Question: On one of my tests, I had a comment that my horse swished his tail at the halt. How does that affect my score?
Answer submitted by Kerry Petty:
At the lower levels a balanced halt is what is called for. Focus on your horse being balanced coming off the aids of the leg and seat of the rider. As you approach your transition you want to half halt to obtain the attention of the horse as well as further put his weight underneath him. As you sit deeper with your core while keeping your leg on you close your hand so he quietly steps into a halt. If you are sitting straight and he is straight he will halt square. However, most riders drop a hip as they finish the halt and the horse obliges and drops a hip also. Or, the rider pulls back so the horse keeps his hind end out behind and drops his back. Then you have no energy for a transition out. You ride forward into the halt and keep the energy contained in the halt with your core. This coiled energy gives the halt strength also allowing for a flowing transition out into a balanced walk, trot or canter.
Answer submitted by Margaret Spencer:
Where to start? Rider position, the bend of the horse, application of the aids? Any of these things could be the issue. Serpentines could help determine the answer. At a stand still, will the horse bend its head equally in both directions? Do you site equally on both seat bones? With your legs equally on both sides? (At the girth, heels even, knees the same height?) Do you twist your torso; are your shoulders at the same height with neither one ahead of the other?
Consider this: if your horse will move off (or over from) your inside leg, you sit with your inside seat bone ahead of the outside seat bone, your shoulders are level, and the horse uses both hind legs evenly, the horse will bend to the right without falling in on a circle. This in not an easy question to answer, however, it is a problem many have. I have found that the majority of people prefer to have their left leg straighter and their right leg bent more. This pushes the horse more to the right as the left seat bone will be heavier. To convince ones body to be equal is the first challenge, the second is to properly assist the horse in both directions. Possible!! Just not easy.