By Charlotte Bastiaanse

Contact and connection  

The majority of well-schooled horses ‘accept a contact’, but what does that actually mean? A misconception as old as time is that if the horse has his head down and nose at the vertical, then he’s accepting the contact. It’s important to understand the difference between frame and contact here. Contact is the connection that horse and rider share via the reins.

When last did you assess how effective the contact you have with your horse is? A horse who is truly accepting of contact will be light in the rider’s hand and the tension in the reins should feel like thread. The horse should be responsive to the slightest adjustments from the rider but this is often not the case. Horses who resist the contact will show signs of opening the mouth, snatching, locking the jaw, leaning against the hand, pulling onto the forehand, tucking behind the bit, and hollowing in the body. The best way to assess your horse’s response to contact is to ask a variety of questions and see how he answers. Ask for movements such as:  

• Half-halt 
• Rein–back
• Bend left, bend right
• Flex left, flex right
• Lower and open the frame 
• Shorten the frame 

If your horse at any point loses the thread-like connection on the rein, then you have a sign that he is not accepting the contact for that movement. It may merely mean your message is not clear, and in these cases repeat the movement until he understands. If your horse locks up and resists a simple movement such as a half-halt, it’s back to the drawing board for you.

You’ll need to go all the way back to looking at whether or not a vet is required to assess your horse; whether your bit is indeed correct; whether you are working your horse correctly from back to front; and whether your horse understands the way you are asking questions with your aids. This may involve speaking to various experts including your vet, physiotherapist, instructor, bit fitter and saddle fitter, but take the time you need to make sure that you and your horse are working together correctly. Without the basics being established, you will never be able to progress very far.