Part 11 of Susan Deal’s “Forward Riding Series – Exercises for a Rider’s First Year”

In Susan Deal’s 11th topic from her video series, she works with two young riders at different stages of learning their diagonals. As the result of early horse show competition in her young riding career, the first student has learned to look to determine her diagonals and is in the process of learning to feel them instead. Her second rider was taught to feel the rhythm of her pony’s trot and easily pops up on the correct diagonal every time without looking.

Running Time: 3 minutes 6 seconds

Part 10 of Susan Deal’s “Forward Riding Series – Exercises for a Rider’s First Year”

In the 10th lesson of Susan Deal’s video series, a beginning rider learns to canter for the first time. The rider is taught to canter in two point position on a loose rein until she is stable enough to sit without bouncing on the horse’s back or balancing on the horse’s mouth. A neck strap is used to enhance the rider’s balance until her base of support has developed further.

Running Time: 6 minutes and 9 seconds

Part 8 of Susan Deal’s “Forward Riding Series – Exercises for a Rider’s First Year”

Part 8 of Susan Deal’s instructional video series starts by providing riders with “the rules of the ring.” The proper procedures when riding in an arena with multiple students include: safely passing, awareness of other riders, knowing when to yield, and effectively communicating your actions and intentions to others in the ring. In the second half we move out to the field and Susan discusses keeping the correct distance between ponies when riding in a line and effective communication between riders; especially with regards to dangers on the field, such as holes or branches. These are valuable rules of thumb every new rider should know.

Running Time: 7 minutes and 18 seconds

Part 9 of Susan Deal’s “Forward Riding Series – Exercises for a Rider’s First Year”

Part 9 of Susan Deal’s series for teaching beginners takes students out of the safety zone of the arena and introduces the new challenges that arise in the field and on the trail.

In this video riders learn:
•    How to go up & down hills at the walk and the trot
•    Ways to regain control of the pony if the rider feels like they are going to fall off or if the pony bucks
•    A rider’s first walk over a creek
•    Safely maneuvering across a stream in a group

Running Time: 11 minutes and 54 seconds

Another great free video tidbit from ANRC Level 5 Rider, National Judge, and Steward Susan Deal! Often new riders need a guide in order to adjust the reins to the appropriate length.  This quick tip shows how strategically placed knots in the reins can be an invaluable tool to instill the proper feel of hand/mouth connection. These knots can replace colored reins when showing or hunting and also give a rider something to hold on to to keep them from slipping.

Running Time: 57 seconds

In this handy free video tidbit, Susan Deal (USHJA Certified Trainer, Judge & Steward) demonstrates the proper use of the stick as a back up to the leg aid or to correct a disobedience to the leg aid. New riders, particularly young children on ponies, often lack the leg strength to effectively encourage forward momentum, so correct stick use is a must for beginners. Susan also gives us a very important safety tip concerning the stick that could prevent a rider from being pulled off their horse.

Running Time: 1 mintue and 13 seconds

Part 7 of Susan Deal’s “Forward Riding Series – Exercises for a Rider’s First Year”

In this video topic, the 7th in Susan Deal’s series for teaching beginners, a young rider and her pony experiment with different speeds of the trot. Once a new rider is able maintain the same trot around the ring, you can introduce a stronger trot and shorter trot and then add rails on the ground. This allows the rider to feel the difference in the pony’s trot pace and how the stride length is affected. This lesson is the beginning stage of the rider’s influence over the horse’s gaits.

Running Time: 4 minutes and 57 seconds

Part 6 of Susan Deal’s “Forward Riding Series – Exercises for a Rider’s First Year”

In her sixth lesson, Susan Deal introduces a young rider to the most basic “steering” rein aid. Using serpentine exercises, the student learns to control the horse’s direction with the opening rein.

Running Time: 1 minute and 58 seconds

Part 5 of Susan Deal’s “Forward Riding Series – Exercises for a Rider’s First Year”

In this 5th video lesson, Susan Deal (ANRC Level 5 Rider, National Judge, and Steward) introduces some stretching exercises to a new rider in order to encourage proper position in the tack. She covers exercises to correct a rider’s placement in the saddle and stretching techniques to perfect position both at a standstill and on a lunge line. These exercises will help equestrians of all levels to be more flexible with the horse, move with the horse and feel the horse during the ride. Susan ends with an exercise for relaxation and flexion to release the tension and allow beginners to more easily move with the rhythm of the horse.

Running Time: 12 minutes and 56 seconds

Part 1 of Susan Deal’s “Forward Riding Series – Exercises for a Rider’s First Year”

In this first video lesson, Susan Deal shows a first-time rider how to mount and dismount a horse. She offers some great tips and safety precautions any new rider should learn to properly get on and off of a horse in a way that is not only safe for the rider, but the horse as well.

Running Time: 4 minutes and 2 seconds