The long-awaited
The Half-Halt Explained beta Course is finally open for enrollment.
Grab your spot and experience the unique beta course experience!
The course begins in...
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“If only someone had told me THIS is the way to half-halt, I would have saved years of grief and frustration!”
Does any of this sound familiar?
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You want to progress in Dressage, but you feel STUCK.
You’ve been told you just need to half-halt more or half-halt better, but (truth be told) you don’t even know what that means or how to do it! You’re told (or you know) that your half halts don’t go “through”. In other words, they don’t seem to do what you think they should be doing. But how do you fix this? How do you make it better?
-02-
You’ve read that the key to developing collection is the half-halt, but that seems so frustrating and elusive to figure out.
You know you need to get your horse off the forehand, but you don’t know how and you’re worried that your horse will become unsound eventually if you don’t figure it out. You want to improve your riding. Not only for you, but also for your horse. But how?
-03-
All the confusion around the half-halt just makes you doubt your abilities to figure this out.
Every explanation of the half-halt leaves you even more bewildered than before. Either people over simplify it or they overcomplicate it and it never seems to make sense to you. You worry that maybe you’re not cut out for Dressage.
...If I'm reading your thoughts, then keep reading, because *waves magic wand* I've got the answer.
To correctly learn the Half-Halt... you need straightforward explanation (no mystifying "word salad"), clear video demonstrations, and the tools and support to help you progressively develop your skills, feel, timing, and refine your technique.
WHY does it matter?
^^ When you don’t know what is correct vs. what is NOT correct, you can easily make bad training decisions, take advice that harms your horse, and derail (or detour) your training progress.
The price of doing it wrong...
● You will continue to confuse your horse with contradictory aids and timing.
● Your relationship and communication with your horse suffers.
● You risk making your horse unsound with wear and tear from being on the forehand (or stressing the hocks from badly timed half-halts).
● You will not progress in your training.
● You risk losing faith in your ability to learn and progress in your riding.
● You will, sadly, never get to experience the joys of upper level collection and the “fun” stuff like piaffe, passage, half passes, and canter pirouettes.
It's a high price to bear.
✨But it's not necessary...
What you really need....
↠ Is to learn the What, Why, and How of the classical half-halt in a no-nonsense clear systematic way from someone who understands gentle, ethical, horse-centered training methods.
↠ A safe, supportive learning environment where you can get all your questions answered without condescension or fear of ridicule.
↠ Expert feedback and help when you get stuck or are just not sure if you're doing it right.
"To practice equestrian art is to establish a conversation on a higher level with the horse: a dialogue of courtesy and finesse.”
- Nuno Oliveira
The proof is in the pudding (a.k.a. the results of our students)....
Cindy
“This is the best on line learning site I have found and love the Ritters deep dive into biomechanics of dressage. Little by little pieces are starting to fall into place. Thank you to the whole team for all that you do , sharing your knowledge, and being grounded in classical dressage.”
Tracey
"I have actively sought knowledge over my riding career and it was actually my inability to do a clean/ consistent flying change left to right that was the catalyst for me. I kept saying I was doing something fundamentally wrong but no-one could tell me what that was, a lot of yelling and me just feeling like a terrible rider. What I have learned so far has been amazing, it’s a work in progress but I now feel possibilities not barriers. I also feel like every ride is a gift where I learn something new and find a new gem of wisdom in the practical, not just the theory. I love this community as it’s like I have found my people and I am not alone in my thoughts or journey."
Katharine
“The Ritter courses have given me my confidence back. A year ago, I was almost ready to give up and just be an owner and find someone who could ride my horse. We were stuck in a cycle of 1 step forwards 2 steps back in our training. I felt over-horsed and completely inadequate. A year later I feel so much more empowered and my relationship with my horse is so much better. I enjoy riding again and I know that he and I are on the right path, and I’ve found the right community of people to help us succeed. 😊”
Tracy F.
“I really can’t get enough of the Ritter approach… at this point it is the BEST coaching & goal/objective setting program. After 4yrs, it is now how I think and feel and ride my horses. So - why not! I’ve done a number of Beta classes and love the concept of being immersed in it forever.”
It will feel AMAZING to feel confident in your ability to communicate clearly and elegantly with your horse.
Effective half-halts completely up-levels your riding in every way:
- You will improve your communication (and hence your relationship) with your horse. When you can communicate effectively, you’re able to ride with finer aids and more subtlety. You will get greater responsiveness and understanding from your horse.
- Unlock the ability to balance and collect your horse. Effective half-halts are absolutely crucial for balancing the horse and developing collection. This results indirectly in the ability to improve impulsion, cadence, and expression in the gaits.
