What is 'contact', in the Scales of Training?
By Laura Luyton Derriere Equestrian Sponsored Rider
According to British Dressage, the most tried and tested ways of understanding a horse's way of going are the German Scales of Training; six proven elements of training that are sequential on a horse's training.They are: rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness, and eventually, collection. As a rule, the training scales are approached in that order, but there are times when one 'scale' is skipped over, to work on another. BD states to members: "Until the horse works with rhythm, it will be difficult to make him supple, and until supple, contact will be spasmodic, and until the contact is true, impulsion will be elusive."
Belgian rider Laura Luyton, Derriere Equestrian Ambassador rider, agrees that the scales are of a higher standard as the horse's training advances. We asked her to discuss contact, the third 'scale of training', and one of the hardest areas of flatwork to correctly achieve.
Contact - the third 'scale of training'
"A soft, yet consistent rein contact and targeted flatwork training help to get the horse working forwards into the contact," says the high-profile rider, who contested the European Children Junior Young Riders Championships in the Netherlands in 2017.
Here are her top tips:
1. Aim for the horse to working forwards into the contact; don't ever think about directing his head down, or back - working forwards helps achieve equine self carriage.
2. For an optimal rein contact, the rider should aim to carry the hands and keep them level, without trying to interfere with the horse’s head carriage too much.
3. Ensure your arms don’t straighten, which is an indicator of tense shoulders. Tense shoulders usually lead to a fixed hand, meaning the rein contact isn’t elastic. (See point 4!) Obviously, a great sports bra like the Derriere Sportief helps achieve relaxation!
4. Aim for a light, even, elastic feel in both reins; this is really achieved by aids from the legs and seat, not the hands. The legs are applied as a driving aid; the horse steps under more and gains 'throughness'.
5. ‘Carrying the hands’ really starts at the shoulders – when you are schooling, try to think about establishing a good rhythm with sufficient self carriage, without ‘holding’ the horse – the hands can actually be quite light.
6. For a good rein contact and a correct torso position, drop the elbow comfortably and relax it. This is the key to having a good rein contact; not a fixed hand.
7. Don't collapse the hip to the outside, which imbalances the horse. Remember, your body weight needs to be in the direction of movement. To correct or avoid a collapsed hip, sit up tall and make sure your back isn’t slumped.
"The Scales of Training are used by all nations as helpful checks on the way of going for the rider when doing a movement; they're also used by judges when marking a movement. It's useful to keep them in mind when you're training, e.g. when you're working on contact, looking back at your rhythm and suppleness," Laura adds.
To conclude, Laura also advises keeping in mind the importance of ‘personal comfort’ in the saddle. "If you are working to improve your flatwork, good riding underwear is a boon," she says. "Consider padded underwear like the Derriere range, especially the Derriere Equestrian Performance Padded Panty; remember - when the rider is comfortable within the saddle, there is less likelihood of compensatory misalignment of the spine and pelvis; and a comfy ‘personal area’ means a more effective partnership with the horse!" 
Derriere Equestrian Belgian rider Laura Luyton was part of the gold medal winning Junior Team at the CDIOJ in Saumur in 2015. She's consistently successful in the Kur classes, winning the Dressage To Music on her 10-year old Westfalian gelding Dark Chocolate at the 2017 international CDI Lier Sint-Truiden and Saumur dressage contests, riding for Belgium.
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