Lessons at Totleywells
We offer a variety of Lessons at Totleywells. As well as our advertised clinics with regular and visiting acclaimed and experienced instructors, we offer regular lessons at times that suit throughout the week. These are generally with our Resident and Regular Coaches and offer the opportunity to build a plan and grow your riding confidence over time. We’ve described some of these below.
Arena XC Lessons
Whether you're an aspiring eventer or simply enjoy the thrill of cross-country riding, Arena Cross Country lessons are essential for honing your competitive edge before the XC season begins and during to tweak those technical line skills.
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Take your technical riding skills to the next level:
1. Diverse Obstacles: Arena Cross Country introduces you to a jumps and angles within the safety of an enclosed arena. These elements are designed to mimic the unpredictability of outdoor cross-country courses.
2. Skill Development: Mastering cross-country riding requires a unique set of skills, including balance, agility, and quick decision-making. Our expert instructors will guide you through techniques for navigating obstacles with confidence, helping you become a more well-rounded and versatile rider.
3. Confidence Building: Conquer your fears and build trust with your horse as you tackle simulated cross-country challenges. Our supportive environment encourages you to push your boundaries while providing the guidance you need to succeed.
4. Preparation for Competition: Whether you're an aspiring eventer or simply enjoy the thrill of cross-country riding, Arena Cross Country lessons are essential for honing your competitive edge. Practice essential skills, such as jumping accuracy and pace control, to excel in future competitions.
5. Year-Round Accessibility: With Arena Cross Country, you can enjoy the excitement of cross-country riding regardless of the season or weather conditions. Our arena ensures a consistent and reliable training environment.
Experience the thrill of cross-country riding in a safe, controlled setting while honing your skills for success. Don't just ride – conquer obstacles with confidence!"
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Our Arena XC lessons are in our 70x30 Outdoor Arena with its fabulous Andrews Bowen Pro Wax Training Surface designed to be kind to legs in training. We have a full course of Show Jumping and Arena XC Jump4Joy Jump along with some wooden jumps we bring in for Arena XC.
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Our Arena XC lessons tend to be in clinics although you can book this with our Resident Coach on other days around our Arena XC clinics while the court is still up.
Clinic Costs with the likes of David Gatherer, Claire Marshall, Wills Oakden and Daniel Stewart start from around £60 for a private lesson and £40 for a shared group lesson.
Grid-work lessons
Unlock the potential of both horse and rider with our specialised gridwork lessons designed to elevate your skills and improve your confidence.
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Building Balance and Coordination: Gridwork exercises challenge both horse and rider to maintain balance and coordination through patterns and obstacles. As you navigate through the grids, you'll develop a deeper understanding of your horse's movements and improve your own stability in the saddle.
Enhancing Technique and Precision: Each grid presents a series of carefully spaced poles and jumps, requiring precise control and timing from the rider. By honing your technique in these structured exercises, you'll refine your riding skills and develop the finesse needed for success in any discipline.
Developing Confidence and Trust: Through consistent practice and repetition, both horse and rider build confidence in their abilities to tackle various challenges together.
Improve your flexibility and Adjustability: Gridwork encourages adaptability as riders learn to adjust their pace, stride length, and approach to different elements within the grid. This adaptability translates to improved performance in competitions and out and about, where quick thinking and flexibility are essential.
Fostering Problem-Solving Skills: Gridwork presents riders with a variety of obstacles and scenarios that require quick thinking and problem-solving on the fly. Whether it's adjusting your horse's stride or navigating a tricky combination, these challenges sharpen your ability to make split-second decisions under pressure.
At Totleywells our expert instructors specialise in tailoring gridwork lessons that cater to riders of all levels.
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Our Grid-work lessons normal take place in our huge 70m x 30m outdoor arena with its fabulous Andrews Bowen Pro Wax Training Surface and a full course of Jump4Joy show jumps and Arena XC jumps.
