Half-Halts?!??!

[SupaTania]

I've been riding since August, and i have basically mastered the trot, did a few trot poles, steering, circles, and worked a little on the canter, though its ALOT faster then i'd expect. So we are trying to work on Half-Halts, but I just don't get the concept of them. Can anyone explain or give any tips on how to half-halts? Once i get half-halts done, I can do surpantines (sp?) and work on a much more comfortable level with the canter.

OOOH by the way, I'm going on vacation to Portugal, and plan to take lessons on the magnificant Lusitano's while I'm there: Plenty of pictures will be taken and posted upon my return!!

[galadriel]

Right here :)

http://lorienstable.com/articles/riding/900-half-halt/

[frenchtrotter]

i was always told in england, when you change the pace of a horse you always put in a half holt (especailly from walk to canter) in france they dont do this which i find is odd???? here they also rise on the wrong diagonal, and open the inside hand rather than the outside.

just wondering if the french are right or the english (very confused, do i have to change years of riding???)

[SupaTania]

Thankyou So Much, I can't wait to practice half-halts on Saturday. i want to finally be able to canter, and then possibly jump before I head over to Portugal for the summer.

wait a question: If i squeeze my seat, while on a saddle... how will he feel that? He'll only feel my calves and keep going in theory...

Also My instructor said i should gently pull and release the reins in a matter of a fraction of a second... is this correct?

[Tangle]

Even though the saddle has a rigid tree, neither the horse below it you above it are rigid - so the saddle will move slightly on the horse's back as he moves. Next time you're riding, try and be aware of what you can feel under your seat. In walk, try and predict which hind leg the horse is moving (see if you can watch someone else riding first, so you can see what you should be feeling ;)). While you're riding, you generaly want to be just following the movement of the horse's back. In a half halt, we want to influence that movement. By squeezing your seat, you momentarily block the movement of the saddle, which the horse will definately feel :p. Once you get practiced, you should be able to stop the horse from just the seat :D.

When you add in the rein aid, make sure it's not too abrupt - I normaly gentley close my fingers tighter around the reins, and aim for the entire "squeeze" to applied and released in about one stride.

Hope it works OK and you enjoy your canter :)

[galadriel]

A horse is incredibly sensitive to any change you make. Recall that a horse can feel a fly landing on his skin (and will twitch the skin to try to shoo it off). A horse can feel the most minor shift in weight or direction in a person's body--they can feel you turn your head. They can certainly feel anything that you do with your seat.

[IrisSilverMoon]

i was always told in england, when you change the pace of a horse you always put in a half holt (especailly from walk to canter) in france they dont do this which i find is odd????



i find that hard to believe, i'v never ridden in france, but my riding school is incredibley french. We use the half halt all the time, when you reduce your aids enough that's how you ask for faster gaits. you half halt them up to elevate and then release and they should go. I actually learned rhe half halt from a french trainer...i can't remember his name...Henri something or other.

[SupaTania]

Okay thankyou all very much, My lesson is this saturday, So I'll try and see how much I can actually do it. I'll let you all know how it goes!!

[entreat]

I was reading Enlightened Equitation (the book), and it said there are two types of half halts - well, two different things called half halts.

1) Just a check with the outside rein. Says 'wake up, we're about to do something'.

2) Slowing the horse until he almost drops down a pace (using seat & reins), but then pushing him on again (with legs), which lightens his forehand.

I think that was the general gist of it. It was said that one of these is done more in France.

[frenchtrotter]

yep thats it. france does the first i do the second. france uses the inside leg futher back as well (when i change the pace the legs stay in the same postion). its confusing

[cvb]

here they also rise on the wrong diagonal, and open the inside hand rather than the outside.


its not "wrong" - just "different". There is some discussion about the logic behind trot diagonals, and these two options just represent a different view. Both are intended to help the horse balance better through turns. I have also heard people in UK suggest deliberately rising on the "opposite" diagonal if a horse has a specific problem and that helps it.

When you comment on the open rein - what situation is this ? I might lead with open inside rein for specific situations... or ditto with outside.

IMHO what comes with "experience" is a bigger toolkit that you can use in the various riding situations you come across. When you start you are told things in "black and white" and then as you progress you discover its actually a rainbow ;)