How to practice teaching a riding lesson in the comfort of your dining room

Here's "Me" with my three "students." Notice that the pony resembles my current favourite pony at the Little Valley!  I love Playmobil.  It's the kind of thing you don't grow out of.

...introduction and explanation...

...riders on the rail, for a warm-up...

...and now our first rider tries the pattern.

He'll have to have some verbal guidance along the way, some encouragement, and a few corrections.  Nobody rides perfectly the first time.

But he's doing well.  Other than riding with an invisible bridle, which I don't think is really encouraged but I'll let him get away with it this time.  Next week I want to see a bridle on his horse.  Geez some people....

I should be paying closer attention to the last part of his pattern though.

Pony time.

That is one huge barrel, eh?

And she's done.  

The guy with the black horse requested that I not show pictures of his turn.  He just wasn't getting it.  That's okay.  He will, soon, with practice.  After we do the pattern once, I want to go through it at least once more so the riders can improve.  It gives them confidence.  

I know this from personal experience.  

Finally, they walk the arena a few more times while we discuss what we learned, and answer some questions.

Then we put the horses, and riders, fences and pylons, into a box and eat dinner.