# Helpful ideas for closed fingers around the reins?



## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

what we always use to get little kids to keep their fingers closed(and thumbs up) is to imagine that you are holding an ice cream cone and you do not want it to drop. It works for them or you can put a straw or something where you hold your reins (if possible for you) and it will remind you to keep your hands closed or you'll lose it.


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## ChristophersCanter (Aug 13, 2011)

thanks! i think it's weird that it only happens with 2 reins that i use. i used to think about my horse being always in an open field of grass, and that she always wants to eat... but ive been forgetting lately. ):


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## Strange (Jan 11, 2009)

I feel like this is more morbid/disturbing, but I was told to pretend you're holding a small bird in each hand. You don't want it to get away but you don't want to crush it either!


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## Carleen (Jun 19, 2009)

Strange said:


> I feel like this is more morbid/disturbing, but I was told to pretend you're holding a small bird in each hand. You don't want it to get away but you don't want to crush it either!


My first coach very nearly bought me two baby chicks for this very reason... :shock:


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## ChristophersCanter (Aug 13, 2011)

O.O 
that's slightly scary. but.. it mustve worked. i'll try all these ideas as soon as i can! thanks guys


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## Carleen (Jun 19, 2009)

That, and if you have a habit of having piano hands she would make you hold two mugs full of water while you rode. If you turned your hand the wrong way you'd spill water on your horse and spook it...

Sound scary, but the methods definitely worked!!


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## Oakley Eastern Miss (Aug 10, 2010)

I had a very similar method used on me when i was young, they made us carry plastic mugs with handles. They would fill them to the top with water- it made you close your fingers and keep your hands still else you and pony ended up soaked


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## ChristophersCanter (Aug 13, 2011)

I don't have a habit with piano hands, but that mug idea seems like it would be a great method anyways! or just holding anything when riding. thanks for the great ideas!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Courtney (May 20, 2011)

I love these ideas. I remember when I was taking riding lessons, my instructor handed us each a glass of pop and had us hold that in one hand while our horses jogged. No one wanted to spill soda on themselves or their horse, and we learned very quickly how to ride without bouncing around.

We used straws to help us keep our fingers closed.

We tucked a sheet of paper under each thigh while riding. The idea was to keep our upper thigh quiet and still enough that the paper would stay in place all lesson. Sometimes, we'd tuck one under our bums to remind us not to bounce in the saddle. If my instructor was feeling particularly evil, she'd hand us a glass of soda (mentioned above) and tell us to hold that WHILE trying to keep the three pieces of paper in place.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

You might have open hands because you are trying to be "light" in your contact with the horse's mouth. Understandable, but what results is "weak" contact, not light contact. If you don't have piano hands , then it might be the reins you are using. THick? won't bend easily?
Think of closing your fingers 'til you can feel the tips of your finger touching the inside of your palm . Then, put your thumb on top and put a little crook in it.
YOu fingers close to form the "house" and your crooked thumb laying on top of them is the "roof" of your house, AND it points directly at the bit, the thumb point is like a laser aimed at the bit rings. Helps to keep that elbow to bit alingnment.

Make the house, put the roof on top, and laser in to the horse's mouth!


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Carleen said:


> My first coach very nearly bought me two baby chicks for this very reason... :shock:


 OUCH--I have 8 baby chicks in the brooder RIGHT now, 3 days old--DON'T take mine!!
If you horse is safe enough, have you tried "throwing your reins away", then choking up for contact, then follow at the walk, repeat. It's not a really hard concept. I'm sure you've seen people ride with dead hands and hit their horse in the mouth. You might need to psych yourself out on this one.


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## ChristophersCanter (Aug 13, 2011)

tinyliny, i thinks thats exactly it, the reins i use now are completely different then what i usually use. they are really thick, and stiff. i always try to have a connection from the bit to my hands, but maybe it is a little too weak. i'll work on that!


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## ChristophersCanter (Aug 13, 2011)

Corporal, can you explain that to me more? what's throwing the reins away..?


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

ChristophersCanter said:


> Corporal, can you explain that to me more? what's throwing the reins away..?


Our instincts tell us to curl into a fetal position when we ride and feel off balance. It takes practice to sit up straight, to weight your stirrups and to work your body in sync with the horse while independantly stearing with the reins. We have to practice stretching our arms Forward. Being able to do so enables us to "follow" the motion of the horse's head, which moves regularly at a walk, stabilizes at a trot and reaches with the leading foot at the canter. 
Since you do not ask how much pressure it takes to hold the lead while leading your horse, I think you already know how something about closing your hands around the reins. (You have a little mental block, I think, to this.)
If you do the reverse of choking up the reins, and ride with the slack (throwing them away) so you have NO contact, you will be teaching Yourself to use your arms independant of your body. (You alternate between slack, then choke up for contact.)
I have another suggestion but ONLY if your horse is reliable and safe, and I did this to help some of my students. Make a 2nd set of reins out of baling twine. Cut it the length of the two reins and tie to the bit. You will ride with the baling-twine reins on the outsides of your pinkies, while riding the snaffle rein in it's normal position, between your ring and pinkie fingers on both hands. You grip them both, just like when leading your horse. IF you are not following well, the twine will punish your hands--you WILL feel his mouth riding this way!! Hope this helps. It's not really a sin if you have trouble following the mouth. Just switch to riding Western!!! ROFL


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