Description
Fine Contact Competitions have been born from the desire to find the most compassionate ways to care for, work, train and compete with our horses. They will reward correct training, lightness, partnership and trust, and are designed for those who seek the most respectful ways to communicate our requests, and for ridden horses, the most comfortable ways to carry us.
Level 1 = Walk & some trot
Level 2 = Walk & Trot
Level 3 = Walk, Trot & Canter
Fine Contact defines a subtle connection between horse and human. In ridden work it also describes the soft, stable, equal and elastic contact that the horse takes with the hand of the rider, taking account that the horse is ridden without a bit. Such a contact needs to allow the horse to work with a natural length of neck and the nose in front of the vertical. With horses in their early training, re-schooling or rehabilitation, this means that the posture is forward down and out, then as the horse gains balance and strength he very gradually learns to carry more weight on his hind legs by rounding and lifting his back and withers, so in the more advanced dressage competitions, as the horse shows greater collection, the neck is still long and the nose in front of the vertical.
