Question # 66: My horse goes forward nicely on loose reins, but the minute I take a contact he is behind my leg. What can I do? (Kristen)
Hi Kristen!
This is a very common problem! And it shows that the horse is not accepting the contact. First make sure that you are not unintentionally blocking in your arms or wrists, which can make any horse reluctant to go forward into the connection. Read this entry to check your hand position, as having an incorrect hand position is one of the most common ways that riders block a horse. Tight elbows that don't follow the horse's motion are also a common blocker. If you are going to give your horse an inviting connection to move into, you must be able to keep your part of the connection (which is everything between your shoulders and your fingers closed on the reins) elastic like a rubber band or a bungee cord.
If you are fairly sure that your hand position is correct, and that you are able to keep your connection elastic - but your horse still won't go forward into the connection, you have to.....(Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)
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