This program is designed to allow an experienced (Secondary Level) rider to follow a logical progression of instruction toward confirming an independent seat and aids through the understanding of their correct application, to achieve a horse in self carriage through mutual understanding between horse and rider, as well as confirm an in depth knowledge of the principles of equitation and hippologie.

Theoretical and Practical:

• Role of the seat and the weight of the body as an aid
• The five rein effects and their possible combinations with all leg effects
• Different combinations of simple rein effects, reins of opposition and leg effects
• The isolated leg, leg of position, leg of impulsion, both legs together
• Horse “on” the hand, “in” the hand; recognition
• Tension, contact, adjusted reins; effects and uses
• Understanding of “ramener”; lateral flexion; fixity of the head and neck
• Descent of leg and hand; necessity; understanding; application
• The straight horse; how to straighten a horse; recognition
• Self carriage ; how to recognise it, how to achieve it; when to seek it
• Methods for canter departs; the counter canter, when
• Why and when to use the spur; reasons; effects; levels

Practical:

• Impulsion, difference between impulsion and speed
• Lengthen, extension of stride, the halt, the rein back
• Canter departs through balance
• Two track work; the half pass
• Approaching obstacles, verticals and spreads; negotiating the jumper course; balance of the rider over varied terrain and when jumping, freedom of hands and shoulders, adaptation to the horse’s natural frame and movement, maintaining balance, recovery after the jump, turning and following the course ; landing on a selected lead
• Conditioning the horse, general health, muscle tone, respiration
• Recognizing different personalities and sensitivity in horses ; dealing with different response mechanisms on an individual basis

Physiologie:

• The skeleton ; importance of the orientation of bone formation
• The muscles ; how they attach to the skeleton ; notion of the main muscle groups
• Articulations and tendons ; their importance, function ; injuries and care
• The main organs : digestion, circulation, respiration ; functional anatomy ; possible illnesses and injuries ; taking pulse and temperature
• Hard and soft blemishes ; source ; recognition ; care
• The eyes ; the teeth, determining age ; general care
• Appendages and structure of the hoof ; importance of conformation ; defects, their effect on locomotion
• Judging the quality of hoof trimming prior to shoeing ; importance
• The gaits : natural, artificial and defective ; corrective measures
• Amount of work, progressions, conditioning

Hygiene:

• Lodgings, bedding types, ventilation of barns
• Daily rations, watering ; quality/quantities for horses, both in and out of competition ; availability and quality of water
• Detecting/recognizing sick or injured horses ; colic, skin and/or harness lesions/injuries, hoof injuries/founder/navicular, respiratory difficulty, hydration and nutritional insufficiencies,
• Stable vices : recognizing sources, causes ; subsequent care ; their effect on the general health of the horse
• Daily care ; care before and after work, hosing ; harness adjustment and precautions.