Common Sense Equestrian Services

Rider Lessons

Rider Lessons can be tailored to ensure you have the basics correct: check you have an effective riding position, that you are communicating clearly with your horse and that they are physically ready and able to achieve what you are asking.

• Gain a better understanding of your horse. How to achieve the best from them, working with their strengths and minimising any weaknesses.
• Improve your confidence. Whether from accident or injury or an overactive imagination, learn ways to harness any fears and appreciate the successes, however small they may feel.
• Learn how to work with your horse in harmony with realistic goals for their conformation and ability. Not every horse is capable of achieving amazing things, regardless of how they may be bred! But every horse can be given the opportunity to work comfortably to the best of their individual ability.
• Guidance with backing and working young horses. Individual training plans for each horse and rider combination to make the backing process as safe and thorough as possible. With suitable expectations for their age and strength, the aim is to produce a confident, well rounded (mentally) and physically sound horse that will have a long career ahead of it.
• Show jumping and cross country training. Exercises to build confidence and ability. Course practice for competition readiness. Analysis of rider position to reduce interference with the horse.
• Work on competition skills. How to get the best experience and result for you and your horse. Physical and mental training in preparation for competing and on the day. Dressage test practice and analysis for improvement.
• Training and fitness plans. Whether starting from scratch or building up to do more, we need to make sure our horses are fit enough for the job we are asking and that we are fit enough ourselves not to hinder them. An unfit horse and/or rider cannot work to the best of their ability and are more likely to become injured or have an accident.
• Groundwork exercises. Sometimes there is a need to start with the horse and rider on the ground to ensure their respect of each other and level of communication is working before riding.