Every Thursday (7:00pm – 8:00pm)

You will need to be Registered and Added your Rider(s) on https://bankfarmridingschool.ecpro.co.uk You will also of had to be graded to see what level you are with us and then you will be able to see what availability we have

Level Four

1. Continue working on Balanced Cantering 

2. Trotting Pole without stirrups 

3. 7 phases of jumping

• (TURN -APPROARCH-TAKE OFF-FLIGHT-LAND-GET-AWAY- TURN)
• REMAIN BALANCED
• IMPULSION
• POSITION – OPEN SHOULDERS ON TURN 
• 1. TURN  – ACCURATELY – LINE UP WITH CENTRE – SIT UP – LOOK AHEAD – RIDE LEG TO HAND – KEEP BALANCED RHYTHM – IMPULSION
•  2. APPROACH  – CENTRE OF JUMP – SIT UP – LOOK AHEAD CHANNELING HORSE FORWARD – BETWEEN HAND & LEG TO MAINTAIN STRAIGHT LINE – MAINTAIN IMPULSION & BALANCE
• 3. TAKE OFF – POINT WHICH HORSE GATHERS HINDLEGS UNDERNEATH ITS BODY & STARTS TO LIFT FOREHAND – LOWER LEG SECURELY WRAPPED ROUND – MAINTAIN ENERGY & FORWARDNESS – HANDS FOLLOW MOVEMENT OF HORSES HEAD NECK BUT MAINTAIN CONTACT THROUGH REIN – LOOK AHEAD
• 4. FLIGHT – IN THE AIR – FOREHAND WELL LIFTED, BACK WELL ROUNDED, FORELEGS & HINDLEGS TUCKED UP – FOLDED IN TO JUMPING POSITION, UPPER BODY LOWERED, SEAT SLIPPED TO BACK OF SADDLE – HANDS ALLOW STRETCH THE NECK, BACK & BODY GIVES FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, WHILE MAINTAINING LIGHT CONTACT – LOWER LEG STAYS SECURELY WRAPPED AROUND MAINTAIN BALANCE
• 5. LAND – HORSE STRETCHES OUT & EXTENDS FORELEGS READY TO LAND – HORSE SHOULD LAND ON FORELEG WANTING THE CANTER LEAD ON – UPPER BODY COMES BACK UP – MAINTAIN CONTACT – LEGS REMAIN IN POSTION – LOOK AHEAD
• 6. GET AWAY  ­­- MOVING AWAY FROM THE JUMP TO THE NEXT – MAKE SURE HORSE IS BALANCED, PLENTY OF ENERGY & IMPULSION- CORRECT CANTER LEAD – LEGS SECURE
• 7. TURN –  TURNS AWAY FROM ONE FENCE TO ANOTHER THIS STAGE STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN OR IF SINGLE FENCE STAY STRAIGHT

4/5. Able Ride A Demi Voltes & Reverse Demi Voltes

• DEMI VOLTE – ½ 10 MENTRE CIRCLE TO THE CENTRE LINE THEN A DIAGONAL LINE BACK TO THE TRACK TO CHANGE THE REIN
• REVERSE DEMI VOLTE – DIAGONAL LINE TO CENTRE LINE LETTER THEN ½ 10 METRE CIRCLE BACK TO THE TRACK TO CHANGE THE REIN 

6. 2X ½ 10 metre Circles to change the rein  

7. Turn on the Forehand

• HALT, TO STOP FORWARD MOVEMENT APPLY STEADY PRESSURE ON REINS – SIT UP STRAIGHT 
• PRESSURE PLACED 3-4 INCHS BEHIND THE GIRTH WITH YOUR OUTSIDE LEG – HORSE WILL MOVE AWAY FROM THE PRESSURE, HORSES HIND LEGS WILL MOVE IN FRONT & ACROSS THE OTHER HIND LEG, THE OPPOSITE FRONT LEG TO YOUR PRESSURE LEG WILL ALSO MOVE AROUND THE OTHER FRONT LEG WILL STAY STILL 
• YOUR OTHER LEG (INSIDE) SHOULD BE KEPT STEADY SO TO KEEP YOUR BALANCE AND STOP THE HORSE TRYING TO TURN TOO QUICKLY 
• REINS TO CONTROL FRONT OF HORSE – GOOD CONTROL PREVENTS YOUR HORSE MOVING FORWARDS – OUTSIDE HAND LIFT UP AND BACK TO FLEX HORSES NECK SLIGHTLY IN THE DIRECTION OF TURN, FLEX UNTIL YOU CAN SEE CORNER OF EYE – USE OTHER REIN FOR SUPPORT TO KEEP HORSE FROM MOVING FORWARDS, OUTSIDE REIN CLOSE TO NECK   
• HALF HALT EACH STEP UNTIL COMPLETE TURN 180 DEGREES – POSITVIE PRAISE AFTER 
• TURNING RIGHT RIGHT LEG BACK – RIGHT REIN FLEX 
• TURNING LEFT LEFT LEG BACK – LEFT REIN FLEX

