Hi all!
Thank you and I am so happy you are enjoying the blog and website.  I will try to address your question, although you know this is no substitute for a good trainer!  Your hands may not be the problem.  When I read your description, I see a visual of a minor and common "seat" error.  Because your mare enjoys the contact in the walk (and canter?), the trot seat is where the problem lies.  Since you are in the early levels, I assume you post a lot.  Many people, especially on hot horses, hold tension in their knees.  In an effort to regulate tempo, actually post off their stirrups somewhat.  Try this:  go limp in your knees while posting.  Do not straighten your knees and push against your stirrups in the rising phase of your post.  Only post what she pushes.  You may be surprised at how shallow you post.   I call this lazy legs.  Take her somewhere that usually inspires the fussyness and practice your limp knees.  Hold your posture and keep your body stack balanced.  But don't work your knees.  Stay limp. Try it.  Give it a little time (like 15 minutes?)  Lazy legs will improve harmony with her back and will inspire her to relax it, thus improving contact.  Please let us know if this has any impact.  Curious!    ... and if you don't understand what I am getting at here, then please ask for a better explanation.

Whew.  I judged all day and we missed all the rain.  My thought for the day is about the stretchy circles.  The location of your hands should be able to be exactly the same on short or long reins.  If your hands move low or wide you are not stretching your horse over his back correctly and you ARE losing points.  This test movement is super valuable because it tells your horse everything he needs to know about connection.  Use it regularly as an excersise in your riding.  It is the best teaching tool to teach your horse how to connect well (go on the bit).  If you "cheat" with your hands in test movements, you build a glass ceiling for the possibilities for you and your horse.  Also this applies to free walk.  Study free walk and don't lose easy points in your tests.  The transition between free walk and medium walk is an equally valuable tool for teaching your horse everything he needs to know about connection (on the bit).  If you currently do not do this well, seek help from a well educated person and it will rock your world forever.  Best of luck all!  Its a journey, enjoy the ride.

Cheers all!
New photos are posted on the gallery page from the Cavaletti Play Day. 

Welle and I have signed up for  the Pinehurst show.  Can we pull off another 71% or higher?  We're sure going to try!  Hard!   Today, she gave me the best extended trot ever!  Not usually our strongest thing, but maybe just maybe someday?

G'Morning!  A little Welle update:  Welle did her first one tempi this weekend!  Now, if I can do 14 more then we go Grand Prix!  ...ok,  it might be a while!   

Hi all.  Here's a training thought for today:  If you have to ride your horse high and tight the whole ride, perhaps you can't really ride at all.  Ok, that's a bit negative.  But you would understand if you saw what I saw this weekend.  Try throwing down the reins and just hold onto the buckle at walk, trot and canter.  Write back and let us know, what happened when you did that.  Problems?  Happiness?  Stumble?  stoping?  quickening tempo?  stretching down?
   Another note:  your horse should look AS bright eyed and bouncy in step at the end of the ride as at the beginning ~ Klimke

A while ago, the question of the vague hollow back was raised.  I will address it now.  Additionally, the cavaletti clinic was yesterday.  I will talk about that too.  The two topics can easily be addressed in unison.  The working trot... "working frame"  or "working balance" is a concept that is created through the use of the elements of the base of the training pyramid:  rhythm/regularity, suppleness and connection.  As opposed to the natural gaits, or natural balance that a horse may choose (Julia calls natural balance pasture posture) the working balance enables a horse to carry a rider without the weight damaging or disrupting the horse.  The horse uses its abdominal muscles to lift.  It bends/flexes its joints softly to "shock absorb" movement.  Its energy is channeled in a productive way submitting to the desires of the rider.   It is similar to this:  if a 5 yearl old child runs up behind you and jumps on your back in your natural posture, you will possibly pull a muscle trying to manage the sudden weight variables.  If you were to be prepared for that child to jump on your back you would likely round your back, steady yourself, maybe put your hands on your knees, and unbrace (bend) your legs so you would be prepared to move forward with the motion of the childs weight and wiggles.  Dressage teaches a horse to be prepared for the weight and demands of a rider through the use of the working balance or "frame".  This frame addresses the whole horse.  Not just the "head set" popular in other arenas.  If your horse rounds his neck, but leaves his lumbar region behind the saddle flat, then he is hollowing that portion of his frame.  Often, the lumbar slouch is very subtle and is not recognized by many riders.  If the horse feels the need to lift or drop his/her poll during a transition, then most likely, the back was some degree of hollow.  Notice poll height differences in your next ride for your transitions and deep corners.  (Judges notice!)  Also, try this:  do some cavalettis with a longish rein and low poll.  Let the work of the cavaletti inform you if your horse is honest over his back or is keeping a little sag under the saddle.  Julia's words, "Even the most novice rider of the day knew exactly when the horse did very well.  The obstacles make it obvious."    
A subtle sag becomes a stumble bumble when the horse isn't honest over the back in a set of six ground poles! 

The cavaletti play day was fun, fabulous and effective.  Julia wanted to get each horse into his best free walk, stretch onto long rein, and adjustable trot strides with reliable half halts before cavalettis were schooled.  Every horse willingly tried every set every time because of the thorough warm ups.  Lunge cavaletti work and equipment was also nicely addressed.  Julia was very confident in her work and clearly has a wealth of knowledge and experience .  Look out for another Cavaletti play day at Karver's Creek Farm with USDF cert. instructor, Julia Dearborn.
Pictures from the Cavaletti clinic are on the gallery page.  I don't have all of them up yet.  There are more great ones to come, hopefully soon.  Enjoy!
(Julia's farm and website name:  Endeavor Farm)

If your instructor says your horse is hollowing his/her back but he/she feels great... what is going on?  What is most likely happening here?

Cavaletti Day Schedule
10  Julia gives demo/intro with Pearl, a horse she doesn't know at all
10:30  Amy on Willa
11:15  Ellen on Max
12:00  Baby session:  Jeanne on Wonder
12:30  Lunch
1:15  Dana on Watson
2:00  Semi priv:  Polly on her mare, Phyllea on Nick
2:45  Susan on Bella
3:30  Angie on Quincy
4:15  Semi priv:  Susan on Bodie, Jeanne on Welle

Auditors pls bring chair and water bottle and sunscreen
Thanks all !  Lets hope for sunshine.

Show score highlights are on the gallery page for each horse as they are earned.  Great start to 2010.  Wow. 

Thank you Maggie!  Excellent post.  The rider should be organized first.  Maggie mentioned that the rider's mind and body should be organized and prepared for modifications... super... I almost forgot the organization of the mind.  I was going to mention the organization of the rider's body.  The balance of the rider, the suppleness of the rider and the confidence of the seat should be first.  Horses will ask you questions during the ride, such as: " Can I spread out or stick my nose out when you give the leg aid instead of engage?"  "Can I spin/fall/lean right instead of bend right?"   It is the rider's body that answers the question.  All too often, accomodating and kind riders are "too passive"  (that is Sarah Geikie's word... love it!) and the horse doesn't get the organized feedback he needs.  Riders:  keep your balance even when your horse doesn't!  Wait for him/her to come back to you.  Keep you body organized:  keep your balance into your inside heel, keep your elbows bent and above the hips, keep your armpits shut and your eyes soft and forward... and all the other things your instructor has coached you about.  If you slack, your 1200 pound animal may slack his duties too!  And that is a big ooops.