Cavalli Connections » The lifelong pursuit of classical riding.

Getting It Straight

Rein contact, a seemingly simple concept, is a bit more difficult to perfect than it would seem. Most riders, if you ask them, will agree that in theory you should have an elastic, sympathetic, constant contact with the horse’s mouth. What happens in actual practice is another matter completely.

For many years, I didn’t understand at all. You can feel the horse’s mouth, you have decent balance, so why can’t you keep the reins from going straight-loop-straight-loop? Never mind total beginners, never mind young children, but can’t developmentally and intellectually mature adults who’ve been riding for awhile get it straight – literally?

The answer is no. They can’t. If they haven’t developed a secure, independent seat, then the hands (and the horse) will always suffer. There’s no way around it. If it isn’t inconsistent contact, then it’s too much contact and leaning on the hands. You can remind them, model for them at a standstill what contact should feel like, show them pictures and videos – all futile.

There is a reason the Spanish Riding School puts new students on the lunge line for at least 6 months. A very, very good reason.

Everything always comes back to the seat; it truly is the foundation for all good riding. You simply cannot achieve soft, quiet hands and good contact with the horse’s mouth without developing an independent seat.

If I could learn to ride all over again, I would love to be on the lunge line for months. I would love to have to earn the privilege of having the reins. Even now, I wish I could just practice on the lunge line for hours every week. It really is the key to developing the classical seat. The trouble is, there are very few people in the world with an equally burning desire to lunge horses for hours on end!