Welcome to Rookie Riders!

All participants must hold a current Equestrian Canada Coach Status.

Rookie Riders provides an opportunity for children to experience the joy of equestrian sport in a fun-filled program. The program curriculum is specifically designed to create an environment that promotes the development of physical literacy, with a specific emphasis on the fundamental movement skills applicable to all sports and a foundation of knowledge and skills to be able to ride a horse. The program is specifically designed to learn all the skills necessary to safely mount and dismount a horse, before being introduced to a horse for the first time.

The curriculum includes options for delivering the program with and without a horse. It includes:

• Horse inspired activities and games to develop fundamental movement skills and knowledge about how to interact with and move safely around horses
• Ground-based skills that help develop strength, posture and body awareness, and specific movement skills to be able to safely mount and dismount a horse • A “barrel horse” where skills can be specifically taught and practiced
• An activity bank and sample lesson plan that helps students progress systematically from ground-based skills to mounted skills, to mounted skills on a horse.
• Watch the video: https://youtu.be/-XaPUI7CmlI

The instructor responsible for any Rookie Riders session must always be present, hold an Equestrian Canada Coach License and an active NCCP Certification (any sport), or be a qualified physical education teacher, in addition to having completed the Rookie Riders 1 instructor training.

For those wishing to assist Instructors with delivering the Rookie Riders Program, they must:

• Be 14 years of age or older
• Complete the Rookie Riders 1 Instructor Training
• Sign the Equestrian Canada Coaching Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics
• Have their Learn to Ride English Level 6 or Western Level 4 if offering a Rookie Riders program that includes riding.