Lesson Program

Lesson Levels

LESSON LEVELS DEFINED

Walk, Trot, Canter: An Introduction to Riding. Learning the three basic gaits of English riding, the walk, trot, canter. Riders will learn the sitting trot, posting trot, the two-point position at the walk and trot, and the canter. Basic horsemanship concepts will be covered. Introduction to work over cavelleti. 

Beginner Jumping: Continued work at the sitting trot, posting trot, two-point position at the walk and trot, and the canter. Basic horsemanship concepts will be covered. Jumping will be introduced building on cavelleti work to trotting over one jump set as a cross rail. Eventually, the rider will progress to jumping four cross rails in succession, trotting the first and cantering the other three.

Advanced Beginner Jumping: Continued work on equitation and control of the horse on the flat. More advanced horsemanship concepts will be introduced. Riders will build on the skills acquired in Beginner Jumping, learning to jump a course of up to six fences, cantering all jumps.

Intermediate/Advanced Jumping: Continued work on equitation and control of the horse on the flat. Building on the skills acquired through the previous levels, riders will learn to jump a course of up to eight fences, with the difficulty of the course increasing from Intermediate to Advanced levels 

At all levels, rider safety and respect for horses are two concepts that are stressed and the basis of our approach to riding.

Opportunities for showing are available at all levels, both at home and at local stables that participate in the Empire State Riding Academy Series (all ages), plus IEA shows for middle school and high school students. As students develop as riders, lease horses are available, as well as the opportunity to move up to recognized shows.