Here is a challenge to work on shortening steps and riding up to the halt. This exercise involves slowing and reducing the length of steps before the halt, which will help the horse come to a balanced halt. Instead of leaning into the halt and dropping the chest, the aim of the exercise is to encourage the horse to keep their chest lifted and their front to back balance evenly distributed.
Set up poles in the arena down each long side 8m from each short side that will provide a set of four halt-over-pole obstacles.
Ride around the arena halting over each pole. After each pole, develop a feel of riding your horse ‘up’ through his body and pay closer attention to straightness from nose to tail until the halfway point between the poles then keeping that ‘up forward’ feeling, gradually reduce the length of each step to finish with a halt over the next pole. Slow and small steps without stopping prior to the halt will improve balance and coordination as the horse will not be using as much momentum to keep their balance.
As you build on this maybe put a trot or canter circle in at B and/or E.
Have fun and enjoy the journey.
Virtual Working Equitation 