A bit of theory: what is the essence of the stop?

A bit of theory: what is the essence of the stop?

English speaking riders do not use the terms “halt” and “stop” as interchangeable, despite the fact that both of them mean the cessation of movement. The stop “stop” is considered as “full” (finish, end of work). It is done at the end of the session, just before you dismount.

It looks like a stop, but it is not a stop in the full sense of the word.

Stopping “halt” is a different concept. In essence, it is an element of movement, and therefore it is performed in the same way – in connection, with the preservation of momentum and balance, like any other movement that a horse can make. Think of a stop like a gallop, but without moving your legs or moving forward. Imagine a car stopped at a red traffic light. The engine is on and the car is ready to start at any moment. Your horse should be ready to move into any movement you ask for, right from the halt.

Develop rhythm and maintain momentum. Stop, like other movements, has its own rhythm, impulse. The hind legs of the horse step under the body and are in a state of readiness, waiting to move on to the next movement at the next moment.

Don’t break the momentum even when you stop. If you make a stop instead of a halt, the momentum is gone and the horse loses balance, power and precision. Her body will become flat. You will feel as if the horse’s legs are “stuck in a swamp”. It will be practically impossible to start the next movement with momentum. If you ask the horse for something after such a stop, the horse will seem surprised.

The whole secret is that stopping is still moving!

In classical dressage, a stop counts as a movement. She is just a pause. Keep your horse in a circle, just like you would with a good trot, and just stop moving forward in space.

This is not a “stop – stop – everything – movement” feeling, but rather, “wait – wait – wait – go!”

When you stop, you Need your legs!

The horse should round the back and step with the hind legs deeper under the body – all this until it comes to a halt. Use your leg to lift the horse’s back before it stops. Keep your horse straight and half-halt as you move. Avoid using your hands to pull on the horse’s mouth. Instead, stop with your seat. The horse must stop from the rear. At the same time, her front remains balanced and light, the back is round, contact is maintained. The feet stop on a “square” if the approach to the stop is energetic, straightforward and balanced.

Be ready to exit the pause gracefully at any moment—walk, trot, gallop.

Katey Farroqzad (source); translation Valeria Smirnova.