Ride In Sync

Have Light Hands

by Terry Myers

In articles over the years I have talked about bits, training processes and rider body position. In this article I would like to talk about something that is frequently overlooked; which is how you use your hands.

You can change the way a horse walks when you are leading them just by changing the way you are griping the lead rope. When leading a horse, even with slack in the lead rope, your horse will change how it moves when you make a fist on the rope. Your horse can feel the tension through the lead rope and change the movement of their feet, becoming slightly forehand heavy. By opening or relaxing your grip on the rope, your horse will relax their movement and actually stride out better and smoother.

One of my pet peeves is when someone brings in a horse for training and they lead them into the barn while having a death grip on the lead rope right below the snap. The horse is usually tense, walking all over the person and leaning on them, with the horse leading the person instead of the person leading the horse. The horse has learned to brace and pull against being braced and pulled upon. If someone grabs you by the sleeve of your shirt or better yet, the collar of your shirt and tries to drag you along; your first response is to brace and pull back. Same deal with your horse. By teaching your horse to lead on a slack lead, rather than a taught rope, your horse will learn not to brace while you are handling them on the ground.

A lot of people, both English and western, ride in a snaffle bit. People feel that they are being nice to their horse by riding in what they think is a less severe bit. A snaffle bit, when used properly, is a mild bit. However, most people do not ride their horse properly in a snaffle bit. They never teach their horse to give to the bit pressure. So when their horse runs through the snaffle bit, they go to a more severe bit and then a more severe bit. To properly use a snaffle bit, you cannot pull on both reins. A snaffle bit is made to work latterly across the horse’s mouth, working across the horse’s tongue and mouth. The reins should be held in your hands with an open light touch, as if you are holding hands with someone you like. If you ride in a snaffle bit, try this: while at the walk, spread your hands slightly and alternatively move your fingers so that the bit moves lightly back and forth. If you horse tries to stop, you may need to use a little leg pressure to push them into the bridle. What you should feel/see is your horse will lighten and break at the poll. When you feel this, release pressure as a reward and then try again. By doing this over and over you will teach your horse to give to the bit.

A shank bit is a little different than a snaffle. It has more pressure points than a snaffle bit. I graduate a horse to a shank bit not because I need more bit, but because my horse has learned how to move/stay in a collected frame and I am ready for less pressure. That way in the show ring I can do more with less; less hand movement and less pressure on the bit. Plus at six years of age, most western disciplines are required to show in a shank bit. By then, your horse should have achieved a level of training to be able to do more with less. With a shank bit/bridle, your hand has to be light with a feel to your fingers. You pick up the reins, do not pull back. If you pull back, your horse will brace… every time.

A bit is a tool. It is no more severe than a ‘bitless’ bridle if it is used properly. To use a bit properly, it starts with your hands. By having lightness in your hands, you can start to create lightness and softness in your horse. You cannot do this by having a death grip on your reins. In this article I have only talked about hands. But hands are only one part of the equation. Your body position and legs are the remainder of the equation. If you only ride with your hands, you are only riding a third of your horse, the head and neck. Learn to ride the whole horse by learning to ride with your whole body.

One final thing to remember… horses don’t make mistakes, people do. If you try to keep this philosophy in the forefront of your mind when working with your horse, you will be a more effective partner.

Questions about this or any of our articles can be emailed to us at myers5000@aol.com.

Learn to ride the whole horse by learning to ride with your whole body.

Terry Myers is a national clinician and champion horse trainer with a depth of knowledge developed from over 45 years in the horse industry. Myers has been a popular clinician at multiple expos in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more about Myers’ Ride-InSync methods as well as clinic and training services available, visit Myers at www.tmtrainingcenter. com or on Facebook.