A lot of riders have trouble keeping their hands quiet and independent in the saddle. We all want to have soft hands and not to interfere with the horses’ mouth but this is easier said than done! Watch a video of yourself riding and study what you hands are doing. In an ideal world, your hands should appear relatively still and passive, however often this is not the case! Even I have been horrified to watch a video of myself riding by all of the extraneous movements that my hands are doing! Here are a few tips to keep your hands still while you are riding:
1. Keep your shoulders, elbows, and wrists soft. Often when riders are told “keep your hands still” they tighten and stiffen all the muscles in their arms. This will only make your hands bounce even more because you are on a moving animal and your hands and arms must absorb the motion of the horse!
2. “No seat, no hands.” If your seat is not solid and absorbing the motion of the horse, your hands are going to bounce. Focus on improving your seat and staying connected to the horse in order to keep your hands quiet and steady.
3. Following elbows: your elbows must bend and straighten as you are riding in order to keep a steady contact. Watch the video and I will explain and demonstrate this!
Finding a steady contact and independent quiet hands will make your horse a lot happier! Remember that your horse has a metal bit in their mouth. Any extraneous movement or bouncing that your hands are doing is translated onto your horses’ tongue with a piece of metal. Quiet and independent hands will improve your overall effect as a rider and the happiness of your horse!!
