This guide to warm ups is a combination of lots of resources I have. More detailed descriptions for various exercises can be found in the resources listed at the end. What A warm up is an activity that prepares the student for their riding lesson by warming up both their upper and lower body and … Continue reading
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Lesson Plan: Butterfly Pattern for Woah and Direct Rein Steering
Preparation: Student: hindered upper and lower body strength, problems with balance and coordination Goals: increase lower body strength, gain riding independence through rein use Objective: Student will demonstrate direct rein steering through the butterfly pattern 2x with no verbal prompts, with 1 leader 3 ft away and 2 sidewalkers at ankle hold. Arena Setup: 6 … Continue reading
Lesson Plan: Direct Rein Steering
This is an example lesson plan that my group came up with at my certification workshop. These were the made-up students (I forget their exact medical diagnosis): Bob – left side hemiplegia, can walk and steer independently, needs a leader spotting and 2 sidewalkers with ankle holds Lisa – fatigues easily, needs to learn to … Continue reading
Lesson Plan: Posting Trot
This is an example lesson plan they taught us at my certification workshop. They really emphasized everything having a reason, which hopefully shows in these notes, like why you mount which kid first. PLAN Objective: The rider will perform the posting trot down the long side of the arena 2x in each direction, with a … Continue reading
What to Teach – Horsemanship and Groundwork Skills
So far all my posts have emphasized riding skills, but there is more you can teach your students off-horse! Today’s post will give you 2 lists: Horsemanship Skills and Groundwork Skills. Remember that everything must have a purpose. Reasons you may want to teach off-horse skills include: Your student’s long term goal is to graduate from … Continue reading
Gymkhana Lesson 4: The Flag Race & The Egg and Spoon Class
This is another example of using the same arena set up for 2 back to back classes. Many instructors teach the same pattern class after class. But sometimes you want to use different patterns, such as to teach different skills. In this case my Student 1 has an hour lesson that overlaps two half hour lessons, … Continue reading
Gymkhana Lesson 3: Cloverleaf Barrels…and a Circle Exercise!
PATH Intl. standards state there needs to be no unnecessary equipment in the arena when you are teaching. Instructors also tend to have students working on different skills in back to back lessons, with little time to switch the arena set up in between. Arranging the arena during the lesson is not really an option because you … Continue reading
Gymkhana Lesson 2: Pole Bending, Washington Poles, Butterfly Poles
This lesson teaches several Gymkhana pole bending patterns. Arena Setup: 3 vertical poles down both quarterlines cones across one end of the arena to designate the start/finish line Lesson Plan Mount Tack Check Warm Up – Basic Pole Bending (See picture 1 below), weave the poles down and back. Do 1x. Gymkhana Review – while students are … Continue reading
Gymkhana Lesson 1: Single Barrel, Turn N Burn, Birangle
This is the introductory Gymkhana lesson plan I used starting with the simplest pattern, the Single Barrel, to teach about Gymkhana and how to turn around a barrel. Arena Setup: cones across one end of the arena to designate the start/finish line two barrels, one on each quarter line, on the other end cones around … Continue reading
“Outdoor Trail” Lesson Plan 2 & The Branch
Another example of an “Outdoor Trail” lesson plan, with a fun “branch”. Preparation Desensitize the horses to walking over a bridge over a blue tarp (“water”). Desensitize the horses to walking under a thin pole (“branch”) – it touching all parts of their body, sliding down their neck, bumping their rear, falling on the ground, … Continue reading