Lesson Criteria

Beginner 1 – Introduction to Basic Riding
Beginner 2 – Walk and Trot
Beginner 3 – Walk, Trot, Canter
Intermediate 1 – Beginning Jumping
Intermediate 2 – Intermediate Jumping
Intermediate 3 – Jumping Competence
Advanced – Advanced Jumping/Horsemanship

Lesson Levels
Beginner 1 – Introduction to Basic Riding [ top ]

On the Ground

1. Lead a horse
2. Run up stirrups
3. Loosen girth

On the Horse

1. Mounts correctly (can be assisted)
2. Holds reins correctly
3. Walk and halt with control
4. Correct body position at halt and walk
5. Holds two-point position at halt and walk
6. Can post at walk
7. Steers at walk
8. Can ride a circle at the end of the arena
9. Can change directions at walk through a half circle
10. Can trot with assistance
11. Can correct body position when asked
12. Dismounts correctly (can be assisted)

Vocabulary

1. Inside – the side of you and the horse closest to the center of the arena
2. Outside – the side of you and the horse closest to the wall of the arena
3. Stirrup – the part of the saddle that your foot sits in
4. Saddle – what you sit on while you are on the horse
5. Girth – what holds the saddle on the horse; goes under the horse’s belly
6. Bridle – the piece of equipment on the horse’s head while you are riding
7. Bit – the metal piece that goes in the horse’s mouth, used to stop and steer
8. Reins – leather pieces that you hold in your hands, attached to the bit
9. Martingale – piece that goes around their neck and is attached to the bridle and girth
10. Saddle Pad – pad that goes under the saddle to protect the horse’s back
11. Mounting Block – box used to get on the horse (mount)
12. Tack – the equipment used to ride the horse
13. Tack Room – room where all the equipment for the horse is stored (tack)
14. Muzzle – nose/mouth area of the horse
15. Poll – the part of the horse right between their ears
16. Forelock – the “bangs” of the horse – mane that extends onto the face
17. Mane – the hair down the horse’s neck
18. Withers – the high bone where their neck and back connect
19. Hoof – foot of the horse
20. Tail – the hair off the back end of the horse

Lesson Levels
Beginner 2 – Walk and Trot [ top ]

On the Ground

1. Groom a horse
2. Untack a horse (can be assisted)
3. Clean tack and wrap a bridle (can be assisted)

On the Horse

1. Can post at trot
2. Hold two-point position at walk and trot
3. Trots unassisted
4. Steers at trot
5. Can trot over a simple course of poles
6. Can hold correct body position at walk and trot
7. Can ride basic shapes such as a circle, serpentine and figure-eight
8. Can explain, check and change diagonals (with assistance)
9. Is a safe rider in a group
10. Can change directions across the diagonal
11. Canter on lunge line

Vocabulary
Tack

1. Noseband – part of the bridle that goes around the horse’s nose
2. Throat latch – part of the bridle that goes around the horse’s throat
3. Cheekpiece – part of the bridle that attaches to the bit
4. Snaffle – type of bit that is jointed in the center
5. Pommel – the front of the saddle
6. Cantle – the back of the saddle
7. Seat – the part of the saddle that you sit on
8. Skirt – the part of the saddle that hangs over the stirrup bars
9. Stirrup Bar – the part of the saddle where the stirrup leathers attach
10. Stirrup Leathers – the straps that attach the stirrups to the saddle
11. Flap – the side of the saddle where your legs hang
12. Knee roll – the front, padded area of the flap of the saddle
13. Billets – the straps under the flap that attach the girth to the saddle

Parts of the Horse

1. Forearm – the top of the leg
2. Knee – top joint in the horse’s leg
3. Cannon Bone – lone bone in lower leg of horse
4. Fetlock – lower joint in the horse’s leg
5. Pastern – part of the leg between the fetlock and the hoof
6. Crest – the part of the neck where the mane attaches to the neck
7. Barrel – belly of the horse
8. Dock – where the tail attaches to the haunches

Lesson Levels
Beginner 3 – Walk, Trot, Canter [ top ]

