All of my horses are started with basic dressage methods, so myself and my
students all ride with contact. The goal is for it to be light steady
contact, though there are days a horse goes racebrain and your contact gets a
little strong. For me personally - I like having contact - I feel that I
can help balance and maneuver the horse more efficiently. With that said
though - I don't ride with contact 100% of the time.... if we are walking along
I drop it, if we are on a relatively straight trail I may relax/drop it, in the
latter half of a 50 I am more likely to have a looser rein - as the horse is
steadier at that point. For twisty, turny trail - I pick it back up so
that he bends around trees etc... better.
I don't think there is anything wrong with either version - contact or not,
but for myself nad many of the people I ride with - this works best for
us.
