Halt - confused???

[gallop_on]

I am unsure as to which is the correct way to get my horse to halt. I have had two instructors tell me two different ways over a period of time.

One had asked me to sink all my weight, breath out and make my tummy expand. This is hard for me as I have very straight posture with my tummy tucked in and feels really uncomfortable.

The other way Ive been instructed is to pull my tummy muscles in as if Im trying to make them touch my spine.

I find that his head goes up and he tends to take a few steps before he stops. I am not heavy with my hands and I do not tug on the reins. I always prefer to use my seat. I make sure that I am looking ahead and not down at him.

Which is right? Does anyone have other ideas. The only problem is that because I am unsure and have tried both ways since I started riding my horse he has become confused and it can take a few tries before he actually stops. He does not repond to one way or the other imediatley. Not good I know. Any ideas?

Thanks

[coss]

i always sink into the saddle more and just slow my movements more and just make it feel like your just tryin to hold everything together. i have never heard the way your first instructor said http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/images/smilies/dontknow.gif
Never make your seat heavy though, there is a difference between sinking into the saddle and sitting into the saddle... if you sink into the saddle, you deepen your seat and you can just continue in sitting trot, if you want to walk then start to move your hips in a more walky way (if that makes sense).
the latter would hollow the horse but your boy could just be resisting the transition anyway. Just make your body soft in the transition and do lots of transitions so they aren't so stressful (not that i'm saying your horse is stessed :))

[Jessey]

Not sure :o
I struggled with hard stops and keeping my seat and found that sittin deep (relaxing and almost letting my hips curl forward slightly under me) and allowing my knees to relax off helped get good stops - can't think what my tummy is doing then though :D

[coss]

Not sure :o
I struggled with hard stops and keeping my seat and found that sittin deep (relaxing and almost letting my hips curl forward slightly under me) and allowing my knees to relax off helped get good stops - can't think what my tummy is doing then though :D

the hip thing sounds a good description to me http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/images/smilies/thumb.gif

[mayoguinness]

well I tend to lean back, bring my hands forward and bring my feet forward to the shoulders! Which I guess is a back and down movement!!

[Wally]

If you make yourself heavy and hard to carry the horse will hollwo his back to get away from the pressure, you won't get a good square halt with his legs under him.

If you lighten your seat he will round up under you and use his back end to halt rather than his front.

Imagine clenching your buttock, this lightens your seat and askes him to stop by blocking his movement, but no putting pressure into his back. He will stop if you make it clear to him that when he moves you move with him, when you want him to stop you clench and he will feel it.