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Course 100 — Equine Science & Care

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.

Join this Course
Responsible Zachary Leyden
Last Update 07/28/2026
Completion Time 8 hours 58 minutes
Members 10
Basic
  • The Foundation (empty)
    7Lessons · 1 hr 4 min
  • Knowing the Horse (empty)
    9Lessons · 1 hr 33 min
    • The Points of the Horse
    • Age, Height, and Body Condition
    • Coat Colors and How to Name Them
      10 xp
    • Face Markings and How to Name Them
      10 xp
    • Leg Markings and How to Name Them
      10 xp
    • Watch: Naming the Coat Colors
    • Watch: The Five Common Face Markings
    • Watch: Reading Leg Markings
    • Watch: Learn the Parts of the Horse
  • Daily Care and Feeding (empty)
    5Lessons · 1 hr
    • Feed, Forage, and Water
    • The Hoof: Picking, Cycles, and What to Watch
    • Vital Signs and When to Call
    • Turnout, Stall, and the Daily Routine
    • Watch: How the Horse's Gut Works
  • Grooming (empty)
    4Lessons · 1 hr 2 min
    • The Grooming Kit and What Each Tool Does
    • Grooming as Diagnosis
    • Grooming With Intention
      10 xp
    • Watch: How to Groom a Horse, Step by Step
  • Saddling (empty)
    5Lessons · 1 hr 40 min
    • Parts of the Western Saddle and the Pad
    • The California Knot
    • Does the Saddle Fit?
    • Saddling and Unsaddling With Intention
      10 xp
    • Watch: The Basics of Saddling
  • After-Care (empty)
    4Lessons · 37 min
    • Cooling Out and Putting the Horse Away
    • Caring for Your Tack
    • Closing the Loop: Leaving the Barn Better Than You Found It
    • Watch: Is Your Horse Cooled Out?
  • The Certification (empty)
    1Lessons · 30 min
    • Course 100 Certification
  • Go Deeper (empty)
    8Lessons · 1 hr 30 min
    • The Library of the Leyden Way
    • Watch: The Original — Tom Dorrance
    • Watch: Bill Dorrance at Ninety — Lessons from a Legend
    • Watch: Buck on Ray — What He Meant
    • Watch: A Tribute to Ray Hunt
    • Watch: A Legacy of Legends
    • Watch: Buck — The Film That Told the World
    • Watch: Monty Roberts — A Real Horse Whisperer