odd questions about legs and half halts

[nightwish]

hi all...

this is a rather odd question ive been riding for years..people have their different ways to get their horse respond to them.. just wondering do you keep my legs on to support the horse or do you keep them off and on etc etc... hope you understand... with my horse i use every 2 strides as shes quite forward going. just looking around for different ways of things. and also how do you get a young horse to respond to your half halt? mines been broken 4 months and she still doesnt understand properly or is it a baby thing? thanks for reading xx

[sarahp]

They should accept the leg on their side without shooting off, and should continue in their pace in rhythm without needing constant nagging from the leg - this is how they learn to be dead to leg aids. I've always found that if a young horse understands a leg aid as going forward and a rein aid as going slower, then half halts will come easily if you "close down" by using a little leg and a little rein to ask the horse to collect himself together a bit. It acts to give them a warning and prepare them for a new movement in a minute. 4 months isn't really that long in schooling terms, I'm sure she'll get it eventually!

[nightwish]

hi thanks.. i have been riding for years, but shes my first one ive broken and brought on. and i cant afford a trainer because i have college in September as a mature student.

[sageandonion]

I think you should be training your horse to move from your seat and to as small an aide as possible, to slow and move down a pace, I merely brace my stomach and back muscles (core). Your lower leg should be on the horses side but literally with a gentle hug and I do not have my knee or upper leg gripped to the horse at all. My legs do not give the forward or my hands the downward transition unless, of course, the horse ignores the body aides. My legs give the instruction for a different pace and it should be very discrete. The term 'support' the horse with the leg is beyond me, how can legs support half a tonne. I think it is vital to save up to have at least the occasional lesson with a trainer, it is part of the commitment you need to have to a young horse.

[nightwish]

hi sageandonion thanks and defo i will.

[dunconnie]

Some great advice here! I usually liken the idea of supporting a horse with your legs to having them lightly velcro-ed to the side from your calf to ankle bone, with soft knees. You need to feel that you are not pushing or squeezing, but that the leg is quietly constant and not giving confusing "on off" aids - a bit like an electical connection, just the minimum contact required to keep the lightbulb on :-)

Think of your half halts like a little whisper in the ear of a well trained horse. babies being what they are might require you to speak loudly and clearly until they understand what is going to be asked of them before you've even asked it. This doesn't have to be stronger or firmer, don't bully but make everything very clear, a bit like annunciating words and putting full stops at the end of the sentance.Don't be afraid to repeat but reward with silence (taking the aid off) as soon as they respond.
I find newly started are a lot more seat responsive than most people think, they are very aware of what your weight is doing as its all new and strange for them, so make sure with your half half there is a lightening of the seat to encourage the change of pace or balance or whatever you are asking for!

Hope this helps a bit. New to posting here have been browsing for what seems like years and thought I would brave it!!

[GinaGeo]

The above responses explain it well. I aim to ride with my leg lying gently against the side, but not squeezing or kicking. That's how you teach a horse to be dead to the leg. A horse should continue in canter for example, until you tell it to stop as opposed to when you stop asking it to go. That's the difference between a horse that's in front of the leg and horse that's behind the leg. Like S&O says, small changes in core are the breaks and small leg movements the upwards and at more advanced levels they're fine tuned for the lateral, extension and collection work.

With my baby, I ask quietly for what I want as I would a more advanced horse. If I don't get the response I'm looking for I ask again but in a more exaggerated manner. Eventually the horse learns to respond on the quieter of the aids. And the fine tuning begins.

[nightwish]

thanks everyone.. they are explained well..will update you soon

[sageandonion]

Don't forget to use your voice aids at the same time, as you have with your lunge work so baby begins to understand.

[nightwish]

shes fab with my voice i just say woah and shes listens so thats good to start with lol

[robrocksforsure]

Agree with S & O. I do the babiesfrom the ground 1st and say "and" to prepare them for a transition.If you do some downward transitions on the ground like this and transfer this to the saddle. When this is understood with the combination of body aid, simply apply the leg back on before the pony returns to walk. You will soon be able to drop the voice command and used body aid only. Good luck!

[nightwish]

thanks everyone

[vcl]

The way i half halt is to give a squeeze with my knees, keeping my leg on at the same time. Not like an aid pressure but as others say a hugging pressure. Depending on how much half halt i need a shoulder lift and tummy brace is enough. With a baby i would maybe instead of lots of half halts: do more transitions from trot to an almost walk then trot again. SHe may understand this better than a direct half halt whcih requires them to sit back and lift teh front which she may not be ready for-just an idea

[nightwish]

thanks hun