Ugh I just can’t seem to keep my hands going with the motion of the horse’s neck. I am so frustrated. I’m working with my trainer and it’s probably not as bad as I think it is but I seriously need some advice please. Anyone?
For me, stiff arms were connected to my tense seat. One thing that has really helped is bridging the reins and holding them with the outside hand, letting the inside arm hang straight down. Canter and trot doing this. Soon my seat relaxed and then my arm relaxed and the elbow just started moving with the rhythm. After doing this a few laps around the ring every ride for a few weeks, my arms got so much softer.
Another exercise that helps me is to canter two point four strides, sit four strides, etc. It improved my strength and balance so much that my contact with the horse’s mouth stays the same.
Basically stiff arms are a symptom for me of tension and weakness elsewhere.
I hope you find this helpful.
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While maintaining light contact, try resting your hands on top of the mane. Don’t let your hands come off the mane. Keep them in the same spot on top of the mane while you trot and canter. Don’t compensate your upper body position. Think about letting your elbows do all the work, they shouldn’t be locked. If you practice long enough, your hand will begin to develop some independence.
Lunge line lessons without reins and, when you are strong enough, without reins and stirrups should help.
When you are not in the saddle, exercises that help you develop a stronger core are helpful.
No doubt you will receive dozens of suggestions. Give them all a try and see which one works for you.
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I would echo the advice to practice with your hands in the mane. Or if I want my hands in a more natural position I’ll do a small braid and just hold onto that. It just gives you an idea how much your arms actually have to move to stay “still” relative to the horse.
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When posting, visualize posting into your hands.
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Also, a really weird tip that helps: When you’re holding your reins, instead of keeping your thumbs straight and pressing the whole thing down on the rein, make sure you have a bend in your thumb and the tip of your thumb is holding the rein. It loosens up your whole elbow.
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Thank you! More suggestions are welcome!
Bernie Traurig has riders switch to a driving rein to help with following. Your hands are a little wider and you have a little bit shorter rein and your hand/elbow naturally follows better. Sadly, following doesn’t come natural to me but it is getting better. When I’m struggling, I will switch to the driving rein to remind myself what it should feel like. My trainer has me exaggerate with the elbows when she sees me not following. At the walk think hands forward as your seat goes back (I have an easier time figuring out where my seat is).
I rode a couple of times with rein-bow rein loops to help my elbows to follow: https://aspireequestrian.wordpress.com/2013/12/25/rein-bows-rein-loops-can-they-help-with-improving-feel-for-contact/ They helped, but the pair I had were difficult to set in position on my reins. Really helps keep your rein length consistent. I jumped with them a couple of times and my it definitely improved my contact over fences. I tend to let my reins slip. But on the flat when I need to remember to follow, I use a driving rein.
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It is not your hands and arms that requires focus. It is your elbows. Find your elbows at the walk, start by letting your arms hang straight down, then quietly raise your hands with your elbows brushing your side. Then establish a light ut solid contact with the horse’s mouth. Now walk, and let his head pull your hands forward as he nods down, when your hand are no longer being pulled forward, bring your elbows back.Be sure the weight in your hands does not increase as you come back.
Repeat!
At the same time your hips need to walk with him.
At the rising trot, the elbows work, but not a much, Sitting is a forward give, give, give.
In the canter it is similar to the walk.
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Well said. If you have locked elbows, your hands cannot follow the horse.
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Ugh, samesies. For me, concentration = locked elbows. It’s so dumb. I’m going to use some of these tips, too.
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Thank you!!
Stiff with straight elbows, or locked in an L shape?
I have been struggling with straight elbows for years (see photo, it’s bad!), and unfortunately have not had great success changing this wretched habit. But things that might work for you:
-riding with your whip behind your back (though makes it hard to use reins effectively, and also watch you’re not over-arching your lower back)
-exaggerate the motion when you’re posting, pushing your hands down as you rise and lift your hands bending through the elbow as you sit (I think, maybe I have it backwards?)
-Equicube! Holding this helps the arms kind of naturally go into a more correct position
-sometimes I practice off the horse by keeping my elbows back so they’re touching the back of my chair or car seat - not sure if this helps at all but I’m hoping it might create the habit!
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The driving rein makes it near impossible to do anything but follow, follow, follow. I use that frequently and highly recommend giving it a try.
A mental picture that has helped me is that the arms belong to the horse while the hand and shoulder belong to you. IE. you can still be strong by keeping the hand closed and not allowing the shoulder to be pulled forward, but the arms should always be loose and following the horse’s motion.
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I (third) the driving rein! I have the same problem and my trainer has been having me start out every lesson doing walk, trot, canter with the driving rein. After just a few weeks, I’ve noticed a significant improvement, even when switching back to the normal rein position.
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Driving rein, but also make sure you arent trying to throw your shoulders back. That will cause stiffness in your elbows.
To see what i mean, try the following…
Sitting in a chair, feet on the gound, relax and slump your body forward holding your hands as if they were holding reins. Now sit up straight and really throw your shoulders back like you are trying to keep your back nice and straight. While in that position try to act like your hands are following your horses movement at the canter. Pay attention to how stiff and tight your elbows and arms feel.
Now, slump back forward all relaxed. This time sit up and dont worry about your shoulders. Instead, inhale deeply down thru your diaphragm, while letting your body stretch up nice and tall, as you inhale. Your shoulders should feel relaxed. Now move your arms like you are cantering. Your elbows will feel soft and flowing and flexible. The tightness in your arms originates from your shoulders (and tension elsewhere). Usually with riders that are trying to “equitate”, they get the throwing shoulders back thing going and it causes arm stiffness. Think stretching tall while inhaling, rather than shoulders back will help.
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Thank you!!! I’m going to try all of these!
This is a very helpful topic, since I have arms which are short as well as stiff. The fixes cited by lots of people in this post can be helpful to play around with–the driving rein, for example–as well as (for me), widening and narrowing my hands as I ride, making sure my thumbs are turning out a bit, and even holding a small circle of bungee cord in both hands hands, which makes it impossible to lock the elbows.
But like @Bristol Bay said,it’s really a problem with the seat (and general rider tension). When I was riding pure dressage, on a horse I completely trusted, miraculously my arms became much, much better at following, because I was more connected in my seat to the horse and more relaxed. My core also improved tremendously. My arms are better than they used to be, but now that I’m riding different horses in a hunt seat saddle, the problem returns unless I’m very conscious of it.
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OP - I came across this and thought it was very interesting: https://www.amirashop.co.uk/acatalog/FreeJump---Nylon-Collar-Training-Aid-AE670992.html#SID=592
I don’t know if anyone has tried it and can report back. The concept is neat, forcing you to move your elbows and try to soften the arm.
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I essentially do this using the martingale or a grab strap (from an old stirrup leather). But this might be better hand placemment.
