Unstick Your Elbows

Do you tend to grab the reins? Do you have a hard time giving to your horse over a jump? Do you want to lock your elbow? Does your horse complain about your contact?

Here's a quick tip to unstick your elbows using a little stick.

Next time you ride notice what happens in your elbows. Do they go behind your body?

Do you want to pin them to your sides or do you tense them so that your hands are locked in position? The last Murdoch Minute (Excess stirrup leather can come in handy) taught you how to keep your hands quieter but that does not mean locking down your elbows to do it.

Your elbows are a hinge joint. They need to open and close with the horse's movement. If you hold the elbows fixed it will make your hands go up and down bumping the horse in the mouth. Sometimes fixing the elbows in position can be a crutch to your overall balance. So in this Minute you will learn to find your balance independent of your elbow.

Find a short stick. A riding crop or a thin dowel will do. Hold your reins in both hands with the stick on top of your index finger and under your thumb. While off of your horse, practice extending your arms until they are straight. It might help to think of pushing the stick away from you. Be sure to bend your knees so that you can maintain your balance with your elbows fully extended.

You can increase the difficulty of this exercise from the ground by standing on some kind of a tilt board. Be especially careful if you have never been on one before. Stand with your feet to one side of the board. Keep the board tilted slightly but not touching the ground. Let your weight sink into your heels, then extend your arms fully while keeping your balance. Return your arms to rider position and extend several times without allowing the tilt board to move. If you do not have a tilt board you can make one with a small round piece of wood and a wide plank.

Once mounted, (on a safe quiet horse in an enclosed arena) place the stick under your thumbs again while holding the reins. Start at the halt and extend your arms. Make sure your horse is okay with this. Some horses get nervous when the rider's hands extend over their neck.

Once you have checked that your horse is okay, begin to walk. Time the forward movement of the stick in rhythm with your horse's movement. Don't rush the stick! See if you can ride to halt without snatching the stick back to you. Then proceed at trot and finally canter. Experiment with extending your elbows in full seat (upright) and forward seat. This is a great way to check your balance in preparation for an automatic release over fences.

Use this Murdoch Minute to improve the suppleness of your elbows when you ride. If you jump, this is an excellent way to develop "independent hands" over fences. See if you can keep the stick steady and fully extended out in front of you at all gaits and always remember to - Enjoy the Ride!

Wendy Murdoch resides in Washington, VA. She is available for lessons and clinics in Virginia and elsewhere. Her schedule is listed on her website: www.murdochmethod.com Click on the calendar. Her DVDs Simplify Your Riding - Ride Like A Natural Part 1 -3 are available on her web store.