Tips for creating a more consistent contact?

[danhelm441]

PSA that this isn’t an ideal rider-horse pairing/situation, and we are moving to a dressage barn this summer where hopefully a lot of these wrinkles will be ironed out.

I have a quirky 9 y/o warmblood that I ended up totally restarting from the ground last spring after a year off. We got along okay through summer and early fall with very casual flatting around. Then winter hit and things got interesting. It took a few false starts, but I found a pro who ended up clicking with him and was able to put in several training rides from Dec-Jan. Watching the pro, I had some major “aha” moments. I realized I couldn’t just sit back and wait for bad things to happen, I had to take up the contact, keep my leg on, and pay attention to what was happening every single stride. This made a huge difference, especially the part about contact, which to be honest, I don’t think I ever really understood the point of before (apart from “it’s correct” and “it looks pretty”).

The thing is, our contact is very inconsistent. I feel like I get it and I lose it. It’s best at the trot, especially the trot right after canter. It’s ok at the canter, though I can’t really get the horse round in canter. It’s very bad at the walk, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the walk is where we get into the most trouble. In fact, if it’s a spooky/windy day, I don’t even walk at all, I just get on and go straight to trot.

When I first start riding, my horse is generally pretty hollow with his head up. I try to keep my hands high to follow the corners of his mouth but not pull, and then as we get moving, I add leg, cluck, and wiggle the reins until he drops his head. And then I just think of it like we are holding hands the whole ride. So if he drops my hand and starts to get looky, I add leg, cluck, and wiggle the reins until he picks my hand up again.

This works okay, it certainly keeps his mind busy, but he’s still dropping his head and working in a frame only a minority of the time. He isn’t going behind the vertical, and isn’t tossing his head/fighting unless he’s spooking at something. But it’s more like he’ll just be very flat and not really connected to my hand, so I’m constantly having to ask and hassle him. Again, he’s at least not offended by my asking or using a lot of leg or hand—even very dramatic pony kicks—so I don’t feel like we get into fights over the contact. But he doesn’t really pick it up and hold it for very long either.

I do have a hard time keeping him in front of my leg, so I can imagine that’s part of it, and it could be why he does it best coming down to a trot from a canter when he’s really cruising forward. But plenty of times he really is doing a nice, forward trot and still just isn’t stretching down.

Is this something I can improve from the ground in side reins? Or with a chambon or other gadget? I’m not anti-gadget in the least. Could it also be a bit issue? He’s in an egg butt snaffle that’s broken twice (not sure what it’s technically called). Would love to be able to teach a better contact from the ground, because I’m a lot more effective there, if I’m being honest!

[LilRanger]

I think you can use side reins, with the rubber donut to teach him from the ground. I’m no expert though, I’m sure someone else will be along to give better advice.

It’s odd he’s spooking at the walk, do you do many figures while riding? Like figure 8 or serpentine or poles? Those can also help with getting him in front of you leg.

[Willesdon]

A slightly odd suggestion perhaps, but rather than constantly thinking about the contact, how to get the contact, ooh, two strides of really good contact as you school your horse, try riding actual dressage tests. I personally find that when I’m riding a test pattern my thoughts are forward, I’m setting up the horse for the next movement and I automatically correct basics such as straightness and rhythm without thinking which improves contact.

[BigMama1]

I’m no expert and struggle with contact myself, so take this advice with a large helping of salt…it sounds like you are creating inconsistent contact with all the “wiggling” of the hands you describe?

And without the horse truly in front of your leg consistently, he’s not going to be taking the contact consistently.

Lungeing in side reins will encourage him to accept a steady contact and build some correct muscling, provided the side reins are adjusted properly and you keep him truly moving forward from behind. But under saddle I doubt it will make a huge difference unless you change what you’re doing? Think about how steady the contact created with side reins is; that’s how steady you need the contact you create when you’re riding to be. So perhaps just focus on really keeping him coming forward with energy from behind, staying in front of your leg every step, and giving him a really steady, consistent, contact to go into?

I struggle with this every day in the canter, where my horse tends to get a bit slow behind and not really coming through into my hand with energy, so you aren’t alone.

