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This is the work-in-hand course you have been waiting for!

Course starts May 6, 2024!

A Solid, Correct, Classical Work-in-Hand Foundation for you and your horse in 5 weeks.

 

INTRODUCTION TO WORK-IN-HAND COURSE WITH RITTER DRESSAGE

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 đź‘†đźŹĽTHIS IS KABUL. HE IS A P.R.E. (PURA RAZA ESPAÑOLA) STALLION, AND HE DOES A BEAUTIFUL PIAFFE. BUT IT DIDN'T START WITH THIS.

IN FACT, NOT EVEN CLOSE....

IT STARTED WITH VERY SIMPLE WORK.

BASIC WORK.

FOUNDATIONAL WORK.

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If we had started with "THE PIAFFE", we would have never gotten a piaffe like this... relaxed, happy, exuberant, and willing.

 

The secret to really GREAT in-hand work is to start with the absolute basics.

Click here to watch this video about how we do the work-in-hand.

 

Very simple basic exercises can lead to advanced movements like the piaffe. You can teach the horse very simple basic transitions and help the horse to organise his balance in such a way that he discovers that diagonalising the steps from the walk saves energy. You can do the same thing with voltes when you ask the haunches to yield a little to the outside and ask the inside hind leg to engage and lift off a little sooner. You get the same effect. The horse sooner or later starts to diagonalise his steps. In this way you can teach the horse advanced concepts and ideas in a playful way.

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You've ALWAYS been interested in Work-in-Hand but you have no experience with it.

You DEVOUR everything about the work-in-hand yet.... you know you are missing crucial pieces.

You are intimidated by the work-in-hand. It is something that is for "professional" riders, or "talented" riders or... anyone but YOU.

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A SOLID, HAPPY FOUNDATION IS THE KEY TO SMOOTH PROGRESS IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE TRAINING.

But how do you produce that solid HAPPY foundation when you don't know how? You certainly don't want to start the work in a way that creates mistakes you can't correct later.

MANY RIDERS ARE THEMSELVES STRESSED ABOUT THE "WORK-IN-HAND" AND, THEREFORE, TRANSFER THAT ANXIETY AND STRESS TO THEIR HORSE. NO WONDER THE HORSE NEVER LEARNS TO ENJOY THE WORK IN HAND LIKE HE COULD.

But, it doesn’t HAVE TO BE stressful for either horse or rider. In fact, when you know you have a clear path, know your clear objective with every new thing you introduce, and know you can ask for advice along the way, you can relax and ENJOY the process of learning. And so can your horse!

YOU DON'T NEED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL TRAINER, HIGHLY EXPERIENCED, OR EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED TO LEARN WORK-IN-HAND AND DO IT WELL.

In fact, anyone who might tell you so... either doesn't want you to be able to do this work yourself, or... doesn't know how to teach you in a way that is clear, concise, and straight-forward (without all the "Guru" mumbo jumbo talk that is designed to simply make you feel incapable and unsure of yourself).

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The secret is that none of this knowledge should be kept secret!

We developed a clear, easy method to introducing any horse and rider to the work-in-hand so that it is a simple, straightforward, and FUN uplifting experience for both. And we want to share this with as many riders (and their horses) as possible because every rider deserves to enjoy this kind of work with their horse (and to reap its many benefits)!

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OT SO LONG AGO, WE STARTED WORKING WITH A SELECTION OF NEW-TO-US HORSES FROM A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS AND DIFFERENT TRAINING EXPERIENCES.

Although all of them are exceptionally talented and capable horses, we noticed that every horse who had ANY previous experience with the work-in-hand was stressed and anxious about the work.

Good quality work-in-hand was just not possible yet because good quality work can only be built on a foundation of understanding, relaxation, and trust.

These horses came from a variety of countries, trainers, training philosophies, and backgrounds so it wasn’t that any ONE system was faulty - it was obvious that there was a uniform absence of a good foundation across most systems.

We had to go back to the very beginning with these horses and start the work over from the absolute, very beginning, and we started building a repertoire of reliably stress-free exercises which helped to lay a solid foundation of trust, respect, and communication with these horses.

At this time, we also reflected on horses we had worked with in the past who had difficulties with the work-in-hand, and it was clear with those horses that the missing ingredient with those horses was the same absence of a good, solid, stress-free foundation that made SENSE to the horse.  

