Instructor Course

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The Instructor Course “The Art of Riding” is a 2 year programme for those who already have an instructor licence and are seeking for additional horse-training and riding knowledge to increase their teaching and riding skills. This instructor course will be an enrichment to any kind of prior instructor certification.

During the 2 year programme there will be four 3-day training sessions (every 6 months). In between these training sessions, participants will work on home-assignments to improve both their own training and their teaching skills and get online support.

During the last training session, there will be a practical and a theoretical exam to asses whether the participants’ training and teaching skills and theoretical knowledge is sufficient to receive a certificate as an Art of Riding instructor.

Goals of the Instructor Course:
  1. To spread the knowledge of Straightness Training. The Rider’s Seat & the Academic Art of Riding to more riders in order to provide them with a horse-friendly training method for all disciplines of riding.
  2. To stimulate passionate riders to attempt to join the knighthood of the Academic Art of Riding.
  3. To give instructors practical didactic tools to improve their own teaching
  4. To give instructors more insight in the biomechanics of horse and rider and provide exercises with which they can improve their own and their students seat and connection with the horse. 
  5. To stimulate passionate instructors to enroll in the CR instructor course and add CR techniques to their teaching

After participating in this course you will have gained:

  • Knowledge on natural crookedness in horses in the lateral bending, hind legs and front legs and the skills to determine the crookedness.
  • Knowledge and skills in groundwork and work in hand exercises to straighten the horses and to work towards better carrying of the hindquarter.
  • Knowledge and skills in longeing as a tool to educate the horse.
  • Knowledge on the Rider’s Seat and exercises to improve the seat and a Centered Riding open clinic certification that allows you to enroll in a Centered Riding instructor course.
  • A deeper understanding of the use of dressage exercises such as the circle, shoulder-in and quarter-in (in work in hand and in riding) to structurally build up the muscles, strength and suppleness of the horse.
  • Teaching skills, which include: formulating learning objectives, understanding of different learning styles and different ways to build up a lesson.
  • An understanding of the historical background of dressage and knowledge of different old masters and their training methods
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After this course you should be able to: 

  • Successfully show your horse in the groundwork and longeing exercises as required by the Knighthood of the Academic Art of Riding 
  • Ride your horse both in forward-down as in (slight) collection with an everlasting forwards searching of the horse towards the hand.
  • Place both hind legs under the point of weight using shoulder-in and quarter-in.
  • Follow and influence the hind legs from your seat.
  • Use correct half-halts to rebalance the horse.
  • Collect and extend the horse mainly from the seat.
  • Ride a basic (balanced) walk, trot and canter.
  • Ride the side movements balanced and supple in walk and trot.
  • Come up with a training plan for the development of a horse.
  • Explain the biomechanics of the horse and the WHAT,WHY and HOW of this training method to your students.
  • Prepare and teach lessons in work in hand, longeing and riding that fit the person and the horse’s level of training and that contribute to the development of the combination.

Conditions for entering the programme:

  • Commitment for the full program (all days). A maximum of 2 days can be missed (alternative assignements in return) in order to join in for the exams at the end.
  • You are already a certified instructor.
  • You have been teaching for several years and/or can demonstrate that you are sufficiently skilled as a rider.
  • You have participated in a previous clinic in the Art of Riding and/or can demonstrate during an audition that you have sufficient riding skills and theoretical knowledge in order to participate in the instructor course. 
  • You can participate and train with your own horse or another horse during the full time of this program.
  • You are dedicated to spread the knowledge of The Art of Riding to your pupils and therefore refrain from using any forms of draw reins, fixed reins and excessive use of whips and spurs during your training and will educate your pupils also to do so.
  • You have to buy/own a good cavesson for your training and wear a helmet.


The first group of the Art of Riding Instructor Course completed their training in Israel in september 2014.
​Interested in this course in your own country? Contact Ylvie to discuss the possibilities. Instructor Courses are taught to groups of 6-12 persons.