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)  

6. Balance Canter 

 7. Able to keep horse/pony going on own  

 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

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) 

 16. Balance