Level Three
1. Explain prepare to Canter
(CHECK POSTIION, SHORTEN REINS SLIGHTLY, HALF HALT BUT KEEP LEG ON, SITTING TROT, ASK AS GOING IN TO THE CORNER, INSIDE BEND FOR CORRECT CANTER LEAD)
2. Explain & Use Aids to canter
(SITTING TROT –
LITTLE BIT MORE WEIGHT ON THE INSIDE SEAT BONE YOUR SEAT DRAWS UP THE HIND LEG STRONG RHYTHM -–
INSIDE LEG ON THE GIRTH ASKS FOR MILD BEND TO PREPARE THE INSIDE LEAD & HELPS WITH BALANCE-
INSIDE REIN DOES VERY LITTLE ACTS AS A NECK REIN IT SITS THERE AND PREVENTS HORSE DRIFTING OUT –
1 TO 3 HALF HALTS BEFORE TRANSITION TO BALANCE WEIGHT TO THE HIND END KEEP LEGS ON FOR IMPULSION AFTER THE HALF HALTS —
OUTSIDE LEG SLIGHTLY BACK BEHIND THE GIRTH TELLS THEM WHICH LEAD BEHIND
OUTSIDE REIN HELP TO CONTROL SPEED AND KEEP THEM OUT ON THE TRACK)
3. Figure of 8s
(2 20M CIRCLES PUT TOGETHER – NO STRAIGHT LINES)
4. Serpentines
(NO STRAIGHT LINES but when starting to learn a serpentine it is best to rid the straight line then the loop will become better with practice, LOOPS, EACH TIME CROSS OVER THE CENTER LINE SHOULD CHANGE DIAGONAL, LOOPS EQUAL) (3 LOOP, 4 LOOP, 5 LOOPS ECT)
(diagrams are 3 loops serpentine)
5. Trot 20m circles from E & B
6. Balance Canter
7. Rules of the school
(ALL RIDERS & HELPERS TO WEAR AN UP TO DATE STANDARD RIDING HAT, USE CORRECT ENTRANCES & EXITS, RESPECT ARENA PROPERTY & PROPERTY OF OTHERS, LEAVES ARENA AS YOU FIND IT, CONDUCT & PRACTICE GOOD HORSEMASTERSHIP, PICK UP MANURE, KEEP 1/2 HORSES LENGTH BETWEEN RIDERS, DOORS/GATES MUST BE CLOSES BEHIND YOU WHEN ENTERING AND LEAVING, BE AWARE OF OTHER RIDERS, DO NOT CUT ANYONE UP, HORSES WORKING AT A FASTER GAIT ARE GIVEN PRIORITY TO USE THE OUTSIDE TRACK, HORSES SHOULD PASS LEFT SHOULDER TO LEFT SHOULDER IF ON OPPOSITE REINS, IF YOU MUST STOP THEN MOVE TO THE CENTER OF THE ARENA, IF THERES A RUN AWAY HORSES ALL RIDERS MOVE TO THE CENTER & STOP, ENTER & LEAVE ARENA IN SINGLE FILE, BEWARE AT ALL TIMES OF RIDERS & THEIR HORSES AROUND YOU, PUT ALL EQUIPMENT AWAY AFTER USE)
8. Understand & Explain Canter Lead
(HORSES FRONT INSIDE LEG SHOULD STRIKE OUT FURTHER FORWARD THAN THE OUTSIDE FRONT LEG
THEY TAKE OFF WITH THERE OUTSIDE BACK LEG AND LEAD WITH THERE INSIDE FRONT
(THEY CAN BE CORRECT WITH FRONT LEGS AND INCORRECT WITH BACK LEGS WHICH IS CALLED MANY NAMES BUT WE USE THE TERM DIS-UNITED THIS USUALLY FEELS AWFUL, BUMPY & OFF BALANCE. BACK TO TROT AND ASK AGAIN)
(IF THE HORSE IS INCORRECT IN FRONT BACK TO TROT ASK AGAIN)
9. Check Canter Lead Whilst mounted
10. Walk without stirrups
11. Trot without stirrups
12. Adjust Own Stirrups
13. Understand beats of Pace, Walk, Trot & Canter
- WALK IS 4 BEAT EACH FOOT HITS THE GROUND INDEPENDENTLY
The footfall sequence is:
Left Hind – Left Front – Right Hind – Right Front.
