Half-halts are very complicated because every half-halt is different. There is no formula to follow that will give you the perfect half-halt. To ride a half halt the rider must have FEEL meaning that they must be able to sense the right balance of aids (seat, leg, and hand) for the half halt before executing the half halt. Each horse requires a different balance of seat, leg, and hand for the half halt and this balance changes depending on the moment. If the horse is hot that day or if the horse is lazy it will need a different balance of aids.
Prerequisites for a half halt:
- The horse must be in front of the leg
- The horse must accept the contact
- The rider must be in the correct position
Different types of half-halts:
Half halts are like punctuation. They are used to get the horses’ attention and prepare them for what is coming next (ie. a corner, circle, transition, flying change, pirouette…). Half-halts DO NOT diminish the energy in the horse but rather a half-halt gathers the energy of the horse so that the rider can use the energy and channel it for the next task.
