Light hands aren’t about your hands · Better Together Horsemanship

Light hands aren’t about your hands

Having light hands is actually less about your hands than you think. The phrase ‘light hands’ is actually not accurate and can be confusing for those trying to learn it.

Light hands is about timing. Timing the release of pressure.

We actually need to be fairly firm with our hold when teaching a horse to lighten up. We need to hold, not pull and allow the horse to find the comfort in the release itself.

If we have spaghetti hands - too light - the horse will just learn to take them from you. And equally, if we have pulling hands the horse will learn to brace.

6 things that will help:

Practice the release more than anything else.

Understand the difference between pull and hold

Slow down in the pickup of the rein

Have great mental preparation for each movement

Breathe - the release should involve a breath out

Pay the try - before it happens

Join me in the light hands course this week!

See the education tab

5 comments