On the Ground

1. Can tack and untack with supervision (ready to be a Tacker-in-Training)
2. Can fasten noseband and throat latch
3. Can adjust stirrups from the ground

On the Horse          

1. Can adjust own stirrups while on the horse (with assistance)
2. Knows diagonals and can change them without assistance
3. Can change direction maintaining trot and automatically change diagonals
4. Sitting trot
5. Introduction to work with no stirrups (walk and sitting trot)
6. Can canter with control
7. Can canter a simple course of poles
8. Can ride a courtesy circle and understands its purpose
9. Knows number of beats to each gait (walk = 4, trot = 2, canter = 3)
10. Shows readiness to jump a small crossrail
11. Introduction to lead changes
12. Can ride an Introductory Level Dressage Test
13. Knows and can demonstrate proper ring etiquette

Vocabulary

Parts of the Horse

1. Stifle – the joint at the top of the horse’s leg that attaches it to the horse’s haunches
2. Hock – the second joint in the horse’s back leg
3. Gaskin – the muscle between the stifle and the hock
4. Flank – sunken area behind the horse’s barrel

Tack

1. Wither pad – pad used to provide protection around the sides of the wither
2. Gel pad – a gel-filled pad to provide extra protection to the horse’s back
3. Riser pad – a pad with a raised back to lift the back of the saddle
4. Boots – boots that go on the horse’s legs to protect their legs
5. Polo wraps – wraps that go on the horse’s legs to protect their legs
6. Crop – a small whip used to reinforce the leg
7. Spur – a metal piece worn on the heel of the rider to reinforce the leg

Riding/Jumping Terms

1. Stride – the step of the horse
2. Lead – the inside front leg should be extending farther forward at canter
3. Crossrail – a jump with one end of the pole on the standard and one end on the ground to create a crossed look
4. Ground line – the pole on the ground on either side of the jump to help the horse determine the distance to the jump and the height of the jump
5. Courtesy Circle – circle before and after any course to establish appropriate pace

                       
Lesson Levels
Intermediate 1 – Beginning Jumping [ top ]

On the Ground                      

1. Can tack and untack (with assistance as needed)
2. Can bridle own horse
3. Can put boots/polo wraps on horse (with assistance)
4. Can build a bridle (with assistance)

On the Horse        

1. Can work at walk, trot and canter and hold position
2. Knows diagonals and leads
3. Can fix lead through simple change
4. Can halt from trot and trot from halt
5. Can walk and rising trot without stirrups
6. Can trot a simple course of crossrails
7. Can canter into a single jump
8. Can ride a Training Level Dressage Test
9. Can trot in and canter out of a line with control
10. Ride accurate patterns and shapes on the flat
11. Can ride a variety of horses

Vocabulary

Tack

1. Full Cheek Snaffle – a snaffle bit with long cheek pieces
2. Loose Ring Snaffle – a snaffle bit with the cheek pieces in the shape of an “O”
3. D Ring Snaffle – snaffle bit with the cheek pieces in the shape of a “D”
4. Egg Butt Snaffle – a snaffle bit with the cheek pieces in a soft oval shape

Jumping/Riding Terms

1. Vertical – a jump with the pole straight across from one standard to the other
2. Standards – the vertical poles that support the jump
3. Figure Eight – a shape that resembles an “8”, changing directions in the middle of the arena
4. Serpentine – a shape that resembles and “S”, changing directions two times across the arena
5. Diagonal (referring to the shape) – changing directions from one corner of the arena to the other corner
6. Simple Change – a change of canter lead by coming down to trot or walk
7. Line – Referring to two or more jumps in a row
8. Outside Line – a line of jumps around the outside of the arena
9. Diagonal Line – a line of jumps across the diagonal of the arena
10. Distance – where the horse takes off for the jump

    a. Long – from far away
    b. Deep – gets in very close
    c. Chip – takes a half step (worst)
    d. Good – jumps at the correct spot

Lesson Levels
Intermediate 2 – Intermediate Jumping [ top ]
           
On the Ground

1. Can tack and untack without assistance
2. Can determine whether tacks fits properly and can make appropriate adjustments
3. Can apply polo wraps
4. Can build a bridle without assistance
5. Can count strides while walking a course

