Yup, winter is still happening. In fact, its just really getting on a roll! And most of us are already kind of over it. Depending on your situation you may not be able to keep up much of a work schedule with your horse. I know my ground has been nearly un-rideable for about two weeks now. But when you do get to ride, chances are your horses are unfit and also going a little nutsy and older horses can’t seem to bend any of their joints with the cold. Hooray for you if your horse is good with the cold and you have perfect riding conditions! Do what you do and have a good time! For the rest of us who just limp along through the winter I have a riding activity that can help both you and your horse, even if all you can do safely is walk.
To Start With
Allow me to explain that normally the correct position for holding your reins is to have the rein come from the bit, between your pinky and ring fingers, through your grip and out the top or your hand. This is true for all english disciplines and many western disciplines as well. This position gives us the strongest possible grip when required. The issue is that we commonly abuse this strength because we instinctively seek pressure in our hands. Even babies grab hold when you put a finger in their hand. No one has to teach this to us, we just do it. Therefore, we need to purposely teach ourselves to ride lighter in our hands by finding security elsewhere in our riding.
The Challenge
Try this simple riding activity to help us find this change in perspective. Practice riding with the reins coming to the top of your hand and out past your pinky finger instead – riding with both hands on the reins in this way. Basically you will be holding the reins upside down, which can be seen in the pictures below.
What This Does
Unintentionally, many riders tend to bear down on the reins, pressing down towards the wither. This is a bracing action with our arms and shoulders which causes the horse to lock his neck and jaw. Horses will react in one of two ways. They may either throw their head upwards, or over curl their neck downward and get “over the bit”. Either maneuver can be used to avoid the bit and causes unbalance. And since the horse uses these tactics to evade the bit, neither position gives the rider very good control. Additionally, riders who bear down towards the wither with their hands also tend to tilt forward with their upper body, disengaging their seat and further unbalancing the horse with the rider’s extra weight on his shoulders.
By changing our rein hold to the “upside down” position, you encourage yourself to keep your hands slightly elevated and you will find no security in bearing down or tilting forward. You will be more likely to correctly keep a straight line from the bit to your elbow. Therefore, your hands will be softer to your horse. Having removed your hands as a means of security, your body will automatically seek other means of feeling in control. Your seat and legs will recognize they have more of a job to do. Using this riding activity on a regular basis can be a game changer for you and your horse.
Even if you think your horse might be “too forward” for this, find a safe opportunity to try it. Sometimes our horses are “forward” because they are so busy avoiding an over-used bit, they don’t know what to do. So, they just try to run away from the uncomfortable situation. If your horse tends to be more sluggish, offering a softer hold on the reins may, over time, let him feel freer to move without risk of accidental punishment through the bit.
Give it a try and let me know what you discover!
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