- Your transitions will become smoother and more harmonious. No more bobbles. No more lurching forward or hiccups. No more inverting.
- Your timing and feel will improve dramatically which will result in a more harmonious partnership with your horse.
- The ability to improve the quality of all the movements and progress up the levels.
- Greater precision. If you compete your horse, this will improve your test scores. If you don’t, you will still enjoy the ability to do what you want when and where you want it.
- Your confidence as a rider will increase. As you gain proficiency, your confidence will naturally increase, as well. Your sense of control, confidence, and enjoyment in your training will increase, too.
"The rider must learn to continually focus on the aids as an entire picture, from the seat and leg to the variable weight that is placed in the stirrups, the hands that are holding the reins as well as the horse’s conformation, way of moving and level of schooling. In every necessary repeated sequence of driving-half-halting and once more slightly yielding with the hands, the rider will recognize an immediate reward by the horse that begins to respond positively and lightly, instead of becoming tense and resistant."
- Egon von Neindorff
Imagine...
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Riding a smooth transition where the horse beautifully rocks the weight back into the hind quarters.
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Elegantly being able to adjust the speed and tempo of the horse, influence the cadence and impulsion, and increase or decrease collection at will.
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Having the exquisite feel to know exactly how much leg, seat, and rein to apply to get the desired result.
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Feeling absolutely connected with your horse.
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Knowing how to use your half-halts to optimize your horse’s balance and alignment in all gaits, movements, and exercises.
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Confidently understanding the nuances of the different KINDS of half-halts, how and when they are applied, and how to evaluate if the half halts go “through”.
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Effortlessly being able to use your half halts to shift the weight off the forehand, off of a heavy shoulder, lift the withers and thoracic sling, and increase the flexion of the haunches.
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Using your half halts to produce livelier, more expressive movement and gaits that have more impulsion and cadence.
What's Included
#1- The Function of the Half Halt
What is the purpose of a half halt? In order to do anything well, you always need to start with the Why. You need to understand the intended purpose in order to get results.
#2- The Ingredients and Components of the Half-Halt
What does the half-halt truly consist of? Let’s unpack all the details about stirrup, body weight, rein, and leg aid
#3- Applying the Half Halt
The half halt is part of the symphony of the aids, but how do you apply the half halt?
#4- The Correct Timing of the Half Halt
Perfecting the Precision by getting the timing down. What is the correct timing?
#5- The Half-Halt Goldilocks Zone
How big/strong does the half halt need to be? From whisper to shout, adjusting the volume of the half halt for Power and Subtlety.
#6- Gathering Feedback to Assess Results
Are you on the right track? How do you know that the half halt worked? Learn to read the horse’s feedback to determine the effectiveness of your half halt.
#7- Feeling the Rhythm of the Half Halt
How can you learn to feel when a hind leg is on the ground?
#8- Navigating the Half Halt with Finesse
Adjusting the half halt to each individual horse and situation. Understanding how the size and strength of the half halt should vary depending on your horse's size, temperament, and training level.
#9- Common Mistakes of the Half-Halt
Common mistakes (and how to troubleshoot and fix them)
#10- Rider Influence and Alignment
Understanding how the rider’s seat plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of the half halt and keeping the horse connected in the half halt.
How do I know if this is a good fit for me?
Perfect for you if:
- You are not totally clear on the mechanics or execution of the half halt.
- You sort of know the half halt but you’re pretty sure there is more to learn.
- You have heard of the Spanish Riding School method for the half-halt but no one has been able to teach it to you.
- You get remarks on your competition scoresheets such as “half halts don’t go through” or “needs more half halts”.
- You feel confused with the way others have explained the half halt before (or frustrated that no one would explain it to you in a way that made sense to you).
- You are fascinated with learning the traditional, classical teachings as passed down from the old masters..
- You love your horse and are interested in doing what is best for your horse.
- You want to improve yourself for your horse.
- You want to keep your horse sound, healthy, and happy.
- You want to be empowered with more information, knowledge, and skills. "Brutality begins where skill ends." - Egon von Neindorff
- You find learning fun... even exhilarating!
- You want to learn to be a “fine” rider who can ride with sophistication and subtlety
Not for you if:
- You think you already know it all.
- You find this subject matter boring and you’re not interested in learning more about it.
- You are more interested in forcing your horse to do something than learning how to work with your horse’s biomechanics and psychology.
- You would rather just do it the way you have been doing it, even if it’s not really working as well as it should.
- You don’t really care about what your horse thinks or feels - he works for you, he needs to do what you tell him to do.
