Using half-halts

[OceansAway]

Hi everyone,

This is probably quite obvious to most people but I seem to be over thinking things and confusing myself. Could someone please explain how one would use a half-halt when a horse is running/getting strung out and needs to be rebalanced versus when the horse isn't rushing but just needs some rebalancing? How would one go about this in these two different cases? Thanks in advance!

[goeslikestink]

look here http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=178116

i explain how to do the half halt stride

the half halt stride is t inform the horse something going to change
ie from a fast pace to a collected pace and visa versa using a direct signal from in independant seat secure leg and light hands

[slc2]

Best to get some riding lessons with a dressage instructor.

I think it isn't quite that cut and dried. Half halts vary a lot from preventing a runaway or a horse pulling your arms out of their sockets, to the lightest 'hello, we're going to do something next' kind of whisper.

The half halt itself doesn't really 'change'. The reins can be used more subtly with the balanced horse, sometimes, and the person's body do more of the half halt with the seat, sometimes, but it isn't really different. The half halt is like having three lights. You can dim or brighten each light depending on what the horse is not listening to in that moment and depending on what problem is there. The lights are seat, rein and leg.

[angel]

The half-halt is used any time that the horse's balance is incorrect for the motion being ridden. It is to change that balance. The rider has to be able to feel the incorrect balance, or how the balance of the horse must change, in order to half-halt correctly. The half-halt aids, which are mostly about the rider's correctly applied weight aids, are diagonally applied aids.

[Valentina_32926]

Could someone please explain how one would use a half-halt when a horse is running/getting strung out and needs to be rebalanced versus when the horse isn't rushing but just needs some rebalancing? How would one go about this in these two different cases? Thanks in advance!

When a horse is running sometime a HH won't work - so do a full halt. (HH is the same in both cases but sometimes is NOT enough when horse is rushing).

The idea is to get the horse butt underneath itself so keep your legs on and lift your upper body when you ask. Repeat several times, each time shortening the amount of time you remain in the halt. Then when horse is trotted/halted for 1 second/back immediately into trot (so MUST be on it's butt) think about asking for the halt but at the last second soften your elbows and allow horse to keep trotting instead of halting. This way you should feel horse sit on it's butt and come up in front (and hence slow down / come together).

When a horse is working well (not speeding up or strung out) then you need to do HH's in places like - before a corner/turn/circle/change in movement, with same ide of getting horse to lift shoulders and carry more weight behind. If HH's are not working go back to what I said above...if they are a HH will help horse re-balance and/or get horses attention so they're "ready" for the new movement/change of direction/etc.

Idea is to use the HH's to prevent horse from getting strung out. I usually start with the full halts in my warmup as my mare is opinionated :winkgrin: and likes to do things her way. :lol: I even go back to full halts when she starts "blowing off" my HH's - if she doesn't come together/shift more weight to the rear, etc... then it's time to go back to full halts to get her working properly again. (My mare likes to get hollow and brace so if the HH doesn't fix that I get her forward in long & low to get her back then re-start the full halts then to HH's.)

[Piaffing]

The half halt can very from just using a little tug on or increase of pressure on the outside rein to some resistance in the seat or legs. Or it can use all the above.
A half halt is used than just a rebalancing tool.