After the Intro Program, students in the Equestrian Development Program will work towards improving their skillsets and moving from Beginner to Novice, Intermediate and Advanced. Note that depending on the riding stream/discipline a student is in at the time, it may affect how quickly they work their way up through the skill levels.
Riding Streams
Riding Streams:
- Groundwork and Horse Training
- Western Riding
- Hunter-Jumper
- Dressage
- All Round Horsemanship (includes trail riding, recreational riding and learning a bit about all the disciplines/streams offered)
- Groundwork and Horse Training
- Western Riding
- Hunter-Jumper
- Dressage
- All Round Horsemanship (includes trail riding, recreational riding and learning a bit about all the disciplines/streams offered)
Skill Levels
We use the following theory and riding skills breakdown to help us split students into appropriate classes on the schedule and keep them working towards achieving their goals. Please note requirements for showing under any stream or discipline are listed in the Intermediate skill set below.
BeginnerStable Management:
End Goal for Beginner Level Rider Position:
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NoviceStable Management:
End Goal for Novice Level Rider Position:
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Intermediate & Competitive Start
IntermediateStable Management:
End Goal for Intermediate Level Rider Position:
Ready to Compete? Once you reach skills in the Intermediate skills level and are interested in showing, if you demonstrate the ability to meet the Competitive guidelines, you may be considered to join the Sagehill Stables Show team. |
CompetitiveReady to Compete?
For those in the Intermediate skills level and beyond may be considered to join the Sagehill Stables Show team if these competitive guidelines are met. Ability to:
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Advanced
Stable Management:
End Goal for Advanced Level Rider Position:
While keeping in mind personal attributes, the rider’s position positively influences the horse at walk, trot and canter. The hands follow the horse’s motion with the ability to have a connected rein with an elastic connection, and the lower leg is still. The rider stretches through their entire leg into the heel without gripping. The rider’s position is balanced in their seat, not impeding the forward motion of the horse. The rider can move from a sitting position to out of the saddle and variations within with no interruption of the horse’s natural way of going.
If you are interested in showing and demonstrate the ability to meet the Competitive guidelines (see above section), you may be considered to join the Sagehill Stables Show team.
- Blanketing
- Mastery: Ability to recognize when blanketing is useful for a particular horse and explain benefits, uses and types
- Catch/groom/tack up
- Mastery: Can do all three independently even with more difficult horses. Introduction of positive reinforcement as a training tool to improve the horse’s outlook on human interaction. Using reward and body language to help regulate a horse’s behavior during grooming/tack up.
- Ways to use feed to give medications, improve hydration and how different feeds work. How to implement a feed program/choose a diet for a horse
- Bridle fit
- Acquisition: Can fit a bridle to a horse understanding noseband placement, cheekpiece/bit placement, browband/crownpiece sizing to a horse
- Mastery: Can fit a bit to a horse and begin to understand bit action in the mouth and how different bits effect the horse differently, why different horses go in different bits.
- Saddle fit
- Acquisition: understand gapping of saddles along the back and how to check, channel width, gullet sizing and length of saddle along the spine
- Mastery: understand how different paneling systems, knee rolls and half pads effect the placement and how and when to implement a half pad
- Equine first aid
- Ability to recognize when a cut is treatable vs needs advanced first aid or veterinary first aid. Able to find correct ointment for wounds
- Polo wrapping and booting
- Mastery: Be able to identify types of each and how they benefit/hinder the horse. Pros and cons of both. Should be able to confidently and effectively put all types on any school horse proficiently regardless of size or age
- Standing wraps
- Understand uses, pros and cons of traditional wraps vs. quick wraps, modern types of technology within some cottons (no bows, ceramic, magnetic) and sub-types of standing wraps (suspensory vs stove pipe).
- Jump course design/striding.
- Ability to set jumps according to specific horses/length of strides including rollbacks, bending lines and gymnastics
- Advanced development of lunging
- Mastery: Including reasons to lunge and how it benefits horses especially their mount. Ability to positively affect the horse’s way of going and see continued positive progression of the horse and student’s aids.
- Recognize the benefits of loose rein cool out at the walk and trot at the finish of a ride and how that effects the spine
- 10, 15, 20m circles at the trot
- Mastery: Maintains shape through transitions and other complicated maneuvers while maintains track
- Refined control at the canter
- (ex. 10m circles). Rider rarely to never reverts back to a direct rein on the inside rein for turning and instead correctly utilizes the outside turning aids
- No stirrups sitting trot
- Mastery: collection to extension and figures with no change of balance
- No stirrups posting trot
- Mastery: collection to extension, balanced position in rhythm with horse including use of figures
- Sitting canter:
- Mastery: Follows the horse without impeding their forward motion, lower leg remains steady with a grounded heel. Arms are independent but can remain connected to the mouth via rein
- Ability to consistently regulate rhythm/pace at the canter
- Half seat
- Mastery: Rider’s shoulders stay above hips and the half seat allows the horse to cover ground while encouraging lightness of the forehand. Rider can move from sitting canter to half seat at any given moment when called for
- Lateral work:
- Mastery: Can recognize when movements are not correct/rhythm changes and adjust accordingly. Introduces half pass and lateral movements at the canter
- Simple changes:
- Mastery: Through walk and trot with set number of steps, understanding of lightness of the forehand in the transition and how to encourage said motion. Does not require use of corners to attain leads
- Collection and extension
- Mastery: Can perform movements of such at specific letters, can identify when they have achieved called for collection/extension and working gaits on their own mount
- Jumping
- Short, medium and long crest release
- Verticals
- Small Oxers
- Ability to both see and adjust distances to fences
- 5 strides
- 8 strides
- Walk to canter transitions:
- Mastery: Understanding of the horse’s hind end pushing the transition and not pushing the horse onto the forehand. Canter is balanced and not rushed following transition)
- Refinement of non-progressive transitions to include lightness of the forehand and responsiveness of the horse
- Understanding the benefits to a horse’s training
- Introduction to hand gallop
- Improving a horse’s suppleness and can encourage the horse to work in frame.
- Initiation: Rider may need constant reminder to ride back to front and not overly focus on the hands. Horse may be inconsistent in frame
- Acquisition: Rider is more confident in their aids and the horse is consistently in frame. The rider is starting to learn to identify themselves when the horse is moving correctly from the hind end and does not need to be told when to soften.
- Mastery: Rider can ask for direct and lateral flexion as well as the degree desired. Rider can encourage the horse to reach for the bit and realizes one wants to push the horse onto the bit instead of take. Can decide what degree of lateral flexion they want at a specific time (ex. transitioning from on the vertical to a more relaxed hunter frame).
- Variations of the seat including:
- Light Seat
- Full Seat
- Driving Seat
- Flying lead changes
- Bareback riding (walk/trot/canter)
- Advanced Lunging
- Medical Bandaging
- Bits/Tack/Equipment: Reasons for Use, Positive and Negative Impacts
- Feed and Nutrition
- Equine and Stable Management
End Goal for Advanced Level Rider Position:
While keeping in mind personal attributes, the rider’s position positively influences the horse at walk, trot and canter. The hands follow the horse’s motion with the ability to have a connected rein with an elastic connection, and the lower leg is still. The rider stretches through their entire leg into the heel without gripping. The rider’s position is balanced in their seat, not impeding the forward motion of the horse. The rider can move from a sitting position to out of the saddle and variations within with no interruption of the horse’s natural way of going.
If you are interested in showing and demonstrate the ability to meet the Competitive guidelines (see above section), you may be considered to join the Sagehill Stables Show team.