I’ve been back riding for about a year and a half after taking seven years off. I’m leasing an awesome horse who I take two lessons on a week and ride twice a week by myself, so I have plenty of opportunities to work on strengthening my riding, I just need some ideas. Sometimes, when my horse gets strong while jumping courses, I brace with my wrists instead of lifting my hands, sitting up, and pulling back more with my elbows instead. This ends up putting me in a pulling match with my horse and he just gets faster. I think part of the problem may be that I lean forward in my half seat, so sitting up really straight is half the battle. I’m looking for exercises that would help me learn to stop doing this. Thanks!
Try flipping your hands on the reins so you have “driving reins” instead of the way you normally hold them. Here are some images that will help you understand how to hold them in this way if you are unfamiliar with the term. I find it really helps me when I need to go back to confirming my direct rein, too.
https://murdochmethod.com/no-56-holding-reins-like-driving-lines/
Another one you can try, if your horse is safe to try it on, is to hold a crop across your hands. Hold your reins like normal, with your thumbs a bit more “on top” maybe than usual. Then open your thumbs and put your crop in there with the handle end by your one thumb and the flapper end by your other thumb - 4-5" apart. That means you have a few inches of crop sticking out past where your hands are holding it. Hold the crop parallel to the ground by wrapping your thumbs over the crop and gripping the reins, too. This helps teach how one hand gives slightly while the other hand pulls and vice versa. It can also help if you get one hand higher than the other - you want the crop to be flat, without one end higher than the other. It will also help prevent breaking at the wrist, which you might be doing.
All kinds of silly things can help you break your habit of using your wrists rather than your elbows. Remember, it takes two to pull. You have good instincts to also think that having an upright posture/seat will also help.
Good luck - I am interested to hear other ideas for how to help with this.
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I have the same habit. I 100% think it’s a core control issue. I’m no gym rat, by ANY stretch of the imagination (I should go but I just dont. Sigh) but I do think this issue is probably helped by doing core strength exercises.
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I am also back riding after time off and do the same thing. Seat, strengthening exercises have really helped me. I was riding way too much in half seat and forgot how to use my leg/seat/body/arms independently.
No stirrup work at the w/t helped me.
I agree with Lizrd. Driving reins are your best bet. At one point, I had “wonky wrist Wednesdays” where EVERY student had weird wrist habits. Driving reins were my #1 go to. You can even switch from traditional to driving while in motion if you practice it, so that you can go back to them whenever needed.
I tend to lock my elbows on strong horses and it’s definitely worsened by a weak core.
My trainer says “strong core, soft elbows” so much to me that I repeat it to myself as I’m on course.
If you are a visual learner like me, watch a lot of videos of McLain Ward - especially on Azur at the World Cup 2016/2017. He sits upright and strong in his core, but light in the saddle, and he carries his hands very high - there are points in the round where his hands are basically at the top button of his jacket but still in a straight line to the bit, and his elbows and shoulders are relaxed and extremely mobile.
