DefinitelyDressage.com

Can someone give me a step by step map of straightening after a (canter) half pass? Lets say HP from QL to QL.... not to the rail . Do I just allow the haunches to follow the shoulders up the new straight line? Do I just push the haunches over one more step until horse is straight? Is there a bit of SF afterwards? Working on a freestyle and I have some changes after the HP..... the importance of being really straight in the changes is becoming very clear......

I straighten the neck by pointing my belly button between the ears. In other words my inside hand and outside hand return to center and ride my core towards hands , in other words my hips square and seatbones even and the horses body straightens hind end to bit, which is my go to straight half halt in any gait.

I used to often get the comment "half pass not finished" or along those lines because I would sort of let the hindquarters trail forward after the shoulders as I got to the CL etc. Now, I tend to push the quarters that one stride extra so they are in line with the shoulders, then straighten everything up.
I'm not sure if this is correct!!! But, I did stop getting those comments.

Massive edit, cause this is wrong. You shouldn't be pushing the quarters. What I've just recently learned is more like Chisambas. Make the shoulders wait for a stride or so, so the quarters will catch up, and straighten the neck. Works really well for zig zags too. Wait the shoulders, change the flexion, then you'll be in shoulder fore for the new direction, then bring the quarters.

A half pass should be parallel to the rail already. The straightening needed is to take out the bend.

If you are lagging in the quarters, you need to catch them up, or push it over however you think about it.

If you are not already straight with bend in the half pass, I would work on that. With my crookedness, I always find HP left harder. In working on issues this created in both of my horses, I've sort of come to the revelation that I need to focus less on forward and sideways and more on really up and collecting, keeping the straight, which sort of made the issues go away. If you focus too much on movement (forward/sideways) it creates issues like lagging haunches. So, I do the half pass, and then straighten by doing as Chisamba said--straight in seat and hands.

I think more about moving the shoulders to the new direction than moving the haunches. I'd finish the HP by stopping the sideways and moving the shoulders to the new direction but straightening the neck at the same time so the change is straight. If you need more strides to complete this, you'll need to complete your sideways sooner and have extra space for the straightening.

For the degree of sideways required at GP for sure and possibly PSG and Intermediare, you are not 100% parallel to the rail and definitely in the zig-zag you have to move the shoulders to the new direction before doing the change, otherwise you'll start the next HP with haunches leading.

Tanga wrote:A half pass should be parallel to the rail already. The straightening needed is to take out the bend.

If you are lagging in the quarters, you need to catch them up, or push it over however you think about it.

If you are not already straight with bend in the half pass, I would work on that. With my crookedness, I always find HP left harder. In working on issues this created in both of my horses, I've sort of come to the revelation that I need to focus less on forward and sideways and more on really up and collecting, keeping the straight, which sort of made the issues go away. If you focus too much on movement (forward/sideways) it creates issues like lagging haunches. So, I do the half pass, and then straighten by doing as Chisamba said--straight in seat and hands.

Thank you. Left is also my harder side. If we are very parallel to the long side we have almost no sideways..... big WIP for us both.

Interesting that half of you say move the shoulders and half suggest pushing the haunches over to the new straightness....... the freestyle is 4th level. Three changes after the HP.

I guess I just need to see what works for us.

I know we usually need more collection as well.

thanks all!!! I knew I could count on some good advice here!

The biggest mistake that I see people make is what Chisamba mentioned. When they get to the end of the half-pass, they let the shoulders lead and it kind of fizzles out and then they skate around the corner. To "finish" it, you need to make sure that the haunches and shoulders hit the rail together, then straighten. I do this by thinking a step of shoulder fore after I take out the bend (the way Chisamba does). So, hit the rail, step of straight with no bend, and then shoulder fore. this also sets up the expectation for the zig zags later on.

lorilu wrote:

Tanga wrote:A half pass should be parallel to the rail already. The straightening needed is to take out the bend.

If you are lagging in the quarters, you need to catch them up, or push it over however you think about it.

If you are not already straight with bend in the half pass, I would work on that. With my crookedness, I always find HP left harder. In working on issues this created in both of my horses, I've sort of come to the revelation that I need to focus less on forward and sideways and more on really up and collecting, keeping the straight, which sort of made the issues go away. If you focus too much on movement (forward/sideways) it creates issues like lagging haunches. So, I do the half pass, and then straighten by doing as Chisamba said--straight in seat and hands.

Thank you. Left is also my harder side. If we are very parallel to the long side we have almost no sideways..... big WIP for us both.

Yep. I think most of us are right handed, so that is the issue. Try what I said and see if you notice a difference. Every time I start to struggle with going sideways enough, I have to remind myself of more collection and sitting up, and then it all comes together SO much easier!

Tanga wrote:
Yep. I think most of us are right handed, so that is the issue. Try what I said and see if you notice a difference. Every time I start to struggle with going sideways enough, I have to remind myself of more collection and sitting up, and then it all comes together SO much easier!

Well, I'm a lefty so there goes that theory

lorilu wrote:

Tanga wrote:
Yep. I think most of us are right handed, so that is the issue. Try what I said and see if you notice a difference. Every time I start to struggle with going sideways enough, I have to remind myself of more collection and sitting up, and then it all comes together SO much easier!

Well, I'm a lefty so there goes that theory

My trainer says that most horses are weaker in their right hind (not all, but a lot of them) and so most have the left side as the stiffer side and the right side as the hollower side. That means a left halfpass is going to be harder for many because you need bend on the stiffer side and push-off from the weaker right hind.

I was at a breeding farm and foaled our many mares. If the foal rotates onto the birthing position to the left' their feet and shoulders are presented left leading. This is good because the foal cannot pass the pelvis square. If they rotate the other way ' their lead foot is the right one.

The owner of the farm had us note which foot was leading at birth because she believed that was where the strength and suppleness started. So I. My limited experience of foaling 208 mare/foals the vast majority presented left foot leading. And were subsequently stronger to the left

But anyway she kept records for years and was convinced it all started in the womb

Chisamba.... That's fascinating!

That is really interesting, Chisamba, and it makes sense. The mother of my two is only 15.3. The younger one came out massive (I think she's 16.2/3?) and was super windswept, crooked. She was so big she got all scrunched up in there. I did see her born and have a video, but don't recall which leg came out. With careful management, she is very straight now.