If you ride a nicely flowing forward free walk on loose reins long enough, horses very often begin to seek the contact on their own.
"A horse with amazing gaits can cover up even the most un-amazing rider." ~ Steffen Peters
In the sport of Eventing, ensuring that our horses are truly fit for our level of competition is one of the best ways to prevent unnecessary injuries.
"Keep your hands down in front of the jump. Stop trying to control him with your hands, and control him with your seat." ~ Chris Bartle