Rein contact

[Tootsie4U]

You know when you switch barns/instructors and you find out that everyone has their own way of doing things? Well, I did just that. I switched to a more "higher class" of barn to learn some dressage. The methods Im learning I cant quite grasp. ONe of the biggest things Im having trouble with is my reins.

Specifically, my instructor screams "TIGHTER CONTACT ON THE OUTSIDE REIN!!!!" She says the hores needs this for balance and direction. But, its completely foreign to me. Never before have I ridden with a tight grip on the reins. I believe in light signals and as long as the horse is going fine, give him this freedom. In fact, its the way Im training my own horse. When I need him to turn or half halt or even halt then I make contact. While he's going fine, I have very little contact. This instructor is teaching me that there should always be contact no matter what the horse is doing (turning, halting, cantering, trotting, walking...)

So, my questions are this: Is this a dressage technique? Is it the proper way of riding? Why would you constantly be tugging on his mouth? If you're constantly tugging, how does the horse decipher all the different directions?

Hope this makes sense!

Thanks,
Tootsie

[Mehitabel]

there's a big difference between tugging and keeping a contact on the outside rein. you need to keep the contact on the outside rein to guide the outside shoulder and stop the horse falling out. if your rein contact is too light then you aren't controlling all the impulsion that you build up with the legs, and it just goes straight out the front end with no direction.
there should definitely always be a contact on the reins all the time - not a harsh one, but just to guide and shape the impulsion that you are producing.

[Tootsie4U]

Thanks Es. Why wouldnt I have learned this at the other barn where I took lessons for over a year? ( I Was riding at an intermediate stage) It was a hunter jumper barn with alot of QH people. Is it a different style of riding or was my other instructor lacking?

[galadriel]

There's a good article on this here:
http://www.horse-sense.org/archives/200104201932.phtml

[virtuallyhorses]

Tootsie there will definitely be a difference between jumping, western and dressage views on rein contact as each is trying to achieve slightly different things.

Its often interesting to watch a video of yourself when you think you are giving a 'light' rein - I know from experience I was always very wary about making sure I didn't hang on to the horse's mouth, but once you have an independent seat, then you are at the stage when you need the contact to 'talk to the horse'. Flappy (light) reins can't do this and it took a video of myself for me to really see how long\flappy reins don't equate to light signals. It was only then that I could see my horse asking for the contact (seeking) and no-one was there for him, I just kept giving it away thinking I was being 'light'.

In some of the master riders books (Walter Zettl, Alois Podhajsky and co) they'll refer to a "long rein as a hard rein". But its only once you've felt the real softness of elastic contact that this makes sense.

Good luck with the new lessons :)

[Tootsie4U]

Hey Galadriel- I read Jessica ALL The time, and I've never seen that one! But, as usual, she said it perfectly. You know, I could have been the person who sent that inquiry!!! Exactly how I am-ahem, I mean WAS, thinking! Thanks for your help (again :D )


Tootsie

PS I printed out that article in case anyone ever comes to me with that question. She put it so perfectly!

[galadriel]

:) When I found out about Jessica Jahiel, I went and read her whole archive. There are a lot, lot, lot of good articles in there. And she explains things so clearly and well :) I am in awe.

[cvb]

Tootsie

Did you ever make a "phone" out of string and two tin cans ? If you didn't you have probably seen it on TV, cartoons etc. Well it really works - BUT only if the line is kept taut.

Of course if you pulled, the string would come off the can. And if it is too loose you can not hear anything.

Rein contact is a bit like that. You don't want to jerk the rein, but you do still want to communicate.

When you are riding dressage then you are pretty much in continual communication, making adjustments, doing something diffedrent. So you want your "phone line" to work all the time. Therefore you ride with a constant contact (unless you are giving them a breather).

In other styles of riding, e.g. western, you are communicating less often. As such, you do not want the line open all the time, and just connect it when you want to.

If you like, dressage is broadband internet between horse and rider, whereas western we just dial up when we want a connection :D

As previously suggested, having a contact does not mean it has to be heavy, hard, tugging etc. You can ride on a contact with silk, or with elastic - takes some skill from the rider but can be done.

[Tootsie4U]

cvb- you sure are good with those analogies ;) :D

[Tootsie4U]

Dang, last night I was supposed to have my lesson on a new horse. Well, new comes in many meanings; A new horse to me and he is new in his training. Lets just say things went horribly so I didnt get to practice my newly found realization of rein contact :( Little boy temper tantrums that went really bad. No one was hurt, except maybe his ego after my instructor was finished with him. I will give it a go next week.

Thanks guys, all I needed was some insight and you did great!

Tootsie

[lisae]

My niece Natalie is on spring break from college and stopped out today, hoping to do something with the horses. I suggested the choice of pitching the stalls or taking Monday (my mare) out on the cart. So we pulled the mare out of the mud, (my rubber boots almost got left behind) and spent 20 minutes scraping, currying and grooming until she was clean. We then sorted the harness (1st time out of the bedroom closet where it winters over) and took another 30 minutes harnessing. (Novices.) Off we go and I decided that inspired by this very thread, that I would just stop worrying about hurting her mouth and keep a comfortable contact. SHE WENT BEAUTIFULLY!! No refusing to slow, no breaking into canter, no nothin'! And Natalie wasn't comfortable trotting, (hasn't been on a cart or around horses for awhile) so I was asking a fresh horse on the first day of spring to slow to a walk, and she did.

WHAAHOO!

Very excited and happy until about a half mile down the road, when the cart got a flat tire. :rolleyes:

The horse must think we are true idiots because we spent an hour getting underway and 6 minutes on the road. She was perfectly happy to return to the mudzone and take a snooze in the sun.

The Jahiel article was an eye-opener, because that is exactly what I had been doing, trying to spare the horses' mouth but really just throwing her away and making her nervous.

[Tootsie4U]

lisae-

you and me both. It kinda defies what we think is correct. But, after thinking about it (and after reading Jessica's article) it really opened my eyes.

Happy riding!

[Evol_or_revert]

With my horse hollie, i was forever being told "shorten your reins!!!!" I was the little kid trotting round on the little tb with no reins, i could canter, gallop and jump fine like this i never understood why i should use my reins i just used my legs lol.

Charlie i learnt that yes we do need reins and yes they must be short or else we are off in the direction that i didn't want to go in... towards the gate mostly. later the feeling of him going round and soft was amazing till... Today the horse i rode, i rode with my normal rein length normal dressage rein length the horse was so unbeliveable soft it felt like everything fitten nicely in to place for the first time in my life, now i know what you all mean when you say you lose all your worrys when riding, this horse blew my mind and i wouldn't have known then feeling unless i have short reins. :D

Hopefully this horse becomes my own we will see tomorrow :D