Lesson ideas for kids please

[Cample19]

I just wondered if anyone had any good ideas i could use in lessons for the youngsters - i find myself running out of ideas - they cant really canter well yet but can walk, trot and turn in and out of cones. Any suggestions for fun things i can do to add to their lessons?
Poles arent really an option yet as the horses do sometimes jump the pole and they are still too unbalanced to cope with that.

 

[Cedars]

Around the worlds? Half scissors/full scissors?

Mounted games? Leaning down to place tennis balls on the top of cones? Trotting one way, getting off, getting back on and trotting back?

Work without their stirrups? (Get a helper to hold an ankle they bounce off VERY easily!!)

Touching ponies tail and ponies ears?

xxxx

 

[Swirlymurphy]

Grandmother's footsteps
Riding between poles on the ground laid in parallel as if marking out a track - lots of left and right hand turns
Points of the horse using post-it notes
Shouting out horse-related words as they pass the dressage markers
Trains - lead trots off, decides where to go and others follow, when they want to 'decouple' they tell those behind them to stand then they trot around and join up at the back, next person's go etc
Simon says
Mug race (at whatever pace)
Around the world/scissors/etc

Hope this helps!

 

[Cample19]

wow swirlymurphy you've done this before! Whats Grandmothers footsteps?

 

[devilwoman]

Agree with all of the above plus I put my son on the lunge and get him in trot then do hands on head, shoulders, knees etc, one hand on knee, one on head, etc, etc, then sitting trot, then rising trot, then sitting trot and so on, it is hard to keep them amused, good luck

 

[Swirlymurphy]

Children line up on one side of arena, you on opposite side with your back to them. The aim is for them to get to you first without you turning around and catching them on the move. Depending on age and stopping ability of ponies, you may need to turn your head v-e-r-y slowly in order NOT to see them move!! If you see them move, they need go back to the beginning - if they're really young they can just turn a circle. The older the kids get the braver they are and when you hear several of them trotting up behind you, you need to be brave too!

I love teaching children, it's really good fun, and they learn so much through games.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Horseyscot]

Wow, you've got lots of great ideas here!

While doing a lot of the above my little girls instructor always does things like,

'bet you can't bend round these five cones, no way.....' then when they do (complete with lots of, yes I can!) she moves them closer together, again saying NO WAY will she magage that... and so on. Kids love it!

Also keep asking horsey questions all the time, what do you call this, what does that mean, they love shouting out the answers.

 

[rolorocky]

I have a really good book called "Teaching Children to Ride" its by Jane Wallace

 

[popsicle]

Defo Simon Says. My grandkids loved that game. Also ask horsey questions like Mulled Wine sez

 

[Gingerwitch]

Statues - follow the leader - simon says - "frogs" - where you get them to lift there legs off the saddle to relax the hips and legs - i like to get the children to pretend they are someone famous - ride like Carl Hester - just becarful you dont say Ellen Whittaker- you may get more that you bargin for "allegedly"

 

[Mari]

Rural Riders drill. It's fun but requires accurate riding. A bit like follow my leader but the ride do things like split off round 2 sides of arena & come back down middle in pairs or whole ride turns right off long side at same time or all do 10 m circle at same time or change pace / halt together. They have to try to keep same distance between ponies. They have to work as a team & you can put your 'ride' to music once they can do a reasonable sequence. Strictly Come Riding To Music.

 

[missyme10]

No idea myself, but I'm in same boat sort of, but my daughter is confident in canter and over poles - but I'll be having a read through to see if any ideas could help out with my daughters schooling, sorry, sort of nicking your replies lol x

 

[kerry1]

Little obstacle course - bending poles, put ball on cone, go UNDER high jump (with a light latte on top that you may need to hold in case) dismount and mount on wrong size (with helper perhaps) labberinth (poles in a box shape with poles inside in s shape which they have to ride through without touching -look for le trek obstacles this will give you ideas.
trotting poles - putting hands on head, folded, singing christmas carols, saying limericks. Go over trotting poles and get them to stop between two poles say 10 ft away you could make the two poles closer and closer. pairs trotting over poles or a course of poles if ponies will be ok. Its very difficult keeping lessons interesting especially when the riders are small or novice.