Riding Lessons

The Holistic Equitation Centre is a positive and supportive learning environment where horses and their riders alike can feel calm, safe and understood. Our aim is to help all our clients focus on learning, living life to the full and having fun.

We see many horses labeled as ’difficult’, ’dangerous’ or ’unsuitable’ when often they are stressed, in pain or psychologically depressed. Sometimes the difficulties stem from their living arrangements and very often (in spite of their owner’s best intentions) because of the way they are ridden and trained.

All our training methods and riding lessons are based on the ancient French principle of 'lightness'. This means we focus on having the horse carry him or herself with a complete absence of tension in the reins or pressure in the mouth. Unfortunately, due to the way riding has developed over the years, the vast majority of riders have been encouraged to ride with the aids 'in opposition'.

Riding 'in opposition' means that the horse is driven 'on to the bit' by the rider's legs with the idea that only the seat and legs are used to give the aids. The sad reality is that, while some horses will tolerate it (and therefore become highly desirable and perhaps expensive), many horses simply detest this type of riding and try to tell their owners and riders in the only way they can; through their behaviour...(heavy in the hands, above the bit, overbending, rushing, bolting, hollowing, bucking, rearing, nervous, easily excited, etc).

Changing to a stronger bit (or even no bit!) is often suggested as a solution for these sorts of problems and may even appear to work in the short term, but the difficulties soon return because the long term problem is not the equipment itself but the lack of skill and education of the hands that are using it.

We are happy to teach any rider on any type of horse, with a bitted or bitless bridle. In fact, we have been known to ride bitless ourselves from time to time. We also know, however, that once the rider understands how a bit should and can be used (as a tool for communication and not coercion), they will find that virtually all horses can be ridden quite happily with or without a bit, its addition simply enabling increased precision, efficiency and accuracy.

We often help riders overcome confidence issues. Sometimes, people who are nervous on the ground or in the saddle think there must be something 'wrong' with them. They are often very relieved to discover that, on the contrary, their minds are working perfectly and the 'lack of confidence' is just a feeling that lets them know their riding or handling skills aren't yet as good as their particular horse needs them to be.

In many cases, a few lessons on your own horse may be all that is required to help you reach the level of performance - or confidence - that you are looking for. In more challenging cases, however, we may recommend that you start with some seat work and a few riding lessons on our trained school horses while we undertake some remedial training with your own horse before putting you both back together again once each of you have gained a little more education.

Prices

Private lessons

Lessons can be arranged at any time to suit you and your horse.

Call or email us now for a friendly, no-obligation chat.

Tel: 01327 361700
Mobile: 07803 196266

If you are interested in developing your skills more rapidly, however, you might prefer to book on one of our very popular intensive short-term riding breaks, comprising several lessons per day.

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