The half-halt should not make the horse break into a different gait.

The half-halt may be performed two ways, both of which are commonly used by various skilled horsepeople.

Baucher then began using the half-halt and vibrations to decrease muscular tension.

So a slight resistance backed up with the leg can act as a half-halt, whereas a larger resistance will communicate to the horse to halt.

The degree of pressure applied by the aids will vary greatly between horses, depending on the animal's training, temperament, balance, and the situation in which the half-halt is given.

The main purpose of the half-halt is to rebalance the horse, asking it to carry its weight slightly more on his hindquarters and less on its forehand.

The half-halt is a specific riding aid given by an equestrian to his horse, in which the driving aids and restraining aids are applied in quick succession.

According to Dr. Thomas Ritter, the best time to apply the half-halt is the moment when the hind leg it is meant to control touches the ground.

Chief had no idea what dressage was, and I knew only slightly more at the time, but together we worked on the basics of impulsion, acceptance, the effective use of the half-halt, and traveling softly and roundly forward in a frame.

The degree of the aid is usually performed by instinct and feel, a result of experience from the rider, and often one half-halt will be slightly different from the one preceding it, depending on the horse's balance and the requirements of the upcoming exercise.