contact

[sophie33]

My instructor has kept telling me that I don't have enough contact on the reins and hold them too slackly. So my ridiculously difficult question to answer is - how do I tell when I've got it right - I'm worried I might now being going too far the other way!
In my last lesson I had a very big, strong horse who was determined to push his nose up the horse in fronts bum! So I did increase the pressure on the reins a lot to try and hold him back, it didn't really work - I ended up having to just stop for a few seconds to increase the gap everynow and then. But he started to get the right hump - and when I got him to canter - gave a couple of little bucks and cut right back across the school. The instructor insisted it wasn't my fault - he was just being a pain. But hten out hacking on Sunday I was riding a very sweet pony - but she did keep tossing her head - and I wondered if I had my reins too short. Sorry for the waffly post - but any help would be appreciated

[kedwards]

If your reins are currently slack, you can start by learning to take up passive or following contact, just enough contact to hold up your end of the reins and following the horse's movements, so that the slack is out of the reins and they aren't flapping, but you aren't pulling either. It shouldn't feel like a big increase in the weight in your hands.

Imagine if the reins were elastic bands and you wanted to hold them so that they stayed straight but didn't stretch any.

If you can maintain that feel without letting out slack or pulling as the horse moves in the various gaits, then the horse can feel and respond to a light squeeze or stilling of the rein. If the reins are slack, you have to make a big move before you can use them. If you are holding them too tight, he won't even notice if you still the rein (as it will feel like it's constantly being pulled).

[galadriel]

This article has a very good discussion of contact and the difference between "slack," "tight," and "contact":
http://www.horse-sense.org/archives/200104201932.phtml

[sophie33]

Thanks both of you, very useful. The article posted by galadriel was very illuminating. I think this is going to be very difficult to learn - but at least I have a bit more idea what I'm aiming at!

[Eli_Jay]

It's not so much about an increase in pressure (a horse with a good contact should feel really light in you're hands) getting the right length in the rein get's easier with experience. the most important thing IMO to remember when dealing with contacts is to keep you're hands nice and soft (very gentle on the horses mouth) I find that horses really appreciate riders with soft hands and are more willing to go into a soft contact.
good luck!

[Teddy]

I dont mean to sound stupid :( but when u say soft contact what do u mean by that? Cuz my instructor tells me i need to close my hand firmly around the reins as i often let them slip ever so slightly through my fingers, So basically what im trying to say is how do u keep soft contact and hold the reins firmly at the same time?

[kedwards]

Teddy, you stay soft on the reins by giving with your arms, not by opening your fingers. Your hands shouldn't be clenched firmly, but they should be closed enough to keep the reins from slipping.