long rein, light contact, hollow horse

[Adpaga]

#ed_op#span class="postbody"#ed_cl#I need help to explain the right feel to
astudent of mine who mistakes avoiding the contact (thus having a
lightrein on a pretty but thollow/behind the bit horse) with
suppleness/connection (horse#ed_op#br#ed_cl#pushing through to the bit, and carrying himself from back to front).#ed_op#br#ed_cl#When they work in a nice rythm, forward from her leg and over his back#ed_op#br#ed_cl#and through, on a shorter (not short) rein, she is always feeling like#ed_op#br#ed_cl#he's heavy, obwohl the contact she shows me when I take the other end of#ed_op#br#ed_cl#the reins is stillfairly light (about a pound max). She rides other#ed_op#br#ed_cl#horses without falling in the same mistake, but those are confirmed in#ed_op#br#ed_cl#their trainingscale, while her horse is still fairly green.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Please, any idea, advice, experience welcome..#ed_op#/span#ed_cl#

[zooka]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#how about getting the student to do transition work on different size circles?  I know with Zooka that always worked to show that she was not all the way through and though she was on the bit and light in my hand that was not necessarily a good thing....#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Another option is get her to ride someone who is hard in the hand to see what being heavy in the hand and what is normal in the hand feels like.  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Rio Roulette]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Taking a video(s) and watching it with her might help. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Also, when you take the reins to feel how much contact she is offering, have you tried to suddenly pull the reins away from her and see if she is yanked forward out of the saddle or pulled down more deeply into it? I'm wondering if she is carrying that heaviness she is feeling with her hands/arms/shoulders instead of using it to deepen her seat. Just a thought.A pound is not an unreasonable amount to feel, but it can feel like more if the rider is not 'carrying' the weight correctly. Putting weight into the seat as opposed to the hands is what will ask the hind legs to step under and help to re balance the horse. It's the seat that gets the horse to operate his engine correctly not the breaks (reins). #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#The other thing she needs to understand is that a young horse WILL tend to lean more because they don't have the same balance as a finished horse. They rely a little more on the rider to help them find that balance. They get heavy before they get light. So she should allow the horse to get heavy (as opposed to just letting him fall through her hands) and then ask him if he can lighten. If you "spot" me on my first attempts on a balance beam, I will lean on you. As you teach me to balance you will allow me less latitude and expect me to hold myself up and find my own balance. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#You could also "mark" her reins with different coloured tape or wool/string (if the reins are braided or woven) - one measurement being the length of the horse's neck from wither to poll, and a second mark 4 inches shorter. This will give her (and you) a general idea of where she's at, where she should be, and where she goes depending on the gait. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Best of luck - once she gets this it'll be a lightbulb moment. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Adpaga]

thank you for your input, it is really constructive and helpfull.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
We did the test of pulling the reins while holding them with her, and
indeed she got out of the saddle! So we are back to work on her
seat/leg aids more, and as she sits better, her horse came steadily
over his back. Hopefully we are not to far from having the light bulb
get on!#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
Thanks again,#ed_op#br#ed_cl#