Write an article based on this "Do not let the half-halt last longer than one stride. Do not overdo the reins. Do not wait too long for the half-halt. Communicate clearly to the horse with your aids."
Pulling on the reins or bracing for too long against the horse may cause the horse to lean against your hands, rush off, or become unresponsive to your aids. If your half-halt was unsuccessful, try again in another stride, this time with a little more emphasis. Remember, most of the half-halt signal comes from the seat and leg aids. You may find you don't need to do anything to the reins at all. If you do, rather than tugging on them, squeeze them gently as though squeezing a sponge. Some horses need a half halt in the first strides of their cantor or trot in order to establish the rider's control over the pace. If you wait too long for the half-halt, the horse may have gathered too much momentum to execute it. It's important that you have a precise concept of the half-halt signal and what each aid is telling the horse. Some say the half-halt is like talking to the horse, but you must know what you want to say. In short, "ho and go."