38 Moments to Half Halt
Good moment to apply the half-halt. Photo Credit: J. Boesveld

What does it feel like to get on your young horse's back for the first time?

Excitement.

Anticipation.

Nervousness!

If you've owned him since he was a foal, you might have waited two, three or four years before the breathtaking moment!

From that very first ride, to the subsequent weeks of awkward walk, to trot and finally canter - and then for the rest of the horse's life - there is really one thing that needs to be managed at all times while under saddle.

You guessed it: the horse's balance.

Which of course also includes your balance. In fact, everything we do on top of that horse will affect his balance, so we have to be equally obsessed with our own balance even while we help him maintain his.

Balance is a major issue for many reasons:

  • Physical: Lack of balance can cause all sorts of harm to the horse in the long term. Think of leg and tendon injuries, stumbling, back pain and so much more.
  • Mental: Sensitive horses especially react to lack of balance. Note the horse's expression when he is on the forehand or tight and tense through the back. Of course, there are more subtle signs like teeth grinding or pinned ears.
  • Rider Discomfort: Finally, the rider should be able to actually feel the imbalance, whether through uncomfortable movement, jarring through the gaits or general all-over body tension which creates the "cardboard back" that is difficult to sit to.

So how can you maintain balance, you ask?

The half-halt.

We've discussed the half-halt in detail in previous articles. This time, though, we're going to look at when we need to apply the half-halt. If we are interested in preserving balance while we ride the horse, it all comes down to the timing.

Time the half-halt correctly during  the horse's movement. In general, you want to time your aids while the inside hind leg is up off the ground (so the leg is free to move).

Also, time the half-halt so it occurs between the various movements. Many people say you should ride "half-halt to half-halt" - as in, the half-halts begin and end each and every movement (= changes of balance). If you think this must mean that you are constantly using half-halts, you're right!




When exactly should you balance (rebalance/catch the energy/give a "heads up")? Here are 38 moments in a ride that you could use the half-halt.

  1. Before the walk to halt
  2. After the halt to walk
  3. Before/after the trot to walk
  4. Before/after the canter to trot
  5. Before/after the trot to canter
  6. Before/after the walk to trot
  7. Before a corner in the ring
  8. After a corner in the ring
  9. Before a turn
  10. After a turn
  11. Before a circle begins
  12. Halfway through the circle
  13. Before the circle ends
  14. A few strides after the circle
  15. Before the "sit down" in trot/canter
  16. After the "sit down" in trot/canter
  17. Before a change of direction
  18. After a change of direction
  19. Before going into a straight line
  20. Halfway through the straight line
  21. After the straight line, in preparation for the next movement
  22. Before going downhill
  23. While going downhill
  24. Before positioning into the shoulder-in/haunches in
  25. During the shoulder-in/haunches-in
  26. After the shoulder-in/haunches-in
  27. Before the leg yield/half-pass
  28. During the leg yield/half-pass (especially to help the hind end catch up with the front end)
  29. After the leg yield/half-pass
  30. Before a spook
  31. During a spook
  32. Any time to refocus attention
  33. Before an increase in engagement
  34. After an increase in engagement
  35. Any time to regain balance
  36. Before any new movement
  37. Before slowing down the tempo (regardless of gait)
  38. Before speeding up the tempo (regardless of gait)

I considered leaving out the "before" and "after" qualifiers but then I decided I wanted to make it very specific. We tend take the half-halt for granted and use it sometimes while forget about it at other times. In this case, I wanted to highlight the frequency that it needs to be used - basically, before and after everything!

Which brings us back to the first ride on the young horse. Even while he is finding his feet and learning about gaits, gait changes and what our aids mean, it is our responsibility to help him maintain the best balance possible during each phase of his education. Introduce the half-halt fairly early in his riding career and keep using it through all of his riding life!

Do you have more to add to the list? Comment below.

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