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LEARN MORE ABOUT

BlueLevel

LEARN MORE ABOUT

Blue Level

Blue Level is the fourth Learning Level

Blue Level has two tracks: one in the mounted Horsemanship curriculum and one in the unmounted HorseSense curriculum.

Students in mounted Blue Level lessons learn to ride with control and confidence — on the flat, over simple jumping or polework exercises, and in the open — while developing initiative and the desire for further progress.

In unmounted lessons, Blue Level students are ready to broaden their understanding of topics learned in Red – Green Levels, adding important details that will help them become knowledgeable and responsible horsey caretakers.

See learning objectives for BLUE LEVEL - English riding
See learning objectives for BLUE LEVEL - Western riding

Scroll down to learn more about teaching Blue Level lessons.

E Hm Stretch

What you can teach in Blue Level?

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HorseSense
Horsemanship

BLUE LEVEL HORSESENSE

BLUE LEVEL HORSESENSE

Blue Level HorseSense is the starting place for more detailed horse care instruction.

We recommend that all of our students who plan to own or lease a horse consider Blue HorseSense Level the minimum requirement. This criteria applies even if they don’t keep the horse at home, because it takes at least this much knowledge to evaluate whether your horse is being cared for properly in a boarding facility.

The Blue Level HorseSense Study Guide is the “textbook” for this Level, giving students helpful information for every objective. 

There are a LOT of hands-on lessons in Blue Level! Look for planning help in this Boss Mares post: Build a Library for Teaching Hands-On Unmounted Lessons.

Trailer Bluehm

The lessons taught in Blue Level HorseSense are appropriate for...

  • students who have completed Green Level HorseSense.
  • students who plan to take horses to outside clinics, shows, trail rides, or other events.
  • students (and parents!) who own or lease a horse - or may consider doing so.
  • participants in specialty clinics (e.g., Intro to Horse Ownership, Tack Fitting or Trailer Safety).
  • students in Level Up summer camps.
  • interns, working students, or anyone else who could be responsible for your horse's welfare in your absence.

Blue Level adds detail to horse care concepts and hands-on skills:

  • Students learn basic principles of horse gaits and movement, conformation, and unsoundnesses.
  • They learn adjustment and action of bits and specialty tack, and practice fitting and handling longeing equipment.
  • They expand their knowledge of grooming, hoof care, parasite control, and vet/health care.
  • They learn safe trailering practices and practice loading and unloading a quiet horse.

LEVELS TOPICS include bandaging, conformation, gaits and movement, grooming, ground handling, hoof care, mounted safety, parasite control, tack, trailer safety, unsoundnesses, vet and health care.

BLUE LEVEL HORSEMANSHIP

BLUE LEVEL HORSEMANSHIP

The Blue Horsemanship Level is a beginner level, designed to help students make the transition from passenger to thinking rider.

It encourages students to ride on the flat with attention to detail and an awareness of the horse’s balance, while giving them the skills necessary to safely trail ride, jump or work over poles, and ride over introductory cross-country obstacles.

The Blue Level Horsemanship Study Guide is the “textbook” for this Level, giving students detailed information for every objective. (Version for Western riding is in the Pipeline!)

You’ll find tips in this Boss Mares  post: 5 Secret Goals for Teaching Blue Level Horsemanship.

Blue Level student riding at the canter

Blue Level is appropriate for teaching students in group or private riding lessons who:

  • have completed the Green Horsemanship Level.
  • have control at the canter or lope and are ready to improve their seat.
  • are ready to test their skills with obstacles inside and outside the arena.
  • are confident and balanced enough to ride in an open space - with the help of an experienced equine partner!

LEVELS TOPICS include cross-country skills, dressage, flatwork skills, jumping skills, and mounted safety.

Blue Level students learn control and accuracy on the flat, over fences, and in the open:

  • Students practice correct diagonals, leads, and transitions, with and without stirrups – then ride USDF Introductory Test C or WDDA Basic Test 1.
  • They learn aids for achieving correct bend and exercises for developing their own balance and posture.
  • They learn techniques for riding through simple grids and elementary jump courses (English) or barrel patterns and trail courses (Western).
  • They ride in the open, up and down hills and over fences and natural obstacles.
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Ready to start teaching Blue Level?

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Find Blue Level downloads in the RESOURCE CENTER

Or learn about another Level...

See GREEN LEVEL
See ORANGE LEVEL

BLUE LEVEL HORSEMANSHIP OBJECTIVES

THE MOUNTED CURRICULUM

(scroll down to see the unmounted curriculum)

Overview of Blue Horsemanship: The Blue Horsemanship Level is a beginner level, designed to encourage students to ride on the flat with attention to detail and an awareness of the horse’s balance, while giving them the skills necessary to safely trail ride, jump, and ride over introductory cross-country fences. 

  • Know and demonstrate a minimum of four exercises that can be used to improve the seat.
  • Ride ring figures at the walk and trot, with correct diagonals.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of aids used for asking horse to correctly bend.
  • Ride accurate trot/canter transitions.
  • Ride a 20m circle at the walk, trot, and canter, with correct diagonals and leads.
  • Ride USDF Introductory Test C with accurate transitions and ring figures.
  • Ride at the walk, trot and canter without stirrups.
  • Ride simple gymnastic grids up to 2’, to include one small oxer.
  • Trot into a related distance and canter out.
  • Ride a ground pole course at the canter, with simple changes of lead as necessary.
  • Jump a course of 5-7 fences at 18”, at the trot, with good approaches, developing the ability to plan a course.
  • Demonstrate an effective use of disengagement and pulley rein by stopping horse from canter.
  • Ride in the open, up and down hills and over fences and natural obstacles at the walk and trot.

