Discovery Courses

Week 1: Horse Handling & Horse Care
Activities
  • Introduction to course, tour of yard
  • Begin learning about horses and how to be around them e.g. understanding the horse as a prey animal and what this means for our relationship with them
Handling a horse:
  • Learning how to fit a headcollar
  • Getting to know your horse/pony (their personality, their behaviours)
  • Learn about voice commands, body language & leadership qualities
  • Control and lead your horse/pony.Move them to a specific area, using appropriate voice commands
Horse care & stable management:
  • Learning about what horses need to survive e.g. what they eat, how we look after them
  • Mucking out, sweeping
NB. At all times, throughout the course, each young person or pair of young people will be supported by an experienced adult helper. / To develop, encourage and improve:
  • Awareness of body language & non-verbal communication
  • Managing own emotions/behaviourand understanding impact of those on others
  • Leadership skills
  • Concentration
  • Calm and understanding behaviour
  • Self-esteem and sense of achievement
  • Caring behaviour
  • Teamwork
  • Ability to follow instructions
  • Sense of pride and achievement, seeing results
  • Confidence
National Curriculum links:
Science: What animals need to survive, adaptation, classification, predator/prey relationships, teeth
English, Spoken Language: Listen and respond appropriately, ask relevant questions, build vocabulary, communicate effectively, express feelings
Week 2: Grooming
Activities
  • Begin with last weeks’ learning: put on a headcollar, getting to know your horse, leading
  • Learn about why we groom horses
  • Learn about the different brushes we use for grooming & about hoof picking
  • Groom and bond with your horse/pony
  • Begin learning the different parts of a horse and horse colours/markings.
  • ‘Decorate’ your horse/pony
  • Parade – leading around the yard to show off our hard work.
Horse care & stable management:
  • Horse health: estimate the mass of your horse/pony, weigh your horse/pony using our special weighbridge
  • Mucking out, sweeping, making sure your horse/pony has food & water
/ To develop, encourage and improve:
  • Awareness of body language and voice
  • Ability to work on own and as part of a group
  • Ability to select and use correct equipment, following instructions
  • Sequencing skills
  • Sense of pride and self-esteem
  • Concentration/focus
  • Calm and understanding approach
  • Caring behaviours
  • Estimating skills
National Curriculum links:
Science: What animals need to survive, adaptation
Maths: Estimate, compare and measure mass, sequence events chronologically using ordering language
English, Spoken Language: Listen and respond appropriately, ask relevant questions, build vocabulary, communicate effectively, express feelings
Week 3: Tacking up
Activities
  • Begin with previous weeks’ learning: put on a headcollar, leading, grooming, getting to know your horse
  • Learn about saddles & bridles, why we use them, how to put them on correctly, the names of the different parts.
  • Tack-up your horse/pony
  • Lead your pony around in its tack
  • Learn how to un-tack
Horse care & stable management:
  • Mucking out, sweeping, making sure your horse/pony has food & water
/ To develop, encourage and improve:
  • Concentration skills
  • Problem-solving
  • Hand and eye coordination (fine & gross motor movements)
  • Ability to follow instructions & use equipment
  • Trust and relationship building with animals and others
  • Concentration/focus,
  • Calm and caring approach
National Curriculum links:
English, Spoken Language: Listen and respond appropriately, ask relevant questions, build vocabulary, communicate effectively, express feelings
Maths: Sequencing events
Science: What animals need to survive, adaptation
Week 4: Long-reining
Activities
  • Begin with previous weeks’ learning: put on a headcollar, leading, grooming, tacking-up
  • Learn about long-reining
  • Practice long-reining skills with each other
  • Long-rein your horse/pony around the yard, using appropriate voice commands.
Horse care & stable management:
  • Mucking out, sweeping, making sure your horse/pony has food & water
/ To develop, encourage and improve:
  • The ability to trust in others
  • Hand and eye coordination (fine & gross motor movements)
  • Appropriate use of body language and tone of voice
  • Leadership and partnership skills
  • Positive communication
  • Sense of achievement and empowerment
National Curriculum links:
English, Spoken Language: Listen and respond appropriately, ask relevant questions, build vocabulary, communicate effectively, express feelings
Science: What animals need to survive, adaptation
Week 5: Obstacle training
Activities
  • Begin with previous weeks’ learning: put on a headcollar, leading, grooming
  • Take part in creating an obstacle course in the arena
  • ‘Walk the course’ – develop an understanding of obstacle course and what you will be asking your horse/pony to do
  • Lead your horse/pony down to the arena
  • Lead your horse/pony confidently around the obstacle course
Horse care & stable management:
  • Mucking out, sweeping, making sure your horse/pony has food & water
/ To develop, encourage and improve:
  • Ability to work in a partnership with animals and others
  • Communication skills
  • Leadership ability
  • Ability to follow instructions
  • Sequencing skills
  • Confidence
  • Sense of achievement
  • Ability to use positive, calm body language & tone of voice to instil confidence in the horse
  • Understanding and management of risk
National Curriculum links:
PE: Take part in adventurous outdoor activities
Maths: Sequencing events, position and direction
English, Spoken Language: Listen and respond appropriately, ask relevant questions, build vocabulary, communicate effectively, express feelings
Science: What animals need to survive, adaptation
Week 6: Riding
Activities
  • Begin with previous weeks’ learning: fit a headcollar, leading, grooming, tacking-up
  • Lead your horse/pony down to the arena.
  • Learn how to mount a horse
  • Learn how to control a horse when riding
  • Ride around the arena (being led by an adult)
  • Learn about how a horse moves and how to respond to this movement
  • Learn about different paces.
End of course quiz
  • Fun activity – be amazed by how much you have learned!
End of course presentation / To develop, encourage and improve:
  • Confidence
  • Self-esteem
  • Communication
  • Managing own emotions/behaviour and understanding impact of those on others
  • Understanding and management of risk
  • Sense of accomplishment of controlling a large animal whilst working in partnership with it
  • Communication & demonstration of new skills & knowledge
  • Sense of achievement
National Curriculum links:
PE: Take part in adventurous outdoor activities
Maths: Sequencing events, position and direction
English, Spoken Language: Listen and respond appropriately, ask relevant questions, build vocabulary, communicate effectively, express feelings