The advantage to being an instructor for many years it that I get to see what works for kids. Many Therapeutic riding instructors work at a large facility and they have no connection to the future of the student. They are just making their hourly wage and going home. When a child works with many different instructors, they all have a different idea what to do for class, there is no clear progression of skills and many of them resort to simply providing pony rides. For all but the craziest horse fanatic, this can lead to boredom.
At Colorado Ranchito, we are invested in your child. We want them to succeed and further their riding experience. Kids want to learn to be independent, they want to be challenged. That is why we have developed our Divisions of Horsemanship. Students work through each division (a progression of riding and horsemanship skills) and are rewarded at the end of each division. This sets a clear goal for them and they know what they need to do to get to the next level. They know when they have completed all divisions – they are ready to show, compete in gymkhanas, or start any other specialized training like jumping. Within these progressions your child will be coached in social skills when doing ground work with the horse, how to deal with frustration – “why is my horse not doing what I want?” and of course the myriad of physical skill development that is needed to move forward. We also track their progression with weekly notes, so if another instructor has to step in, they know right where your child is at in the progression. Want to try it out? give us a call at 303-646-6166.