[danhelm441]

@LilRanger

It’s odd he’s spooking at the walk, do you do many figures while riding? Like figure 8 or serpentine or poles? Those can also help with getting him in front of you leg.

I think it’s because we lose the forward momentum in the walk and he gets behind the leg. I wonder if it’s a warmblood thing. My first horse really had no vices, because he was a babysitter, but to the extent he did, it was that he would bolt if he got bored and/or annoyed with you. It was a big mindset shift to understand that slow/behind the leg did NOT equal safe, because on my previous horse, I always thought I was in the clear as long as we weren’t going very fast. Little did I know the worst antics can come from a stand still. Now when I get on, instead of “slow and steady,” I think, “all gas, no brakes.” That’s why I like to start with trot to warm up, because I find that establishing that forward mindset is really key.

[Eclectic_Horseman]

You can longe your horse in side reins before you get on so that he has the opportunity to carry himself with really steady contact. When longeing, you need to provide the driving aid, and make sure that the horse is staying straight on the circle, bent to the inside with his inside hind reaching well under his body.

Then take off the side reins and when you get on, all you should have to do is take up your reins (at least half of the reins should be looped in the bight), add the driving aids, and keep him straight. Loss of contact may be caused by one of the following:
-Insufficient driving aids
-Horse not straight (e.g., popping a shoulder out or leaning in)
-reins too long
-rider using reins for balance or moving hands

Good luck!

[endlessclimb]

Stop wiggling. Get that “hand hold” feeling you described, and then keep it. Everything from there comes from little tiny movements of the fingers and wrist.

For the horse that “disappears” behind, leg comes first. If they don’t come to the contact with leg alone, I start thinking “shoulder in with a little leg yield” to get them into the outside contact, then ask for straightness again to see if they will take both. Note that you may not actually shoulder in/leg yield - it’s more of a feeling you have to imagine in order to put your leg on and push them into a rein. Personally, I never take up their slack when they suck behind - I do things until they go back out to me. If your hands are steady, they will eventually learn to trust that they can stay out there with you and not be made uncomfortable.

For the horse that comes up away from the contact, there are two things I try. The first is counterintuitive, but works more often - I raise my hands and put leg on, changing nothing else. It’s a “hold and wait” type feeling. Any attempt on the horse’s part to come down/round is rewarded with a tiny release that comes from the fingers only. I don’t want to throw it all away, but I do want them to know they’re getting warmer in their search for an answer. If this doesn’t work, the other thing I do is a little more standard, which is using figures to encourage them to come round.

Note I am no dressage guru. I’m just stating what I do, and what works for me.

[danhelm441]

@BigMama1

I’m no expert and struggle with contact myself, so take this advice with a large helping of salt…it sounds like you are creating inconsistent contact with all the “wiggling” of the hands you describe?

I’ve tried planting my knuckles on his withers, which would keep me honest about no hand movement at all. But my trainer pointed out that doesn’t work because I need to keep a following contact with the corners of his mouth. When I anchor my hands to something, I pretty much lose all contact unless he’s pulling or rooting. I definitely don’t find it as effective as at least trying to maintain the “conversation” with a following hand. Because even if he drops my hand and I start nagging him, I can tell it’s reassuring and it does keep him focused on me.

[Eclectic_Horseman]

@danhelm441

I definitely don’t find it as effective as at least trying to maintain the “conversation” with a following hand.

A following hand is really allowing the bend in the elbow to come forward and back as required to not have dead contact with the mouth. It is not really your hand that follows.

The hand might be used to make mini-adjustments, if needed, to straighten the horse, get more bend or more flexion. You might close your hand to half-halt or halt. But otherwise, just playing with the bit is not helpful. Be purposeful with your hand.

[luvmyhackney]

I’m relearning proper contact with my 5 y/o, the advice I get from my instructor is that contact is holding a baby chick steadily. Not moving my fingers but super steady soft holding of the reins. A squeeze is a half halt.

My elbows don’t follow per say, it comes from my shoulder blades.