In bad weather we duplicate on a smaller scale in the comfort of our light and airy indoor arena, which also has the Andrews Bowen Pro Wax Training Surface. -
Private Grid-work lessons start from £40 for 45 mins.
Group Lessons from £22 per person.
Show Jumping Lessons
Jump with confidence whatever level you are jumping at. From your first cross-pole to prepping for a Qualifier, our Resident Coach, Gemma Kennedy will work with you to understand your goals and build a training plan for one lesson or ten - it’s up to you.
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Jump with Confidence. Our resident coach Gemma will work with you to reach your goals, whether that’s to get over your first cross pole, or jump your first novice course and progress up the levels.
She’ll work with you to understand where you’re at now, what your challenges are, and together you’ll build a plan to reach those goals. -
Private or Group lessons are available in our 70m x 30m outdoor arena with a wonderful Andrews Bowen Pro Wax Training Surface and a full set of Jump4Joy Show Jumps and Arena XC Jumps.
We have a variety of fillers too so that your horse sees it all while they visit. -
Private Lessons - £40 for 45 Mins
Group/ Shared Lessons - from £22 per person dependent on numbers in group.
Flatwork / Dressage Lessons
Scott Mclellan, British Dressage Instructor, comes to Totleywells twice a month and works with our liveries and visiting riders to finesse their flatwork, whether they are competing at Dressage or just simply hoping to improve their flatwork skills. Scott inspires confidence and notices and works on the little things that make big differences. His lessons are fun, encouraging, and many of our riders have gone on to their first dressage competition achieving things with their flatwork that they wouldn’t have thought possible.
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Elevate Your Riding with Flatwork and Dressage Lessons
More than just a discipline, these practices form the cornerstone of a harmonious partnership between you and your horse:
Precision and Partnership: Flatwork and dressage refine communication between horse and rider deepening trust and understanding between you and your horse.
Strength and Suppleness: Through our exercises, flatwork and dressage enhance your horse's physical strength and suppleness, developing balance, agility, and grace with each session.
Mindful Connection: Cultivate mindfulness as you focus on subtleties of aids, posture, and timing, fostering a deeper connection with your horse.
Versatility and Performance: The benefits of flatwork and dressage extend beyond the arena. Strengthened fundamentals enhance performance across all disciplines, whether it's jumping, hacking, or competitive dressage.
Confidence and Control: Experience the satisfaction of seamless transitions, balanced movements, and effortless collection, empowering both rider and horse with a sense of control and competence.
Whether you're a beginner or seasoned rider, there's always something new to learn, challenge, and inspire both you and your equine partner.
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We offer flatwork lessons at our clinics with Scott or with our Resident Coach, Gemma Kennedy.
These take place on our outdoor 70x30 arena or indoor 23x37 arena. Both have the Andrews Bowen Pro Wax Training Surface known or performance and kindness to legs and balance. -
Flatwork Lessons with our Resident Coach are £40 for 45 mins Private
From £22 for Group lessons depending on Group Sizes
From £60 for a Private Lesso with Scott - 45 mins
Hacking with Confidence Lessons
We know that for some, hacking out can be nerve-wracking so many never experience hacking out with their horse. We can work with our liveries or clients to build the confidence to go out hacking. We assess you and your horse and agree the best way to get you out enjoying your horse safely and confidently.
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Hacking with confidence
It's important to build confidence with your horse through trust, positive reinforcement, and proper training techniques. Hacking out can be a wonderful way to bond with your horse and explore new environments together, but it should always be done safely and responsibly.
If you're having specific issues or concerns, our instructors can offer advice and work with you so that you can confidently hack out on your horse on your own or in groups.
For our livery clients, we take their horse out first and assess how it behaves on a hack and where it might need more support or confidence. Then we can hack out with you and work on your confidence too. These lessons are generally for livery clients, but we can consider external clients too.
Generally this will be a short course of lessons. -
We’ll start off going around our jump field before heading off site.
There are some nice hacking routes around Totleywells where we can work with you and your horse in open spaces, through gateways, and on road. -
£45 per hour