My lower back sometimes says “OW” when trying to sit into the transition and absorb the sway. I am guilty of stiffening a bit in anticipation of that grind. I definitely need to sit deeper and quieter. I try to start with putting my thigh on to block her a little, but she can be a little spacey and not take the hint. Some less subtle half halts are a good idea.
This is great advice, thank you!
I hear what you’re saying, and understand what you’re aiming at. Thanks!
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I’m trying to learn, so please don’t take this as argumentative.
I have tried really hard to completely quiet my hands, as it’s something I see in my own videos. I have never been able to do so, and I don’t know why. All the things you could imagine to “get” an independent seat, I can do without problem. Give me a glass of wine and tell me to sit the trot, and I can do it. Tell me to hold that glass of wine while posting, no problem. I did the TP challenge at all three gaits, even the triple TP challenge. So why do my hands look like they’re moving at the posting trot still?
So I started watching really amazing riders, trying to see what they were doing, and lo and behold, their hands move at the posting trot too. I know in this example she is bending and giving and adjusting this young horse, but there are moments where she is just posting and her hands come up, “bob” if you will, as well.
Do you have an example of a rider riding with dead-nuts quiet hands at the posting trot that I can look at, so I can try and see where I’m going wrong?
My opinion, She is a lovely mare and I don’t think her hind legs are slow. in fact I really like her hind. if the video is supposed to show how you implement the advice you got here, I think both of you are doing a great job. the picture did not look as good as the video. and I like your Tempo!!
Some things I noticed… I think she is a mare and probably because she doesn’t know yet she doesn’t carry herself but is avoiding to work over the back and because of that she is sometimes trying to pull the reins away from you…
I really like your leg position for now and I think you did a beautiful job to change from a hunter to a dressage position. it’s to perfect yet, but you have great moments…
But you need to work on your hands. Especially on the right rein the hands are too high and moving around a lot. You really need to keep them together and in front of you right above the withers. And if she pulls don’t allow her to do it… I would use your legs with more impulsion, be more direct about what you want. Tell her what you don’t like… Usually mares have no problems with this… If you don’t tell them what you want, they will become more pushy.
and I do agree with transitions. first loosen her up in the way you do on the video and then ride walk trot transitions.
and again you need to be clear about what you want. The first step has to be trot and downwards walk has to start right after your aid and not 5 steps later… this has nothing to do with her age or her strength. It has something to do with suppleness. The longer you wait to install it, the harder it will become for both of you…
Good luck and you are doing a great job!!!
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Question for the downward.
When she blows my first “quiet” ask off, what’s next? Abort it and try again, or enforce it? I hate escalating when I don’t have to, plus it will almost certainly end in her inverting.
Hands together. Yes, definitely, I get into “green bean” mode where I forget she’s progressed beyond “teach her how to steer” and open them up too much. The height I hear so many different opinions it’s hard to know what’s right! I can carry them lower and see if she likes that.
The difference between CD and you is that she has her horse steady in front of her legs and it’s pushing from behind… She can do what she does with no harm because she is riding with her body… Once you have your horse going over the back you can move around with your hands more… but not in the moment!!! And for the record I am not a fan of CDs hands…
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Better with your shoulders and chest.
A) your reins are too long and your contact is inconsistent. That is why she comes above the bit and also curls . It depends on what your shoulders are doing.
B) your post is more of a hunter post as opposed to a dressage post. You are not quite in sync . You are posting a little faster and so you dont always sit on the downbeat.
C) you are a little tight somewhere and it is creating tension and thus the hand movement.
Is there a horse you can take a longe lesson on ?
Maybe work on your seat?
She has a nice steady walk and trot and you are good with her .
I would do more transitions. Walk halt walk. And trot walk trot.
You can also introduce her TOF both in hand and in the saddle.
I salute you for being brave enough to post video.
Hope this helps
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Do you have a video of what you would consider to be good hands, particularly at the posting trot? The posting is where I struggle, I think.
I also feel like if I “lock” them down by putting a pinky through a neck strap, I lose the fluidity too much and it turns rigid. It’s a hard balance for me to work out, personally.
Edit whoops you posted one while I was typing! Watching now, thanks!
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@Manni01, sorry to be picky, but do you have one where the rider is posting? The sitting trot is easier to steady the hands, assuming an independent seat. The posting, with the intentional movement up and down and the “washboard” feeling with the hands, is where I have the trouble envisioning what it’s supposed to look like.
For the downward, what do you mean “your first quiet ask?”
You really want the downward to come mostly from your seat. If you mean that you are closing your hand and she is setting against the bit and twisting the neck (which I see in the video) then I would first try my “fair warning” approach and see if letting her know it is coming helps with that. If it does not, then the hand stays closed and you resist with your back and close the thighs to say “no, I meant make a transition.” Try to avoid the temptation to pull harder because what you really actually want is for her to be more attentive to your aids and constantly be waiting for the “what’s next mom” so that you don’t have to get strong with the hand or the seat to get what you want. Obviously that’s ideal, but you want to resist the temptation to continue with “hands mean whoa leg means go” on a horse that’s ready for more subtleties.
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I too agree with Sascha. I think you guys look pretty good for her age/stage of training. I think you are a lovely rider, very kind.
I too agree about the transitions being the biggest thing to work on.
You are doing a great job:)
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As for the hands, I think you might have some bouncing because you are still leaning a bit over a closed hip. If you think about bringing your hips to your hands in the posting, so that your body is going to them rather than them trying to keep a position relative to your body (eg “hands in front of the withers”), you might find that easier.
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Too long reins, gah. I don’t know how much more I can shorten them comfortably, but I do hear what you’re saying.
I’m dumb and am still not seeing where the posting goes out of sync (barring her little snort that pulls me forward because I wasn’t paying good enough attention). Can you give a timestamp (if you don’t mind) so I can look closer?
Tight in my lower back, yes. I have to constantly focus on not bracing with it.
It would be a little hard for me to take a lesson on the lunge, but I can ask.
Also to support your hands to stay quiet, I personal try to press (only light and relexed) my elbows against my sides. That helps me to keep my lower arms stable in the past I tried to keep my hand really together and you can also use a reitbommel 
. It’s a little gadget developed to help to keep your hand quiet… Because you will be amazed how many people have this problem… I still think you are doing a very nice job and you simple need to be consistent and patient…
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Very good advice!
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Agree!
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Not to overload you with too much information, but consistent contact comes from a balanced independent seat.
There isnt a hard fast rule for where you keep the hands. You want a straight line from the elbow to the bit, but a lot of this has to do with how green the horse is and the horses conformation.
The hands should stay above the withers but dont try to force them there.
You may be interested in watching Amelia Newcombe videos on YouTube. She has several on dressage and why position is so important.
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My first “quiet ask” is from my seat and thighs. I don’t know the right way to describe it, but I call it “putting the handbrake on.” Then I sit, and put the thigh on more. From there if no transition, I quit following “nicely” with the hand and allow a little tension in the rein to creep in.
I don’t close my hand first ever, and any sort of big motion with the hand happens for the freight train moments, which are very, very infrequent.
For your fair warning approach, if you don’t get a response, what’s next? You stay stay stay with that hold until the horse starts the transition, then add leg?
