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Pattaya Equestrian Retreat

Siberia
India

Pattaya Equestrian Retreat - Classical Riding

The Performance
Entree of the Carousel

The start of the routine is presented by young stallions with riders who are in advanced terms. This is followed by:

	All steps and movements of the classical riding
	On the short hand rein
	On the long rein
	Pas de Deux
	Lessons above the ground
	Carousel

The Steps

The steps, which are presented in all steps and movement, the pas de Deux, on the long rein and the carousel can be differentiated in the basic movements and extraordinary steps.

The basic movements include steps, trot and canter

Steps: The horse places his legs diagonally in front of each other onto the ground so that all four hooves are heard.

Trot: The diagonal pair of legs push off from the ground and take ground simultaneously again - there is a second of floating, 2 hoof beats can be heard.

Canter: A row of jumps in which 3 hoof beats can be heard.

The Piaffe, Passage and side stepping and backward steps all belong to the extraordinary movements.

Lessons on the Ground

The Piaffe which is a diagonal movement of the legs, with the horse only moving forwards minimally. This is often described as an expressive trot on the spot with deep inflection.

The Passage with light frontal and upwards movements of the diagonal leg pairs.

In the Pirouette the horse turns in 6 - 8 equal gallop-jumps around his hocks. (a full pirouette - 360°)

In the Lessons above the Ground section
are the hand rein exercises and advanced lessons above the Ground

Dressage
Levade: the horse rises on his haunches to an angle of 30 to maximum 45°. The horse holds this raised position for a while. The rider is vertical to the ground.

Courbette: the horse balances his weight on his hindquarters, raises his front haunches and drives himself forward on his hindquarters - his forehands not touching the ground.

Capriole: the most spectacular exercise of the lessons above the ground. Here the stallion jumps from the ground with all four legs at one time, stretches out with his hindquarters when his body is for a second horizontal in the air.

Pas de deux: A ballet for two, performed by the horses with their riders. The movements of the lessons on the Ground are executed in exact mirror image fashion.

On the long rein: The only solo performance - a particularly refined and well trained horse with his rider displays all steps and figures of haute école - also without the rider only with light guidance from the reins and crop.

The Carousel: The finale is presented with 6 or 8 riders. This is as it were a relict left over from the times of the Carousels, all the steps and figures are integrated in a precise and exact framework of choreography and sounds.

Lessons are kept safe and fun... using many parts of our arenas and trails as the rider learns to ride through the body and communicate to the horse in the horse's preferred way. All team members should enjoy and feel good about the lessons -- the student, the horse, and the instructor! We prefer to start all beginner level riders with small group or private lessons so that we can assess individual needs and spend quality instruction time with each student. Typical lessons are for an hour riding time; however, other plans are available to meet your needs and goals. Lessons generally include mounted instruction, and will include horse training theory because every time you ride or handle a horse you are training and controlling it -- good or bad. The purpose is to let you be able to be confident and safe around the large animals, able to provide the care necessary for the majestic equines' well-being, able to handle most horses in most common situations, able to safely ride a variety of horses in a variety of situations, and understand the nature of the equine to prevent and correct common horse behavioral problems. You will soon have a special place in your heart for the beauty, power, and majesty of the equine.

Work begins with assessing rider balance, learning horse communication tools through position and movement, and becoming a better team member with their horse. Mounted lessons usually start bareback with a bareback pad, so that the student can learn how to "feel" the horse and begin to feel the reaction of the horse to their requests, along with beginning to feel their own position and movement more clearly.

The rider learns how to move and stop the horse through the body and position without reins (a safety line is used). Bareback, the rider develops true balance - not artificial balance made by the saddle and stirrups. Once true balance is achieved, the rider no longer needs to use excess muscles to grip the horse to stay on, and is able to use less energy getting less fatigued.

This also allows the horse to respond to the rider's aids (seat, reins, legs) with more lightness because it does not have to listen or move through a tight grip and can hear what the rider is trying to say through the more subtle movement.

"Any tension in the rider will create resistance and tension in the horse." When true balance is achieved at walk and trot, the rider then progresses to a saddle. Eventually the rider earns the reins when they "speak" consistently through their body. The reason for this is that humans by nature are "hand happy" beings... learning to speak well with the body requires giving up the hands. The first stage of lessons is purely Natural riding, using some Centered Riding techniques, focused on developing a balanced secure seat and establishing a solid foundation in communication. It works for all styles of riding. Lessons can then progress to a specific style. This method of teaching and learning begins slowly. As the the human instincts are replaced with the correct instincts or habits necessary for good riding, the rider will progress with increasing speed. In the end, because of the solid foundation, the rider will progress with more speed and ability than the riders who learned the "get-on-and-go" (who started quickly) method. Once a foundation is established, instruction in Dressage, English, low jumpers, and trail riding can continue to develop a complete horse-rider team for simple enjoyment or to performance/show levels.