Group lesson syllabus levels 1-5, incorporating pony club requirements

There are five levels of achievement from complete beginner to advanced. You will be informed of your level of competence and placed into an appropriate class. Monitoring and continuous assessment will enable our instructors to keep each rider in their correct class and most importantly a class to keep you happy and confident to progress.

Each level will consist of adjusting tack and stirrups, mounting and dismounting (assistance given until competent). Group lessons are available for ½ hr or 1 hr sessions. Please note: If a 1 hour session is preferred at beginner level, we advice you to do a 1/2 hour group lesson followed by a 1/2 hour walkout or visa versa. Please see price list and timetable in brochure for more details.

The pony club achievement badges and awards are incorporated in group lessons, available to pony club members. Membership forms are available from Glen Jakes Riding School reception.

Glen Jakes riding school certificates (levels 1 - 5) are awarded for each level obtained. The syllabus below contains basic guidelines of horse riding skills taught, obviously much more will be learnt throughout each level.

LEVEL 1: BEGINNERS (incorporates work towards the pony club bronze 3 test)

Work towards and achieve:

• Correct mounting procedure from the ground and from a leg up
• Sitting correctly in the saddle at walk and trot
• Holding, lengthening and shortening the reins correctly while mounted
• Learn the aids for halt, walk and trot
• Ride in walk, ride from walk to halt and halt to walk
• Balance exercises in halt and walk
• Controlling the horse in walk and trot, progressing onto turning and steering in rising trot (assistance given until competent)
• Ride trot, sitting and rising (holding the saddle or neck strap for balance if required until confident)
• Ride in straight lines, left turns, right turns and steering through obstacles
• Two changes of rein (how to change direction safely)
• Learn the letters around the arena and how we use them
• Understanding the importance of basic safety rules (i.e. keeping a safe distance between the horses in the lesson)
• ½ hour walkouts are available as an alternative to group lesson for a change to vary your environment, to obtain riding and road sense or to initially gain confidence if a little apprehensive (lead rein assisted)

LEVEL 2: BETTER BEGINNER (incorporates work towards the pony club bronze 2 and 1 tests, and your D test)

• Improving all aspects of level 1
• Check and adjust the girth and stirrups before mounting (assistance given until competent)
• Mount and dismount from a mounting block
• Mount from a leg up from either side
• Improving your position in walk and trot, work towards a balanced seat
• Ride 20 and 10m circles in walk
• Be able to ride away from others at walk (riding independently)
• Learn about and how to ride on the correct diagonals
• Learn new changes of rein
• Understand the aids for steering and be able to explain the procedure if required
• Walk without stirrups to improve balance
• Trot sitting without stirrups to help strengthen legs, this exercise will make you feel more secure, therefore improve confidence (with assistance until competent)
• Become more confident and balanced with all aspects of your riding
• Trotting as a whole ride with no assistance
• Trotting poles (learn a light balanced seat)
• Raised trotting poles, working towards a small course of raised trotting poles, to improve balance, steering and control
• Understand distance i.e. one or half a horse's distance apart while in the ride
• Once the rider has achieved the required level and has sufficient capability and knowledge to progress onto the canter pace, they will be introduced to the relevant information, for them to understand and learn the aids for canter, gaining knowledge about this pace putting it into practice to prepare you for the next level (Level 3)
• Halt, dismount, run up stirrups and prepare your horse/pony for the end of the lesson
• Lead in hand and return to a stable or stall. (If applicable), (assistance given if required)
• ½ hour instructional walkouts may be incorporated in your lessons to teach riding and road safety. These can also be arranged separately ½ hr or 1 hr for additional experience.

LEVEL 3: ADVANCED BEGINNER (incorporates work towards the pony club silver 3,2 and 1 tests, and also the D + test)

• Improve all previous levels and be able to complete with no assistance
• Collect horse or pony from stable or stall if applicable (assistance given when new to this level)
• Mount unaided from the floor from both sides, having done all the relevant checks beforehand. And understanding the reasons for doing so. (Assistance given to new riders if required)
• Adjust the girth and stirrups correctly (with feet in stirrups) whilst mounted
• Walk, trot (rising and sitting), without stirrups (crossing them correctly)
• 20m circles at A, C, B, and E
• 10m circles, 3 loop serpentines and figures of 8 in trot
• Several changes of rein, carrying, using and changing a whip correctly
• Learn how and why we change diagonals when riding
• Learn the sequence of horses legs at walk and trot
• Ride some drill movements in walk and trot
• Understand the aids for upward and downward transitions at walk, trot and the correct aids to canter
• Continue in more depth both theory and practical exercise relating to the canter pace, providing riders with knowledge and understanding to a higher level, giving riders the confidence to achieve and relay the correct aids to ensure the horse is clear of what is being asked. Begin work in canter holding neck strap/saddle until balance has improved and with practice a balanced and secure seat will prevail, until no assistance from neck strap or saddle is required
• Canter large and 20m circles
• Begin to interact with the instructor whilst riding
• Balance exercises in walk and trot
• Be able to take lead file and perform school movements
• Work away from the ride in walk and trot (independent work in open order)
• Make transitions at set markers when asked
• Gymkhana games in walk and trot (improving control, confidence and balance)
• Ride up and down hills in the field (weather permitting)
• Upon achieving all relevant requirements a new skill will be introduced in preparation, for the progression onto level 4.
• Understand and achieve the correct position for jumping. Jumping practice at walk trot and canter. This will be introduced initially with pole exercises progressing onto small jumps, understanding the correct procedure when jumping i.e. approach, take off and landing while maintaining the correct balanced position
• Alter stirrups for jumping and understand the reason for doing so
• Small individual jumps progressing to small courses (with single fences)
• Seasonal (weather permitting) the opportunity when available to ride in open areas (field) throughout all paces
• Jumping small fences in the field (weather permitting)
• ½ hour hacks may be incorporated in your lessons to improve skills out in the open.
• 1 hour hacks may be arranged separately and are normally accompanied by mounted escort

