'In Hand'
Training
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Classical dressage training is not just about teaching a horse from the saddle – riding and work from the ground are complementary to each other.
In-hand techniques help create a good mouth in a horse, teaching it to turn correctly, stop smoothly and back up without resistance.
In young horses, the emphasis is on keeping the mouth soft and responsive so that when the horse is mounted for the first time, he can be guided through the early ridden steps without trauma.
In-hand work is not only beneficial to young horses; it is also an excellent tool for re-educating older horses that have become uncooperative or unresponsive to their rider’s aids and is used to develop higher level movements in more advanced horses.
Training in-hand is an essential part of all my training programmes. It is included in many lessons, but I also teach specific in-hand lessons.
What are the benefits of training in-hand?
- It makes your horse stronger, more supple, more balanced & more confident.
- It deepens your bond with your horse.
- It is particularly useful for young horses before they are ridden to strengthen muscles, improve balance and educate them in the correct movements.
- It is a useful tool for introducing more advanced movements such as piaffe.
Click here to read about horses that have been helped by In Hand Training.
