Something I see a lot in riders is see-sawing...

See-sawing the horse down does not create a truely through horse - instead you will get a temporary false headset and as soon as the seesawing stops, the horse will hollow out and come up again anyway.

True roundess is acheived through Steady contact - with correctly applied half halts - which incorporate the entire body, not just the reins.

The biggest misconception people have about a "round" horse is that his head is down - but there is so much more to it! A horse must be moving forward, stepping up behind himself from behind in order to get the lift in his back and through the neck and to the poll.

Once you have (and must also maintain!) the foward, you can begin to put the horse together by applying half halts to help balance and lift him.

A half halt is an aide that incorporates many of our aides, not just our hands. Its not about pulling the horses face down, rather encouraging him to seek out the contact with the bit. It should be soft and light, not heavy and bracing. To half-halt you will add your leg, sit deep, bring the shoulders back a bit, slightly tighten your abs and lower back and then increase the pressure on the outside rein (the amount of pressure necessary will vary depending on several factors- only apply as much as needed to get the desired result) Your inside rein should only be engaged enough to keep the horse straight and with a squeeze and release - not a steady hold or you will allow the horse to hang or pull on it. This will be a process that will take between 2 and 5 seconds....

The half halt will balance and reorganize your horse - when he comes into your hands (on the bit) soften your contact (but still maintain a feel on the outside rein) and allow him to carry himself. A young or green horse may only carry himself for a few strides before needing another half halt - a more schooled horse will need less support.

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