LEVEL 4: INTERMEDIATE (Incorporates work towards the pony club gold 3,2 and 1 tests, and the D+ and C tests)

• Collect horse/pony from yard, stable or stall, and prepare it for mounting
• Leading into paddock and mount from a named side correctly (unaided)
• Ride in walk and trot and perform school movements with the reins in one hand
• Complete 15m circles, ½ figure of eight, 4 loop serpentines and 5m loops in walk, trot and canter
• Ride halt to trot, ride various transitions, incorporating canter transitions
• Be able to ride independently (not always as a group)
• Working yourself in, learning the rules of the school, i.e. pass left hand to left hand, faster paces on outside track
• Work in pairs, and drill rides, in walk and trot
• Canter without stirrups competently
• Gymkhana games in walk, trot and canter
• Learn how to identify the correct diagonal through feel, not sight, enabling you to move with the horse/pony therefore minimising incorrect posture
• Using your seat and weight aids more effectively allowing the horse/pony to move freely underneath you
• Be able to canter on a correct leg, and understand why we do so
• Learn how many holes to put your stirrups up for jumping
• Maintain light balanced seat in canter and on 20m circles
• Lengthening and shortening strides in trot and canter
• Jump doubles and small grids, leading up to more advanced courses
• Seasonal (weather permitting) the opportunity to ride in open areas (field) throughout all paces
• Jumping in the field uphill and downhill
• Understanding the term 'on the bit' and working towards achieving this
• Watching other horses leg movements and identifying that fellow riders are on the correct diagonal/ correct leg in canter
• Identifying correct/incorrect position and be able to provide information on how to improve and correct
• Leg yield from ¾ lines
• Canter large as a whole ride and perform school movements
• Be able to explain the aids for transitions, turns and circles
• General improvement in all aspects of riding skills, safety and horsemastership
• 1 and 2 hour hacks available. These are arranged separately for students who are confident safe and secure throughout all paces, as this is a more challenging ride

You may want to consider taking your B.H.S stage 1 riding exam at this point (check the age and syllabus on the B.H.S web site).

LEVEL 5: ADVANCED-INTERMEDIATE (incorporates work towards the pony club C test)

• All previously learned skills will be put to the test and brushed up on
• Full control of horse or pony from the yard, throughout the lesson, un-tacking, field turnout or stabling procedures (where applicable)
• Mount/dismount from either side
• Ride with confidence and good form at all paces
• Work in open order, understanding all of the school rules
• Ride with and without stirrups over ground poles and small courses of jumps
• Work drill rides in walk, trot and canter
• Improving your ability to ride more varied and challenging mounts
• Learn how to school your horse or pony
• Knowledge of how to school a horse to improve balance, muscle tone, flexion and ability to bend enabling the horse to move more freely
• Identifying good and bad confirmation and what exercises could help/improve conformation faults. Understand how conformation faults may have developed, how to rectify/cure where possible
• Assessing good and bad sides of your horse, knowledge of why this happens and what exercises could strengthen and improve muscle tone
• Learning more dressage moves i.e. turn on the forehand, shoulder in, rein back
• Knowledge of the correct distance for trotting poles and jumps
• Building a small course of jumps
• Able to discuss points from all class levels
• Know all foot falls of horse in all paces, lengthening and shortening stride
• Understand the terms 'tracking up' and how to achieve this
• Prevention measures signs of problems developing, exercises and techniques to reduce such problems developing any further
• Gain more knowledge upon the area of safety of your horse, yourself and others around you
• Knowledge of relevant procedure for each horse as they sometimes have special requirements
• Riding and road sense badges, progression through all levels, available to Pony Club Members

New skills will be introduced as you progress with your riding, learning never stops and as you will continue to improve throughout this level, you may want to focus on a specific area of equine sport, or maybe a career with horses. Exams and qualifications can be obtained through various courses (i.e. BHS, ABRS, and equine diplomas etc.)

Pony Club badges and awards are obtainable at Glen Jakes Riding School, these qualifications are recognised world wide. More information is available from Glen Jakes Riding School reception.