Lunge Lessons

A successful method for grabbing a child's attention that I have noticed from the get-go is to do lunge lessons. This way, the child can concentrate on their position and complete the exercises rather than keeping the horse on the rail. I generally start off with the same few exercises:

Upper Body

-Roll the shoulders
-Circle one arm then the other
-Both arms straight out and rotate upper torso
-Both arms straight up

Legs (without stirrups)

-Ankle rolls towards horse
-Legs straight out, then push back from the hip, then relax straight down
-Bicycle

Other

-Around the World
-Thread the needle (where they swing one leg over the neck, then flip onto their stomach and swing the same leg back over.)

Are there any more related exercises you can think of?

Riding Instructor Community

I have been giving dressage lessons for several years now but, have only recently started teaching children. Although I've noticed their willingness to take risks is far greater than most of their adult counterparts, I have also realized that so is their lack of attention. I am hoping that from this blog, instructors will come together to share ideas about teaching. Possibly integrating other disciplines into the scheme to enhance the learning experience and keep dressage fun!