I’ve been creating some extra content for my online programme these last couple of weeks to work on our rein contact.

We started with stability work to ensure we had a solid base from which to hold a rein contact from.

Then we’ve moved on to “Forward Hands”.

Often when I watch my riders, they’re working really hard with their legs and seat but their horse still isn’t quite travelling through from the hind end to reach into a proper contact.

Then we check into their hands and sometimes it is really subtle but it’s enough; their hands are pulling back. So, asking for go with their legs and saying no with their hands! 🙈

If you think this might be you here’s a little exercise for you to try.

Sitting down, preferably on a gym ball but a chair will do.

Hold a weight out in front of you with both hands. First with straight arms and see how it feels, which muscles are working?

Then bend your arms as if you were riding. Which muscles are working now?

Hopefully with bent arms you can feel your abdominals switch on. This is where you should be feeling it when you’re riding too! Your abdominals should be supporting your hands with your hands feeling like they are pushing forward against a resistance-which is what stops you just throwing your hands forward.

So back on your horse you visualise holding that weight, your abs will kick in to support it and your hands will push forward against a wall. Keep your hands up, together in front of you and see how your horse responds……..