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You'll find that sometimes your horse gets a
little too excited, a little too jumpy and hyper, or even just a bit too speedy.
Half-halts are fantastic for collecting your horse and helping them to gather up
under themselves to carry their bodies better.
Many riders have heard of a half-halt, but don't know what
one is, and some people with raise their eyebrows in question just at hearing
the unfamiliar term. Then there are some riders that have learned how to
do a half-halt, but didn't know that it had a name. It's pretty easy to do and
can be used anytime, in any horse sport, regardless of discipline. It is merely
a movement executed with the rider's seat, communicating to the horse that
something is about to change, that they're about to be asked to do something
else. Let's say you're used to using just your reins to stop your horse from the
trot or canter. Instead of just using your reins, use your seat to half-halt a
few strides earlier than you want the walk (or halt), and then apply your usual
aids. This will give your horse a chance to prepare for the transition both
mentally and physically, and it will take less rein pressure to stop your horse.
Like most training procedures, this effect won't happen immediately - but chance
are, it won't take him long to understand the concept.
The first part of this exercise is for the ride. This can be
practiced off the horse, believe it or not! It's going to sound weird - but I
swear, it's true, and it'll help! Practice contracting and relaxing the muscles
in your Gluteus Maximus. Yes, squeeze your bum! Once you've done this, pretend
that you're sitting in a swing. As the swing goes backwards, imagine what
you need to do with your seat to push the swing forward again. To do this, your
lower back and seat muscles push down on the swing, which causes you to go
forward. You're going to push down in your saddle exactly the same way - trust
me, your horse will feel it and respond!
 Next
you're going to practice on your horse. Try it at a walk first - squeeze your
seat, while gently and consistently (don't saw the reins!) applying rein
pressure. If your horse doesn't halt, use your voice - "whoa" quietly. If the
horse stops, reward him with a scratch, then walk on. Again, half-halt with your
seat - make sure your shoulders are up and back, dropped quietly towards your
hips, and your legs still touching your horse, and ask for the halt again. It
should only take a few times of this before your horse senses your half-halt and
will begin to stop before you even touch your reins. If you get befuddled,
remember sitting on a swing and pushing it forward. When you feel like you've
got the walk/halt/walk/halt transition down with the half-halt, try it from a
trot down to a walk. As you trot, do a half-halt with your seat, but still keep
your legs on the horse. Gently apply rein pressure again, not pulling back, but
just preventing forward motion. You're effectively creating a "wall" for the
horse to "run into" by not allowing enough rein to go forward anymore. Remember
to use your voice to create a better transition, and if you need to, go back to
that walk/halt transitions to review and perfect yours and your horse's
training. Keep in mind that your horse is learning along with you, and remember
to praise him when he does the right thing.
The half-halt is probably the most important “tool” in
Dressage. The rider sits deeper in the saddle and “stops” his seat and closes
his hands on the reins, momentarily telling the horse to halt with seat and
hands. The horse will take shorter, more upward steps. But instead of a full
halt, the rider again rides forward and the horse will be more energetic and
attentive. The half-halt is something that you will develop to “tell” your horse
that something new is going to happen.
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