- You detest any mention of classical riding or the “Old Masters”. Your motto is “Go Modern or Go Home!”
- You like using lots of gadgets and contraptions to force your horse into a frame. Forget learning to ride the horse from back to front, that’s for sissies!
- You’re not really into learning or investing in your education as a thoughtful rider.
- You like things the way they are and want to keep it that way.
- You aren’t willing to take advice and be coachable.
- You are attached to your excuses of why things are not working for you and your horse.
Let's take a look at what you will get
THEORY
The theory of the biomechanics of the half-halt. Each theory lesson builds upon the previous module, but they can also be used as a reference library.
HISTORY & TRADITION
The half-halt in history: the classical heritage and its relevance for you now in the 21st century. Our teachers were from the Spanish Riding School tradition, and we pass this heritage and teaching on to you.
WHAT, WHY, AND HOW
Thorough plain-and-simple explanation and demonstration of every aspect of the what, why, and how of half-halts.
LIVE Q&AS
Bi-weekly Q&As where you can get every question answered, even if it goes into a different subject matter. No questions left behind!
EXCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
One of the most thrilling parts of this course is the incredible community. As a member of the course, you are granted lifetime access to the community with it's ongoing discussions, progress reports, and questions answered by Thomas, Shana, and their team of assistant instructors. You can post your videos in the group for feedback and advice.
VIDEO DEMONSTRATIONS
It is great to get the theory, but you also need to SEE it done to understand it and apply it to your own riding!
FELDENKRAIS LESSONS
Because a centered, balanced seat and the ability to ride with independent aids is a crucial point of the half-halt, we include Feldenkrais lessons to develop these skills.
LIFETIME ACCESS
You never lose access to your course materials from the 2024 beta course round. Not after the course is finished, not after 6 months or a year (as long as we are alive and able to support the course platform - and we hope that is a very, very long time!). That means that you can come back to it whenever you and your horse are ready for more. It will always be there for you, and so will we.
UNIQUE BETA EXPERIENCE
Our courses are only ever released the first time once, and this is a unique experience because we take the feedback of our course participants and incorporate it into the course content. This means if you want a specific explanation done in a certain way, we ADD THIS into the course - for you! Also as a beta course member, should there be a future run of this course you will be invited to participate in that next round for FREE. Thereafter, you will be invited to participate in any additional rounds of this same course, however an admin fee will apply.
“As a blind person touches an object softly with his fingertips in order not to disturb the sensitive nerve ends by to much pressure, so it is the rider's first obligation to keep soft those parts of his body with which he feels his horse.”
- Gustav Steinbrecht
A Note From Shana & Thomas Ritter...
Despite an immense amount of information available on the subject of the half-halt, the truth is that it still remains a mystery to many riders. That is because not all of the information is correct or is only partially correct. And many do not explain it in the explicit detail that you need in order to fully understand it and implement it beneficially into your riding.
Hi, we are Shana and Thomas Ritter. We have been studying and teaching classical dressage for over 30 years and we have discovered what riders need to know in order to truly be able to understand and use the half-halt effectively.
Our heritage is from the Spanish Riding School tradition: we are students of Karl Mikolka (SRS), Egon von Neindorff, Arthur Kottas (SRS), Charles de Kunffy (Hungarian SRS tradition), Dorothee Baumann-Pellny (Neindorff Institute), Thomas Faltejsek (Neindorff Institute), and Hubert Rohrer (SRS). We teach in this tradition, passing on the techniques, methods, and theory on to our students.
Having published several books and spent countless years teaching all over Europe, the USA, and Canada we now live in Portugal with our herd of Lusitanos and Lipizzaners. Together we create and orchestrate the Artistic Dressage program helping riders all over the world to have better, happier relationships with their horses through correct, gymnastics and a thoughtful, heart-centered approach.
How does this beta course work?
Beta course enrollment is at a lower price than future runs of the course because we produce the course as we go, incorporating your suggestions and feedback. It also means the schedule may be a bit flexible if we need more time to complete the content. If the course duration is extended, more Q&A sessions will be added to the schedule, so that you can be sure to get support all the way through the course.
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Let's get to know each other!
The first week, we will hold a welcome and orientation call where we will explain what to expect but we will also ask you what your problems are around the half-halt have been so that we can produce content specifically around YOUR needs. In week 1, we will have you fill out a survey where you can tell us everything you want to know.
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Course Modules
One at a time, the contents are released in course modules of pre-recorded content. This means you can go through it when it works for YOUR schedule and you can watch it as many times as you like. It is all easily downloaded for viewing offline, if that is what you prefer. There will be PDFs, diagrams, videos, and audio files.