But where does that come from?

That good foundation can only come from the people who are training them. And most riders WANT to do a good job. In fact, they are usually doing the very best job they can with the information they have. The only reason they are producing poor quality results is because they don’t know any better. Much of this was a result of a basic apprehension towards the work-in-hand from the RIDER. This stems from a core lack of depth and understanding about the nature of the work.

We wanted to try to fix that, to share what we had found to work consistently, so that more riders could help their horses develop a solid, reliable foundation with the work in hand. The more riders who can do a better job with their horses, the fewer unhappy, troubled horses there are!

So we developed a simple, straight-forward process to help riders (like you?) introduce their horses to the work-in-hand. The beauty of the system, however, is that it is the same system we use to start horses over, so it is not only for beginners. It is really for ANYONE who wants to help their horse develop a good association to and relationship with the work in hand.

NOT SO LONG AGO, WE STARTED WORKING WITH A SELECTION OF NEW-TO-US HORSES FROM A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS AND DIFFERENT TRAINING EXPERIENCES.

Although all of them are exceptionally talented and capable horses, we noticed that every horse who had ANY previous experience with the work-in-hand was stressed and anxious about the work.

Good quality work-in-hand was just not possible yet because good quality work can only be built on a foundation of understanding, relaxation, and trust.

These horses came from a variety of countries, trainers, training philosophies, and backgrounds so it wasn’t that any ONE system was faulty - it was obvious that there was a uniform absence of a good foundation across most systems.

We had to go back to the very beginning with these horses and start the work over from the absolute, very beginning, and we started building a repertoire of reliably stress-free exercises which helped to lay a solid foundation of trust, respect, and communication with these horses.

At this time, we also reflected on horses we had worked with in the past who had difficulties with the work-in-hand, and it was clear with those horses that the missing ingredient with those horses was the same absence of a good, solid, stress-free foundation that made SENSE to the horse.  

But where does that come from?

That good foundation can only come from the people who are training them. And most riders WANT to do a good job. In fact, they are usually doing the very best job they can with the information they have. The only reason they are producing poor quality results is because they don’t know any better. Much of this was a result of a basic apprehension towards the work-in-hand from the RIDER. This stems from a core lack of depth and understanding about the nature of the work.

We wanted to try to fix that, to share what we had found to work consistently, so that more riders could help their horses develop a solid, reliable foundation with the work in hand. The more riders who can do a better job with their horses, the fewer unhappy, troubled horses there are!

So we developed a simple, straight-forward process to help riders (like you?) introduce their horses to the work-in-hand. The beauty of the system, however, is that it is the same system we use to start horses over, so it is not only for beginners. It is really for ANYONE who wants to help their horse develop a good association to and relationship with the work in hand.

Thomas wrote about his complete system in his first book, "Dressage Principles based on Biomechanics" (Cadmos Publishing, 2010)

in which he outlined the Universal Basic Principles of Biomechanics combined with classical riding theory as it applies to the individual application to each individual horse.

But his specialty has always been the work on the ground,

and he then wrote about the training of the horse at the Long Rein in his second book, "Long Reining: From the Beginning through the Levade" (Cadmos Publishing, 2014).

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How much fun you will have with your horse!

There are SOOOOO many reasons why to do work-in-hand with your horse. You might not even realize all the benefits that this work can do for you and your horse...

IMPROVES YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR HORSE

This work creates a strong bond and relationship of trust and respect with your horse. We have successfully used this work to connect with horses who were shut off, shut down, and tuned out. It helps you to define the "language" of the work and nature of the relationship.

USE IT TO TEACH MOVEMENTS TO YOUR HORSE

Because you don't have the weight of the rider, and you are on the ground so you can more easily guide and influence the horse slowly, it is perfect for introducing and teaching movements to the horse such as shoulder-in, half-pass, turn on the forehand in motion, full pass, turn on the haunches, piaffe, and passage. You can also use it to troubleshoot problems.

IMPROVES BALANCE, SUPPLENESS, COORDINATION, AND BODY AWARENESS FOR THE HORSE

Without the weight of the rider on the horse, you can guide the horse into exercises which improve the balance (so the horse learns to more easily and readily shift the weight to the hindquarters), suppleness (so the horse releases blockages and resistance throughout his body), coordination (because you can go slowly, the horse learns to coordinate his body better), and body awareness (so the horse learns he has FOUR legs and he can use all of them!).

