter if you ride one handed?

thank you very much, im trying to get my full confidence back in english riding using both my hands. i really want to start competing next year in show jumping

 

[Skib]

back in english riding using both my hands.

I think it might help if you thought out what one might gain (and possibly lose) by English style riding, using two different reins.

I used to almost ignore the reins till a trainer told me that the reins link the most sensitive part of the human (our fingers) to the most sensitive part of the horse, its mouth.
In English riding the rein does not rest on the shoulder of the horse but connects directly to the bit and through your fingers and you can adjust the length and the tension of the two reins independently of each other. Thus a touch with your left fourth finger will tend to guide the head of the horse to the left. A touch with the right, to the right.
The English style of holding the reins will also control the height of the head of the horse and your fingers will allow or block the forward movement of the horse.
You should of course in English riding learn to hold the two reins in the acepted way so that the rein tension is controlled by your fourth finger, not by gripping with your whole hand. You should cup your hands and hold the reins as gently as you would hold a newly hatched chicken, our RI used to say.

I too learned to ride both English and Western. There is no harm in that, But may be it is easier to stick to one or the other until you are more confident in riding?

 

[newforest]

Perhaps English riding isn't for you?
Depending on what you will be jumping, is there a competition rule that says you need to use two hands? If not use one?

I ride with one hand on occasions, but I wouldn't feel confident riding a horse in a western bit. That's because I have never done it and I think it would take me a little while to adapt and adjust to using one.
And after all that it might not be for me.

 

[Mary Poppins]

Confidence takes time to build and I agree with your riding instructor that you just have to work at it in small chunks.

I have a similar problem at the moment as I can’t help but keep shortening my reins. I know it is wrong, it isn’t needed and actually is more likely to make my horse go faster, but something in my brain doesn’t connect with my body and before I know it, my reins are short again! I totally understand what you are saying about the automatic switch coming on, it is very hard to control.

My approach is to just keep on going. You are aware of what you are doing, and that is a huge step in itself.

 

[Skib]

as I can’t help but keep shortening my reins

Do you have a grab strap on your saddle MaryP?
I have a leather one. I didnt actually remember to grab it when Ella spooked and ran away with me, but I do use it when dismounting. One can put ones thumbs through it to steady them if needed and to stop one pulling on the reins.

 

[Mary Poppins]

Do you have a grab strap on your saddle MaryP?
I have a leather one. I didnt actually remember to grab it when Ella spooked and ran away with me, but I do use it when dismounting. One can put ones thumbs through it to steady them if needed and to stop one pulling on the reins.

I ride Eoin with a neck strap and I know in theory to hold the neck strap rather than the reins, but it doesn't always register in my brain. I know what I am doing is wrong, but it's not that easy to override my instinct and stop it. Holding the reins tightly tells my brain I have more control (which I also know isn't true). Holding the neck strap (or grab strap) makes me feel more like a passenger whereas holding the reins makes me feel like I am riding. It isn't logical but it's not easy to just stop doing it either.

 

[Nadia]

Hi All

Thank you very much for all the adive, My instructor gave me a crop to hold in my left hand with my reins, believe it or it actually helps. although i feel like still switching to 1 hands some times then i feel the crop and it remember. we have a Show coming up next month that i really wanted to do, but after i spoke to my husband he said i must wait till our Christmas show. so i aam now working towards my 1st English riding show in December.

 

[Skib]

Holding the neck strap (or grab strap) makes me feel more like a passenger whereas holding the reins makes me feel like I am riding. It isn't logical but it's not easy to just stop doing it either.

I dont use a neck strap, though Maiisie wore a martingale, I never reached for the strap when riding her Similar, my riding bareback was always with a neck strap but I didnt hold it, as reaching for a neck strap involves leaning forward and I want to be securely on my seat bones.

What did help me start to use the reins was Rashid saying that the reins link the most sensitive part of the horse (his mouth) with the most sensitive part of the human, your finger tips.

I even bought new, fine leather reins for Ella in the hope she would get the message.
However, there is a big difference between riding a horse of your own and riding a share who has lots of different riders.