Rein Contact 

Several weeks ago I heard someone comment that it was “unsafe” to ride a horse on a loose rein. The long-time horse owner announced that if the horse wanted to run away what would stop them unless there was contact between the bit and the hand? I was amazed that someone held the belief that rein contact is what allows, or disallows a horse to be trusted! Later in the month I judged a show where a rider approached me and asked why I wasn’t placing her and her young horse in western pleasure. The woman had been riding the three-year old with substantial contact in each western class of the show. I explained to her that western pleasure class rules specifically state that the horse be ridden with a loose rein. She then asked me how a horse can be asked where to go, when to stop and how to move without having constant rein contact with the rider’s hands?

And just recently, a new student told me that her former “dressage” instructor told her that if her arms didn't “ache” after a lesson from pulling on the reins, she wasn’t riding correctly.

These interactions initiated weeks of critical thinking by me about the misconceptions of rein contact. Specifically, what is contact? How much contact do we need? How do we school a horse to be ridden on or off contact? 

What is Contact?

Contact is the horse “feeling” an active message sent by the rider, via the reins (or other aid) and applied by a bit or other “control” device. Levels of horse contact sensitivity vary, with some extremely sensitive to the bit simply being in their mouth. Others seem to require frequent reminders that the rider is present and guiding their movement. Contact can be nearly constant, to virtually non-existent. I define a lack of contact as allowing a horse to move within a boundary, without active interference or feeling my hands. The reward is always relief from the hand when the horse is in the correct position. Contact is simply one more from of pressure used in training. Remember one of the first rules of training: Apply pressure, get a response, give a reward/remove pressure. 

How much contact do we need?

This is a question that is extremely difficult to answer. The correct answer is “it depends”. It depends on the horse’s level of training and how he was trained. It depends on the conformation and physical development of the horse. It depends on the type of work and natural ability of the horse. It also depends on the level of awareness and skill of the rider. If you are unsure of the answer related to your horse, find an instructor whose long-term goals are based on lightness and subtle, soft aids…REGARDLESS of the discipline. 

How do we school a horse to be on or off contact?

As an example, lets look at the young horse in training. I do not start any horse on “constant” contact. Rather, I school them to a way of moving where they are rewarded for carrying themselves in a frame appropriate to their conformation and future work. This includes allowing every horse to drop their head extremely low in the beginning without fear of repercussions. Allowing a horse to drop their head is a way to encourage a long neck, versus being “bunched up”. This helps the horse to use the withers as a fulcrum and stretch-out/strengthen a young, developing back. Horses that are pulled into a headset prematurely are often referred to as having a “false frame”, meaning that they are not moving in a form conducive to long term soundness, true engagement and trainability. This is self-defeating practice for horse and rider as it encourages the horse to “hang” on the bit and be heavy on the forehand, resulting in more work from the rider’s hands. As the horse matures and becomes physically able to carry himself and a rider properly, the “boundary” of where the horses head is carried becomes smaller and smaller as he is schooled to a higher level of training and fitness. This is NOT necessarily achieved by constant contact! Rather, it is truly achieved by offering relief and reward at the place where the head/poll/shoulder is desired to be. This means that the degree of contact is unique to each horse as is the amount of reward or relief when the horse is at the “place” appropriate to his work, age, conformation, level of training and fitness. Ultimately, we seek the lightest degree of contact with each horse to achieve maximum performance. 

I may define contact for a well-schooled western pleasure horse as simply picking up the reins in my hand and allowing neck contact. This amount of contact may cause this horse to drop his head to a level topline, bent at the poll in preparation for a western lope departure. Conversely, I may need to use my third finger on the rein to remind my English horse to go to his work-appropriate boundary before I lesson the degree of contact and provide reward.

Contact is never tug-of-war, pulling into place or punishment. It is guidance, support and always educational and reward based. In order for rein contact to lead to a willing, soft, responsive, reliable horse, it must be used as just one part of a consistent trust-based training program for you and your horse.