2 of 3

Write now Article Tools

The Balanced Halt

By Jeanne Adams

There is a big difference between just stopping your horse and executing the movement: balanced halt. It is often hastily rehearsed or even overlooked.
All performance horses need to learn a balanced halt. A stock horse could not execute that athletic sliding stop; a dressage horse could not accomplish that stately required halt. Balanced halt teaches the horse the very foundation of basic training and all disciplines of riding can benefit from its execution. A good halt is harder to accomplish than you might think because you must engage everything, but add resistance. An accurate halt is the product of both lateral and longitudinal balance and occurs when the horse stays on the bit, stands square, and is attentive to the rider's next cue. One of my favorite sayings about the halt is that the horse must ooze into immobility.

To attain a balanced halt, the rider holds the horse equally in each hand, with an equal amount of pressure from each leg, combined with forward momentum into the halt. It is important to feel as if you are driving the hindquarters forward, not pulling back on the reins. At the beginning, using the side of the arena will aid in keeping the horse straight. Start with upper body erect, tall, and proud, shoulders relaxed, chest open, stomach leading. Remember not to lean back, compress your stomach, or collapse your shoulders. It is helpful to deep-breathe in at this point and think of leading with your hips by slightly tilting your pelvis. Close both legs evenly. Your hands should hold, not restrain or pull, merely closing fingers around the reins to support the neck of the horse. The use of your voice can also help in the beginning with the command "Whoa, or Ho."

A common situation when the reins are overused is the weight of the horse falls to the fore and the hind legs are left camped out behind. Most horses will lean on the bit, looking for the rider to help him keep his balance. In this position, it is not possible for the horse to spring forward into any gait with impulsion. Another fault is not using enough equal leg pressure resulting in the hind legs swinging to the side. The horse needs to learn to halt on his own which requires staying relaxed in the jaw, raising his back, and bringing his hindquarters under to support the weight of the rider and himself.

A phrase that goes through my mind when halting, hips towards your hands, helps to remind me not to pull, but drive into a halt. Another practice I habitually use is to pull my stomach in towards my spine while sitting tall and thinking "halt" and the horse, more often than not, comes into halt, seemingly on his own, without pulling. He then should stand with muscles engaged, waiting, but ready to proceed with impulsion. When on your own, check to see if your horse has a leg at each corner by actually looking down and if not, practice until that is achieved. When you get your square, balanced halt, heap on the praise!

Learn more about this author, Jeanne Adams.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about How to train a horse to halt in balance?
We want to hear your view. Write now!