Please explain the half halt, in dummy terms

[Ambrey]

[QUOTE=CosMonster;4027862]
That’s for sure. I can slow down within a gait or drop down to the next one pretty easily, but hell if I can get them to actually halt. I have a distinct memory of my instructor laughing at me as I walked around and around the arena going “I can’t stop, I can’t stop!” Happened three years ago but still feels like yesterday… :winkgrin:[/QUOTE]

I can halt from a walk now, as long as he doesn’t see food anywhere ahead

[xQHDQ]

[QUOTE=mvp;4019367]
Wow-- great question! Can’t wait to see other answers.

The short answer I’d give is that it is a well-timed, split second moment where in hand (including upper body), seat and legs, you resist rather than follow the forward motion. You have accomplished it when the horse rebalances slightly, rocking back on his hind end a bit. But, if you don’t get what you want, you don’t just hold on longer; you let go and retry in the next stride.

It takes lots of feel on the rider’s part. Timing comes later. It’s also tough when horse and rider are learning this aid together.

Here’s how I teach both man and beast.

Start by walking over a pole and stopping with front and hind legs on either side. With this clear target in mind, you ride the “stop” aid lighter and lighter until you can “half halt,” let go and have the horse complete the stop.

You can do this again at the trot and canter. You may be surprised at how hard it is to duplicate the nice timing and response you got at the walk!

So at the higher gaits, where you really learn to ride the half halt, think about asking for the stop as early as you need to produce the halt over the pole. At the canter, for example, you may need to start by asking for a more collected canter a few strides out and even allowing you horse to trot or walk up to the position over the pole.

The pole on the ground give your horse a clear idea that a halt is coming. You want to ride that halt as gently as you can. You will end up producing half halts to get that accurate stop. While you stand over the pole for a moment, both you and your horse can replay the feel of those half-halts and rebalancing efforts in you mind.

At each gait, when you horse sees the pole, you give a half-halt and feel him slow, relax your body, start following again and let him continue over the pole. Whatever you did to get that moment of rebalancing… that counts as the half-halt.

I think it has to be taught and experienced, not just explained.

If you ride this way, always looking for the minimum aid that produces the rebalancing effect on your horse, you will develop good half halts, and a horse that also understands them.

Hope this helps![/QUOTE]

Great idea. Used it in my lesson today. I think my horse learned what the pole meant before me! Thanks so much for the help.

[FancyFree]

you resist rather than follow the forward motion.

Yes. I think of it as a momentary suspension of forward motion. Your seat stops forward movement, which your horse feels and responds to. Also in my mind, we’d re-balance, if that makes any sense. My old horse was a dumpster diver, so when I’d feel that diving, half-halt, re-balance and forward. One billion half-halts later…:lol:

Explaining the half-halt is difficult. I didn’t “get it” until I actually did it. I remember my trainer saying “Yeah THAT is it!” You have to be in tune with your horse and your horse has to be listening to your seat.