The editors of Centaur Tails would like to acknowledge that this article is adapted from an article written by D. Arnwa from the site http://www.artofriding.com/articles/halfhalt.html.

The half-halt is often a confusing term. Most of us know its purpose, and many of us ask for it their own way. Back in my riding school days, my instructors used to ask me to half-halt, telling me to "almost halt, then go, urge with the legs and restrain with the hand". But is that all there is to the half-halt? As I recall, the horses didn't seem to like it much. They leaned on my hand and dragged the rear end behind. So there must be another way to do it because experts use it all the time effectively. And in order to learn how to achieve it, we have to look into all the details and aspects of it.

What is the half-halt?

The half-halt is a call for attention. Of course, it has to be much more subtle than it sounds. When we ask the horse for a half-halt, we ask him to generate energy "upwards" - that is, elevate, become rounder, balanced, and lighten the forehand without changing the rhythm.

What purpose does it serve?

It's a balancing tool. It tells the horse to prepare for the next movement. It helps him organize his footsteps so that he doesn't stumble when you ask for the next move or transition. It allows him to bend his hocks and step underneath, therefore preparing him to strike in balance. Summarized into two points, the half halt: · Balances the horse · Asks the horse, "Listen, something's coming up."

When it is useful?

You can use the half-halt before transitions from one pace to another and within the pace, before corners, before lateral movements, and before changing the bend. It can also be used after movements to re-balance the horse.

The Big Question: How?

To begin with, lets summarize the aids to the half-halt before we get into details. The half-halt begins in the rider's seat, back, and legs. These run the engine (i.e. the hindquarters) allowing the horse to animate his steps. The rider's hand receives the energy and channels it accordingly. If that sounds confusing, the points below should clarify it.

The Back, Seat and Legs
· Upper body erect, tall, and proud, shoulders relaxed, chest open, stomach leading.
· Elbows bent, relaxed and heavy at your sides.
· Breathe in and expand your diaphragm.
· Broaden your hips and turn your hip joints fluid with suppleness. Soften your seat.
· Think of leading with your hips by very slightly tilting your pelvis. Lighten the pubic bone but donít raise it off the saddle. Don't lean back, compress your stomach, or collapse your shoulders. This is your energy generator.

The Hands
· Hold the inside rein. "Hold" does not mean restrain, pull or sponge. It merely implies that you should close your fingers around the rein. This supports the horse's neck.
· Close, then open the outside rein. This is your active rein aid and should last no more than a stride or two.
· Think of asking the horse to stay in rhythm with your hands.
· Soften both reins instantly and equally after the half halt. The release should be towards the horse's mouth.

The Half-Halt in Practice
If your horse is not familiar with the half halt, your aids may not be as effective as they should be. Of course, all horses need time to learn, so give your horse a chance to understand what you are trying to ask of him.

After warming up and loosening your horse, perform many walk-halt-walk or walk-trot-walk transitions. Besides collecting your horse, these will help him anticipate a transition.

When the horse begins to anticipate a downward transition, you should only think of making the transition and the horse will respond. In other words, youíre telling the horse to prepare to walk and when he almost does, tell him that you changed your mind and would like to keep going at a trot. My instructors were telling me this all along, except that I didn't know how to ask for it.

The rider must understand, however, that this is an exaggerated effect. Ideally, the change in pace during the half halt should be very subtle and the horse should stay in rhythm. Use your body as explained above to help your horse, and only half-halt when necessary. Do not half-halt every few steps or your horse will begin to lock up and become rigid.

When half halting, remember not to block the horse with your hands, generate energy from your seat. If there is little response, close both legs to encourage a step forward.

One last note, I would like all riders to be aware of is to understand the essence of the half halt and the cycle of activity. It should always be "drive > receive > lighten > drive > yield with the hand."