Simple Setup #6 with 3 Sample Lesson Progressions

The arena setup shown in the first image was used for an entire week of lessons.

This post describes how this single arena setup was used with three different students who each needed a different lesson plan progression.

Note: I usually choose one arena setup for the week (or even 2 weeks!) and will use it throughout with all 12-15 groundwork and mounted students. These students are of various skill and ability levels. I will occasionally move an obstacle if I need more room for a longe line portion of the lesson but that is about it. Any games or activities are worked in around that week’s setup. I have found that this is the most time and effort effective way for me to plan my arena setups. Most of the time I prefer to adjust the way the stetup/pattern is used to what I am teaching vs. teach to the setup/pattern. 

Rider #1- Walk Only- 30 minute lesson

Rider Information

Level of Support: Horse Leader on lead or within arm’s reach of horse during walk.

Long-Term Goal (4-6 months): Ride independently at walk with horse leader in center of arena for one lesson.

Short-Term Goals (1-3 months): Maintain appropriate hand position while holding reins at the walk 75% of lesson, staying focused on horse and task at hand 50% of lesson, maintaining proper alignment during 75% of walk-halt transitions.

Lesson Objective (this lesson): Student will demonstrate 3 out of 4 turns each direction at walk using an opening rein and maintaining postural alignment without physical prompts from instructor.

Lesson Progression for Rider #1

Warmup– Choice of serpentine or stretches for warmup (student chose stretches)

  • Horse Leader leads horse while student does warmups- airplane arms, helicopter arms, one arm sky tickles. Student counts to 10 for each stretch. Horse Leader assists in change of directions after each stretch.

Review– How to hold reins and hand position at walk, mechanics of turns using opening rein, and maintaining body alignment at halts.

  • Cues focus on “brushing off the bug” for opening reining, “turning the firetruck bumper” for turns, and a “superhero statue” for halts to prevent leaning back.
  • Instructor goes hands on to reinforce position and cues
Obstacle choices given to student. (Click on image for larger size)

Skill Practice/ Progression/Activity– Reining for 2 turns each way. Included walking over obstacles and 1 halt each time in a tunnel or square. Choice of obstacles include riding through the “tunnel” (area between box and single ground pole), halting in the box, riding over “low” cavaletti (set on ground), riding over “medium” cavaletti (set a few inches above ground).

  • Brain Break Activity: Broke up practice with cup game. Student plays 2 cards of cup stacking game in-between 2 turns and an obstacle.
  • Progression: Each time student goes back out for turns, obstacle, and halt the Horse Leader moves 2-4 feet further away from horse.

Progression/Cooldown– Walk 1x around arena with Horse Leader in center. This student was doing very well with the increased distance between them and the Horse Leader so we gave it a try!

  • Note: Ideal would have been 1x each direction but we ran out of time. Adding in a change of direction would have likely stalled out independence as the student was “on a roll” walking on the rail.

Rider #2- Walk and Intro Trot- 30 minute lesson

Rider Information

Level of Support: Horse Leader on lead or within arm’s reach of horse during walk and sometimes 10-15 feet away. On lead during trot and student holds onto front of saddle pad.

Long-Term Goal (4-6 months): Ride independently at walk with horse leader in center of arena for one lesson. Maintain appropriate position and rhythm at posting trot for one long side of the arena while on lead.

Short-Term Goals (1-3 months): Maintain appropriate hand position while holding reins at the walk 75% of lesson, staying focused on horse and task at hand 75% of lesson, maintaining good posture during 75% of walk-halt transitions (tendency is to tilt pelvis forward and perch during halt), staying centered during the walk 50% of lesson (tendency to list to the left- originates from pelvis).

Lesson Objective (this lesson): Student will demonstrate correct postural alignment and opening rein mechanics 5 out of 10 turns in a walk serpentine, off line, and without verbal or physical prompts from the instructor.

Lesson Progression for Rider #2

Serpentine followed colored markers set around arena. (Click on image for larger size)

Warmup/ Skill #1 Review – Choice of serpentine or stretches for warmup.

  • Student chose serpentine so we did a quick review of holding reins, turns, halts, and centeredness before starting serpentine. Serpentine pattern followed colored markers in arena (green-green, blue-blue, red-red, blue-blue, green-green)
  • Focus on “brushing off the bug” during opening rein, “Elsa freezing you into a statue” during the halts, and “Keeping the horse standing tall” during walk to address leaning (horse was on shirt).
  • Leader was walking 10-15 feet ahead of student during warmup serpentine to demonstrate/review the figure.

