Learning to ride can be an incredible experience for people and can end up being a lift long passion. When you are bitten by the bug it can turn into a life long passion!
Here at Larkspur Equestrian, we pride ourselves in delivering quality tuition for clients from four years old and above with all abilities welcome up to weight limit of 14st. We use a range of teaching techniques to suit our riders and give them a sound education and confidence right from the start.
To help you grasp what may lay ahead for you here are a few pointers for the beginning of your journey.
Quality Horses & Ponies
Our beloved riding school horses and ponies consists of a mixture of Larkspur owned and privately owned animals currently on our working livery scheme. All the horses working in the school receive the very best care and attention from our staff, owners, and welfare team
Assessment
All new riders start at Larkspur with a half hour one-to-one assessment lesson, however we recommend that children below the age of 7 that are complete beginners start with one of our 1st Rider walkout group.
From the assessment lesson, your instructor will recommend what type of lesson is best suited to you
Whether its is a group lesson or if you require private lessons
Private Lessons
Private lessons can be booked individually or on our discounted weekly voucher scheme. We only run private lessons in 30 minute segments.
Take Back those Reins!
Did you ride many years ago and are keen to give it a go again?
Feel you might be a bit rusty and want to get back in the saddle in a relaxed atmosphere with lovely horses under expert instruction from a sympathetic, experienced coach?
Here at Larkspur Equestrian we have just the thing for you……Ride again with confidence in our weekday private lessons.
These lessons are designed for people who haven’t ridden in a while and feel they need a more relaxed sensitive approach to their return to the saddle. These sessions are designed to get you back learning the basics, to gain confidence and riding fitness on forward easy going horses. When our rider is feeling confident and would like to join the same level/like minded adults, we have groups available in the week too!
Progressive groups
Our group lessons are available to book in after school during the week and on weekends. Once you have joined a group lesson you will be regularly assessed to see if you are ready to move up a level.
1st Rider Walkouts
Our 1st Rider Walkout sessions are great for young riders thinking about wanting to ride or a great gift for those that have never ridden before! Our junior grooms leads our ponies under instructor supervision over our local countryside and village. It is walking only and is designed to give confidence and have a nice experience with a great introduction to riding!
1st Rider Group Lessons
Our 1st rider group in the school is a great first step into a lesson structure It consists of a ½ hour group lesson (still with Larkspur Leaders) which will start to teach them the basics and confidence of being on a horse or pony.
Once the rider is ready (a combination of skill, strength, coordination and confidence on a variety of ponies), their instructor will begin to consistently have them riding independently off of the lead-rein to ensure they have the confidence to move up into the hour long groups.
Snaffle: 1st off Lead-Rein
Snaffle group is the first jump from our 30-minute group duration to an hour. The rider should be building in confidence and control within a closed order lesson. There are many skills to learn when riding within a group, keeping distances and riding independently.
Fulmer: 2nd Off Lead-Rein
Fulmer introduces more individual control and additional school movements. Movements to increase independence that will be gradually teach the rider to gain more rider control.
Mullen: Learn to Canter
As well as building on the skills from previous groups, Mullen introduces a new gait. The canter is a three-beat pace that require to learn a new way of riding.
Kimberwick: Established Canter/Learn to Jump
At Kimberwick level, the group should be showing more technical skills on the flat and are introduced to jumping over bigger fences. Their canter work should be deep seated on all ponies with a correct and stable lower leg position in preparation for tackling jumping.
Waterford: Established Jump
A group where more technical skills are introduced to jumping and flat work. Waterford riders should be riding in a consistent correct and stable position at all times regardless of the horse or pony they are riding. Riders should be beginning to show more independence, higher level of skill and understanding and safety.
Pelham
Pelham riders should be working towards a correct, supple, balanced position on the flat and over fences and be now be starting to comment on the suppleness of their own horse or pony. They should start to have an awareness of their position and how it effects the horses way of going.
They should now be starting to learn/perform basic lateral work correctly and able to ride Novice Dressage Tests and have a stable position over bigger fences. They should have a deeper understanding/analysis of jumping.
Weymouth
Weymouth riders should now be showing how to ride a progressive build-up of exercises based on their assessment of the horse’s way of going. They should be working towards and applying correct aids to promote balance and maintain the horse’s way of going.
They should now be discussing how they feel the horses way of going (using the Scales of Training as a template, including their assessment of the forwardness, tempo and balance)
They should have a deeper understanding and show aids more advanced dressage movements and equipment use (placing poles/trotting & canter poles/striding for doubles/related distances). These riders should be working at Elementary Dressage and be confident assessing and riding multiple jumping efforts from doubles and related distances.