This explanation started out strong, I get that all particles are excitations of fields, and kind of get the idea of the higgs field being different in having a minimum energy state which has mass. (in my mind it means that the higgs field will have more virtual particles keeping it away from that higher energy vacuum state, is that right?) so far so good.

but then I would have thought the symmetry breaking was in the higgs field itself, and not the direct reason for mass.

and how does the coupling of the fields give rise to energy/mass in other particles?

specifically it seems it is what gives rise to the momentum of the particles (since it is related to their mass) but then how does the interaction with the higgs field keep particles going once they are going?

how is "slowing a particle down" to use your words related to giving (as opposed to taking) energy from the particle.

In the end it seems this is the beginning of a cool explanation that just stopped before it was done!

(to your defense I have read 10 of these explanations and most imparted even less info than yours did! I just wish to read one that really explains it)