Galop 1Knowledge
Contents
- 01WelcomeOverview
- 02Respecting the horseKnowledge
- 03Club, licence and FFEKnowledge
- 04SafetyKnowledge
- 05Understanding the horseKnowledge
- 06Approaching your ponyCaring for the horse
- 07Headcollar and knotCaring for the horse
- 08Brushing your ponyCaring for the horse
- 09Leading in handOn foot
- 10Parts of the horseKnowledge
- 11Basic coat coloursKnowledge
- 12The three gaitsKnowledge
- 13Mounting and dismountingIn the saddle
- 14The reins and the aidsIn the saddle
- 15Walk, rising trot, canterIn the saddle
- 16Saddle, bridle, tack roomCaring for the horse
- 17VocabularyKnowledge
- 18Revision and examRevision
Respecting the horse: the Rider’s Charter
Before you learn to ride, you learn to respect the animal that carries you. The FFE has put it in writing in a Rider’s Charter, which every Galop calls to mind.
In the exam programme
- Be aware of the respect owed to the horse.Common module B
The charter comes down to three commitments. The first concerns the horse; the other two, the people around you and the spirit of sport. All three apply from your very first lesson.
Commitment 1
I respect my pony or horse
Trying to know and understand him, taking the time to look after him, learning to care for him, keeping calm and never being violent, whatever happens.
Commitment 2
I respect others and the environment
Being polite to the instructor, the riders and everyone at the club; following the club’s rules and the safety rules; sparing nature, water and energy, and sorting your rubbish; taking care of the equipment and putting it away.
Commitment 3
I respect the values of sport
Judging your own level honestly, training seriously, respecting the rules, the judges and the other competitors, protecting your health and your horse’s, refusing doping and always playing fair.
Why respect comes first
A horse chooses neither his rider nor his lessons. Even a small pony weighs several times what you do, and yet he is a sensitive animal who frightens easily and remembers a bad experience for a long time. A horse who is respected is calmer and more trusting — and so safer for you.
Respect in practice
- Warn him: speak to him before you touch him, and never take him by surprise.
- Stay calm: no shouting, no sudden movements, no running in the stable yard. Your calm reassures him.
- Never hit him in anger. “Naughtiness” is almost always fear, discomfort or a request he has not understood.
- Reward him when he gets it right: a stroke on the neck, a soft word, and above all an immediate end to the request.
- Think of his comfort: clean, well-fitted tack, a saddle set down gently, hands that do not pull on his mouth.
- Give him time, before and after the lesson: brush him, check he is not hurt, let him settle.
Remember
Respecting the horse means treating him for what he is: a living, sensitive animal, with his needs, his fears and his off days — not a piece of sports equipment.
Did you know?
The right words
Respect shows in the words you use, too. A horse has a mouth, not jaws, and legs, never paws. His front legs are the forelegs, his back legs the hind legs.
Respecting others is part of safety too: at a club, the horses, the spaces and the equipment are shared. You will meet these rules throughout the pages, starting with a tour of your club.