People always ask why our English students aren't typically permitted to jump until they achieve the Novice rider level. Here is a list of what the student needs to be able to do in order to progress to the next level. We teach some dressage along with the discipline basics, which gives the students a wonderful seat and foundation from which to build on.

Beginner Riding Skills: (with weekly lessons)

1. Learn to properly mount and dismount horse.
2. Learn to hold the reins properly, and establishing proper rein length.
3. Learn to steer the horse.
4. Learn the 3 stages of stopping for a proper “Whoa.”
5. Learn proper seat, and balance.
6. Learn to find the proper foot position in the stirrups.
7. Learn to Trot and Post the Trot with proper diagonals.
8. Introduction to the half halt.
9. Introduction to arena etiquette, including how to safely pass another horse on the rail.
10. Begin working on steadying hands, keeping heels down always, keeping shoulders square and keeping body still, yet relaxed.
11. Introduction to backing a horse.
12. Introduction to the use of proper breathing while transitioning.
13. Learn the Emergency Circle.
14. Being able to ride a variety of beginner horses.

Beginner Horsemanship Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Learn how to halter and lead horse.
2. Learn how to cross tie horse.
3. Learn how to properly groom the horse, and pick the horses’ feet.
4. Learn how to saddle the horse.
5. Learn how to identify basic parts of the saddle, the bridle, and horse.
6. Learn to properly move the horse on the ground.

Advanced Beginner Riding Skills: w/weekly lessons

1. Perfect backing the horse.
2. Perfect proper hand position and rein length.
3. Posting Trot around the entire arena.
4. Walk/Trot Transitions.
5. Perfect using proper breathing while executing transitions.
6. Learn to find proper stirrup length.
7. Lead horse to arena, enter gate, and mount horse unassisted.
8. Learn the two-point position.
9. Recognize correct diagonals at the Trot.
10. Negotiate pattern exercises at the Trot.
11. Introduction to Flat Work in preparation to jumping.
12. Trot ground poles posting, and in the two-point position.
13. Perfect the use of the half halt to be applied to the warm up, and while “gearing down” the horses in the different gaits.
14. Independently execute warm up including two-point on rail and flexion exercises.
15. Introduction to Canter with the proper canter cue, learning to recognize correct leads.
16. Learn riding from “leg to hand.”
17. Learn to ride with a Direct Rein from elbow to bit, for extension and collection.
18. Learn to Trot horse in a consistent bend on a 15’ diameter in arena corners.
19. Introduction to the Extended Walk and the Extended Trot.
20. Being able to ride a variety of more challenging horses.

Advanced Beginner Horsemanship Skills: w/weekly lessons

1. Learn to single tie horse.
2. Be able to tack, bridle and unbridle horse with little assistance.
3. Name saddle and bridle parts.
4. Groom horse for show ring if student is a show student.
5. Understand horse’s body language; i.e. ear pinning and tail swishing.

Novice Riding Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Solid grasp of riding skills of a Beginner and Advanced Beginner rider. Independent warm up is expected.
2. Perfect flatwork patterns at all gaits.
3. Trot small cross rails and low verticals.
4. Perfect canter leads and be able to recognize correct leads
5. Navigate inside and outside the arena comfortably.
6. Perfect riding from “leg to hand.”
7. Perfect riding with the horse on the bit, for extension and collection.
8. Learn lead changes on a figure eight.
9. Trot and Canter approach to jumps.
10. Learn opening circles, and taking a long approach to jumps.
11. Learn the half seat position, and when to use it.
12. Learn diagonal lines in flatwork, in half seat, and while posting the trot.
13. Posting trot without stirrups.
14. Perfect the Extended Walk and the Extended Trot.
15. Learn striding of jumps, and finding the distance.
16. Begin doing course work with 18”cross rails, and higher verticals, including diagonal lines.
17. Be able to ride the most challenging lesson horses.

Novice Horsemanship Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Catch your mount unassisted in the pasture.
2. Know names of common bits, why they are used, and how they work.
3. Recognize horse behavior and understand the “herd mentality.”
4. The importance of why and how to lunge a horse.
5. Be able to independently catch, tack, bridle, untack, unbridle, and turnout horse.

Intermediate Riding Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Mastered beginner, advanced beginner, and novice levels. Independent warm up is expected.
2. Posting and transitioning seat begin to look easy and effortless.
3. Trotting and cantering circles and serpentines to perfect work on flying changes.
4. Canter the long approach to jumps.
5. Canter opening circles to jumps.
6. Jump entire course at the canter.
7. Perfect recognizing the distance and landing points of the jumps.
8. Fence heights go from 18" - 2'+.
9. Perfect awareness of leads, and foot positioning.
10. Jump grids and more difficult combinations are added for course jumping
11. Striding, take off and landing distances become very important.    
12. Rider is mastering work with all aids and is gaining an independent seat.
13. Rider should be able to feel comfortable on all horses now.

Intermediate Horsemanship Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Understand the functions of all tack and how and why they are used.
2. Be able to tell by looking at a horse if something is wrong (i.e., lameness, possible illness, etc.)
3. Be able to work through behavioral issues of a horse on the ground, and under saddle.
4. Be able to independently lunge a horse with join up.

