outline/contact

[joy70]

Is having a contact necessary? My boy is in his teens and has never in the ten years ive owned him (its 10 years today actually - wow thats flown by anyway) really worked in what is classed as a correct outline with a proper contact, sometimes he will overbend nose onto his chin, sometimes his heads up in the air and others is just what i would class as his normal position. I find my boy much easier to ride with a very light contact on the rein, and can even do transitions walk to trot to canter, back down etc. whilst holding the buckle and ride circles etc., obviously out on a hack in company when we gallop I need to hold onto him, but not whilst mooching along on the road,

but it made me think.

Is it necessary to have my bag of sugar on the end of my hands, as taught when I was younger, is it not easier for both of us to amble along in this way, does this mean he is a well balanced pony or not have i effectively made things worse by not insisting he keeps a contact?

Any offers

[casey]

A bag of sugar. Good lord who told you that? It should be like holding hands on a summer day.

Contact lets see...

If you want to work you horse properly, you must have a contact. A contact is your conversation with your horse.

If you want to amble around ( which is an individual choice ) then there is no need to have a contact.

Your horse probally goes better without a contact because you nor actually asking him to do anything.

[joy70]

A bag of sugar. Good lord who told you that? It should be like holding hands on a summer day.

When I learnt to ride i was told that the correct contact with your pony/horse should feel like a bag of sugar at the end of your arms/hands

we do school with a light contact, and hack out the same, i can just feel him at the end of the reins,

he is very good at taking instruction from my seat/weight and neck reining etc., even bareback he will follow my weight etc.,

[galadriel]

Originally posted by joy70
we do school with a light contact, and hack out the same, i can just feel him at the end of the reins,

he is very good at taking instruction from my seat/weight and neck reining etc., even bareback he will follow my weight etc.,

Than what are you worried about? :) That sounds perfect.

[Tootsie4U]

Hey galadriel - give her that Jessica Jahiel link about contact! Helped me tons. By the way, did you see she has new archives posted?

Ill see if I can find it ....

[Tootsie4U]

here it is! wonderful article!!!


http://www.horse-sense.org/archives/200104201932.phtml

[joy70]

:D Thanks i will take a look at the link too

Nice to know im not doing anything wrong for a change ;)

[Bebe]

A bag of sugar, eek!

Even when I have a short rein if Bebe is mucking about, I still only feel like I am just touching the sides of her mouth with the bit - there's no weight there at all but I can feel her mouth.

Does that make any sense?

Haven't read the Jessica Jalhiel link but she's brilliant so can imagine what it says (and have probably already read it, I'm on her email list).

[sallym]

Thank you Tootsie4U.

I just read that article and another lightbulb went off in my head!

Joy70, I mostly ride my own horse on the buckle when hacking because this is what she prefers. She does accept a contact and will go nicely on the bit when asked. I have been riding her like this for 14 years and she has the most wonderful round canter on the lightest of contacts - just taking up the weight of the reins really.

Best wishes

SallyM

[joy70]

:o just another thought, as ive said he goes along on a light contact, but has a real bad habit of tilting his head which effectively means he leans of my left hand, one of the reasons i ride along on the buckle :eek: keeps us both form getting sore, but how do i straighten him up without yanking him in the mouth?

[galadriel]

Are you straight? :) That might be it. A lot of times we sit crookedly without realizing it.

If you are definitely straight, and he's still not, he may be a lot stronger on one side than the other. He could lean on your left hand in order to keep himself straight. Do you have anyone who could watch you ride, to see if either of you is obviously crooked?

[joy70]

Galadriel

yes i am straight, ive had my friend ride behind me just to check it out - so now what do i do?