In this month’s exercise of the month I’d like to show you a few of the things that wouldn’t fit onto the pages of my March/April 2009 Driving Digest article on driving from the left hand.
The Coachman's Position; Take up the reins:
Hold the reins in your right hand, left rein on top of the right. Reach your left forward, as if reaching to shake someone’s hand. Place your middle and index fingers together between the left and right rein. Place your ring and pinky fingers together underneath the right rein. Curl your fingers toward the callous of your palm, lightly trapping the reins by their edges.
Don’t: Tip your left hand forward as if looking for a hand out. Present the back of your hand toward the horse.
Carry your hand to the left of your body, even if you are sitting on the right side of the carriage.
Do: Keep your hand as vertical as possible, so your contact will be even when you pick up the bit.Hold the reins at chest level about half an arms length in front of your body.
Lock the reins in place:
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With your right hand, take hold of the reins about an inch below your left hand. Pull the reins down and forward against the fingers of your left hand.
Don’t: Let the reins slide through the fingers of the left hand as you do this. Tip your left hand forward as you do this.
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Spanning the reins:
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Reach your right hand forward in front of your left hand at about arms length (this length will vary according to your need at the time you span the reins). Place your right hand on the reins with the index finger on top of the left rein, the middle and ring finger between the reins, and the pinky below the right rein.
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For tandem or four-in-hand:Most commonly the reins stack together between the fingers with the two left reins (leader and wheeler) between the index and middle finger, and the two right reins between the ring and pinky fingers. However your can vary that as need be, spanning just the leaders, or just the wheelers.
Don’t: Put your right thumb (or worse yet the whip!) under the reins as you span the reins. Push down on the rein too heavily in this position as you will only wear your left hand out.
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Shortening the reins:
With your right hand, grasp both reins underneath the left hand. Without taking your left hand off the reins, open the fingers and reach forward sliding up the reins. When you have shortened the desired amount, use your right hand to lock the reins forward into place.
Don’t: Tip your left hand forward as you slide your hand up the reins. Close your left hand into a fist when re-grabbing the reins.
Bend or break at the wrist as your reach it forward
Do: Reach your left hand forward extending the bottom portion first keeping the axis of your palm perpendicular to the ground.Reach your left hand forward with your wrist straight as if about to shake someone’s hand.Make sure your rein lengths are equal when you reset them in your left hand
Lengthening the Reins:
Span the reins with your right hand close to your left hand, closing the right hand on both reins. Open your left hand slightly without letting go of the reins. Move your left hand back the amount you would like lengthen the reins and re-grasp the reins. Release the reins from your right hand. Use your right hand to lock the reins into place.
Don’t: Lengthen the reins by simply letting them through your left hand.
Do: Raise your left hand as you length the reins establishing a healthy driving positio.
Bear Left Using Just Your Left Hand:
Extend your index finger along the underside of the left rein and tip the hand back as if drinking from a glass. You can gain a little extra turning by moving and rotating your hand slightly to the right away from the turn.
Don’t: Allow your hand to drift forward as you try to engage the bit (the bit won’t move in response to your hand movements).
Expect short, small radius turns from this method.
Move or rotate your hand in the direction that your are trying to turn.
Do: Bring your hand slightly toward your chest to engage the bit with your reins.Use this method along pathways, or along fence line where the expectations of the horse is clear.
Bear Right Using Just Your Left Hand:
Extend the knuckle of your middle finger forward on top of the right rein. Tip the hand forward as if pouring from a vase, digging the aforementioned knuckle into the rein. To get a little more turning you can rotate the hand slightly clockwise and move it down and to the left away from the turn.
Don’t: Allow your hand to drift forward as you try to engage the bit (the bit won’t move in response to your hand movements).
Expect short, small radius turns from this method.
Move or rotate your hand in the direction that your are trying to turn.
Do: Bring your hand slightly toward your chest to engage the bit with your reins.Use this method along pathways, or along fence line where the expectations of the horse is clear.
Turn Left Using Your Right Hand:
Reach your right hand well in front of your left as for spanning the reins. Grasp the right rein between your index and middle finger, give two gentle tugs on the rein as if ringing a bell, then bring the rein towards the left hand
Don’t: Grasp the rein too close to your left hand.