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Western Riding, Horsemanship/Pleasure

Beginner Riding Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Learn to properly mount and dismount horse.
2. Learn to hold the reins properly with two hands, and establish proper rein length. (Riding with one hand comes later.)
3. Introduction to setting the horse’s head, and putting the horse into frame riding “from leg to hand” with two hands. (back legs stepping deep underneath themselves, back round, and neck out strait slightly lower than the withers) This will become part of the warm up as the student advances to the Advanced Beginner Level and beyond.
4. Learn to steer the horse combing rein pressure and leg pressure.
5. Learn the three 3 stages of stopping for a proper “Whoa.”
6. Learn proper seat, and balance.
7. Learn to find the proper stirrup length, and foot position in the stirrup.
8. Learn to “Sit” the Jog with relaxed hips.
9. Introduction to arena etiquette, including how to safely pass another horse on the rail.
10. Begin working on steadying and softening hands, keeping heels down always, keeping shoulders square and keeping the body still yet relaxed.
11. Introduction to backing a horse.
12. Introductions to the use of proper breathing while transitioning.
13. Learn the Emergency Circle.
14. Being able to ride a variety of beginner horses.

Beginner Horsemanship Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Learn to halter and lead the horse.
2. Learn how to cross tie horse.
3. Learn how to properly groom the horse, and pick the horses’ feet.
4. Learn how to saddle the horse.
5. Learn how to identify basic parts of the saddle, the bridle, and the horse.
6. Learn to properly move the horse on the ground.

Advanced Beginner Riding Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Perfect backing the horse.
2. Perfect proper hand position, height of hand, and rein length including the introduction to the difference between horsemanship length, and pleasure length.
3. Jog around the entire arena. ( sitting Trot)
4. Walk/Jog transitions.
5. Perfect using proper breathing while executing transitions. (Jog to Walk, Walk to Whoa)
6. Learn to find proper stirrup length and foot position independently. Introduction to jogging without stirrups to achieve this.
7. Lead horse to arena, enter gate, and mount horse unassisted.
8. Begin to negotiate pattern exercises at the Jog.
9. Jog over ground poles to perfect softening hands at different speeds while allowing the horse to have his head.
10. Independently execute warm up including setting the horses’ head with two hands, and putting the horse into frame, while riding from leg to hand. Warm up also includes flexion exercises.
11. Introduction to the Lope with the proper Lope Cue, and beginning to recognize leads.
12. Introduction to Extension and Collection at the Jog.
13. Learn to Jog the horse on a consistent bend on a 15’ diameter, first with two hands, and progress to one hand.
14. Be able to ride a variety of more challenging horses.

Advanced Beginner Horsemanship Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Learn to single tie a horse.
2. Be able to tack, bridle and unbridle horse with little or no assistance.
3. Name saddle and bridle parts.
4. Groom horse for show ring if student is a show student.
5. Understand horse’s body language; i.e. ear pinning and tail swishing.

Novice Riding Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Solid grasp of riding skills of a Beginner and Advanced Beginner rider. Independent warm up is expected.
2. Perfect patterns at all gaits.
3. Perfect Lope leads and be able to recognize correct leads. Rider should also be able to correct an incorrect lead at this point.
4. Navigate inside and outside the arena comfortably.
5. Perfect riding from “leg to hand” while maintaining soft hands and an acceptable rein length.
6. Perfect Extension and Collection using breathing, soft hands, and proper use of legs.
7. Ride the Jog without stirrups while maintaining a proper relaxed seat.
8. Introduction to “turns on the forehand”, and “haunch turns.”
9. Be able to ride the most challenging lesson horses.

Novice Horsemanship Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Catch your mount unassisted in the pasture.
2. Know names of common bits, why they are used, and how they work.
3. Recognize horse behavior and understand the “herd mentality.”
4. The importance of why and how to lunge a horse.
5. Be able to independently catch, tack, bridle, untack, unbridle, and turn out horse.

Intermediate Riding Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Mastered Beginner, Advanced Beginner, and Novice Levels. Independent warm up is expected.
2. Jogging and transitioning seat begins to look easy and effortless.
3. Loping circles and serpentines to perfect work on flying lead changes.
4. Perfect awareness of leads, and foot positioning.
5. Rider is mastering work with all aids and is gaining an independent seat.
6. Keeping the horse on the bit, in frame, yet relaxed and willing becomes top priority.
7. The rider's balance is superb and all the gaits are even and controlled.
8. Work on “turns on the forehand”, and “haunch turns” improves greatly, and begins to really come together.
9. Rider should be able to feel comfortable on all horses now.

Intermediate Horsemanship Skills: with weekly lessons

1. Understand the functions of all tack and how and why they are used.
2. Be able to tell by looking at a horse if something is wrong (i.e., lameness, possible illness, etc.)
3. Be able to work through behavioral issues of a horse on the ground, and under saddle.
4. Be able to independently lunge a horse with join up.