Intermédiaire

This lesson is divided in 4 videos;

. Some primary advice to deal with the attitude of a horse who is worried or hot.

. An exercise that will make Alice work on her position when turning and on straight lines.

. Improving Alice’s position and her body movements during the up and down transitions.

. A first ground pole course to evaluate if the rider will be able to control her horse over a course.

This lesson is divided in 4 videos;

. Some primary advice to deal with the attitude of a horse who is worried or hot.

. An exercise that will make Alice work on her position when turning and on straight lines.

. Improving Alice’s position and her body movements during the up and down transitions.

. A first ground pole course to evaluate if the rider will be able to control her horse over a course.

This lesson is divided in 4 videos;

. Some primary advice to deal with the attitude of a horse who is worried or hot.

. An exercise that will make Alice work on her position when turning and on straight lines.

. Improving Alice’s position and her body movements during the up and down transitions.

. A first ground pole course to evaluate if the rider will be able to control her horse over a course.

In the first part of the lesson, Michel teaches Marine how to obtain an effective response to her leg actions. He reminds her of a few basics and in particular what would be the perfect rider’s position in order to be effective while favouring the horse understanding, the good flow of energy and the hind-legs activity. Marine’s position should also be suitable for her self-carriage as well as the one of her horse whether it’s on flat work or over fences.

The driving force is sustained with the continuous connection with the horse’s mouth. During, the second part of the lesson, Michel explains to Marine how to strike a balance between the contact on the horse’s mouth and the movement of the horse’s neck while keeping a steady tension on the reins. The rider can, then, position her horse’s head at the level she wants, with the poll being the highest or in a full neck extension without disturbing her position or the movement forward.

During the third part of the session, Marine has to combine her leg actions and the connection with her horse’s mouth during transitions and canter works. Michel shows Marine the attitude to adopt in priority to prevent the horse from being heavy on the reins, or from getting tense and pulling on the reins.

At the end of the session, Day Dreamer and Marine are in a perfect connection. Day Dreamer is steady in his gaits and responsive to his rider’s aids, ready for a jumping session.
 

In the first part of the lesson, Michel teaches Marine how to obtain an effective response to her leg actions. He reminds her of a few basics and in particular what would be the perfect rider’s position in order to be effective while favouring the horse understanding, the good flow of energy and the hind-legs activity. Marine’s position should also be suitable for her self-carriage as well as the one of her horse whether it’s on flat work or over fences.

The driving force is sustained with the continuous connection with the horse’s mouth. During, the second part of the lesson, Michel explains to Marine how to strike a balance between the contact on the horse’s mouth and the movement of the horse’s neck while keeping a steady tension on the reins. The rider can, then, position her horse’s head at the level she wants, with the poll being the highest or in a full neck extension without disturbing her position or the movement forward.

During the third part of the session, Marine has to combine her leg actions and the connection with her horse’s mouth during transitions and canter works. Michel shows Marine the attitude to adopt in priority to prevent the horse from being heavy on the reins, or from getting tense and pulling on the reins.

At the end of the session, Day Dreamer and Marine are in a perfect connection. Day Dreamer is steady in his gaits and responsive to his rider’s aids, ready for a jumping session.
 

The jumping session starts with a set of cavalettis. Alice has to keep focusing on her position even if it means to let her horse speeding up for now. The priority is for the rider to be able to follow the movement over the jump without getting off balance nor interfering with her horse’s movement.

The next exercise targets Alice’s position during the landing phase. It will help her absorb the jump using the motion of her joints -hips, knees, ankles.

Michel stresses the importance for the rider to stay as symmetrical as possible on either side of her horse’s axis. The right side stays to the right of the horse, and the left side to his left.

The session ends with jumping different profiles of natural fences: a bank, few verticals made with some logs. Once again, Alice has to stay focused on her position in order to be ready to cope with any situation.



 

The jumping session starts with a set of cavalettis. Alice has to keep focusing on her position even if it means to let her horse speeding up for now. The priority is for the rider to be able to follow the movement over the jump without getting off balance nor interfering with her horse’s movement.

The next exercise targets Alice’s position during the landing phase. It will help her absorb the jump using the motion of her joints -hips, knees, ankles.

Michel stresses the importance for the rider to stay as symmetrical as possible on either side of her horse’s axis. The right side stays to the right of the horse, and the left side to his left.

