On the bit at the walk. Contact. Do your reins feel alive? S4 dressage

"Oh, what fun it is to feel your horse seeking the contact of your reins!. How do you know when your horses is seeking the contact from your hands? You can feel it in the reins. Now you can watch as Beau begins to understand that concept and allows Susan to feel the life energy in the rein contact.


Contact comes in many layers as a horse and rider become more connected and aware of each other. At first a horse needs to be comfortable as we position his head and supple their jaw or poll to keep them loose. Next, we start positioning the horses head where we want it. For some, there will be a magical moment when the reins become more than a tool, they take on a feel that I like to call, "coming alive". This is when the horse and rider are communicating. The horse is in front of the riders aids, in front of the aids, or whatever you might call it. Now you can watch what happens as Susan feels Beau becoming alive through the reins. This was a very exciting session for all of us. 

Can you see what is happening? The next time you are riding ask yourself if your reins are "alive" yet. It's OK if they are not. As those who have been following the progress of Beau know, it can take a few years to get a horse to respond that way. Good things take time.