- TROT IS A 2 BEAT FEET GO IN DIAGONAL PAIRS
The footfall sequence is:
Left Hind + Right Front – Suspension – Right Hind + Left Front – Suspension
- CANTER IS A 3 BEAT 1 PAIR OF FEET STRIKE AND THE OTHER 2 LAND INDEPENDENTLY
Right Lead Canter
Left Hind – Right Hind + Left Front – Right Front – Suspension
Left Lead Canter
Right Hind – Left Hind + Right Front – Left Front – Suspension
- DON’T NEED TO KNOW GALLOP BUT IF THEY WANT TO KNOW IT IS 4 BEAT SEQUENCE
Right Lead Gallop
Left Hind – Right Hind – Left Front – Right Front – Suspension
Left Lead Gallop
Right Hind – Left Hind – Right Front – Left Front – Suspension
14. Position for Level 3
(VERTICAL LINE EAR- SHOULDER- HIP – HEEL, EYES UP AND AHEAD, STRAIGHT LINE FROM ELBOWS SOFT WITH SLIGHT BEND – HAND DOWN THE REIN TO THE HORSES MOUTH, THUMBS ON TOP POINTING TOWARDS HORSES EARS, SIT EQUALLY ARCROSS BOTH SEAT BONES, RELAX SEAT, HIPS & PELVIS, KNEE & THIGH REST LIGHTLY AGAINS SADDLE NOT GRIPPING)
15. Understand Aids (Natural & Artificial)
- COMMUNICATION BETWEEN RIDERS AND HORSE)
- ARTIFICIAL AIDS- MAINLY WHIPS & SPURS
- NATURAL AIDS- VOICE, HANDS, LEGS, BODY, SEAT
(HANDS – COMMUNICATION THROUGH REINS TO THE BIT, SHOULD BE LIGHT FLEXIBLE- USE OF HAND AID MUST BE USED WITH SEAT, LEG AIDS- ABOVE HORSES WITHERS LEVEL WITH EACH OTHER
- TURNING – GENTLE SQUEEZING THE REIN ASKS THE HORSE TO TURN HEAD IN THAT DIRECTION
- HALTING –PRESSURE ON BOTH REINS WITH SEAT AND LEG PROVEDING ENERGY A HALT WILL PRODUCED
(VOICE – WORD, TONE & LENGTH OF TIME THE WORD IS HELD FOR INDICATES UPWARDS/DOWNWARDS TRANSITIONS
- UPWARD TRANSITION – EMPHASIS THE LETTER WITH RISE IN TONE TOWARDS END OF WORD
- DOWNWARD TRANSITION – LOWER TONE TOWRDS END OF WORD STRETCH THE WORD OUT
- COLLECTION – CALM
(SEAT – COLLECTION, BALANCE, STEERING, FORWARD MOVEMENT, CONTROL, STABILITY
- SEAT – CENTRAL IN SADDLE, EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF WEIGHT OFN SEAT BONES, ALTER WHEN ASK HORSE TO MOVE DIRECTION, DO NOT COLLAPSE THROUGH HIP
- HIPS –LEVEL AT ALL TIMES, SUPPLE TO ALLOW MOVEMENT ABSORBED THROUGH SEAT
- PELVIS – ABSORD MOVEMENT, HELPS CONTROL CENTRE OF GRAVITY, ENCOURANGES HORSE TO ACCELERATE
(LEGS – USED WITH SEAT & HAND TO COMMUNICATE – DIRECTION, GAIT, LEVEL OF ACTIVITY, UPWARD DOWNWARD TRANSITIONS, LATERAL MOVEMENTS
- ON THE GIRTH – PRODUCES ENERGY/FORWARD MOVEMENT – BOTH LEGS ON THE GIRTH FORWARD/STRAIGHT, 1 LEG BEHIND THE GIRTH WILL ASK EITHER CHANGE DIRECTION OR CANTER DEPENDING ON LEVEL OF PRESSURE
- LOWER LEG BEHIND THE GIRTH – ABOUT 2-3 INCHES MORE CONTROL OVER HINDQUARTERS- FORWARD, BACKWARD, DIAGONALLY OR SIDEWAYS MOVEMENTS, UPWARD TRANSITIONS EG CANTER OR LATERAL MOVEMENT EG LEG YIELD, BOTH LEGS BEHIND THE GIRTH CORRECT USE WITH SEAT AND LEGS WILL AID REIN BACK
(WHIP – INSIDE HAND USED TO BACK UP RIDERS LEG AND ENCOURAGE HORSE TO MOVE FORWARD)
(SPURS – ON THE RIDERS HEEL TO GIVE PRECISE LEG AID ONLY WORN BY EXPERIENCED RIDERS)