Charlotte has been riding for four years now, long enough that her formerly horse-obsessed friends have started to drift away, leaving her the only member of her original class still spending weekends at the barn.
But she can’t imagine life without her lessons or horse time.
When a partial lease becomes available on a favorite school horse, she tells her parents she’ll do anything to make it happen — because that extra riding time will allow her to ride cross-country with the advanced camp next summer!
Not all of your students are going to want to make the commitment Purple Level asks of them — but those that do are going to be FUN to teach!
Watching your beginner riders transform into intuitive, balanced, courageous intermediates is incredibly rewarding, especially if you’ve taught these students from their very first ride.
And there’s a lot you can do at this level. The doors are open: tricky courses, challenging patterns, schooling expeditions, lateral work, and horse swaps are all fair game, and opportunities for your students to feel their practice pay off!
Here are five things we really want our Purple people to learn:
1
It’s all about that base (of support)
Yes, equitation matters, not just for the horse and rider’s comfort, but for safety.
If students are going to gallop or jump solid obstacles, they need a secure leg position that will not let them down. This sometimes means zeroing in on bad habits (we’ve all got them!) and actively working to overcome them.
Students at this level need to understand that form = function, and WANT to ride better.
Sometimes this also means emphasizing fitness work and exercises off the horse. Recreational riders rarely get the kind of practice time that turns them into athletes. Before the pace gets fast or the jumps get big, we want them to take their fitness seriously. If they cheerfully ride without stirrups or spend time in two-point, that’s a promising sign!
2
Flatwork makes everything better
Adrenaline junkies don’t always like to hear this, but pro riders know the truth: that good jumping is just good flatwork over fences. The ability to ride a harmonious 2’6” course depends on rhythm, balance, impulsion, straightness… and of course, clear communication between horse and rider.
This rule applies to Western riders, too. Developing good dressage basics leads to better times, better scores, and better maneuverability. It makes the horses more athletic and easier to ride as it develops feel and timing in the rider.
This is the Level where riders have to become really proactive in their flatwork. They have to help the horse achieve these qualities. (Sometimes by showing the horse what to do; sometimes by staying out of the horse’s way.)
That’s probably not going to happen until they care about how their horse moves, and understand that dressage is not just a sport for perfectionists — that it creates sound, rideable equine partners that can excel in ALL disciplines.
3
Practice makes perfect
Very few of the objectives in Purple Level can be obtained in a single lesson. Most of them require PRACTICE. Patient, repetitive, consistent practice.
And let’s face it, some students don’t want to do that. They want to trail ride and jump and gallop — but they don’t want to put in the hours it takes to learn how to ride a direct transition, or to build enough leg strength to jump without stirrups.
We’ve had a couple of students quit with only a few objectives unchecked, saying, “My horse will never be able to do ______, so there’s no point in trying.”
But horseback riding is not an instant gratification sport. And if your students haven’t gotten that message by now, they need to hear it before they start moving up levels in the show ring, or buying young project horses.
This is a great opportunity for them to practice meeting challenges with a plan and a positive attitude. Patience prevents frustration — which is the least our horses deserve!
4
It’s time to boldly go places
Purple Level students have spent enough time in the saddle that they should be developing some pretty good instincts. By now, they’ve probably hit the dirt, dealt with a few big spooks or runaways, and jumped from their share of bad distances.
This means they’ve got the skill set to go DO STUFF with their horses — and enjoy every minute of it.
We love to see our Purple People trail ride, cross-country school, and gallop fearlessly in hunter paces and mock fox hunts. We love it when they test their skills in the show ring, regardless of discipline. We love it when they play mounted games and ride bareback and experiment with riding bridleless (in a safe environment, of course!).
We especially love it when they start looking for opportunities to make these things happen.
Because…
5
It’s time to dream big
Where will your students go from here? Some may set their sights on a Teal ribbon; some may be content with this level of achievement. Some will be full of competitive aspirations, while others are much happier in the low-stress environment of home. Some will dream of a horse of their own, and some might just be riding to spend time with friends.
If your students have been passive recipients of the horse experience so far, now is the time to give them a little shove and see what they want badly enough to pursue on their own.
Encourage them to ask: why do I ride? What do I see myself doing with horses one/five/ten years down the road? Let this motivation be their guide for their future equine endeavors, and remind them that it is okay to change their minds.
After all, horseback riding should be a positive and joyful experience. Let us never lose sight of that in the midst of our goals!
