Getting Started

Your first step to starting lessons at the Academy is to have an evaluation lesson. During this one-hour private lesson, students are familiarized with our safety procedures. Beginning students will be shown how to saddle and bridle and introduced to the basics of correct equitation while students who have ridden before will have their riding evaluated for session placement. Together we will plan a curriculum path and find session openings, all based on your abilities and goals.

Beginning Lessons | Intermediate Lessons | Advanced Lessons

Taking Lessons

Beginning Lessons:

Beginning to ride is such an exciting time. Our belief at Kinni Valley is that it is our job to guarantee that each beginning student is fostered patiently, safely, and progressively, allowing their love of horses to expand in confidence and knowledge.

In beginning lessons, we focus on the safety and equitation that allow for comfortable riding, and we introduce students to basics of English and Western riding. Many students learn that they enjoy both styles while others will find that they have a certain affinity for one or the other.

Riders will practice their skills at the walk and trot as they set a strong foundation for a lifetime of riding.

Beginning Curriculum - Basics of Control

• Safety
• Grooming
• Halter and Leading
• Tacking
• Maintaining Correct Equitation
• Steering and Control at Walk and Trot

Intermediate Lessons:

The fascination of riding and understanding deepens as you learn to speak the horse’s own language, to ride from your center, and to refine communication with your horse partner. Intermediate riders will practice at walk, trot, and canter, gaining confidence in and out of the arena while continuing to work on control, confidence and balance.

Intermediate Curriculum - Developing Confidence

• Beginning ideas of complete control
• Performing figures in the arena at walk, trot and canter
• Concentration on steering, breathing and energy work for forward motion
• Distinguishing leads and diagonals
• Understanding bend and impulsion

Advanced Lessons:

Advanced riders learn to develop their feel as they begin to fully understand the mind of a horse.  Although we do have students who compete, our emphasis is on training horses and riders.  We teach riders to be truly centered, to listen, feel, and respond to their horse in an effective way – a relationship that works.

Advanced Curriculum - Consistent Informed Dialogue

• Work with confidence in arena and on trail
• Consistent dialogue
• Full execution of breathing, energy and movement
• Maintain roundness, bend, forward motion and control
• All communication through organization
• Inform, evaluate, reward
• Develop responsiveness and understanding
• Lateral movements
• Training techniques
• Continually improving your skills (execution) and your horses performance

 

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