How to use the hand

Since I'll be sitting by the ocean next week, I post this blog entry early:

In modern dressage the idea that the driving aids are more important than the hand is often voiced. But it is so? All the aids, particularly the rider's hands, are there to communicate with the horse, not to physically control her. If you have the horse's attention and she understands your request, how strong do you have to be? In my blog two weeks ago I wrote about why the hand is seen as the primary aid in classical riding. What does it really mean for how the hand should be used?


Never a backward action
The most basic technique is never to take your hand backwards. You simply should not pull on the horse's mouth. Horses are six to seven times faster in their reactions than humans, and stronger. If you start a wrestling match you will lose sooner or later. And above all, a wrestling match will give both you and your horse unnecessary and incorrect muscle tension.

Direct instead
Then what to do? You can raise your hands, bring them forwards or sideways. In doing this your hand can redirect and reflect your horse's energy through the bit and reins. Your goal is to get your horse to shift its weight on its four legs so that she takes the position she needs for the movement you want to do without you getting any pressure in the reins.

Up
If you use your hands by lifting them upward, following by a lowering you'll perform what the old masters called a half halt. For this you don't need any legs just a simple raising of your hand, followed by an immediate lowering. The response from your horse can be divided into four stages: 1) she raises her head, 2) she slows down, 3) she stops, 4) she backs up. The raising of the horse's neck and head makes the horse re-balance itself by putting more weight on its hind legs. This is the beginning of collection.

Towards and away from the horse
When you direct your horse's energy out and away from the horse (this is almost the same thing as performing a small leading or opening rein) this is called a "direct rein". The effect is that the horse either makes a wide arc in the same direction as your hand moved or a turn on the forehand. Which one you get depends on the horse's degree of collection. A direct rein asks the horse to put her weight on the front leg. If you do a direct rein with the right hand your horse should put her weight on the right front leg.

If you instead direct your horse's energy into the horse's body (this is comparable to a neck rein in Western riding), this is called an "indirect rein". The effect is that the horse either makes a wide arc in the opposite direction, or a turn on the haunches. What movement your horse will perform depends, again, on the degree of collection. An indirect rein asks the horse to put weight on the diagonal hind leg.

The principles are very easy, but not always so simple to do in reality!