In the equestrian sport of dressage, there are few movements as graceful and elegant as the half-pass. To train your horse to do the half-pass its important to recognize the purpose and significance of the movement. The half-pass is a gymnastic movement valued for the physical development of the horse. When a horse and rider can properly perform the half-pass it demonstrates both precise control by the rider and a supple obediently trained horse.http://www.artisticdressage.com/articles/lateralmovements.html

While the movement may look different, it is basically a haunches-in or traverse performed on a diagonal line rather than on the straight line of a wall or center line. The horse moves into the direction his body is bent while continuing to step with good impulsion and balance maintaining a position nearly parallel to the long side of the arena with the shoulders slightly leading.

From the United States Equestrian Federation Rule Book

"DR 111 Article 3 Section i: Half-pass. This movement is a variation of traverse, executed on the diagonal instead of along the wall. The horse should be slightly bent round the inside leg of the rider in order to give more freedom and mobility to the shoulders, thus adding ease and grace to the movement although the forehand should be slightly in advance of the quarters. The outside legs pass and cross in front of the inside legs. The horse is looking in the direction in which he is moving. He should maintain the same cadence and balance throughout the whole movement. In order to give more freedom and mobility to the shoulders, which adds to the ease and grace of the movement, it is of great importance, not only that the horse is correctly bent and thereby prevented from protruding his inside shoulder, but also to maintain the impulsion, especially the engagement of the inside hind leg"http://www.usef.org

Before going directly to riding a half-pass, check that the horse understands maintaining the correct bend around your inside leg by riding a volte or 8- meter circle just out of the corner and keep the bend as you proceed down the rail in shoulder-in. Half way down the rail, ride a second volte this time proceeding in a haunches-in or traverse down the remainder of the long side of the arena.

Since the half-pass utilizes the same aids as the traverse, its important to school this movement prior to and during the session schooling the half-pass.http://www.equisearch.com/horses_riding_training/english/dressage/haunchesin_081506/ Be sure that the horse responds to your inside leg to continue driving the forward energy down the rail by using half-halts to collect the trot a bit extra for a few strides before pushing the trot on to a bit bigger stride again. Check that you are able to keep your seat bones level with a long inside leg so that you are not tipped to the outside. Using rein aids that remain independent, right rein on the right side of the neck left rein on the left side, keep the horse’s shoulders and chest pointed straight down the rail.

Once this is working smoothly, you are ready to begin riding a basic half-pass.

Tracking right at the trot, proceed down the center line at A in shoulder-in right. This turn will establish bend through the horse's body around the rider’s inside leg while getting the shoulders set up in the correct leading position. At L proceed with the horse’s chest pointed towards M. The rider can imagine the ears of the horse as creating target keeping the horse's ears centered between them as they go. The shoulders will then be kept correctly on their line. From this set up, the rider then by a half-halt on the outside rein and slight outside leg pressure can take the haunches into a traverse on this diagonal line towards M.http://www.helium.com/items/403144-how-to-teach-a-horse-half-pass?page=3

On the final approach to M, the rider can take one to two strides in a leg-yield to bring the haunches to the rail and straighten the horse before the new flexion and bend are established for the left turn at the corner. Ride through the short side of the ring before turning across the diagonal at H to ride a bit of medium trot in order to refresh the impulsion. A mirror image of the pattern ridden to the left after a left turn down center line will develop the half-pass off the other direction.

For horses or riders that have difficulty with the navigation, ground poles can be set along the diagonal to serve as a false rail. Once the rider masters the ability to enofrce the line of travel with the outside aids, the poles can be taken away.

Rider Challenges:

1. When training your horse to do the half-pass, its important to be tactful with the aids.http://www.classicaldressage.net/members/lesson_pages/half_pass.html The rider should have an independent seat which allows them to remain balanced while using soft rein aids and properly timed leg aids. Because of the desire to make the horse move sideward away from the outside leg, it's easy to focus too much on the outside aids when it is still the inside leg which creates the bend and the forward movement. Riders should feel that their weight stays on the inside seat bone, over the center of gravity, as the horse will step under and towards its influence. The rider’s shoulders and chest should be turned parallel with the horse's and towards the destination point. When rider’s start to push too strongly with the outside aids not only do they lean to the outside, they often twist away from the direction of travel confusing the horse.
2. Use your inside rein softly and with just enough feel to shape the bend without restricting the horse from going forward. Pulling more on the inside hand won't create more bend, it will block the horse from bringing the inside hind leg further under its body.
3. At the beginning, focus keeping the basics of the dressage training scale, the correct rhythm, suppleness and contact. Go less side-ward in your initial attempts.
4. If you do not have an excellent corner to set up your half-pass fix the corner. This is true for all exercises in dressage, but it is easy to get in a rush to ride the half-pass. Let’s face it, they are fun! However, every time you ride you train and each poorly ridden corner breaks down all your hard work.

Horse Challenges:

1. If your horse is rushing or his steps become short or uneven, go back to shoulder-in and traverse. If needed, ask for less degree of angle or less distance.
2. You may also notice your horse loses his bend. When this happens, check that you are still positioned with your weight to the inside and that your inside leg remains active. If so, and your horse is not responding, push the horse on in shoulder-in for a few strides. For example, if you reach the quarter line and the horse has lost bend continue down the quarter line in shoulder-in until the bend is re-established. If there is room, add a few more steps of half-pass. If there is no room, straighten and try the pattern again.
3. Another common issue is that the horse begins to tilt his head such that one ear becomes lower. First check the use of your hands. Is one hand becoming higher and usually tighter? Lower and softening the rein on the higher side as a first option. Then, go back and improve the lateral suppleness by riding voltes, figure eights and check that this issue is not present at all in your shoulder-in and traverse. http://www.equisearch.com/horses_riding_training/english/dressage/bendcontrol_061404/