The leather reins reveal it first: when fingers lock, every uneven step can travel up the horse's neck and into the rider's shoulders. That is the bad bargain. New riders often hunt security by squeezing with calves, knees, and hands, yet this stiffens the joints that should absorb motion. The better start feels almost lazy. Let the pelvis follow the horse's gait, stack ear, shoulder, hip, and hee...More