This program is available for beginner riders without previous experience or for riders who have suffered a previous bad experience.
Objectives
Based upon the close study of the horse in his natural state and the constant search for a naturally balanced and supple animal, through the understanding of his mental as well as physical makeup and uninhibited movement.
The goal is to form confident, effective riders who understand how to maintain calm, willing mounts making riding a pleasure for both as a team. It aims at an independently balanced and supple rider whose centre of balance and motion remain harmonious with a naturally moving and independently balanced horse, at all three gaits as well as over small fences. Instruction is essentially practical with some theory for basic understanding.
Theory
- Short background and history of Classical schools and principles.
Their relationship to the western school.
- Basic equine psychology and individual characteristics of horses.
- The rider’s mental attitude and its effect on the horse.
- Learning to communicate effectively with the horse
- The importance of position, its effectiveness mounted and from the ground.
- Introduction to basic barn, pasture, paddock maintenance ; reasons.
Practical – in the Barn
- Leading the horse to and from the paddock, stall.
- Grooming and care of the feet. Understanding the whys.
- Putting on halter, snaffle, saddle ; their adjustment, precautions.
- Leading the horse to the ring
Summary introduction to Ground School
- Leading the horse. Checking responses by requesting walk, halt, trot remaining on line of travel. Synchronising. Acquiring power of observation.
- Gaining confidence through understanding the horse’s reactions.
- Ground Work - Free longe to learn the importance of positioning and understanding horse’s responses to it and the effects of the rider’s motion on that of the horse when requesting walk, trot and canter.
Mounted work
- Mounting. Understanding how to maintain stability at the mounting block.
- Work on the longe line including basic understanding and feel of horse’s motion at walk, trot, eventually canter, learning to balance and adapt to each.
- Flat work inside the manege and eventually cross country at walk, trot and canter.
- Introduction to basic guidance through the application of the aids and the understanding of the horse’s interpretation of them.
Understanding the horse’s language.
- The academic and the balanced seats. Work with and without stirrups.
- Introduction to trotting poles and cavaletti. Reasons.
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