where should my hands be??

A

anna15

anna15
Feb 18, 2007
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west yorkshire
ive had some friends helping me for a while when schooling, if youve seen any of my other threads, bonnie has a habit of locking her head and just rushing off in trot regardless of your aids.
now when bonnie brings her head up they keep shouting lower your hands!! but i tend to keep them slightly up so i get the curb action, when i lower my hands like they say, yes fair enough she may 'look lovely' but she leans and i end up fighting.

where is the right place to have my hands??

when i keep them low they are slightly wide and just bellow the level of the saddle d rings, is it just me or that incorrect??

i would normaly carry them like in the diagram bellow.

pics may help :)

thanks:)
 
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I tend to take the hands down approach when Joy's head comes up but I was reading (I think it was Richard Maxwell but can't remember?) and whoever it was suggested raising your hands to match the horses stance and that they will then lower their head.

I haven't tried it myself but I going to have a go at this to see what works. Might be tough though as my instincts tell me to lower them :)
 
I've been getting lessons on my horse recently and my instructor has told me to lift my hands up to allow his shoulder to come through. So before when I was coming round corners she said he looked like he was trying to shuffle round his inside leg but when I lift my hands he can really use his shoulder to go round! What a difference! If your hands are low does this not block the horse a bit, unless they are taking the contact down themselves?
 
for my horse wide and low works for getting them just working down into your bridle and not giraffe like (think pointy arrow to bit wide)

if i raise my hands (rest your elbows by your side elbows bent perpendicular then a bit higher) it gets them to really carry them self and looks nice too.

for schooling/warming up at comps i tend to have my hands wider anyway no matter where i have them (high or low) to make the arrow head.

if low isnt working try picking them up high, lots and lots of leg and squeezing gently down each rein (not see sawing and not jiggling literally finger shuffles/twitches) to make the bit alive in her mouth and more comfortable.

if shes fighting just plant your hands and let her fight against herself for a bit until she realises it isnt getting her anyway then go back to your light contact.
you might feel a bit of a bully 'making her do' so to speak and having a tight contact but its not for regular riding just a one off "there carry on fighting i honestly dont care because it doesnt bother me"

good luck, you will have to try lots of things because horses are taught differently by different people
 
bonnie has a habit of locking her head and just rushing off in trot regardless of your aids.
now when bonnie brings her head up they keep shouting lower your hands!! but i tend to keep them slightly up so i get the curb action, when i lower my hands like they say, yes fair enough she may 'look lovely' but she leans and i end up fighting.
Re her 'locking up' and you wanting to keep the 'curb action' - I dont remember 'seeing' any pics of her, so kind of doing this a bit blind! But from what I've read, sounds like she likes to lean on the bit and tow you?
Personally, my first reaction would be to find out what it is she is locking up against - could be the mouth piece, the curb action (either the poll pressure or the chain grip), her back/saddle, your hands not being soft enough for her, etc.
Does she lunge? If so, thats where to experiment! Lunge her with a halter/cavesson only. Then add your saddle. Then add side reins (if necessary onto D straps on your pelham). Watch her carefully throughout the stages and see if there are any changes in the way she goes ie speed, head position etc etc.
Take it from there.
 
I am old fashioned but I believe in leg to get head up or down and creating a straight line contact. If head goes down put leg on, use snaffle rein with steady hands, if head goes up leg on and raise hands while turning them to use curb rein.

Doesn't always work but riding is all about feel so respond as your horse reacts
 
Hi, Its Sounds Like Your Horse Is Doing Exactly What Mine Did, She Used To Just Lean On The Bit And Then Locking Her Jaw So Steering Became Impossible, I Found That Applying A Lot Of Leg And Then Lifting My Hands Up Worked, It Got Her Backend Moving Forward First And Then She Could Collect Her Front. I Also Had To Try Holding A Fixed Contact With Her Until She Dropped Her Head, She Fought It For A Bit But Soon Got Bored And Dropped Her Head . Also If i Feel Her Coming Off The Bit I Use The Curb Rein Quickly And Just Give A Little Tweak .

Alos Have You Tried A Different Mouthpeice, Mine Was In A Straight Bar But Didnt Like It Si put Her In A Jointed Which She Still Didnt Like I Now have Her In One With A Port.

I Hope This Helps And Good Luck.
 
Hi my horse now leans on the bit after me riding him in a pelham so i've swapped back to a loose ring snaffle for schooling.

He still leans on the snaffle and drops on the forehand, so my RI told me to to half halts or back to walk transitions the trot straight away to help engage the back end, he did stop leaning after a couple attempts.
 
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