'Vibrate the outside rein'? Confused!

[fionahogg]

Hi Heather. Could you please explain how to vibrate with the outside rein and when this aid is used? I'm unsure as to how to apply and use this aid and would be gratefull for an explanation.

Thanks, Fiona.

[Heather]

HI Fiona,

It is not so much 'vibrate' the outside rein, as to bring the rein against the neck and by squeezing the fingers, the rein presses intermittently against the base of the neck.the hrse soon learns that this means 'move away from the pressure' and will move his forehand over. this is used in all lateral work, and also to control the bend on circles. The inside hand merely asks form flexion, the outside hand and outside leg wrap the forehand and the quarters around the rider's inside leg.

It is a difficult thing to explain exactly in words, but will be shown clearly in my next video.


Hope the above helps a bit anyway!


Heather

[Roz Morris]

Sorry to be so dense, but I've only just come across this suggestion for using the outside rein and it looks like it will solve a problem I have. Do you mean riders should always use the outside rein in this way, on all circles and corners? Is this a unique Heather Moffett method or is it something that other riders/instructors actually do but haven't explained in sufficient detail?

Thanks

[Heather]

HI Roz,

Lord no! I can't claim any invention on the part of this one! It is a very old Classical aid, which is taught in all countries, generally except here. We haven't the same dressage tradition in the UK as other countries on the Continent, so it often seems new and almost revolutionary to we Brits, but no, it certainly isn't.

Heather

[Heather]

Sorry, forgot to add Roz, that the outside rein has two uses, passively, when it is just lowered against the base of the neck, but without nudging it against the neck, this is used in turns/circles generally, acting as a sort of mental barrier preventing the horse from drifting out, and actively, when the rein is nudged against the neck, moving the whole forehand away, as in any of the lateral exercises.

So yes, the rein is always used in either of these two ways.

Heather