Teaching Kids...

[starsnrunes]

...and some other questions.

My 3 (4 in sept) year old neice has started to share one of the shetlands at the yard, and as she's finally on an appropriate size pony (she'd previously been riding Herc who's 15hh) i'm going to start giving her some proper lessons. However i'm not brilliant with Kids and what they are cabable of at what age.

My plan is to concentrate on one thing per lesson, and only spend 15 mins in the school then go for a little walk after. I was thinking 'trotting' 'Steering' (with cones) and 'shapes' (as in figures, steering again but something different) then lots of starting and stopping.

Also i was thinking of making some Letters for round the edge of the school especially for them (the YM will use them for her very bright 2year old too) so they have something to aim for as we're missin 3, and it'll make it easier than saying "head for the bush". They are going to have the letter on then a picture too.

Does this sound alright for their ages? Any other suggestions?

Also any suggestions for simple gymkhanna games? Walk and trot only, We have cones, 'Jumps' (trotting poles - usually in a huge line), have just got some hoops and are looking for some beanbags or little balls. And does any one know a good place to get some cheap rosettes from?

Finally....My master plan is to take over the world with pink......Sorry wrong flip chart.....*tootle off to find right one*...ah here we are...The master plan is to get my abrs Initial Teaching award, and teach children and beginners and maybe do my RDA insructors as well, even if it's only on a part-time/freelance basis. I'll be able to do my NVQ's at my yard, but i can't find any information on where i'll have to do my Teaching award when it gets to that stage? Has anyone done it/have more info than whats on the ABRS site?


Sorry for the Ramble and Cookies for those who get this far.

 

[Honey08]

I think at that age I'd do mainly hacking, getting them to stop at certain lamp posts etc. They get bored quickly in the school. On hacks you can look at other things too..

Excercise wise, going in and out of cones is good.. If you can get any gymkhana poles (we use elec. fence posts in the field, but wouldn't work in a school) you can do the cup race (transfering plastic cups from post to post).

For building up confidence, around the world and scissors, leaning forward to touch ears, back to tail, touching their toes etc.

 

[Rowreach]

Okay, firstly keep it fun fun fun and short, because not only do they have a short attention span, it is very tiring for the instructor as well.

I have been thinking about writing a book about this for some time, because there is nothing very helpful out there at all.

Remember they may not feel like riding just at that moment when you feel like tacking up the pony and putting them on it, so don't push it too hard. Try and include some handling,brushing, fetching and carrying of small objects, even helping to set up the arena, as well as the actual riding. Get loads of stickers and small "prizes" like horsey pencils, rubbers, hairslides and stuff. Trawl poundstretcher etc for dog toys which make brilliant things to pass and chuck for races. Invest in a stack of coloured sports training markers - you can use them for all sorts of things (I do obstacle courses, snakes and ladders, wiggly worms for steering etc) and they are lght to move about and harmless if the pony treads on them or the kid falls off on them.

Markers with pictures are great. Singing is great. Going for little hacks and chatting about names of plants, birds, all sorts really helps them to relax and not think too much about the pony if they are worried at all. POints of the pony and the tack. Make a course of jumps - be imaginative, back to poundstretcher and find things like plastic window boxes (not the really brittle sort) which make a tiny wall, or prop up one plank, or use blue bin liners between two poles to make a tiny "ditch" (you can walk the pony over these without the child at first to make sure it doesn't spook). I make mine go up and down undulating ground as well.

One thing I do think is important is getting even tiny children to hold the reins properly and sit correctly from day one - it is a lot easier than trying to correct problems further down the line.

Enjoy! and if you think of anything you'd like to ask specifically feel free to pm me, cos I could go on all day

 

[Rowreach]

Oh yeah, rolled up socks make good safe things to throw in buckets for a race, or pick a leaf off a bush (very cheap!), Simon Says, head shoulders knees and toes, cowboys and indians (you need a few kids for that one but it's great fun)

 

[starsnrunes]

thanks for the Advice....She's already very good at helping and brushing, and hold her reins and sits up, and we do jumping position over the horse stile and trotting poles (ok she leans forward...but it's atleast the theory. lol) and she's only allowd to hold on when she's trotting as she does bounce alot (main thing to work on).

I don't want to put her off so will let her choose what she does and if we go in the school and she gets bored or doesn't want to listen we'll go for a walk. (hopefully i'll be able to keep my sis out of the way too as she gets a bit impatiant and i think she demands a bit too much of her at times - everything *has* to be done properly and straight away)

 

[Shay]

There is a book I looked at when I started my daughter. (I like books....!) called "How to Teach Children to Ride". Most of it is pretty basic and commen sense - although it might help if you are looking for formal qualifications in due course. I would suggest at least having a quick flick through a copy.

The only thing I can think of that the others havn't already suggested is the letters game - which you can play with the pictures too if you need to. Ask a question which has an answer beginning with one of the school letters and get them to ride over to the letter and say the answer. You can also do things like "name 3 parts of the body..." do they go to F - feet. H - hoof etc. Its also an interesting way of starting them on pony quiz type knowledge. And spelling!

We've also played Simon Says - but my daughter got bored with that quite quickly. Fastest at "round the world" both stationary and at walk - although you need to hang on to the pony!

Above all.... have fun!

 

[[69117]]

I would go for the RDAGI qualification, as this takes about 6 months to achieve if you only volunteer at an RDA for one day a week, and if you have one extra assessment you are legally recognised as a BHSAI, and they will put you on their register of instructors. I did this, and have gone on to become a BHSI thanks to moving up the levels of RDA instruction.

Becoming an RDAGI means that you have to know not only how to teach etc. but also about the physical and mental effects of the horse on the rider and vice versa - which is incredibly useful if you're faced with a tense, nervous child further down the line.

If you're interested PM me!