[tn walker]

In the walking horse world you see many, many people riding with all four fingers around the rein, as opposed to the rein passing between the third finger and the pinky. I have always ridden with the rein passing through my third and pinky finger(as is the taught way for most other divisions in the horse world). My riding instructor works with walkers, but also takes dressage lessons from a woman who has a local warmblood barn. I have never taken formal dressage lessons from a "real dressage person", so to speak, and I had a question. My instructor told me that her dressage instructor encourages her to hold the reins with all 4 of her fingers (let it pass through the whole hand), instead of through the 3rd and pinky. She said that when you pass throught the 3rd and pinky you loose a whole finger's worth of pressure that you could be using to aid you in your cues to your horse through the reins. I was wondering if this is a valid statement? Is this often taught in the dressage world? It was just a new thought to me; I don't see it as wrong (seeing as how so many walking horse riders ride this way), but I was just curious... All of the pictures that I have ever seen of a dressage rider working in a snaffle have the rein passing through the 3rd and pinky finger..Thanks!

[Cool Time 84]

I ride the way you to Tn Walker! Never thought anything of it!

[Simply Azure]

I was always taught to ride like that too. Intersting question1

[OwnerofWillow]

I was taught between pinky and ring finger when I did english though I do not know about dressage Very good question.

[MissBandit]

LOL! I haven't ridden in a while so I had to run downstairs and grab my bridle to see how I hold it. hah

[Moonshine Zeus]

well i was taught at the beggining to do all 4 but now i hold my reins in the third finger it has to do on how expirenced u r i was taught mayb it is just a preference thing

[loubylou]

when i am schooling dressage i sometimes use all 4 fingers as you have less hand movement to tilt the reins. However, the norm for me is 3 fingers.

[etolar]

My dressage trainer always teaches to use just the three fingers.

The exception is if you really need a little extra pressure, you can briefly use your pinky to supple on the one rein while keeping the others exactly as they were. This way you maintain your normal contact before and after suppling.

Also, I imagine that heading into upper levels of dressage that if you're used to using all four fingers then switching to a double bridle might be difficult b/c you'd have nothing left to work with...but I've never ridden with a double bridle so I'm not sure.

[sunsetacres]

I also ride with just three (and I ride walkers).
Have always been taught this way, and have ridden in a full bridle.
Just my opinion, but most cues are from leg, seat or verbal, not hands. I have always been taught to keep little to no motion in the hands (quiet hands), and to just keep connection with the bit. If the horse is trained, you should not require the pressure of your entire hand or arm. To me riding with all 4 on the reins would make me feel all "left footed" so to speak

[tn walker]

Any other thoughts?