Backwards/Half-halt/Collection

[msp]

I was reading some posts about half-halts, and someone mentioned warming up first by practicing bends and backing up. Well this reminded me I never got round to asking anyone how to go backwards!!!

Another question which popped into my mind at the same time is, "how are half-halts related to collection"?

The other day, for the first time, I was asked in a lesson to try and do a collected trot (by pulling back slightly, while keeping leg on). Now I hear that half-halts slow a horse and help it to rebalance, so would I be correct in thinking doing one at a downards pace change would be a good idea, and would one mid trot help increase collection a bit or just break the flow?

Would you also half-halt on an upwards pace change (ie. if the horse runs into a cantor, instead of doing a clean transition, and is cantoring sort of stretched out [downhill??])?

Cheers for any hints!

Mark

[Somethingroyal]

mmm.. that might have been me.

I suggested doing that becasue sometimes you need to limber your horse up a bit with bending and circles, and backing up gets them responding to rein pressure, which is needed for half halts.

Half Halts help you if you do then for a stride or two before you ask your horse to collect (depending on how sensitive they are) becasue it slows their gait a bit and gets them really paying attention to you, becasue it is a signal to them that something could heppen, in this case collecting...

I use them on downward transitions and upper transitions for the reasons you stated. They help to balnce the horse, and give thenm a bit of a warning before you do wahtever you are going to do. I have made up different combinations of half halts seat and leg that tell nana what is coming next before I actually askk her. In dressage it is helpful becasue if you need to pick up a collected canter then i half halt, which balances her, cue for the canter, and then half haly again with leg this time to signal that I want her to collect...

[msp]

Cheers Somethingroyal,

I'll give it a go tomorrow!

How about going backwards, how do you do it?!

Cheers
Mark

[Somethingroyal]

to go backwards squeeze with your legs but pull on the reins, and to stop going backwards take the pressure off the reins...

[msp]

Cheers, I'll give it a go on my hack tomorrow!

Mark

[Edited by msp on 19th May 2001 at 06:29 PM]

[LindaAd]

The infallible Sue, my instructor, says that in a half-halt you're riding the back end of the horse forward, but then holding back the forward movement with the reins (not pulling), so the legs come further underneath. Of course, you are asking the horse to listen too.

To rein back, ask the horse to move, then block the forward movement with the reins (again, don't pull) and lighten your seat - this, I think, is the famous bum-squeeze; sit tall in any case.

So yes, they're the same sort of thing, but different in degree. I believe it's not a good idea to do too much rein-back, because you don't want to get your horse "thinking backwards"; lots of changes of direction and transitions are useful, also turns on the forehand.

[fionahogg]

The half halt is an extremely useful tool. It can be used in so many situations, for example, preparing a horse for a jump, rebalancing after a jump, preparing for collection/extension/moving up or down a pace, asking the horse to lighten up in the hand if he's getting heavy, basically for anything.
The half halt is basically what it says it is - you block the forward movement but keep the hindlegs coming forwards. If ridden properly, this will encourage the horse to lighten the forehand and take more active steps. If you're preparing to collect the horse the half halt should be used to encourage the horse to take higher and rounder steps; if you're getting ready to extend the horse the half halt should be used to collect energy so when you push to extend the collected energy is allowed forwards. The half halt will re-balance the horse and help him lighten the forehand.
It will only work properly if ridden correctly. You need to make sure that the horse just doesn't slow right down and take less energetic strides and therefore fall on his forehand. So you need to make sure that you keep the leg on whilst squeezing the bum. Using too much rein aid in the half halt encourages the horse to just tuck his nose in. The aim should be to be able to ride the half halt with no need for a rein aid.

Hope this helps!

Fiona.