Half Halts - important or not?

[Frances144]

Do you think half halts are important in your horse training or not?

If so, why do you do them? and how often?

If not, why not and what do you do instead?

 

[Cortrasna]

Yes I do them, not in training but just part of our everyday hacking from time to time. And only when she is being a mare and not listening. I didn't teach her, she has learned her moves in a previous life before she came to me, but this is probably one of the most important ones I am glad she knows well!

Very useful this summer when I have been rather more bold with my riding her out and she has got rather excited by the new and enthusiastic rider on her back. Half halts remind her to come back to and remain in the pace I have requested and not leap forward into the one she chooses.

 

[Wally]

Half halts are the very base foundations of all transitions and gymnastic training, It is one of the most important things a horse should learn.

 

[Bodshi]

Same as Cortrasna I think. I use them when Raf is getting too enthusiastic out hacking - half halt then release as soon as he complies. Found it particularly useful for stopping excited jogging in days gone by. Don't really do it in the school I'm ashamed to say.

 

[ponylover88]

With D, I half halt regularly - she's 3 so still unbalanced at times and a good half halt really helps to rebalance her. Gem I HH for speed mostly as a reminder of 'Oi you, remember who's boss here'... Which she promptly ignores

 

[Calluna]

From a slightly different perspective, I think that they are important in learning to ride and training the rider. I think that you really benefit form that 'aaand' moment of planning before executing an aid.

 

[newforest]

Yes I do.
If she is needs reminding to listen. When she used to fall on the forehand.
Always before canter so she knows I am going to transition upwrds.

 

[Skib]

Could we have a wee definition perhaps of what each person means by half halt?
Because what I was taught and is still taught in the average BHS RS to the average student isnt the same as what I was put through when I unwisely asked a riding instructor for a lesson on half halt. I do as little as possible of the first and am not competent to properly execute the second.

 

[Wally]

Depends on the horse, for Ljósfaxi it was an inward breath, raising of the ribcage and a tension in the bum.

For Kina the Fjord horse it was all that, including 3 weeks written warning with the largest anchour thrown out the back door available at the ship chandlers.

It is a pause, a comma, a rebalancing, a slight halt in proceedings to warn a horse that something is about to change, or to get him focussed back on you

 

[newforest]

For us voice is important, so a half halt can be executed with my voice, usually because we are hacking and she is getting a little hollow. So in that instance, please listen and its rebalancing her.
My instructor said don't over think it, if you need to tweak the horse to rebalance, get their attention then you would use it.

 

[Rubic]

Always! I think half halts are very important for both getting the horse to work correctly and for control.

I was always taught to keep your legs on, sit deep, "think tall", a little "pull" on the outside rein then release. I had started to teach Nimbus half halts on a circle by dropping back from walk to halt every quarter circle then when he started to anticipate it I would use the aids I normally used for half halts then pushed him on before he fell back to a halt. You could feel him start to collect himself ready to halt and that was what I wanted.

 

[Laura_107]

I own a rusher. They are invaluable.

My lessons at present are punctuated with 'slow him down' and 'you try!'

 

[Thatcurlyhairedgirl]

I would say their not, but then it depends what your riding for.
I only hack out as I have my boy at my house and we don't have a big enough ménage.
I believe half halts are to slow your steed a bit. I don't half halt, tried it; no effect for me and Dex doesn't respond but if your more into schooling and have a responsive horse then it could work. When I need to slow him down I just pull back on the reins till he slows enough then release. ( he's very strong and that was advised for me to use and I found it worked.) hope this helped. X

 

[horseandgoatmom]

I think they are important too.
I need them to re-balance in my little "sort of " ring
I took lessons this summer to "get things right" when trying to make good corners since its so narrow!

 

[eml]

I use them as a sort of 'and listen I am about to ask something' They can vary from athought aid to a breathe to a definite seat and hand movement depending on the horse and rider. For riders I describe it as the moment you rearrange your thinking/position before asking a question or changing a question ( such as change of bend when moving from one rein to the other)

 

[newforest]

@Thatcurlyhairedgirl, I never pull to slow down. Mine is strong in mind and body and if you pull, she pulls back and some! If you are pulling to stop then its likely a half halt won't register.
I am not into schooling, but some things I file under basic manners, with a cob a fair bit gets put there

 

[Wally]

If you pull back on the reins of our lot you'll find yourself in flying pace or Tolting ten times faster.

 

[Flipo's Mum]

Yep I use them to prepare my bulldozer for stopping at roads. We can be powering on homeward and I need to be sure he will stop when I ask. I also use them during his over enthusiastic trots when he want so canter. You can't just trust your reins to stop a horse if your body language is saying the opposite.

 

[Cortrasna]

When I need to slow him down I just pull back on the reins till he slows enough then release. ( he's very strong and that was advised for me to use and I found it worked.)

I think if you have a strong sort of horse that is probably the very worst thing you can do to slow them down! I have had a good few big strong cob types who would just set their necks and take the pee big time if I tried setting myself against them like that! Actually, what you describe is the sort of situation where half halts are probably the very best tool in your box of tricks to teach them NOT to get strong and pull against the rider!

Was it an RI who advised you to do the above, or were you told to squeeze back gently and release and keep repeating until you get a slower speed? The latter sounds more likely and makes more sense.

 

[Bodshi]

Reading some of the replies I wondered if I actually understood what a 'half halt' was, so had a little google and the first article I looked at was this one

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/dressage/the-half-halt-10-top-tips/

The half halt I think of is the one described as 'generic' in this article. I do, or more accurately attempt to do, the 'connecting half halt' on the very rare occasions that I go in the school, or in my lessons, but I hadn't realised this was called a half halt. Interesting.