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High Hand vrs Low Hand
I was just wondering everyone's opinion on the use of high hands in training
http://www.philippe-karl.com/modules...=354&topicid=3
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jackie Cochran on
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It lookes like he is holding all four reins in one hand, and because of that the rider has to hold his hand higher. It also looks like he is asking for a turn to the inside.
The web redirected me to http://www.philippe-karl.com, and I am commenting on the first picture that came up.
I will lift my hand so that the rein is parallel to the cheek piece of the bridle if the horse starts carrying its head way up with the nose stuck out, but in that situation I have to be ready for the horse's nose to make a sudden dive all the way down to the ground.
When the horse's head comes up naturally to trot I will raise my hand to keep the straight line from my elbow to the horse's mouth.
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Permalink Reply by Kairen Jamieson on
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I will try to get the other link up....thank you for pointing that out.
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Permalink Reply by Erin K Beach on
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http://www.philippe-karl.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5&...
I read this on a different forum, and I liked it a lot. I think what a rider often thinks as mechanically correct, is often completely wrong when thinking of the horse's anatomy and physiology. You can't pull your horse's head down by dropping your hand. I also think a lot of people will skip over the part when you drop your hand once the horse gives.
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Erin, thank you so much for the reference to this site and article.
I guess my hands know what they are doing as they drift upwards.
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Permalink Reply by James ( Sandy) Dunlop on
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Hello Kairen,
The purpose of the high hands is so that the tension applied to the reins will be directed to the corners of the mouth rather than the bars where pressure causes great pain and with it all the resistances we see every day in arenas. As the horse becomes trained it becomes possible to lower the hands more and more, until in the finished horse it is no longer required that the hands be lifted in this manner. This style of training is French in origin whose touchstone is lightness.
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Reverend, the high hand, from time to time, is only a means to an end in a horse in training. The position you describe (except I would keep the thumbs up rather than face each other) is for the finished horse.
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Permalink Reply by wildehex on
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PK (or any trainer) does not suggest high hands per se, it is part of soliciting a different REaction). The hand is generally neutral (straight line from elbow to horse's mouth) UNLESS a different behavior is to be provoked. By lifting the bit up into the corners of the mouth the horse will press into the pressure thus chewing lower/outward. This is more especially so when the horse is lightly flexed laterally. Anyone who questions this...watch what happens when the hands are low/fixed..horse is hollow/above the bit and then the bit acts on the bars; if the horse does flex following that they are usually too short/closed/incorrect.
The rein hold PK uses is with the snaffle over the pointer finger and the curb under the pinkie. VERY deliberate rein effects (specific bit use). It is not dropping the hand per se, but presuming the horse will respond and going back to neutral. The horse does not 'give' per se except that it mobilizes the jaw and moves INTO pressure.
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I went and audited PK's clinic four years ago. This guy can walk his talk so to speak. He got on every horse and the change was instant and the improvement was immense. The horses ranged from Training level up to GP. I got his book and read every page. I tried his methods on my youngster who was 3 at the time and got an improved response. Yes I put my hands up high and he connected. Over a period of time that followed I no longer needed my hands that high but still they are higher than what would be considered normal. His system works.My horse is now schooling third level and is learning piaffe.
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