Novice Lessons

Scheduled in 1 hour time slots, students are expected to be able to groom and tack without assistance.  
       Students must arrive 20-30 minutes prior to their lesson time to groom and tack independently.
Novice Level students are encouraged to start to decide what their riding goals are. All Novice students are highly encouraged to participate in horse shows hosted at PLF and with instructor permission may be able to participate in an “away” show hosted at another facility. If Novice students are planning on joining the show team and leasing a horse, we will start to look for an appropriate match to move them towards their competitive goals. 

Skills Learned at the Novice Level:

  • Learn to post on the correct diagonal
  • Sitting Trot
  • Trotting without stirrups
  • Learn to canter
  • Able to trot and canter circles, serpentines, etc
  • Able to trot over a simple course of cross rails
  • Introduction to
    dressage tests  

Novice 1 – ages 5-16
Novice 1 students learn to basic arena shapes and figures such as circles, serpentines, changes of direction across the diagonal and figure eights. Further skills at the trot are introduced such as posting diagonals, sitting trot, and work without stirrups.
Novice 2 – ages 5-16
Novice 2 students can begin to canter short distances and work on their jumping skills. Students begin trotting small courses of cross rails and can perform USDF Introductory Tests.
Novice 3 – ages 5-16
Novice 3 students can canter longer distances and begin to canter over ground poles and small jumps. Canter leads are discussed and students are taught to fix leads when needed.