Riding a horse is the final icing on the cake, but for many riders, it’s the introduction they get to the whole story of horses. Spending time with horses, getting to know them physically, mentally and emotionally is where the real powerful connection comes in. For many novices in the equine world, getting to know the unmounted horse is more challenging. Especially when living in a country where English is not the native language. These simple lessons offer a backup to the practical learning received in the stable yard itself, no matter the age of the student.

Maybe you are planning on buying a horse and need to know EVERYTHING… Or, getting ready to take a test - either as an amateur building your knowledge in a new hobby, or as the first step on the professional ladder. Either way, this begins at the beginning - where so many people skip out what will become second nature. Or, maybe you just need to brush up a certain element - like grooming your horse better, or how to get the perfect plaits for your dressage test.. Bite size courses will cover a single subject, or the whole level will start to build the foundation for your future expertise.

Big, busy stable yards often don’t have the time to take instructors out of arenas to teach the basics, such as the points of the horse, or how to put on a halter. In yards with a large non-local population, the other issue can be language. A coach may well be able to conduct a riding lesson using demos, but explaining the safety issues of reading a horse’s body language can be daunting when English isn’t your native tongue. Stable yards and coaches can refer riders to these courses, encouraging students to get a clearer understanding, and back these up with lessons in real life, with the ever patient school horses.