Hands

[Foxie]

I have a quick question about hand position.&nbsp;One coach tells me to keep them down and another tells me to lift them up!!!<IMG src="smileys/smiley5.gif" border="0"><IMG src="smileys/smiley5.gif" border="0">
How do you have your hands and where should they be??

[chenders01]

Ooohh, Foxie, I feel your pain!&nbsp; I, too, was taught by one coach to keep my hands low and then when I moved onto a new coach, she said to keep my elbows bent and keep my hands higher...so now I'm having a HECK of a time, re-training myself to ride with my hands higher <IMG src="smileys/smiley5.gif" border="0">&nbsp;<IMG src="smileys/smiley11.gif" border="0">
When I was at the Walter Zettl clinic a couple weeks ago, he stressed keeping your hands UP, plus, that's how you see all the really high-level dressage riders ride...so, I think that hands UP is the correct way.
&nbsp;

[draftdriver]

Elbows to wrists to bit should be a straight line. Thus, your elbows must be relaxed enough to open and close as the horse moves its down and up. Please, don't ever try to mimic the effect of side reins by keeping your elbows stiff and straight and your knuckles brushing the horse's shoulders. The result is poor, unfeeling contact, and a horse with an incorrect head carriage and, quite often, insufficient forward movement.

[Terry3025]

OHHHH...I feel your pain. My Arab coach who was teaching my QH <img border="0" src="smileys/smiley5.gif" border="0"> was always moving my hands around. One day the outside hand would be down and low, next day they'd be by my hips. Then my dressage coach would tell me not to move my hands at all, unless warming up where the reins are low and the hands are at your sides. <br /> <br />I've stopped lessons with both coaches, and went to a Dressage coach that had just moved into my area. She said your hands should be at your belly button for heighth. Keep your elbows close to your side, and that'll keep your hands still, no airplane flying. I'd always get teased for that. <br /> <br />Hope that helps

[Foxie]

Terry - I like riding the way your Dressage coach is telling you.
DD - I don't know what side reins are but my elbows aren't stiff. They need to be soft in order to follow the motion of the horse.
Chenders - Confusing isn't it!!!<IMG src="smileys/smiley5.gif" border="0">&nbsp;How high did this guy at the clinic tell you to keep your hands?

[Marty_Jones]

I keep my hands about 2-3inches above the horse/saddle area. Unless Marty's being a dink and trying to pull the riens away from me then I plan them and he can teach himself that pulling hurts and not to do it<IMG src="smileys/smiley2.gif" border="0">(i wish I could show you but kinda too hard on the computer lol)

[Xenasaur]

ya.. I just hold mine at a natural height above my horses withers with my elbows bent...
Terry: who is the new dressage coach that is in our area? I havent heard of any new ones????

[schubert]

I agree that hands should be carried above the withers, however feel that there are always exceptions to any "rule". <br /> <br />In this case it was fairly common in Germany where I learned to ride that students were taught to keep their hands a bit lower until they have developed sufficiently quiet hands and could carry them at the accepted height without pulling in every which direction. This of course was usually reinforced with many, many, many lunge lessons to develop the neccessary independant seat, without which you cannot have independent hands. I think emphasising the proper height of the hands before solidfying an independent seat results in a rider using the reins as "handlebars" and a stiff or resisant horse. <br /> <br />Personally, I would much rather see a rider with a softer,following hand that is a bit lower than the norm than one with hands that are higher than the individual can compentently handle. Just my two cents...<img border="0" src="smileys/smiley2.gif" border="0">

[horsecrazy333]

I've always been told like DD - straight line from bit to hands to elbow! It's hard. <br /> <br />Foxie, not sure of the 'hands down coach' unless it is who I think it is. In which case, they are TOO low! The lower the hands the more the bit it forced into the top of the horses mouth and more rigid and lock jaw they become. It's hard to have soft elbows and hands on your thighs. I learned that the hard way! <br /> <br />Good luck.

[Terry3025]

Xena- She's in Marmora, named Lesia Wickens, but she's not coaching anymore. She's focusing mainly on breeding CSH and training. I was really happy to have gotten about 5 months of lessons in with her, she was such an amazing trainer. She trained in Europe and with Eva Pracht, competed up to GP. Absouletly amazing, just wish she was still teaching.

[stephanie1]

Foxie- side reins go on when you are lunging they get attached to the sides of the grith and then snap on to the bit, help your horse stay round on the lunge or teach them to&nbsp; reach for bit like if you were on them.&nbsp; Some people ride with side reins but I say no way.&nbsp; They kinda act like draw reins but alot lower and the have a fixed setting.
I agree with you schubert&nbsp; I have a student that hands bounce with her horse so I tell her to keep her hands low not below the withers but close to them it stops her from pulling on her horses mouth and keeps them quiet.
I personally ride with my hands a few inches above the withers.&nbsp; But the horse I ride now i carry them a bit higher.&nbsp; It all depends on the horse that I am riding.

[Ruth]

My coach subscribes to the low(ish)theory, not exaggerated though. Boomer likes to run through his right shoulder and keeping the right hand lower is helpful in keeping that shoulder in line. Of course I seem to do the opposite and tend to raise it!<img border="0" src="smileys/smiley8.gif" border="0">

[LucasL]

I am with Schubert. I think that your hand position depends on your level of riding and on the level of your horse's training. I don't carry my hands overly high. I rode in the Zettl clinic and he didn't really correct me on my hands, other than to tell me when to give. (At least,&nbsp;I don't think that he did!!!!)
I was taught on the lunge when I was a kid - we hooked our pinkies through the bucking strap and that helped to stabilize your hands while we worked on our seats.

[Patricia]

In training lower is probably better...but like another poster mentioned bent elbow and form a straight line to bit/mouth.&nbsp; I found my light bulb moment in a Penny Zavitz clinic was to keep my hands steady and lower, elbow by my side--thus finding that connection hand/seat/legs that was so elusive to maintain a nice sitting trot.&nbsp; Although, when showing it is common especially in the higher levels to carry your hands a touch higher and have them be independent from your body.&nbsp;

[Foxie]

Everyone has good advice and experience I see. <IMG src="smileys/smiley4.gif" border="0">&nbsp;I don't ride with my hands on my lap, on my thighs&nbsp;or&nbsp;below the withers&nbsp;but I perfer not to have high hands. My perference. I just find that the&nbsp;horse will soften when I have my hands lower.&nbsp;&nbsp;I think I'm also with Schubert<IMG src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0">

[Foxie]

I found a webiste that answers the question really well!!<IMG src="smileys/smiley4.gif" border="0">
&nbsp;
<A href="http://www.equisearch.com/sports/dressage/training/eqdtqa2651/" target="_blank">http://www.equisearch.com/sports/dressage/training/eqdtqa2651/</A>
<A href="http://www.equisearch.com/sports/hunterjumper/julyhunt2296/" target="_blank">http://www.equisearch.com/sports/hunterjumper/julyhunt2296/</A>

[schubert]

Glad to hear that three years in Germany were not a waste! <br /> <br /><img border="0" src="smileys/smiley4.gif" border="0">

[loki]

&nbsp;I was always told to keep hands up and thumbs on top<IMG src="smileys/smiley20.gif" border="0">. In other words my coach hates piano hands! lol.

[Foxie]

Schubert somehow I don't think that training in Germany would ever be a waste!<IMG src="smileys/smiley2.gif" border="0">
BTW I see that you are new so........<strong>WELCOME!!<IMG src="smileys/smiley4.gif" border="0"><IMG src="smileys/smiley10.gif" border="0"><IMG src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0"></strong>