The session ends with jumping different profiles of natural fences: a bank, few verticals made with some logs. Once again, Alice has to stay focused on her position in order to be ready to cope with any situation.



 

The jumping session starts with a set of cavalettis. Alice has to keep focusing on her position even if it means to let her horse speeding up for now. The priority is for the rider to be able to follow the movement over the jump without getting off balance nor interfering with her horse’s movement.

The next exercise targets Alice’s position during the landing phase. It will help her absorb the jump using the motion of her joints -hips, knees, ankles.

Michel stresses the importance for the rider to stay as symmetrical as possible on either side of her horse’s axis. The right side stays to the right of the horse, and the left side to his left.

The session ends with jumping different profiles of natural fences: a bank, few verticals made with some logs. Once again, Alice has to stay focused on her position in order to be ready to cope with any situation.



 

First part: Flat work

Michel begins with a rider’s position check-up to improve the rider’s ability to follow his horse movements. Pierre has to unblock his legs and keep his hands steady in order to reach a constant contact.
He also has to pay attention to his path. For that, Michel asks him to perform a circle in an imaginary corridor. The simple fact of having a precise path enables Pierre to get a better connection with Quatmandou.
Pierre will then look to get his horse on the bit. The goal is the reach a position that would be less closed in, less forced up. For that, Michel encourages him to test his feelings and his horse reactions in the opposite position….i.e. very open. By working in the 2 extreme positions, Pierre and his horse will find a comfortable in-between position.
The training on the flat work continues with some transitions at different gaits, still staying on a precise path. This work goes toward the goal of this session which is to be able to accelerate or slow down while keeping a responsive horse.
The canter work is done on a large oval shape allowing Pierre to work on a succession of straight lines and turns to simulate the conditions of a course. All this work has to be done still observing a precise cadence.



Second part: jumping

The training continues with some ground poles along the 2 diagonal-lines of the indoor arena. In the approach of each pole, Pierre has to imagine he’s coming toward a huge fence. In order to not impair his body movements, Pierre has to keep breathing, especially while approaching fences.
Then, Michel sets-up a vertical on one of the diagonals. Very fast, he realises that Quatmanda has a tendency  to lose his pushing power, particularly when the take-off stride is not at the ideal spot. So, Michel arranges a set-up that will solve this issue.
Pierre has a tendency to assist his horse by preventing him to do the fault. On the contrary he has to make his horse aware of his responsibilities by letting him find the solution to jump correctly. It implies that the rider
The session moves on with some lines and combinations of fences. Pierre has to memorise the feeling of a good quality canter on the ground poles and has  to try  to maintain it at all time on the course.
 

First part: Flat work

Michel begins with a rider’s position check-up to improve the rider’s ability to follow his horse movements. Pierre has to unblock his legs and keep his hands steady in order to reach a constant contact.
He also has to pay attention to his path. For that, Michel asks him to perform a circle in an imaginary corridor. The simple fact of having a precise path enables Pierre to get a better connection with Quatmandou.
Pierre will then look to get his horse on the bit. The goal is the reach a position that would be less closed in, less forced up. For that, Michel encourages him to test his feelings and his horse reactions in the opposite position….i.e. very open. By working in the 2 extreme positions, Pierre and his horse will find a comfortable in-between position.
The training on the flat work continues with some transitions at different gaits, still staying on a precise path. This work goes toward the goal of this session which is to be able to accelerate or slow down while keeping a responsive horse.
The canter work is done on a large oval shape allowing Pierre to work on a succession of straight lines and turns to simulate the conditions of a course. All this work has to be done still observing a precise cadence.



Second part: jumping

The training continues with some ground poles along the 2 diagonal-lines of the indoor arena. In the approach of each pole, Pierre has to imagine he’s coming toward a huge fence. In order to not impair his body movements, Pierre has to keep breathing, especially while approaching fences.
Then, Michel sets-up a vertical on one of the diagonals. Very fast, he realises that Quatmanda has a tendency  to lose his pushing power, particularly when the take-off stride is not at the ideal spot. So, Michel arranges a set-up that will solve this issue.
Pierre has a tendency to assist his horse by preventing him to do the fault. On the contrary he has to make his horse aware of his responsibilities by letting him find the solution to jump correctly. It implies that the rider
The session moves on with some lines and combinations of fences. Pierre has to memorise the feeling of a good quality canter on the ground poles and has  to try  to maintain it at all time on the course.