The way to soft hands is through your back. Picture your upper back as a solid plank and your arms and hands as filled with feathers just hanging off that plank. Your elbows are bent and hands hold reins enough so as not to let them slip-ride your half halts from that solid plank or from one side of the plank if you need a right or left side adjustment. Meanwhile your arms and hands just float in position.Remember, ride from your back, not your hands .

from Pam

Imagine you’re holding a baby bird in each hand. You don’t want to squeeze them to death, yet you don’t want to drop them either.

Sarah Swift of Utah is a amateur dressage rider. She shows her Dutch Warmblood Favio at 4th level.