half-halting

[ilovemyhorsie]

My instructor told me that a halfhalt is when you gently squeeze your horse with your calves to get his attention, and at the same time lightly pull back with your reins (just at your wrists) to avoid stopping, or slowing down. But I was reading a website and came across this:

"So how do you give a signal that asks the horse to just keep going, but to listen up? What you do is this: you ask him to slow, and to go, at the same time. Keeping contact on the reins, you squeeze your seat to ask him to slow down, and you squeeze your calves to ask him to move forward. The move is called a "half-halt" because you ask for a halt...but not really "

So I was just wondering which one is correct, or if their just different kinds of half-halts, or if everyone's way of half-halting is different. Or maybe I just interpreted it wrong, but really their both the same thing? (I was thrown by the words "contact on the reins") Anyways, Thanks for reading

 

[kelsey]

I would say that what you read is closer to a true half-halt.

What I have been told to do is to still the seat (as if I was preparing for a halt), then use inside leg to outside rein to rebalance and then release when you feel your horse come under you. (Vibrate or squeeze the outside rein only, no pulling back.)

 

[kedwards]

It's all correct. Essentially, you use the same cues that you would use to halt, only less of them. If you can halt your horse with seat alone (which is a good goal), then it will be sufficient for the half-halt.

When seated, I think of straightening my spine and slightly stilling the outside rein. When in 2-point, I shift my weight back a little, give a little more leg support and momentarily still the reins.