8. 15m circles in walk  (A&C)

9. 10m circles in walk (A&C)  

10. Lighten seat 

INVOLVES STANDING ON YOUR OWN 2 FEET WHILE WORKING YOUR HORSE – BALANCE YOURSELF, NO LEANING, HOLDING ON CROUCHING DOWN ON NECK – CLEARANCE BETWEEN BOTTOM AND SADDLE – ALLOWS HORSE TO MOVE MORE FREELY – IMPROVES BALANCE, FITNESS AND COORDINATION- FEET CORRECTLY POSITIONED IN STIRRUP, ALLOWS ANKLES, KNEES & HIPS BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE SHOCK ABSORBERS – ENGAGE YOUR CORE (TUMMY MUSCLES) – STRAIGHT BACK – HANDS & ARMS INDEPENDENT KEEP CONTACT

11. Jumping Position 

THIS INVOLVES THE RIDER CENTERED OVER HIS/HER FEET – STIRRUP LEATHERS 90 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE GROUND, CONTINUING A LINE UPWARDS FROM THE STIRRUP LEATHERS- THE HEAD, SHOULDERS & KNEES FALL IN FRONT OF THE LINE – HIPS FALL BEHIND IT

• LEG HANG DOWNSIDE EVEN CONTACT ALONG WHOLE LENGTH – INNER THIGH, KNEE & CALF – WEIGHT ALONG BACK OF LEG INTO HEEL FLEXIBLE ANKLE 
• SEAT, HIPS & THIGHS –WEIGHT TOWARDS PELVIS, ENOUGH WEIGHT IN STIRRUP TO SUSPEND IN THE AIR OVER THE SADDLE – HIPS NOT TOO FAR FORWARD IT CHANGES THE BALANCE –HIPS, FLEXIBLE, MOVE BACKWARDS, BETWEEN FENCES THE THIGHS TAKE UP WEIGHT OF RIDER NOT THE SEAT BONES
• UPPER BODY, SHOULDERS, HEAD, TRUNK – LOOK UP IN DIRECTION YOU ARE GOING – BACK FLAT – OPEN CHEST – SHOULDERS OPEN 
• RELEASE – GRAB MANE OR SLIDE HANDS UP CREST AS TAKE OFF

12. Single Fence Jumping  

13. Be able to check & adjust girth while mounted  

14. Understand & Explain Impulsion

MOVEMENT OF HOESE – FORWARD AND CONTROLLED POWER – EFFECTIVE USE OF POWER IN THE HIND QUARTERS – TO ACHIEVE A HORSE MUST NOT USE SPEED BUT USE MUSCLUAR CONTROL – HORSE RELAXED BACK WILL ALLOW HINDQUARTERS TO COME WELL UNDER ITS BODY AND THIS IS CALLED “ENGAGED”.

15. Understand Half halt & when Used 

(A SPONGE EFFECT ON THE REIN(S))

16. Trotting Poles 

17. Canter Poles

18. Raised Trotting Poles 

TO BUILD UP MUSCLE ON TOP LINE SHOULDERS AND BACK – MORE FLEXIBLE – ENCOURAGES LEGS TO LIFT OVER JUMPS

19. Balance for Level 4

20. Position for Level 4

21. More Changes of Reins & Other Movements  

22. Continue Perfecting school movements and changes of reins learnt in previous Levels 

23. Canter 20m Circles

24. Start Strides

25. 15m circles in Trot (A&C)

26. 10m circles in Trot (A&C)

