Online course program

Day 1

Introduction

About our experience, our collaboration with horses, and how we reached this level of partnership with them.

What is equestrian tourism?

Who can become an equestrian tourist?

What is required for this?

Who is a trainee?

Who is a guide?

Who can become an equestrian tourist?

 

Day 2

How we collaborate with horses and how we advise you to do it.

Basics of human-horse interaction.

Skill and confidence.

Horsie or horse?

Human intonation.

How the sounds we make influence horses: clicking and hissing.

Leader-led.

We don't teach horses. Working with a herd.

Intrigue in horse collaboration. Who's stronger?

 

Day 3

Horse Physiology.

Hutsul Horses.

Horse physiology.

Blind spots of the horse and where the horse can see.

What does a Hutsul horse look like? Its breed characteristics.

Why can a small horse go where other horses can't?

 

Day 4

Obstacles in the Mountains.

Main typical obstacles in the mountains and nuances of horse-rider interaction in rugged terrain.

"If you don't fall, you don't ride" During the trip, you need to be prepared to collaborate with the horse in any situation.

Movement of the Hutsul horse in rugged terrain.

Ravine. Passage nuances.

Windfall obstacles.

Why we don't tighten the girth too much in the mountains and is it possible to ride without a girth?

Backpack test ("Does it fly from side to side or not?").

The best example of perfect posture.

How do we tackle obstacles?

 

Day 5

How does the horse move? How does a person move?

Movements of the horse and the rider.

How can a rider achieve harmonious cooperation while mounted?

Human step, Hutsul horse step.

Horse Gaits.

Neck-balance.

 

Day 6

Contact with the Horse from the ground.

How to encourage the horse to move? How to lead the horse in natural conditions, how to start, make turns?

 

Day 7

Contact with the Horse while Mounted.

Contact with the horse while mounted.

How does the horse communicate with you when you're on its back?

How can you unknowingly startle the horse and the entire herd?

Constant pressure doesn't contribute to good cooperation with the horse.

 

Day 8

Equipment.

Which saddle is best for the mountains? Why specifically?

 

Day 9

Riding Seat.

The seat that is best suited for multi-day excursions.

Common mistakes of riders, stereotypes.

Who is a rider?

 

Day 10

Rider's Work.

Rider's work. Balance and center of gravity.

Rider's hands, working with reins.

Control, winding trails.

 

Day 11

Rider's leg work.

Footwork in the stirrup.

Muscles and free leg.

 

Day 12

Briefing.

Comprehensive briefing for the horseback training camp/expredition. How to interact with other participants and horses during the journey? What situations can arise and how to handle them? Mutual responsibility of participants for each other. Collaboration between course trainees/tourists during saddling.

 

Day 13

Ethology (Animal Psychology).

 

Ethology (a field of zoology that studies animal behavior).

Horse body language.

Hierarchical structure of the herd.

Interaction among individuals within the herd.

What matters to horses?

How do horses perceive humans?

How to become understandable to a horse?

 

In this module, you'll also find interesting instructive stories about human-horse interaction, videos, and photo materials depicting herd behavior of horses with detailed analysis. All of this is based on years of field observations of horse behavior in the herds of the Farm "Polonynske Hospodartsvo", in their natural environment.

 

Day 14

Practical Part of the Course - Training Camp

How does the practical part of the course proceed?

What is comfort?

Weather?

What should be the rider's physical condition?

Teamwork. Behavior rules during the course.

What to expect during the practical part of the course?

Participant's tasks.

How to interact correctly with the horse during and after the trip.