Tips for beginner/novice riders in equestrianism.
- Mount the horse thoughtfully – land gently! Learn how to adjust stirrups/check girth while mounted.
- Regularly slip feet out of stirrups and find them again – without looking down. All riders lose a stirrup from time to time – getting it back quickly helps your confidence and your balance!
- When establishing your rising trot, follow a more experienced rider and copy the rhythm, use a neck strap for balance – not the horse’s mouth! – & try not to rise too high out of the saddle.
Tips for the intermediate rider in equestrian activities.
- Teach yourself to feel which diagonal you are on – you don’t need to lean over & look!
- For the trot/canter transition, which can be tricky, have an energetic trot. Ask on a corner. Don’t try to do sitting trot for more than three steps (balance problems!) and give a clear outside leg aid. Hold onto a neckstrap with your inside hand for the strike off to avoid catching the horse’s mouth and stopping him as he tries to canter.
- When you start learning to jump, practice changing from two- point (forward) seat and back to full seat without moving your lower leg. Keep your heels down and avoid rotating onto your toes, which gets you in front of the movement. It feels similar to jumping.
Tips for the experienced rider in equestrian activities.
- Always allow time to loosen up – both you and your horse feel stiff when it’s cold. Always stretch your horse and ride forward before collecting /shortening.
- Open and close the stride in all paces. Use your legs, seat and upper body before your hands. Keep it smooth and fluid. Try to keep a light seat to help stay in balance with your horse and allow him to work.
- Check and correct your position constantly. Try think ahead and look ahead.
- Successful showjumping is largely about how you get from fence to fence – don’t neglect your flatwork!
BONUS: What to Teach – Riding Skills List
The order in which skills progress may vary based on the student and instructor’s preference. For instance, certain instructors may choose to teach the sitting trot before the posting trot, or to teach two point before trotting. The sequencing of these skills is entirely contingent on the student’s abilities and objectives. Therefore, consider this list as a flexible outline that can be adjusted and modified according to individual preferences.
Here is a sequential breakdown of riding skills that should be taught.
The list provided includes various aids and figures that can be used as aids to communicate with the horse and to practice different skills. It is important to note that not all of these items on the list are considered skills, as some are figures used to practice skills. Therefore, this list can serve as a helpful guide for teaching purposes and to generate ideas on what to teach.
The order of difficulty from easiest to hardest will vary per rider when considering the basics.
- Mounting and Dismounting
- Posture & Balance
- Woah
- Walk On (b1p26)
- Turn (b2p27) – Direct Rein or Neck Rein
- Circle on rail (b1p28)
- Reverse (b1p28)
- Working Walk
- Back up (b3p28)
- Bending (b4p47)
- Arena Spacing, what to do if you’re too close to someone – pass, circle, cut across
- Sitting Trot (b1p30)
- how to sit the trot
- develop a secure seat
- walk > trot transition
- trot > walk transition
- Two Point or Half Seat (b2p30)
- why: to develop balance, leg strength, leg control, and prep for posting
- 2 point walk
- 2 point trot
- 2 point trot while counting the beat to prepare for posting
- Two Point Steering
- 2 point steering through small circles on wall
- 2 point steering through figure 8s
- 2 point steering around barrels and cones
- Posting Trot (b1p31, b2p25)
- posting trot
- correct diagonals
- changing diagonals
- change of rein across the diagonal at a posting trot
- changing diagonals doing figure 8’s
- Rating your horse (b2p37)
- how to slow down
- how to speed up (& how to pass another rider)
- how to keep an even pace
- all the above at the walk, trot, canter
- Canter (b2p16)
- how to canter (b2p28)
- how to be on the correct lead (b2p29)
- canter circles
- Gait Extensions (can teach before canter)
- the extended walk
- the extended trot
- the extended canter
- Smooth Precise Transitions (can teach before canter)
- walk, trot, walk
- trot, canter, trot
- walk, canter, walk
- halt to canter
- precise transitions exactly at the letter (b3p29)
- Bareback Riding (can teach anytime) (b3p44)
- how to ride bareback
- how to mount bareback
The refinement of the rider involves working towards achieving a more perfect posture, improving control and precision, as well as enhancing the clarity and invisibility of their aids.
