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Course Description:
This course begins with the design of a nutritional program, health monitoring and physical conditioning, as well as, special shoeing requirements for performance horses. Students learn lungeing techniques, introduction of equipment, and preparation for the first ride. Once the horse is under saddle, the student guides the horse step-by-step through basic exercises from mastering stops, backing, two-tracking, side passes, pivots, spins, leads and the flying change of leads. Detailed instruction assures the student understands and can effectively apply weight, leg and rein cues.
Course Competencies:
- Understand the energy level, health and shoeing requirements of horses for specific performances.
- Identify and teach the horse proper body positioning, ground manners and lunge line performance.
- Analyze and select equipment based on riding disciplines and level of communication skills.
- Teach the horse acceptance of equipment and rider.
- Apply aids and cues to obtain responses for forward movement, turns and backing.
- Identify and correct body positioning, aids and cues for both English and Western performance stops.
- Analyze footfall sequences to eliminate stress and develop halt-halt techniques for regaining pace and control.
- Identify and develop impulsion and suppleness in the horse while achieving lateral movement.
- Understand and create collection while demonstrating advanced performance exercises.
Course Outline:
- I. CONFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO PERFORMANCE EXPECTED
- Develop nutritional program for selected performance.
- Establish basic health care plan for work expected.
- Outline shoeing requirements for the work to be done.
II. HALTER TRAINING, GROUND MANNERS AND LUNGEING
- Teaching the horse to move forward and in proper position.
- Demonstrate control over horses during basic ground exercises and while on the lunge line.
III. EQUIPMENT: BITS AND SADDLES
- Choice of saddles for the specific performances.
- Bit selection for effective communication.
IV. PREPARING FOR THE FIRST RIDE
- Preparing the horse to accept equipment.
- Mounting the untrained horse.
- Establishing the first riding controls.
V. THE FIRST 10 RIDES
A. Getting the nose in the direction of travel.
B. Establishing the “stop.”
C. Getting the horse to “give” and “respond.”
VI. PERFORMANCE HORSE STOPS
- English riding requirements.
- Western riding requirements.
VII. GAITS AND TRANSITIONS
- Footfalls sequences of walk, trot, canter.
- The half-halt applications.
- Backing the horse correctly.
VIII. LATERAL WORK BODY POSITION
- Leg-yielding.
- Shoulder-in, haunches in, haunches out.
- Two-tracking and side passing.
IX. BODY CONTROL FOR ADVANCED EXERCISES
- Pivots and spins.
- Rollbacks and direction changes.
- Flying change of leads.