Pull the rein away from your left hand.
Open your left hand letting go of the left rein while your right hand operates it.
Move your left hand forward while using the right hand.
Do: Reach well ahead of your left hand to grasp the rein.Bear the knuckle of your left middle finger into the right rein to maintain a steady contact on the outside rein.Look ahead through your turn rather than at your horse.
Turn Right Using your Right Hand:
Reach your right hand well in front of your left as for spanning the reins. Grasp the right rein between your ring and pinky finger, give two gentle tugs on the rein as if ringing a bell, then bring the rein towards the left hand
Don’t: Grasp the rein too close to your left hand.
Pull the rein away from your left hand.
Open your left hand letting go of the left rein while your right hand operates it.
Move your left hand forward while using the right hand.
Do: Reach well ahead of your left hand to grasp the rein.Extend your left index finger along the underside of the left rein raising it slightly rein to maintain a steady contact on the outside rein.Look ahead through your turn rather than at your horse.
From the Hungarian Position
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Taking up the reins:
The left hand is held in the center of the body, palm facing the ground. The left rein enters the hand from the pinky side, and makes a U-turn exiting the hand between the middle and index finger. The right rein enters the hand from the index finger side, and runs through the hand behind left rein, finally to exit where the left rein came in, behind the pinky.
Don’t: Close your hand in a fist around the reins.
Carry your hand off to the left side of your body.
Do: Carry your hand centered in front of your body (even if you are sitting on the right side of the carriage) at about the height of the top of your belly.Trap the reins between your finger tips and the callous of your palm.
Spanning the reins:
Reach your right hand forward in front of your left hand at about arms length (this length will vary according to your need at the time you span the reins). Place your right hand on the reins with the index finger to the left of the left rein, the middle and ring finger between the reins, and the pinky to the right of the right rein.
Don’t: Put your right thumb (or worse yet the whip!) under the reins as you span the reins.
Push down on the rein too heavily in this position as you will only wear your left hand out.
Do: Use this as method for quieting the reins from bouncing or swinging.
Use this as a way to rest your left hand for a short spell while you drive.
Lock the reins into position:
Span the reins with your right hand about two inches in front of your left, additionally catching the tails of the reins. Close your right hand on the reins. Pull your left hand back slightly opening your fingers as you do, trapping the reins in the space between your finger tips and the callous of your palm.
Don’t: Allow the reins to slide through your right or left hand as you make this adjustment.
Do: Use this to re-establish a healthy driving position in your left hand to reduce fatigue.
Shorten the reins:
Reach your right hand onto the reins nearly as far forward as your want to shorten the reins. Grasp both reins with your right hand as described in spanning the reins. With your left hand release the reins and reach just ahead of your right hand. Take the left rein from your right hand using the last three digits of your left hand, passing the excess rein out of the left hand between the middle and index finger. Use your right hand to drag the right rein across your left index finger as your left hand is returning to the driving position. Grasp the right rein with all of the fingers of the left hand. Lock the reins into place.
Don’t: Reach over your whip with your left hand when you go to re-grasp the reins.
Bearing left using just your left hand:
Pivot the left hand counter clock wise, bearing the pinky into the left rein.
Don’t: Allow your hand to drift forward as you try to engage the bit (the bit won’t move in response to your hand movements).
Move or rotate your hand in the direction that your are trying to turn.
Do: Bring your hand slightly toward your chest to engage the bit with your reins. Look well ahead of your horse through the turn.For slightly more turning rotate your hand counter clockwise and move it to the right away from the turn.
Bearing right using just your left hand:
Pivot the left hand counter clock wise, bearing the pinky into the left rein.
Don’t: Allow your hand to drift forward as you try to engage the bit (the bit won’t move in response to your hand movements).
Move or rotate your hand in the direction that your are trying to turn.
Do: Bring your hand slightly toward your chest to engage the bit with your reins. Look well ahead of your horse through the turn.For slightly more turning rotate your hand counter clockwise and to the left away from the turn.
For larger turns left and right using your right hand, follow the directions for such under the Coachman’s position.
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