An Instructor's Guide to Teaching Children to Ride

The aim of this book is to provide new and trainee instructors with inspiration and advice on teaching children to ride, from the very first lesson. Experienced author and instructor, Melissa Troup, discusses all the basics—introducing the pony, mounting, how to sit in the saddle, holding the reins, stopping, starting and steering, and how to teach rising and sitting trot and canter—and moves on to develop young riders' interest through dressage, jumping, cross-country and competitions. Throughout, the emphasis is on safety—and making the lessons fun. In addition to basic teaching techniques, the book looks at how to plan group and private lessons, coaching techniques for different learning styles, safety and risk assessment, child protection issues, and on-the-job problem solving. The book includes numerous example lesson plans, and there are even reproducible handouts on stable management, with illustrations and quiz-style questions, specially designed for wet-weather days and off-horse learning. In short, Melissa Troup provides you with everything you need to know to become a wizard instructor, ready to inspire the next generation of young riders.