Dressage Solutions: Establish Correct Contact

Try this tip from Allison Brock

Imagine that you cut the bridle off, but the reins remain: Your arms should continue to follow the horse’s mouth to keep the bit positioned correctly. You don’t want to hold the bit tightly in your horse’s mouth nor do you want to let it fall out. —Allison Brock

(Illustration by Sandy Rabinowitz)

Allison Brock is the head trainer at Deer Meadow Farms. She was the reserve Grand Prix rider for the U.S. team at the Pan American Games in 2015, and part of the bronze-medal dressage team at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Currently, she is the equestrian representative for the Athlete Advisory Council, which works with the U.S Olympic Committee. Brock is based in Wellington, Florida, and Keswick, Virginia.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

CATEGORIES

TAGS

RELATED POSTS

To help you stay stable in the saddle while still allowing for your horse’s movement ... When you sit on your horse, imagine that you are the center tower of a suspension bridge.
Solutions: How to Stay Stable in the Saddle
Isabelle von Neumann-Cosel
Training Buzz: More Bend in Walk Pirouettes
training spiral
Goodbye, Pyramid ... Hello, Spiral!
Training Buzz
Training Buzz: Contact vs. Connection

TRENDING ARTICLES

Screenshot
Lengthening the Rider’s Upper Body and Legs
Monica copy
Monica Theodorescu: The Purpose and Value of Lateral Work
dressage101arena20metercircles
Dressage Basics: The 20-by-60-Meter Dressage Arena and 20-Meter Circles
history_of_horseshoes
The History of Horseshoes