Fighting

[Ghost]

The elf, to score a hit on the halfling is bending forward, not standing tall.

The mount is similar still.  To hit something that small, you bend forward as well.  And halflings are REALLY agile.. Agile enough to score a better timing perhaps, and hit you before you can, ruin all your balance ideas and fall down.  So that they can eat your brainz and bite your ankles.
Also, someone as agile as a halfling I assume, can climb onto a mount top, score a hit, make a tumble and land harmlessly back on his feet in a really quick way.  Just my imagination.

[joyofdiscord]

I think it's reasonable to imagine that when someone 'parries' a punch, it's because the unarmed guy had to pull a punch because the weapon was in the way, and he didn't want to lose a hand.  A dodge is a dodge, and him slicing my hand off due to an errant punch or otherwise is already nicely accounted for in "Swordguy slashes you very hard on the wrist."