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Introducing the...

INTRODUCTION TO THE WORK-IN-HAND COURSE WITH RITTER DRESSAGE


“Hands down” the very best way to introduce your horse to the work in hand.

In just 4-5 weeks, you’ll be able to do simple transitions and exercises with your horse with coordination, communication, and confidence.

Special 5-week course with coaching happening in May 2024.

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Watch this brief video of Thomas and Shana talking about the Introduction to Work-in-Hand Course. 

 

You’ll learn how to:

 

 

CREATE PARTNERSHIP...

You'll learn how to create an enjoyable partnership with the work in hand (without the mistakes that often frustrate both horse and rider in the early stages).

SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS

You'll learn how to simplify the process of introducing this work to your horse and getting started with exercises which build a solid foundation (so you can later progress easily and simply to the more advanced work).

INCREASE YOUR CONFIDENCE

You'll learn how to increase your understanding, coordination, and confidence with the work-in-hand (perfect for riders who have no, or little, prior experience with the work-in-hand).

ADD MORE OPTIONS TO YOUR WORK

You'll increase your repertoire of creative foundational exercises (perfect for riders who love and devour everything “work in hand” and feel like they can’t get enough of learning about it).

ENHANCE YOUR TRAINING

You'll enhance your training with work that helps improve coordination, body awareness, balance, and suppleness (so you can stop trying to do it all the hard way).

TRAIN YOUR HORSE WITHOUT RIDING

You'll learn how to strengthen and develop your horse even when you are unable to ride or your horse is unable to be ridden (so that minimal time is lost in the training due to injury, bad weather, lockdown, etc.).

Inside the Course...

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  • How to hold your hands and the whip

  • Using the Whip

  • How to walk along side the horse

  • Body Position

  • Your Balance and how to carry yourself

Clear explanations on how to position yourself and use your hands, reins and whip.

Over 2 hours of clear video explanations. 

Includes videos showing you the exercises with "how to" detail and "rider" demos.

 

Click on the video right here to watch a "Sneak Peak" of the instructional videos inside the course.

 
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  • Walk-Halt Transitions into the 4 legs
  • Trot Transitions
  • Transitions and Flexions
  • Turn on the Forehand
  • Spiral Volte
  • Leg Yield - Volte
  • Shoulder-in on the long side
  • Shoulder-in on a circle
  • Shoulder-in on circle - TOF - Shoulder-in on circle
  • Shortening and Lengthening the Strides in the Trot
  • Picking up the Hind Legs
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This is a short online course for riders who want to learn how to start work-in-hand with their horse. Perfect for riders who have no prior experience with work-in-hand, riders who devour EVERYTHING “Work-in-Hand”, and riders who are looking for another way to work with their horse when they can’t ride or their horse can’t be ridden.

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Course starts May 6, 2024!

INTRODUCTION TO THE WORK-IN-HAND COURSE WITH RITTER DRESSAGE

A Solid, Correct, Classical Work-in-Hand Foundation in 5 weeks.
(May 6, 2024-June 9, 2024)

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TWO OPTIONS

OPTION 1: 5-WEEK  LEARNING EXPERIENCE with Coaching

7 Theory Foundation Lessons (lifetime access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Value €140)
 9 Foundation Exercises (lifetime access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Value €225)

2 LIVE Hotseat sessions (downloadable recordings) . . . . . . . ..(Value €200)

2 LIVE Q&A sessions (downloadable recordings) . . . . . . . . . . . (Value €100)

Customized Feedback on your videos in the FB Group . . . . . . (Value €200)

 

Total Value = (€865)
TODAY'S PRICE = €197

YES, I'M READY TO LEARN IT ALL

OPTION 2: SELF-STUDY

7 Theory Foundation Lessons (lifetime access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Value €140)
 9 Foundation Exercises (lifetime access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Value €225)

Do the course one your own,  at your own pace. No support, no Q&As, no hotseats, and no Facebook Group.

Total Value = (€365)
TODAY'S PRICE = €97

YES, I'M READY TO LEARN IT ALL
I'LL JUST LEARN ON MY OWN.

Payment options in USD, Euro, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, & ZAR.

