What is the correct position of the rider's hand in dressage?

The correct hand position in dressage is one that allows elastic, sensitive communication through the rein while maintaining the quiet, steady contact that the horse can trust and seek — hands that neither pull backward nor push forward but maintain a consistent, following connection that is alive and responsive rather than fixed and rigid. The hands are carried in front of the rider, typically a few inches above and in front of the saddle pommel, with the thumbs on top and the knuckles softly closed — not gripping or white-knuckled but gently closed around the rein as if holding something fragile. The wrists are straight or very slightly rounded, not bent or broken at the wrist in a way that stiffens the connection or reduces the hand's sensitivity. The elbows are bent at approximately ninety degrees and remain close to the rider's sides rather than flaring outward — elbows that move away from the body in response to the horse's mouth are a common evasion of contact that stiffens the arm and reduces the elasticity of the connection. The shoulder, elbow, and hand should form a soft, elastic line through which the horse's movement can be absorbed without the hand moving backward — the elbow acting as a shock absorber that allows the hand to remain relatively still while the horse's natural head and neck movement is accommodated. The hands should work as an extension of the rein contact rather than as independently moving objects, and the ideal is for the horse's movement and the rider's following arm to be so well synchronized that an observer cannot easily identify which is initiating and which is responding. Carrying the hands too low, too wide, or crossing them over the horse's withers are common position errors that reduce the clarity and consistency of the contact.