Course 100 — Equine Science & Care

The first course of the Level 1 Foundational Horsemanship Certification, and the place every rider at Ocean View Stables begins. Course 100 opens with the Leyden Way itself: Feel, Timing, and Balance, how horses actually learn, and the two standards that govern your progress, the Zero Assistance Standard and the Rule of Three. From there it moves to the horse: anatomy, colors and markings, feed and water, hooves, vital signs, and the daily routine.

Then the hands-on core: grooming as a daily physical exam, the parts of the western saddle, the California knot, saddle fit, and the after-care that finishes every ride. Pass the certification at the end to show your ground knowledge is solid, then carry it into Course 101.

Soft is strong. Clarity is kindness.