- The Natural Aids
- rein aids (b3p22)
- leading rein
- direct rein
- indirect rein
- pulley rein
- reining
- leg aids (b3p24)
- seat aids (b3p25)
- voice aids (b3p25)
- coordination of all the aids
- demonstrate precise, clear and invisible aids
- rein aids (b3p22)
- Using Artificial Aids (b3p20)
- spurs
- crop
- whip
- Contact (b3p26)
- at walk
- at trot
- at canter
- Improve their Seat
- joints as shock absorbers (b3p28)
- at sitting trot (b3p29)
- at canter (b3p30)
- Canter Lead Identification without looking (b3p30)
- Precise Schooling Figures (b3p32)
- circle
- serpentine
- figure 8
- diagonal
- Controlled Speed
- Speed at Gymkana patterns
The process of refining the horse involves working on it to improve its listening abilities and achieve unity.
- Lightness of Aids (b4p22-23)
- Coordination of Aid (b4p22-23)
- Half Halt
- Suppleness (b4p22-23)
- Bending (b4p47)
- Relaxation (b4p22-23)
- Rhythm and Tempo (b4p22-23)
- Balance (b4p24-25)
- Working gaits
- Extended gaits
- Collected gaits
- Conditioning your Horse (b4p60)
ADVANCED SKILLS IN WESTERN RIDING
- Reins (b4p26-27)
- Collection (b4p28)
- Head Position (b4p28)
- Weight Aids (b4p29)
- Bending and Suppling (b4p30)
- Leg Aids (b4p31)
- Lateral Leg Aids (b4p32)
- Western Reinback (b3p34)
- Two Tracking (b4p32)
- Sidepass (b4p32-33)
- Turn on Forehand (b4p33)
- Lope > Stop (b4p34)
- Simple Lead Changes (b4p36)
- Flying Lead Changes (b4p37)
- Pivots (b4p38)
- Rollbacks (b4p39)
- Performance Patterns (b4p40)
- Speed Event Training (b4p42)
Advanced skills in English riding are gained by thinking step by step.
- Lengthening and Shortening (b4p45)
- Longitudinal Flexion (b4p46)
- Lateral Flexion and Bending (b4p46-47)
- Half Halts (b4p47)
- Simple Lead Change (b4p48)
- Flying Lead Change (b4p49)
- Leg Yield (b4p40) – at walk, trot, canter
- Semi Forehand Turn (b4p50) – haunches turn in larger circle than forehand’s smaller circle
- Turn on Forehand (b4p51)
Events that are used for the purpose of teaching skills.
- Gymkana
- cloverleaf barrel (b2p34)
- pole bending (b2p35)
- other gymkana patterns, etc.
- Trail Obstacles (b2p36) and (b2p38)
- mailbox
- bridge
- stream
- logs
- jump
- uphill, downhill
- creeks
- bridges
- roads
- etc.
- Show Rules (b4p52)
- how a class goes, what the judge will ask
- how to reverse – teardrop shape
- what to do if you’re too close to someone – pass, circle, cut across
- line up and backing
- Jumping
- Jumping Position (b2p30)
- 2 point
- post without stirrups
- 2 point no stirrups
- jog over crossrails without stirrups
- eye control exercises (b2p31)
- The Release (b2p32)
- Cavalettis and Practice Poles (b2p32)
- First Jump, Crossrail (b2p33)
- Lines of Fences (b3p36)
- Cantering Fences (b3p36)
- Turns to Fences (b3p36)
- Jump a Small Course (b3p37)
- Dealing with Problems, Refusals, Runouts (b3p38)
- New Typws of Fences (b3p39-41)
- Gymnastics (b4p53-57)
- placing pole
- bounce
- jumping grid
- chute without reins or stirrups
- combinations
- in and out
- triple combo
- two stride combo
- take off point
- first learn to see your distance, if will take off too close/far
- then learn to rate your distance, respond by adjusting stride
- jump a whole course
- hunter coursework
- jumper coursework
- cross country jumping – natural obstacles, learn to jump downhill/uphill
- Jumping Position (b2p30)
