Fall 2024 Session & Camp Registrations are Open!
To view specific class times, please visit your location's Student Portal! If you are not seeing any available classes in the student portal, it means we are currently mid-session and enrollments are closed. Please see our 2024 Session Schedule for information on when next session classes will be posted.
TINY TOTS
For ages 3-6 (not a part of our stepwise levels-system)
Curriculum
In the Tiny Tots class, our youngest students will learn the very basics of grooming and riding. This is an interactive class that involves the parent or guardian learning basic grooming and horse leading skills as well. Parents/guardians should be prepared to lead their child around on a horse or pony for about 15-25 minutes during the riding portion of the lesson.
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Learning how to safely interact with horses and ponies
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Becoming confident and comfortable around horses and ponies
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Learning how to brush and groom
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Building strength and balance in the saddle in a seated and two-point position at a walk
CURRICULUM
Our Pre-1 classes closely follow the Level One curriculum, but at a slower pace for our younger students who are ready to ride on their own. Pre-1 students will work on the following skills:
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Haltering and un-haltering
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Grooming
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Assisting with tacking
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Leading on the ground
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Cross-tying
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Identifying horse body language
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Safely mounting/dismounting
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Walking and halting while riding
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Steering patterns at a walk
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Two-point at a walk
Level Pre-1
Ages 7-8
Level One
Ages 9-15
CURRICULUM
Our Level One course will cover the very basics of riding and is designed for students ages 9-15 with little-to-no horse experience. The skills that will be learned at this level include:
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Introductory horsemanship skills (grooming, leading, tying, saddling, interpreting horse body language, etc.)
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Safely mounting/dismounting
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Developing strength and balance in the correct position(s)
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Developing independent aids at a walk
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Steering at a walk
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Walk-to-trot and trot-to-walk transitions
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Two-point at a walk and trot
LEVEL TWO
Ages 9-15
CURRICULUM
Once they master the Level One skills required to move on to Level Two, students can expect to build on the following skills:
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Increased independence in Level One horsemanship skills
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Improving steering & independent aids at a walk, including introduction to rudimentary leg-yielding
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Steering at a trot
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Learning how to post the trot
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Introducing posting diagonals
Level Three
Ages 9-15
CURRICULUM
Level Three skills will focus on the following:
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Increased independence in previously learned horsemanship skills in addition to new horsemanship skills, such as bridling.
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Building strength in the posting trot and two-point position
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Improving steering and independent aids at a trot, including rudimentary leg-yielding
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Trotting and steering in a group
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Walking and trotting over ground poles
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Building the balance, strength, and correct use of the aids in preparation for cantering
Level Four
Ages 9-15
CURRICULUM
Students in our Level Four classes can expect to work on the following skills:
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Mastery of Level Three horsemanship skills
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Introduction to advanced horsemanship skills (advanced body language interpretation, blanketing, caring for a horse and farm, etc.)
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Mastery of Level Three riding skills
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Continuing to build strength, balance and correct use of independent aids while riding
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Introduction to cantering
Level Five
Ages 9-15
CURRICULUM
The focus for riders in Level Five is as follows:
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Increased independence in horsemanship skills
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Continued development of advanced horsemanship skills (advanced body language interpretation, blanketing, caring for a horse and farm, etc.)
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Continuing to build core strength, balance and correct use of independent aids at a trot and canter
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Cantering independently for longer periods of time
CURRICULUM
Level Six skills focus on the following:
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Becoming nearly completely independent in all required horsemanship skills:
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Haltering, leading and understanding body language and herd dynamics in order to safely catch and turn out a horse in the pasture
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Grooming, tacking, fitting tack, blanketing and understanding basic horse care in order to sufficiently prepare a horse for lessons independently
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Continuing to build core strength, balance and correct use of independent aids at a trot and canter
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Steering at a canter
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Identifying canter leads
Level Six
Ages 9-15
Level Seven
Ages 9-15
CURRICULUM
Level Seven is the final level in Spark's Core Curriculum. Since students who graduate out of the Spark Program should be able to independently get their horse ready for lessons, Level Seven focuses on making sure all the horsemanship skills from previous levels are sufficiently mastered.
The Level Seven riding curriculum explores the different equestrian disciplines offered at your Spark location or nearby partner farms, in order to prepare students who would like to continue on into private training programs for the purpose of leasing, owning, or showing horses.