Nerves, fear or trying too hard?

Tension in the wrist and forearm makes a lot of resistance in the way our horses go. It is caused by nerves or fear, or sometimes from trying too hard.

If your horse is not happy to travel forward and is headshaking or very unsteady in the mouth, try to loosen off your thigh pressure and then turn the reins over. Feed the reins through your hand between your index finger and thumb so they hang out of the bottom of your palm.