Training Standards
Basic Skills:
- Six Keys to Harmony correctly executed with light requests and light responses on ground and mounted
- Complete despooking
- Standing tied patiently
- Picking up hooves
- Loading in trailer easily
- Hosing
- Completion of obstacle course including water crossing
- Standing still to mount
- Riding in snaffle bit at all gaits in all terrain with good quality of control of speed and direction
- Able to ride simple school figures with accuracy of speed, shape of figure and proper flexion at walk and trot – 20 meter circle, 20 meter square, narrow and wide serpentines, straight lines
- Simple lead changes
- Canter 30 meter circles with accuracy on both leads
- Beginning of vertical flexion by just softening to the bit (tucking the chin) for a second at a stand still and at a walk.
- Seat stop from walk, easy stop from trot and canter
Advanced Skills – Level 1
- Open and shut a gate mounted with ease and calmness
- Picks up rider on mounting block, stump, log or fence
- Convert basic level hindquarter disengagement into turn on forehand
- Convert basic level shoulder yield into turn on haunches and roll back
- Able to ride simple school figures with accuracy of speed, shape of figure and proper flexion at brisk walk, sitting and posting trot and slow canter – 15 & 20 meter circle, 15 & 20 meter square, serpentines, straight lines.
- Shoulder-in at walk and trot
- Backing 10 strides with energy and straightness
- Beginning of haunches-in on the rail
- Canter depart from no faster speed than slow trot
- Side-pass in the open
- Rope a dummy
- Drag a log forward and backward
- Back around a circle
- Jump 18 inch jump at trot
- Counter bend circle at walk and trot
- Vertical flexion by softening to the bit (tucking the chin) for a several strides at walk & trot.
- Seat stop from walk and trot
Advanced Skills – Level 2
- Correctly executed turn on forehand and turn on haunches with body straight and no forward or backward motion
- Correctly executed roll back
- Able to ride simple school figures with accuracy of speed, shape of figure and proper flexion at brisk walk, sitting and posting trot and slow canter – 10, 15 & 20 meter circle, 10, 15 & 20 meter square, serpentines, straight lines.
- Shoulder-in at all gaits
- Correctly executed haunches-in and shoulder-in on the rail and in the open at walk and trot
- Canter depart from haunches in at walk
- Side-pass in the open over a pole
- Rope a barrel and trot around it wrapping the rope and unwrapping the rope
- Drag a tarp and barrel forward and backward
- Back around an accurate circle with all feet reaching
- Jump three 24 inch jumps at trot and canter
- Counter bend circle at all gaits
- Counter canter on wide serpentine
- Beginning of collection - vertical flexion by softening to the bit (tucking the chin) with face vertical, neck elevated and poll as highest point of neck at all gaits and all transitions
- Seat stop from all gaits
- Walk and trot circles with Garrocha pole
- Pony another horse
Advanced Skills – Level 3
- Correctly executed roll back and canter out
- Renver and Traver on rail and circle
- Correctly executed haunches-in and shoulder-in and half-pass in the open on straight lines, diagonals and circles at all gaits
- Canter depart from haunches in at stand still
- Rope a barrel and canter around it wrapping the rope and unwrapping the rope
- Jump five 36 inch jumps at canter
- Counter canter circles
- Flying lead changes
- Correct collection at all gaits and all transitions
- Sliding stop
- Trot spins
- Canter circles and spin under with Garrocha pole
- First 3 of Six Keys at liberty
- Live roping
Advanced Skills – Level 4
- Six Keys at liberty
- Canter pirouette
- Piaffe
- Passage
- Canter spin
- Spanish walk
- Canter half-pass, ranvers and travers
- Tempe changes 1 & 2
- Ride with spade bit or double bridle
Ed Dabney is an internationally acclaimed clinician, presenting horsemanship and riding clinics all over the US and in Europe. In 2007, Ed was named Champion of the East Coast Trainer Challenge Series by Equine Extravaganza. Ed was honored to have been selected by the University of Georgia to teach their senior level Young Horse Training course.
His training articles have appeared in many major national magazines. Ed produces instructional videos and the “Gentle Horsemanship” TV program which has been seen on RFD-TV.
Ed's blending of natural horsemanship and classical equitation has made an indelible mark with students all across the United States and now also in Europe, drawing the attention of serious riders searching for the lightest touch and the deepest connection with their horses irrespective of breed or discipline.
