Two questions...

[Casey76]

Posted from my blog:

Immobility at halt is starting to become a bit of a bugbear.  Pinto will remain immobile only if I completely relax and drop the rein.  If I try to keep the energy there he sidles, or takes a half step foward, or swings bit butt round, or opens his mouth and chews on the bit.  I'm not sure how to progress with this, and I'm not sure why the transition from walk to halt is so poor compared to trot/walk, or even trot/halt.

Any ideas?

Also... we are getting quite good now at stretching down and relaxing whilst keeping an even cadence at trot.  How do I now progress to picking him up so he will lift at the wither as well as his poll?

[Belbe]

ooo! i'm also working on the first one but i'm ever further back on the training; yesterday we started practicing a calm walk with higher set neck (consequently, shorter reins). Got a few ones after a long argument but only on serpentines, not on a straight line) so I have the same question! (sorry i'm of no help)
I did manage one or 2 halts with the energy up where she stood still but i basically froze and stayed frozen as soon as the horse stoped, i was breathing, veeeeeeeeeeery smoothly, but not a single other muscle in my body moved. That seemed to work, though it doesn't sound very practical does it?

[ukica]

I tend to use 2 poles with a narrow gap in between them for straightness into the halt and usually get a better halt, as if the horse swings his quarters he will tread on the pole.  I believe the poles gives you a better focus into the transition to halt and somehow, what you focus and feel, translates to the horse too.

[ros]

Q1 I'd love to know how the Household Cavalry train their horses to stand all that time!

Q2 To lift at the poll + withers means sitting behind. Lots of transitions helps.

[Candypony]

Standing still is simply a case of being quietly insistent, consistently until the horse realises that you EXPECT him to stand still until asked to do otherwise (ie if you're going to start this, then you have to do it all the time, not as an exercise you're going to pick up and put done again).  To me, there's no difference to training a horse to stand on a loose rein, with energy and on a contact or on his own when you've got off for whatever reason... I ask the question and keep asking it until the horse does what I've asked, even momentarily.  Reward - go forwards and repeat...  I suppose the main difference is whichever your horse finds more challenging will take longer to teach. But I DO EXPECT my horse to halt when I ask, and stay still until I say otherwise!! 

Candy found it harder to halt on a contact and stay there initially too - it was the last version of "halt" that we sorted... If I asked for it, I would get fidget, swing bum, toss head, go backwards - whatever... but I sat quiet, kept my legs on and finger's closed until she paused - then rewarded her and allowed her forwards immediately... does that help???

With regards to lifting up in front and carrying more weight towards the back - then yes transitions (between and within the pace - not speed though, stride length), rein back and lateral work all go towards this - it's a gradual thing though as it's the ultimate aim really - and the horse has to gradually build it's core strength, muscles across its back and over the hindquarters... I also find that I have to carry my hands a little higher these days too - which will only help if you're secure enough and using your own core strength to be able to support them - and I have to continually work on not tipping forwards...

All good fun!