Student will learn basic safety practices for working around horses; simple identification of tack and grooming equipment; elementary equine anatomy; and basic needs of the horse.  

• Know and discuss safety rules in barn, pasture and arena.  

• Describe safe riding attire; demonstrate how to correctly fit a helmet.  

• Catch horse in stall and pasture, with safe technique.  

• Demonstrate safe leading from near side, both in barn and through doorways/gates.  

• Tie horse safely, using an effective quick-release knot.  

• Demonstrate basic grooming to prepare a horse for a ride.  

• Know names and functions of basic grooming tools.  

• Demonstrate picking out hooves safely, with knowledge of reasons for basic hoof care.  

• Know parts of the horse, to include: withers, poll, croup, hock, fetlock, etc.  

• Know parts and functions of saddle and bridle.  

• Know how to store tack correctly, and give at least two reasons for cleaning tack and equipment.  

• Know basic rules for feeding.  

• Be able to identify good and bad hay, grain, and water.  

• Demonstrate mucking and re-bedding a stall, cleaning stall thoroughly and efficiently. 

• Natural Horsemanship ground handling skills

• Brush, pick hooves, saddle and bridle, with assistance only if necessary, demonstrating awareness of basic horse safety.  

• Mount and dismount independently (with mounting block if needed).  

• Perform warm-up stretches independently.  

• Perform an emergency dismount at the halt and walk.  

• Halt by disengaging horse’s hindquarters (“one-rein stop”), once on each rein.  

• Demonstrate a pulley rein and a safety seat.  

• Shorten and lengthen reins correctly.  

• Perform walk-halt transitions, maintaining balanced position.  

• Demonstrate the following maneuvers at walk:  

  • Change of direction across diagonal  

  • Half-circle reverse  Half-turn  

  • Large circle  

• Drop stirrups and pick up again, without looking down, at the halt.  

• Stand up in stirrups at the halt and walk, maintaining balance without using hands.  

• Ride simple ground pole course (3-5 fences) at walk, demonstrating smooth turns and approaches.  

• Ride on the rail at a jog, once around in each direction 

• Natural Horsemanship ground handling skills

Student will refine leading and grooming skills; will learn to care for tack; to describe and measure horses; to apply protective boots and blankets; to identify elementary feeding principles and situations requiring veterinary care.  

• Jog horse in hand, with safe technique, as though jogging for soundness.  

• Blanket and remove blanket from horse safely. 

•  Correctly apply splint boots, bell boots, and shipping boots. 

• Know what each is used for and which vital areas are protected.  

• Clean and condition a saddle, bridle, and cinch, knowing reasons for each step.  

• Reassemble bridle without assistance.  

• Care for a horse after a workout, to include: 

  • Cooling out 

  • Thorough grooming and post-ride inspection 

  • Appropriate feeding and watering  

• Know normal TPR range for a horse, and discuss how to take TPR.  

• Know basic colors and markings. 

• Know basic types and breeds of the horse.  

• Know how to measure a horse for height.  

• Know reasons for basic feeding principles, to include discussion of roughage and concentrates. 

•  Know signs of colic and action to take.  

• Know which injuries can be handled with minor treatment and which need veterinary attention. 

• Tack and untack independently, in twenty minutes or less.  

• Demonstrate how to adjust stirrups and cinch.  

• Perform an emergency dismount at the jog.  

• Demonstrate use of disengagement and pulley rein by halting horse from jog.  

• Ride smooth transitions between the walk, jog, and halt, maintaining balanced position.  

• Demonstrate consistent posting rhythm at the jog.  

• Demonstrate the following maneuvers at walk and jog:  

  • Large circle  

  • Figure-8 

  •  Serpentine  

  • Half circle, half-turn and change of direction across diagonal  

• Ride WDAA Intro Test 1, showing knowledge of elementary dressage terms and figures.  

• Ride on the longe at walk and jog without stirrups and reins.  

• Drop stirrups and pick up again, without looking down, at the walk.  

• Ride at the jog without stirrups, once around arena.  

• Stand in stirrups at the jog, developing ability to remain balanced independent of hands.  

• Ride grid of three or more poles, demonstrating ability to stay with the horse’s motion at walk and jog.  

• Ride a ground pole course at the jog with opening and closing circles, good approaches.