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Very good question!  I'm sure you'll get more qualified responses  
from others.

I use the light contact to help my horse work off of his back end  
rather than pulling himself up hills with his front end.  I use a  
half halt as a reminder at the beginning of a downhill to remind him  
to put his butt underneath himself.

As he becomes more adept, the cues become lighter, it comes mostly  
from seat and leg.  As he has become more conditioned, the byproducts  
have been that his hind shoes wear out long before his fronts do, and  
his neck is correctly muscled from poll to wither, the underside of  
the neck is not bulgy/incorrect as I see with lots of horses who  
maybe were allowed to stick their noses up and hollow their backs,  
and maybe with their hocks out behind them...

We're still working on the back's muscling, in my boy's case, and um,  
always on the mind.  :-)  And on my core strength, as that has  
increased, I ride a lot more relaxed.  I've learned other cues too  
that involve contact such as shoulder-in, but that involves the legs  
as well--I choose not to use a martingale.

Lynne

On Jan 30, 2007, at 8:39 AM, Jennifer Adam wrote:

> Hello ridecamp -
> Ths is probably a dumb question, but I'm a flatlander so you'll  
> have to forgive me. I am wondering how much rein contact is  
> appropriate or necessary when riding in steep hills? I also want to  
> know how much rein contact is correct in a snaffle.
>
> Background -
> My mare and I do most of our riding in flat to *very gently  
> rolling* ground. I started her over some poles and this spring I'll  
> start her over some cavaletti. She has naturally smooth, balanced  
> gaits and seems to balance herself well over the poles. She is  
> supple and athletic.
>
> I am an intermediate rider who knows enough to know how much I  
> still need to learn. I am light and quiet in the saddle and try not  
> to get in her way. I started English but have ridden Western or  
> bareback for 10-12 years.
>
> I started her in a sidepull and use a snaffle when I feel I need  
> it. I ride with a slightly loose rein most often. But a friend and  
> I have been watching cross country, jumping, and hunt tapes. We  
> were discussing the amount of rein contact when jumping or going up  
> and down hills. I remember when I started riding my instructor made  
> a huge point of explaining and enforcing what he called "elastic  
> contact" with my horse's mouth. My friend also said that a light  
> but constant contact helped a horse stay balanced and helped them  
> rate their speed. Most of the English riders I have seen use this  
> light but elastic contact in a snaffle, but the Western riders I  
> see who use a snaffle ride on a loose rein like I do. Now, it may  
> be that the Western horses are just too green to accept that  
> constant contact because they'll be moved into a curb for  
> finishing, but I don't know. Do I need steady contact to balance my  
> mare or is it better to stay balanced myself and let her take care  
> of herself? How much contact should I have in a snaffle??
>
> Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any help!
>
> Jen

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