BLUE LEVEL HORSESENSE OBJECTIVES

THE UNMOUNTED CURRICULUM

(scroll up to see the mounted curriculum)

Overview of Blue HorseSense: Student will be able to perform thorough grooming; to understand action of bits and specialty tack; to identify farrier tools; to understand principles of horse gaits and movement, basic first aid and parasite control, and safe longeing and trailering practices.

  • Groom a horse to turnout inspection quality (no braiding necessary).
  • Perform a safety check on a younger rider under supervision.
  • Know how to adjust different types of tack, including:
    -- Martingales
    -- Auxiliary nosebands
    -- Breastplates
    -- Curb chain
    -- Western cinch
  • Identify different types of bits, to include both snaffle and leverage bits.
  • Apply a polo wrap and discuss its purpose.
  • Know how the following injuries are treated: stone bruise, laceration, puncture wound, abscess, swollen tendon, injured eye.
  • Discuss life cycle and prevention of internal and external parasites.
  • Know names and functions of farrier tools used in trimming and shoeing.
  • Know basic horse movement, to include number of beats in each gait, footfall pattern, faulty movement, and methods of detecting unsoundness.
  • Discuss what conformation is and why it is important, to include basic faults of the forelegs and hind legs, back, shoulder, neck and head.
  • Name and locate five unsoundnesses.
  • Perform a pre-trip safety check on a truck or trailer.
  • Safely load and unload a quiet horse, with assistance.
  • Discuss reasons for longeing, safe longeing practices and equipment. Demonstrate how to hold and give aids with a line and whip.

BLUE LEVEL HORSEMANSHIP OBJECTIVES - WESTERN

THE MOUNTED CURRICULUM

(scroll down to see the unmounted curriculum)

Overview of Blue Horsemanship: The Blue Horsemanship Level is a beginner level, designed to encourage students to ride on the flat with attention to detail and an awareness of the horse’s balance, while giving them the skills necessary to safely trail ride and negotiate obstacles. 

  • Know and demonstrate a minimum of four exercises that can be used to improve the seat.
  • Ride ring figures at the jog, sitting and posting with correct diagonals.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of aids used for asking horse to correctly bend.
  • Ride accurate transitions between the jog and lope.
  • Ride a 20m circle at the walk, jog, and lope, with correct diagonals and leads.
  • Ride WDAA Basic Test 1 with accurate transitions and ring figures.
  • Ride at the walk, jog, and lope without stirrups.
  • Lope over grid of two or more poles, maintaining rhythm.
  • Lope over a related distance of ground poles.
  • Ride barrel pattern at the lope, with simple change of lead.
  • Ride a trail course of 6 or more obstacles.
  • Demonstrate an effective use of disengagement and pulley rein by stopping horse from lope.
  • Ride in the open, up and down hills and over fences and natural obstacles at the walk and jog.

BLUE LEVEL HORSESENSE OBJECTIVES - WESTERN

THE UNMOUNTED CURRICULUM

(scroll up to see the mounted curriculum)

Overview of Blue HorseSense: Student will be able to perform thorough grooming; to understand action of bits and specialty tack; to identify farrier tools; to understand principles of horse gaits and movement, basic first aid and parasite control, and safe longeing and trailering practices.

  • Groom a horse to turnout inspection quality (no braiding necessary).
  • Perform a safety check on a younger rider under supervision.
  • Know how to adjust different types of tack, including:
    -- Martingales
    -- Auxiliary nosebands
    -- Breastplates
    -- Curb chain
    -- English saddle and girth
  • Identify different types of bits, to include both snaffle and leverage bits.
  • Apply a polo wrap and discuss its purpose.
  • Know how the following injuries are treated: stone bruise, laceration, puncture wound, abscess, swollen tendon, injured eye.
  • Discuss life cycle and prevention of internal and external parasites.
  • Know names and functions of farrier tools used in trimming and shoeing.
  • Know basic horse movement, to include number of beats in each gait, footfall pattern, faulty movement, and methods of detecting unsoundness.
  • Discuss what conformation is and why it is important, to include basic faults of the forelegs and hind legs, back, shoulder, neck and head.
  • Name and locate five unsoundnesses.
  • Perform a pre-trip safety check on a truck or trailer.
  • Safely load and unload a quiet horse, with assistance.
  • Discuss reasons for longeing, safe longeing practices and equipment. Demonstrate how to hold and give aids with a line and whip.
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We’ve been blessed with many talented photographers over the years: students who voluntarily stood in sweltering/ freezing arenas, capturing lifelong memories of lessons, camps and shows. We’re grateful to all of them!

One former student, Delaney Witbrod, is now a professional photographer with a gift for animal portraits – see more of her fine work here. We’re also grateful for photos of Western riding donated by LLPro instructors – particularly Bit of Pleasure Horse School and Joyful Hearts Photography!

You’ll find illustrations throughout our online courses and printed materials graciously donated by our friend Rhonda Hagy. Evan Surrusco contributes additional illustrations and handles most of our photo processing. Contact us for information about their work.

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