'Sponging' the reins

[antares]

Quite a few years ago I had lessons with someone who had me squeezing the reins one at a time to ask the horse to 'come round'

A later instructor told me not to do this as it doesn't help with a consistent contact, nobody has ever re introduced this to my riding until recently I had a lesson with a new instructor who has said this is a good cue to ask the horse to relax his head and neck,

Now I'm confused!!

So, do you? Don't you? Reasons why and why not would be helpful

[jen1]

No, it can encourage closed poll before the horse is ready , I thought you were going down the classical route, ?

[antares]

Oh Jen I'm trying but it's very hard to find anyone to help me, instructor wise I'm struggling!!

Trying another new person next weekend who is a mix of classical, free riding and groundwork type work.

[jen1]

Where are you hun! Look at Phillipe karl vids, id probaby look at some flexion , some lifts and offer forwards, see if he will seek the bit

[antares]

I'm in Northern Ireland, classical riding not a priority of most riders here

[jen1]

Ahhh I thought so, do you have an option to do a clinic? And beg someone to come over? Still say Phillip karl is worthy of watching ,

[antares]

I have watched some of the videos and have just bought the twisted truths book but haven't read it in detail yet and don't feel comfortable doing some of the flexions on my own until I understand them a little better.

I'm sure there are people who would come over (LisaP has said she might) but I have no idea what riders I could get together to be able to make it worth someone's while, probably nowhere near enough, I would think cost would be prohibitive

[Beth&Rosie]

My old instructor told me to do this, but my new instructor really discourages it. I found that actually riding into a consistent contact is much better when teaching the horse to come round as they work through their body to come round rather than just dropping the head. If a horse is working actively from behind, their head will drop automatically, or so my instructor tells me, and she seems to be right so far!

[troop]

~can you get over our way (North Wales) Justine or maybe Janine Pendlebury over this way. Janine more classical i would say but i find Justine a better instructor.

[troop]

Its more a closing of the fingers.Squuezing i think causes tension in the hand and through the rein contact.

[troop]

www.facebook.com/penllynlusitanosjanine.pendleburylee

[antares]

Yes troop, a closing of the fingers, the aim was not even to bring the head to vertical - more to try and relax the neck down as my horse does have a tendency to raise his neck and shuffle along a bit. The end result was good, freer movement and more relaxed, more in front of the leg even but I'm just not sure about the method used to achieve it, maybe there is something else I could use as a cue

[portiabuzz]

I wish PK could come to me lol, it's hard when there seems to be not many instructors about nearby

[antares]

It is PB and as much as I would like to come over the water for some lessons, I need lessons on my own horse and he's too young to travel that distance at the moment. I wouldn't put him through things like waiting at the docs, loading onto the ferry with lorries coming on behind him etc although the actual journey would be ok, it's the other bits he's not ready for.

[bertie666]

sponging is very different to see sawing - you can lightly tease the bit a little to ask the horse to relax the jaw, without it becoming a 'get its head between its knees' effect.

Did a saddle fitting with a young girl the other day, and her very traditional sister got on to try the saddle but also to 'show me how the pony can really be' bear in mind said gem of a pony is in a 3 ring gag with flash, and was see sawing so hard its head was waving side to side and it still hadn't a clue what was being asked of it