Skill #1 Practice/Progression- Student rode serpentine at walk independently. She started in the same location and following exact path as during warmup. (Start location was by first green marker of the serpentine.)

Skill #2 Review/Practice– Review walk-sitting trot-walk transitions, riding position at trot, and cues from rider for transitions (verbal only at this time).

  • Student held onto front of saddle pad which was the best hand location that helped her maintain correct posture and alignment. Horse leader trotted horse for 10-15 steps each direction with short walk break in between while instructor provided verbal and visual feedback before, during, and after trot.

Skill #1 Alternate Practice/Activity- After serpentine and short trots, rider further practiced reining and walk-halt-walk transitions by riding over 1-2 obstacles in a row of her choice. Choice of obstacles include riding through the “tunnel” (area between box and single ground pole), halting in the box, riding over “low” cavaletti (set on ground), riding over “medium” cavaletti (set a few inches above ground).

  • Brain Break Activity: Broke up practice with cup game. Student plays 2 cards of cup stacking game in-between 2 turns and an obstacle.

Cooldown– Rider chose 2 final obstacles to walk over and chose the halt location for the dismount. Rider verbalized the two places they are not supposed to stop for the dismount (center of arena, in-gate)

Student #3- Walk and Trot- 30 minute lesson

Rider Information

Level of Support: Independent at walk and posting trot.

Long-Term Goal (4-6 months): Ride independently at walk, sitting trot, and posting trot. Ride canter on lunge line.

Short-Term Goals (1-3 months): Identify posting diagonals 75% of attempts without support from instructor. Maintain appropriate body position during downward transitions 75% of attempts without verbal prompts from instructor.

Lesson Objective (this lesson): Student will maintain posting trot and proper riding position 2 out of 4 change of reins across the midline over a ground pole with verbal cues from instructor as needed.

Lesson Progression for Rider #3

Warmup/Review

  1. Serpentine at walk focusing on bending around corners, looking ahead, and postural alignment. Rider walks over poles along serpentine lines at walk as they will likely be trotting over poles later in the lesson. Incorporate halt in box to review precision whoa.
    • Focusing on cues like “Point your headlights around the corner” for looking ahead in the turn, “push the horse’s barrel to the rail” for bending, and “turn on the magnets (on your elbows)” to help with arm position during halts.
  2. Posting trot 1 lap each direction on the rail with instructor assistance finding posting diagonal.

Skill Practice/Progression– Student obtains posting trot along rail and trots at least one-half lap around ring before changing rein across the midline of arena at posting trot (red markers on center of long rail). Instructor asks rider to attempt to identify posting diagonal once the posing trot is established and supports with verbal cues as needed. Instructor assists with cuing and timing of change of post across midline as needed.

  • First two change of reins are across the midline on the flat with focus on balance and preparation for the turn, reining, looking ahead, and position.
  • Change of rein across the midline incorporating a pole or low cavaletti. (Click on image for larger size)
    Remaining four change of reins across midline incorporate a trot over the ground pole at X. Emphasis placed on maintain posting and trot rhythm before, during, and after trot pole. Rhythmic verbal counting of “1, 2, 1, 2…” added in to help rhythm.

Cooldown– Choice of riding serpentine at walk or 1 lap each direction on rail. Student also had choice of feet in or out of stirrups. Student chose serpentine with feet out of stirrups. After cool down the student chose dismount location and verbalized the two places they are not supposed to stop for the dismount (center of arena, in-gate).

There are countless ways to use this arena setup!

Did you use this arena setup in a lesson? Share your lesson plan progression in the comment area below!

Saebra Pipoly
Hoof Falls & Footfalls Owner/Founder

To learn more about Saebra and the mission of Hoof Falls & Footfalls click HERE.

** I personally chose to use the term Adaptive Riding vs. Therapeutic Riding and avoid ‘horse therapy’ at all costs. Why? CLICK HEREThe thoughts shared in the  post above apply to not only Adaptive riding but also to other mounted equine activities and therapies offered at an EAAT (Equine Assisted Activity and Therapy) Program/Center/Barn.

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