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Facebook Group Community
We hope you will join us in the exclusive HHE-members-only Facebook Group. Here you will meet your fellow beta course colleagues, share experiences, make friends, and get support from us and our teaching assistants: Marcella Becker, Kristen Guest, Charlotte Zetterberg, Catherine McCrum, Yvonne Lübcke, and Caroline Duff-Riddell. It is a safe, welcoming community where you can feel comfortable sharing your videos for feedback.
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Q&A Coaching Calls
You will be invited to attend our bi-weekly live Q&A coaching calls where you can ask ALL your questions, even those unrelated to the course content. The times for these calls rotate between 10:00am GMT, 1:00pm GMT, and 6:00 or 7:00pm GMT. If you cannot attend live, you can pre-submit questions. All calls are recorded and are available 24-48 hours later in the course platform.
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Course Completion
At the end of the course, we will have another survey for you to complete. Upon successful completion of the beta round and completing the Beta Round Student Requirements (below), you will be given a course completion certificate and you will be granted lifetime access to the course content of this 2024 beta program. Should there be a future run of this course you will be invited to participate in this run for FREE. Thereafter, you will be invited to participate in any additional runs of this same course, however an admin fee will apply.
I'M IN!More words from our students...
Anne Zahradnik
Through their instruction and examples, I've transformed from a skilled but driven, frustrated, rider into one who is calm, happy, and analytical in my training. Despite having had decades of excellent instruction, it took the Ritters to teach me to be calmer, more analytical, and therefore much more effective in my riding. Everyone is happier AND we make better progress. My horses and I all thank Thomas Ritter and Shana Ritter.
Morgan Laura Osborne
I have done most Ritter courses and love the teaching style. Thomas and Shana are amazing at getting into the reason of everything, the Why. They have helped me to decode what I feel at the end of the rein. Now any contact issues are simply information about the horse's body and as soon as I fix the cause the contact is back to being fab.
ONE-OF-A-KIND OPPORTUNITY
The 2024 Half-Halt Explained beta Course
Starts Monday, March , 2024 (Duration estimated through June 6, 2024, perhaps longer)
* Other currency options are available (EUR, USD, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, and ZAR).
To pay via bank transfer within the EU, just email [email protected] .
The course begins in...
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IS THERE A GUARANTEE?
Yes! A 100% Money Back Guarantee
If you’re not 100% satisfied with the Half Halt Explained course or our extensive support after 30 days, we will offer you a full refund, rider’s honor!
That means you can enroll today, and you don’t even have to decide if you’re in for good! Take the full 30 days to explore the materials, bonuses, and the life-changing experience of the special culture in the Facebook Group, and make your decision then. That enables you to make the decision then based on the experience you have first-hand in the course materials, rather than making the decision based on what you don’t yet know.
** Refunds must be requested in writing within this refund period.
"The weight and the half halts are similar to rainwater flowing from the roof of your house into the gutters, and from the gutters through a pipe into the ground. If the gutters are blocked by dead leaves or if the pipe is clogged, the gutters will overflow and the water will not be able to travel through the pipe into the ground.”
- Thomas Ritter
Commonly Asked Questions
When are the course modules released?
When are the Q&A calls and how do I attend?
What if I can't attend the Q&As live?
What if I have slow internet and want to watch offline?
Do I need special software?
What are the special Beta Round Requirements?
How much time is required?
Will this course work for me?
Will this course be suitable for my horse?
What equipment will I need?
I don't have access to a local trainer or instructor. Will this work for me?
I ride regularly with a trainer/instructor. Will this work for me?
How does this compare to your other courses?
I have taken another person's course on the Half Halt. How does this compare?
Can I use this for my Gaited Horse or non-Dressage breed?
Can I share this with my spouse/parent/child/family member?
What if it is not what I expect?
Is there a guarantee?
Do you have people who have used this with success?
Does it come with English subtitles for the hard of hearing?
When will you be offering this course again?
How do I enroll? Can I pay with bank transfer? What if I have payment problems or want to start my payments later?
ONE-OF-A-KIND OPPORTUNITY
The 2024 Half-Halt Explained beta Course
Starts Monday, March 4, 2024 (Duration estimated through June 6, 2024, perhaps longer)
* Other currency options are available (EUR, USD, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, and ZAR).
To pay via bank transfer within the EU, just email [email protected] .
The course begins in...
00
DAYS
00
HOURS
00
MINS
00
SECS
"Riding: The dialogue between two bodies and two souls aimed at establishing perfect harmony between them.”
- Waldemar Seunig