The ability to stop your horse is essential in any discipline, but achieving a correct halt is more complex than it may seem. Debbie Dobson, a coach, trainer, and competitor with 30 years’ experience in the equine industry, owns and operates Equestrian Dreams, a dressage-focused lesson facility in Campbellville, ON. She says it’s a skill most riders need to work on, from beginners through to grand prix competitors.

FEI Dressage Rules state:

1. At the halt, the horse should stand attentive, engaged, motionless, straight and square with the weight evenly distributed over all four legs. The neck should be raised with the poll as the highest point and the nose line slightly in front of the vertical…

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