TRAINING 101 



should be taken back to the school, and taught to stop 

 in the walk and slow canter. In this way one succeeds 

 with less risk to the limbs, and more surely, than if one 

 2)erscvered, till obedience was obtained, in the work 

 at the fast paces. 



(b) The halt. The half-halt.— The halt looked at 

 from a training point of view is not only useful to 

 immobilize the horse, but more especially to teach him 

 to balance himself by bringing his hind legs under the 

 body. 



The halt is brought about by the lingers gripping 

 stretched reins. If the hocks remain behind the body, 

 or the quarters throw themselves to one side in order 

 to avoid an engagement, which is always painful at 

 first, the rider's legs should be closed, in order to gently 

 press the hind legs under the body, whilst the hand 

 remains passive. 



The halt gathers together the forces of the horse, 

 fixes his head and his quarters, and makes him light 

 in hand. 



One should practise the halt very progressively, 

 and at first with great gentleness. Being especially 

 temperate with horses having ewe necks, and those 

 which are long in the back, saddle backed, or nervous. 

 These sort of horses, being generally weak in the loins, 

 take the halt with difficulty, and the remedy becomes 

 worse than the evil. One should not halt suddenly 

 horses which lack impulsion. In fact, the sudden halt 

 really only suits horses with strong loins, and sufficient 

 strength in their quarters and hocks to bring themselves 

 to a halt sharply on their hind legs. 



This is not the case with the half-halt. The half- 

 halt, wliich has been explained in the chapter dealing 

 with the aids, irritates the horse less than the halt : one 



