Give and retake of the reins

[horseygal90]

How do you do this?

Is it just sliding your hands forward their neck to show you've given away or do you actually drop the reins?

It's for two strides over the centre line on a trotting circle if that makes any difference.

[Nookster]

In your normal riding position move your hands forwards and hold for a couple of seconds, then move back to original/normal position.

Main aim is to show horse remains in outline and reins have no control over this. The horse is carrying itself.

Don't drop the rein

[horseygal90]

Cool, thought so but I don't do dressage as a rule so I wasn't sure! Thanks

[Iron Maiden]

Try not to lean forward when you do it - I tend to & that throws Mrs P onto her forehand

[Sticky's GF]

Just be careful with this move - you need to make it obvious. I've been marked down for not being obvious enough. Be a bit dramatic, do a slight lift and forwards, like your hands are jumping over a fence....and hope your horse doesn't go sideways like mine did the first time!

[msp]

Also, technically the give should be towards the horses mouth, not up in the air so the reins don't actually change length

You will probably find it better to take reins back smoothly using a downards D motion, not in a straight line. Imagine a D facing the ground. You give alond the straight bit, and take along the curve. The idea is that the horse maintain its own outline during the give, and you retake smoothly so nothing happens to the horses outline (or rhythm) at all.

Good Luck and have fun.

[Mary Poppins]

Originally Posted by Sticky's GF

Just be careful with this move - you need to make it obvious. I've been marked down for not being obvious enough. Be a bit dramatic, do a slight lift and forwards, like your hands are jumping over a fence....and hope your horse doesn't go sideways like mine did the first time!

I was told to make it really obvious as well by basically pushing your hands towards the horses head so your arms are almost straight and then back again.

Are you doing prelim 15?

[Soot]

Yup, I once did this really nicely (I thought) and got a 3 for not doing it.
Was then told it needs to be dramatic *lol* Esp at prelim level make a nice exagerated movement donwards towards the horse's head so that you're demonstrating self carriage. Good advice not to lean forward, but sometimes hard to stop yourself esp when overacting *lol*.