27/10/2025
Why the High Hands? 🙌
It’s a question I’m often asked; sometimes with curiosity, sometimes with a hint of scepticism: why do we ride with high hands in Philippe Karl's School of Légèreté UK?
In much of modern riding, “hands low” has come to mean “hands correct.” It’s what we’re all shown early on: elbows in, reins straight, hands held quietly above the withers. But correctness isn’t about appearance; it’s about effect.
When the hands are too low, the line of contact from the bit to the rider’s hand acts downward and backward. This puts pressure on the horse’s tongue and bars, which can cause discomfort and defensive tension. The tongue contracts, the jaw tightens, and the hyoid apparatus becomes restricted. The hyoid is a small but vital structure that connects the tongue to the rest of the body through a web of muscles and fascia reaching the poll, shoulder, sternum, and the hind end.
And when the hyoid is blocked, the effects ripple through the entire horse. You’ll often see shortened strides, stiffness through the poll and neck, difficulty stretching over the topline, and even restrictions in breathing freely. What began as a “low, steady hand” can quietly lead to tension and heaviness throughout the horse’s body.
By contrast, an elevated hand, soft, mobile, and never pulling, acts upward and forward. It relieves pressure on the tongue and bars, freeing the jaw and allowing the hyoid to move. This release encourages the horse to lift the base of the neck, rebalance, and carry itself in lightness.
In the French classical tradition, the hands aren’t there to hold the horse together; they’re there to educate the mouth and invite self-carriage. High hands are simply a moment in that conversation, a way to restore freedom, sensitivity, and balance before the hands naturally descend again. An elevated hand says “please” to the horse, requesting a shift in balance. A lowered hand says “thank you” to a horse that has found good balance and returns to a neutral, following action.
So when you see a rider with high hands, no need to think “get back to the riding school.” Look closer and you might well see a rider helping the horse find relaxation in its jaw, lightness in its shoulders, and softness through its whole body.
That’s why the high hands.
