Riding Level 2: Adjusting the Reins When you were a beginner rider, your instructor may have marked a spot on the reins, and said "keep your hands here." We do that because most riders tend to ride with reins far too loose when they start out, and the mantra "shorten your reins" gets old to…
Revisiting the Independent Seat The third item on the Riding 2 checklist is the same as for Riding 1: 3. Exercises at halt & walk The only difference is we want you to be able to do them at the walk as well as the halt. So go back to this post and review those…
Riding Level 2: Mounting 2. Lead horse, mount & dismount independently There's no big secret to mounting and dismounting at level 2. We simply expect you to do it more smoothly and with greater confidence. So go back and review level 1, enjoy the videos if you missed them the first time, and work towards…
Now that we've finished with the curriculum for Horsemanship Level 2, it's time to move on to Riding. A Level 2 Rider is someone with a good basic seat position, capable of riding with one hand or two and switching posting diagonals, who has begun to work on canter, gaming skills, and dropping the reins…
Horsemanship Level 2: Riding in Groups Much of the last item on the Horsemanship 2 checklist 9. Rules for riding in a group is covered in the Riding 1 post, Safety in Numbers. At the second level however, you will also be asked about group etiquette and safety when riding outside of the ring and…
Having completed our blog tour through the Green Spur, it's time to move on to Blue. Blue Spur candidates are able horse-keepers with basic equine first aid knowledge, and are riding at a level that includes cantering, small jumps, and a secure and confident seat. Swordplay from the falsemount and horse are part of regular…