This article was helpful to me: https://practicalhorsemanmag.com/training/how-rider-shoulder-position-affects-hand-position-and-contact/

[MapleBreeze]

Contact goes to your elbows - even your shoulder actually - it doesnt stop at the hand. Learn to give, take, and feel through your elbows. Get 1x per week dressage lessons with someone that teaches the hind end and teaches about that the first lesson instead of leg on and holding with your hand.

[Bristol_Bay]

This might be more of a baby step than you need, but try widening your hands, which creates a funnel so the horse has nowhere to go but into the contact. Once you get the feel, slowly bring your hands together. I also try to remember that the “contact button” is on his sides, not in his mouth, if that makes sense.

My horse is not spooky or looky, but we don’t really get consistent contact until he’s warmed up after some trot and canter.

[merrygoround]

In order for a rider to have a good contact, several things must happen. The horse must be forward . Then the rider must free up his elbows,try letting your arms hang down close to your sides, but not clamped, then raise your hands to “carrying a tea-tray” height, keeping your forearms soft, quietly hold the reins. The reins are held between thumb and forefinger, the other fingers softly curled, if you carry a whip, allow the circle created between the rein-gripping thumb and forefinger hold the whip cap.Do not grip the whip! It should lie loosely across your palm and fingers.

Then as the horse moves, the unclamped elbows move with the horse’s head from the shoulder, allowing elbows to float forward and back by your side. the feel in your fingers of the horse’s mouth should be that of a gentle hand hold, not restricting ,just following. Be sure there is a straight line between bit and elbows.

A gentle wiggle of your pinky finger should be all that’s necessary to correct flexion of the head and neck.
Transitions, turns, bending, etc. all come frim the seat and legs. But, that’s another chapter.

[Jealoushe]

Practice at the walk to make sure your elbows are opening and closing and moving with the horses head and neck. Without your body relaxed and hips following this won’t be possible, so make sure you are really loose and the horse is moving you with them.

This is one of THE hardest concepts to grasp or change, so just keep at it. Keep focusing on your position throughout your ride. When your position is correct you will find keeping the contact much easier.

Don’t forget to add leg.

Struggling with Rein Length and Contact?

How to get a Steady and Supple Contact

Improve your Hands: 3 Tips for Better Contact

[Equibrit]

You are not going to succeed unless your horse is FIT,FIT,FIT and relaxed. You can achieve this by trail riding, ground driving, lunging etc…etc… regularly and consistently. Expecting a horse, who has had inconsistent training, to carry himself in the balance required for the contact you want is not fair to the horse.

[endlessclimb]

Agree with this.

Even though he’s a wanker at the walk (according to what you’ve written), you do still need to take lots of walk breaks and stretch breaks.

[atr]

Its not just the horse that needs to be fit. You need a solid core that keeps you grounded in the saddle and allows you to have independent arms and hands.

In my quest for this for myself, I came up with a slightly out of the box idea, but it actually works.

Buy yourself a mini trampoline. They cost less than $100. Get one with a bar handle.

Do most of your exercises on the trampoline with your hands on the handle. I mostly just rest them in a rein holding position on the top and try to forget about them as I do my bounces and twists, etc. I think actively about the posture i need for riding while I’m working out.

6 weeks of this has improved my riding immensely. Obviously I’m aerobically and muscularly in much better shape, but also my proprioception has improved dramatically and my body finally accepts that my arms and elbows and hands can do things independently from the rest of my body.

[endlessclimb]

What a neat idea!

[danhelm441]

My “favorite” exercise for balance and proprioception is the single leg Romanian deadlift. Scare quotes because, no, it’s not really my favorite, it’s hard but it’s effective! A trampoline sounds a heck of a lot more fun.

I would say I am pretty fit, and my horse is pretty fit. Winter does make it hard. But I am as consistent as I can be. As for relaxed, well, winter has made that hard too. But (ofc it’s easy to say this now that it’s beginning to feel like spring), I’m grateful for the challenges of winter because every year I feel like I am forced to learn something new and level up my horsemanship because of it.

[endlessclimb]

I keep saying “I’m ready for hot, tired horses who have been fighting the flies all day.” Winter has been tough this year!