On the Horse          

1. Can warm up independently
2. Can ride without stirrups at walk, trot and canter
3. Can canter a course of crossrails
4. Canter into a single vertical
5. Can perform a flying lead change
6. Understands how to bend a horse properly in corners
7. Can lengthen and shorten strides at walk, trot and canter
8. Can keep a steady pace and straight horse before and after jumps
9. Introduce lateral work – leg yields
10. Introduce counter-canter
11. Understands basic formula for getting a correct distance
12. Understands the difference between hunter, jumper and equitation course
13. Can ride a First Level Dressage Test

Vocabulary

1. Flying Change – a change of lead where the canter is maintained
2. Bend – the horse’s body should be slightly curved to the inside
3. Lengthen – make the horse’s stride longer
4. Shorten – make the horse’s stride shorter
5. Lateral work – sideways movement
6. Leg Yield – a straight movement sideways and forward off of the leg
7. Counter Canter – a canter intentionally maintaining the outside lead
8. Hunter – the horse is judged on movement and form.  Hunter courses are made of long lines with natural type obstacles
9. Jumper – the horse and rider team are scored on time and clean jumps.  Jumper courses are made of tight turns and lines with intimidating looking obstacles
10. Equitation – the rider is judged on their ability to guide and communicate with the horse.  Equitation courses are designed to challenge the rider and can test the rider with a trot fence, halt on course, or other challenging test.

Lesson Levels
Intermediate 3 – Jumping Competence [ top ]

On the Ground                      

1. Can build a course with proper striding
2. Can properly blanket horses
3. Can properly feed horses
4. Can demonstrate basic first aid for horses
5. Can wrap standing wraps
6. Understands and reacts appropriately to horse’s body language
7. Can lunge a horse

On the Horse        

1. Can canter from walk
2. Can ride on the quarter line
3. Can leg yield off the rail and into the corners
4. Can ride through transitions smoothly
5. Can ride shoulder in and haunches in
6. Can adjust horse to distance
7. Can canter a course of verticals
8. Can ride bending lines
9. Can ride roll back turns
10. Can jump an oxer
11. Understands and can demonstrate effective half halts
12. Can ask for a flying lead change
13. Introduction to softening and stretching
14. Can ride Second Level Dressage Test 2

Vocabulary

1. Quarter Line – track of the arena off of the rail – typically a quarter of the way in
2. Bending Line – line of jumps that are not in a straight line
3. Roll Back – a tight turn to jump a jump right next to the jump just jumped
4. Oxer – a jump with two planes – height and width
5. Half Halt – a re-balancing and/or slowing aid
6. Softening – the horse softening through the jaw and poll and moving forward into the bridle
7. Stretching – the horse softening in a long and low frame, stretching through the head, neck and back while still moving off of the hind end
8. Shoulder-In – lateral movement where the horse’s haunches stay on an outer track and the horse’s shoulders stay on an inner track with a bend through the horse’s body
9. Haunches-In – lateral movement where the horse’s shoulders stay on an outer track and the horse’s haunches stay on an inner track with a bend through the horse’s body

Lesson Levels
Advanced – Advanced Jumping/Horsemanship [ top ]

On the Ground                       

1. Competence with most equipment
2. Ability to handle most horses
3. Can see lameness in a horse
4. Understands and can point out conformation faults and how they affect the horse
5. Can point out and fix rider faults
6. Can wrap standing wraps
7. Can design a course

On the Horse

1. Can ride 10-meter circle
2. Can perform turn on the forehand
3. Can perform turn on the haunches
4. Has solid position and is balanced
5. Uses core muscles to control pace and stride length
6. Can do lateral work and begin to teach to horses
7. Can create engagement in the horse
8. Can make an improvement on each horse ridden
9. Can work horse into a working frame
10. Can work horse into a stretching frame
11. Can jump narrow jumps
12. Can jump fence in the end of the ring
13. Competent riding a variety of course types
14. Understands how to train and can ride a more green horse
15. Has an understanding of different exercises to improve horses or to fix problems
16. Can work more independently
17. Can ride Second Level Dressage Test 4

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