27. Canter without Stirrups

28. Acute Transitions

29. Confidence

Level Five

1. Jump combinations 

2. Gird work 

3. Knowledge of strides & Jumping Strides

4. 15m circles in trot

5. 10m circles in trot

6. Shallow loops

7. Poles in canter

8. Rein Back 

ESTABLISH HALT – SEAT REMAIN IMMOBILE – LEGS ASK HORSE TO KEEP CONTACT WITH BIT – KEEP REIN CONTACT SOFT – MOVE BOTH LEGS BACK FROM HIP – KEEP WEIGH DOWN THROUGH BACK AND SEAT – ASK TO MOVE BACK, LEG, SEAT & REIN – WITH SEAT PRESS BACKWARDS, UPPER BODY STAYS TALL THIS ASKS THE HORSE TO LOWER HIS CROUP AND MOVE BACK – LEG AND REIN WORK IN ALTERNATE PAIRS, LEG REIN 1 SIDE ASK THEN THE OTHER SIDE, HORSE WILL MOVE BACK IN DIAGONAL PAIRS – RELEASE PRESSURE AND THEN ASK THEM TO MOVE FORWARDS AGAIN

9. Aids of a circle

• INSIDE LEG — ON GIRTH — KEEPS IMPULSION – ENGAGES INSIDE HIND LEG – ASKS FOR BEND 
• OUTSIDE LEG – SLIGHTLY BEHIND THE GIRTH – CONTROLS HINDQUARTERS STOPS THEM FALLING OUT – GENERATES FORWARD MOVEMENT 
• INSIDE HAND – BEND THROUGH HORSES NECK 
• OUTSIDE HAND – CONTROLS PACE – PREVENTS NECK OVER BENDING – PREVENTS HORSE FALLING OUT THROUGH SHOULDERS
• HIPS & SHOULDERS PARALLEL WITH HORSES SHOULDERS – BODY UPRIGHT – LOOK AHEAD ROUND THE CIRCLE

10. Canter without Stirrups 

11. Continue Perfecting Jumping Position 

12. Continue Perfecting Lighten Seat 

13. Leg Yield

EASIEST WAY FROM ¾ LINE BACK TO THE TRACK – HELPS DEVELOP FEEL & COORDINAITON — FORWARD & SIDEWAYS – BODY REMAINS STRAIGHT –INSIDE FEET STEP REGULARLY & EVENLY INFRONT & ACROSS THE OUTSIDE FEET— RIDING ON 2 TRACKS

• TURN ON TO ¾ LINE – FEW STEPS STRAIGHT
• MOVE WEIGHT IN TO INSIDE SEAT BONE 

• INSIDE LEG SLIGHTLY BEHIND THE GIRTH –PUSH THE HORSES QAURTERS FORWARDS & SIDWAYS TOWARDS THE TRACK 
• OUTSIDE LEG ON THE GIRTH BUT IF THE HORSE STARTS TO LEAD WITH ITS QUARTERS MOVE THE OUTSIDE LEG BACK A LITTLE ALSO HELPS KEEP MOVING FORWARDS 
• INSIDE REIN – SLIGHT FLEXION TO INSIDE 
• OUTSIDE REIN KEEPS HORSE STRAIGHT – PREVENTS TOO MUCH NECK BEND – CONTROL OUTSIDE SHOULDER
• AS HIT THE TRACK – REMOVE FLEXION AND MAKE HORSE STRAIGHT  

14. Shoulder In 

HIND LEGS ON LINE OF TRAVEL, SHOULDERS DISPLACED INSIDE — 3 TRACKS – OUTSIDE HIND LEG TRACKS ALONG WALL, INSIDE HIND LEG & OUTSIDE FORELEG ON SAME TRACK PARALLEL TO WALL, INSIDE FORELEG ON INNER TRACK PARALLEL TO WALL — BENDING BODY AROUND RIDERS INSIDE LEG WITH POLL FLEXED TO THE INSIDE – AWAY FROM THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL) KEEP RHYTHMIC, RELAXED, CONNECTED & WITH SOME IMPULSION – UNDERSTANDE AIDS FOR LEG YEILDING — HORSE MUST BEND CORRECTLY ON A 10M CIRCLE ASWELL 

1. Start with a 10-meter circle
2. Inside rein leads the shoulders (and neck) off the wall while the inside leg pushes the rib cage and inside hind into the outside rein, which catches the shoulder and produces the half halt. The outside leg behind the girth keeps the haunches from falling out.
3. Weight equal on both sides,Horse follows your weight. If you sit to the inside too much, the horse might move in that direction and off the wall.
4. Your shoulders and hips should be turned inside slightly parallel to the horse’s shoulders so the outside hip and shoulder move forward
5. Horses shoulders should be on the wall at the end of the movement from the inside leg. Don’t stay in the shoulder-in for too long. There is no test that has the exercise ridden for more than half the long side (30 meters).

15. Dressage tests 

16. Course work

17. Flying Changes 

20. Footfall