Steady your bit contact

Do you have trouble maintaining a steady contact to your horse's mouth? Does your horse toss his head or complain about your hands? Do you find that the harder you try the worse it gets? Here's a quick tip to improve your hand connection and offer your horse a steady contact at the same time.

Many riders are worried about being hard on their horse's mouth. Body stiffness or looseness may cause you to bump your horse's mouth inadvertently. Avoiding contact by throwing the reins away doesn't solve the problem - simply hides it. If you avoid the issue of contact you will never learn how to have quiet consistent hands.

Most horses aren't opposed to contact. Unless your horse has dental, saddle or back problem (which can all appear to be a mouth problem) horses will accept a steady contact. In fact horses often relax when the contact is consistent. Even Western riders, without direct contact to the bit, need to steady hands. This quality is the mark of a good seat.

Next time you ride notice your rein contact. Do your reins get tense then slack? Does one rein get shorter or tighter than the other? Do you drop the contact periodically? Do you stiffen during the transitions and pull on the reins?

To solve these problems you need to keep your hands essentially fixed (position maintained in a specific location) in space, riding your horse to the bit with your legs as necessary. As your body moves with the horse you maintain your hand position rather than throwing the reins away or pulling back. This keeps you balanced, in a good position. The pressure on the bit is alleviated as the horse rounds into the length of rein you offer, which actually slackens the reins. The horse gives himself the release by responding to the fixed point of the bit. You can also open your fingers slightly as a way to invite him to yield to the bit.

Good contact results from the rider being able to move in relation to their softly fixed hands. To understand the concept of a fixed hand position, find an object (like a chair) and walk around it. Without any restrictions you can move any way you like - there is nothing limiting your relationship to the chair. Now place one hand on the chair and walk around it again. Your movement changes dramatically. You discover new ways to move your legs and hips that you would not have discovered without fixing your hand to the chair.

To fix your hands place them on the horse's withers, the buttons on your English saddle or the swells of your Western saddle. Where you rest your hands depends on your arm length. Keep your wrist straight pressing the pinky side of your softly closed fist down against the saddle. You can shorten or lengthen the reins if you need to then return your hands to the fixed point.

Hands that will not stay fixed to the saddle clearly indicates that you are not with your horse's movement and he is not moving forward into the contact. When correct your hands will stay attached to the saddle. You reins can be long or short depending on how much control you need. If you cannot turn with your hands on the saddle then you know you are not using your body correctly to turn your horse.

Now start to ride at the walk first. Let your horse settle into a quiet place as he begins to move around the fixed point just like you did with the chair. If he doesn't want to use his hindquarters you will find your hands becoming detached. Make sure your legs keep him moving forward.

Work in an enclosed area. Begin this lesson cautiously. If either you or your horse get stressed because your hands are fixed then release your hands. Make sure your horse is moving forward. Set your hands on the saddle again. You can have longer reins provided you can steer. Consider why your hands can't stay fixed on the saddle. If your horse looks like he is unwilling to accept your stabilized hands then make sure there isn't a bigger problem like a sore back or teeth problems causing his distress. Move up to trot when you feel ready. Only canter once you feel confident at the trot.

Use this Murdoch Minute to improve your contact to your horse's mouth. Remember the horse can learn to accept the contact when it is steady and consistent. With your hands fixed to the saddle you learn to move with the horse and become a quieter rider.

Wendy Murdoch resides in Washington, VA and is an international riding instructor/clinician. She travels worldwide teaching riders of all levels and disciplines how to improve the horse's performance by improving their body position. Her book, Simplify Your Riding and DVDs Simplify Your Riding - Ride Like A Natural Part 1 -3 are available at www.murdochmethod.com.