strong

[FreedomStar]

I have recently started riding one of my favorite school horses in lessons, and I have ridden him tons of times before, but he just won't stop! He'll slow down from any gait like canter to trot, trot to walk, but he won't go walk to halt very easily. I have never had this problem before with him, and lately, he's been getting really heavy in my hands. At my lesson yesterday, we practiced on getting the horse more responsive and we did some basic lateral work, turn on the forehand, but he won't stop! It was embarrasing. What can I do that could help me stop him from walking off?
I'll give you some more information on him.
His name is Rocky, and he's a 15-16 hh chestnut morgan gelding. He was gelded late, actually had sired a foal. The result, he's got a really thick neck, and is REALLY strong. I can handle him pretty well, just lately he's been getting really heavy and strong headed and won't halt. I dunno, he's been in camp all summer. He's the best jumper around, but just wasn't made for lateral work. I'm pretty sure I'll ride him again next week, and while that is not a problem for me, I HAVE to figure out another way to stop him. please help!

[jUmPingIsLifE]

use your half halts a little more upward and try to bump him off your hands. than pull and let go when he comes to you. if he walks three steps more than what you wanted, back him up three more steps once he stops. if he walks half way aroundthe ring before he stops back him all the way to where you first wanted him to stop. let him know that those little steps are NOT ok

[FreedomStar]

ok, half halts I sorta understand, could you explain please? And what do you mean 'bump' him off my hands? My instructor used that same term, but I don't really get it.

[jUmPingIsLifE]

right now im riding a horse who pulls at me and pulls at me so im kinda just figuring out all this stuff to lol.

by bump him up do like a very light half halt very upwards. you don't even have to barley touch his mouth just have loose reins and little pulls upward so you just get the feel of his mouth than release. it isn't enough to cause a lot of discomfort but enough so that he is at least not pulling and being heavy.

this horse had a lot of training in western, with a guy who also did a lot of other stuff, i don't know if this will work with this horse but it does on him. he gets going gets heavy doesn't pick himself up and doesn't stop. he has taught me A LOT though, and this horse is probably teaching you bunches too

[FreedomStar]

ok thank you. Could you explain half halts? I don't really remember how to do them...*blushes* been a long time. Sorry I keep asking questions, but that's the only way to get answers! :)

[jUmPingIsLifE]

strong half halts to your belly button and don't let go until there is a change in tempo or until you have halted, once you get what you want let go immediatly.

its kinda hard to explain lol, like i have been posting for 9yrs but how do you teach someone to post? its hard. a instructer who is there with you would probably be a little more helpful :)

[Dragoon]

Half halts are simply pulling back, not toward your belly button (this brings your arm toward your center and locks your elbow - you want to pull straight back in order to use your elbow as a hinge) on the outside rein, then releasing. Most half halts are very subtle, and are performed by taking only sightly more pressure on the bit. "Take (pull) and Give (release)" I say - it's a simple squeezing motion on the one rein.

Half halts are usually done every stride, for about 2-3 strides at a time, as needed. So say you were trotting (a 1 2 rhythm) - everytime you sit in the saddle, you would half halt. As you rise, you release the rein. Do that for about 3 trot strides and the horse should slow.

Same thing with canter, only with a 1 2 3 rhythm. Every stride take and give once.

To halt, perform 3 solid half halts on the outside rein and say WHOA. You were given a voice - use it :D . Most horses respond quite well to voice.

One problem you may be having is that you may be grabbing the horse's mouth too much. In your attempt to stop him, you may be pulling back with both reins constantly - which will only make him run away or get nervous. Try half halting - they are much more horse-friendly :) .

[FreedomStar]

thank you both so much! I'll try that at my next lesson.

[Ange]

i thought half halts involved squeezing with your thighs and seat as well?

i have been finding it impossible to get half halts to work while in trot on the pony i ride and so the other day I watched from the ground while my instructor rode her - the slowing was visible but i couldn't see the aids and then she showed me that she squeezed hard with her legs from the knee upwards while blocking with the reins. i had been trying to squeeze with my upper thighs and seat which i think just made my legs go tense so was useless (although it works at a walk).

anyway, it would be really useful to have a FULL explanation of a half-halt if anyone feels like posting one...

[jUmPingIsLifE]

sry, i should have made it more clearer not toward your belly botton but at that hight, so it would be pulling straightback, but sometimes peoples hands tend to go waaaaaaay up or waaaaaay down (i had a kid who used to do half halts down by his leg lol, others who pull toward the sky)

[Bebe]

Half halts can either be simply giving and taking on a rein or involve your whole body, depending on what you want the horse to do.

My understanding, which may well be faulty, is that the give and take on the rein is more of an "oy I'm here, listen to me" kind of half halt. And in an ideal world you should never pull backwards on the rein. I've known riders raise a hand momentarily but pulling backwards always earned me a shout from my instructor. You should just close your fingers around the reins briefly. On a not so well schooled horse you might need to repeat this several times but you need the release of opening your fingers otherwise the horse will either lean on you or just not have a clue what you're asking.

To rebalance the horse using a half halt I lengthen my body upwards and downwards (not pushing in the stirrups, I think of stretching the inner thigh muscle) and lightening my seat slightly whilst very slightly closing my fingers around the rein. If that isn't enough, I'll also push my stomach muscles out a bit and give a short squeeze with my thigh against the saddle. As soon as the horse slows or feels as though they're taking their weight backwards a touch, release and go on as before.

A lot of it is very small, subtle aids and very quick, a half halt ideally shouldn't last for longer than a stride although when you're learning it usually takes 2/3 strides to put it all together.

As you get better at it and the horse learns what you're asking the aids get refined even more.

[cvb]

:( hmmm

Do me a favour. Get a friend to hold a bridle so it is hanging naturally. Take up the reins, so there is a contact but the bridle is still hanging straight down.

Then JUST squeeze your hand around the rein (like squeezing a sponge). See how much the bridle and the bit moves !

AAnd if you are not convinced, do the same again but still don't pull back, just turn your hand.

A small movement in your hand relates to a BIG movement in the horse's mouth.

Yes you need to get him to listen to you. But using the 'sponge squeeze' should be enough. The important part is to have a secure seat and not let him pull you forward. i.e. your hand stays where it is, your hand squeezes and moves the bit.

Try it ! Honest it works. You may find you have to squeeze a bit longer to start off with to get his attention. Squeeze until he softens and then as soon as he does soften, relax your hand and reward him by taking the pressure off.

And yes, a half halt is more than just hand. Its like an 'almost halt' so you should be using similar aids as for haly (which again are hopefully not just hand alone.)

[FreedomStar]

I came back from the stable two hours ago, and I just want to say thank you to you all. You've been very helpful to me, and I had a successful lesson.

[floppy]

great thread. just helped me think more about how to stop my animal!:)