THIS IS "THE" COURSE THAT EVERY RIDER SHOULD TAKE. THIS INFORMATION IS "THAT" ESSENTIAL.

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If you’re not 100% satisfied with the program, the strategies, the exercises, or the support after 30 days, we will offer you a full refund.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

“Hands down” the very best way to introduce your horse to the work in hand.

Is this course suitable for my horse?

We have designed this course so that there is virtually NO horse it is unsuitable for. The obvious exceptions would be horses too young to do any training (under 3 years old), horses too injured or unwell for any work, or horses too dangerous for normal handling. Please don't do any training other than standard handling with a horse younger than 3 years old (we personally prefer to start when the horse is 4 years old). In the latter two cases, we recommend you get the advice and help of appropriate professionals.

Is this course suitable for me?

This course is suitable for any rider, regardless of discipline, who has an open mind and is eager to learn new things. Some of the techniques, if you have never done them before, will make you initially feel awkward, but stick with it, because that quickly fades as you develop more competence.

Is this something I can learn in an online course?

Since 2017 we moved all of our teaching online, but we weren't sure we could teach a concept as "hands on" (pardon the pun!) as Work-in-Hand in an online course.

But we gave it a try in Summer of 2020 in our Exercise of the Month Club (now "Ritterize"). Many of our members in locations around the world were under lockdown and were not allowed to "ride" their horses but were allowed to do other work with their horses on the ground, so they requested exercises and trainings that would help them with this work, so... never ones to disappoint, we dove in! It turns out that it is no different than teaching riding concepts and instruction, but we wanted to be particularly explicit in our explanations so we started filming the theory videos which have become this course. We drew from our years of experience teaching riders in person how to hold the whip, how to hold the reins, where to position yourself, and how to walk. We knew the common problems and pitfalls that riders tended to experience, so we incorporated those into this course.


The members of EOTM/Ritterize loved the exercises and trainings we provided, and we then incorporated these into our Fall 2020 Topline Makeover course. Both were successful in helping riders learn how to do this work on their own, at home, with their own horses. We are sure that you will experience the same success.

Since March 2021 we have offered this course in its current form several times with overwhelmingly positive and the feedback and progress of the participants.  So THAT is where we are, doing it again!!!

 

When are the modules released? How long will I have access? Will I have access after the 30 days?

Upon enrollment, you will have full access to the entire current course materials. We may add some materials throughout the course, however.

You will not lose your access after the 30 days. You will have lifetime access. We will never take your access away, as long as we are alive and well and able to keep the course platform up (*unless you request a refund or do not fulfill your payment plan).

 

How is this information presented? I am a visual learner.

Everything is in both written, video, and audio form. We demonstrate all of the techniques with video. The exercises are all taught with video demonstrations.

When are the Q&As and Hot Seat sessions? How do I attend? What if I cannot attend live?

The 2 Q&As (for supported learning option, only) will be:

Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 6:00pm GMT+1
Thursday, June 6, 2024 at 10:00am GMT+1

The 2 Hot seat sessions (for supported learning option, only) will be:

#1 - Monday, May 13, 2024 at 10:00am GMT+1
#2 - Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 6:00pm GMT+1

 *If you cannot attend the Q&A or Hot Seat session while live, you can still submit your questions/video and watch the recording afterwards. No problem!

All Q&As and Hot seat sessions can be attended live on Zoom. They are always recorded. The recordings can be watched afterwards within 24-48 hours, once they are uploaded to the course platform. Timestamps are added for each rider so that it is easier to find your feedback on your videos!

(Note that all dates and times are subject to change. Advance notice will be given if this happens and announcement will be by email and in the FB Group.)

GMT+1 is our timezone in Portugal which is also the same timezone in London, if that helps. A link that can help you convert to your timezone, wherever you are in the world: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

But.... a general rule....
​​​​For USA PST, subtract 8 hours.
For USA CST, subtract 6 hours.
For USA ​EST, subtract 5 hours.
For ​Central Europe (Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, etc.), add one hour.  
For Perth, Australia, add 8 hours.

What equipment do I need to take this course?

You likely have all the equipment you need already! You need a horse. You will need a simple snaffle bridle (or a bitless bridle is fine). You can alternatively do everything with simply a well-fitted cavesson, but a halter (or rope halter) is not suitable for this particular work. You will need a normal dressage whip or work-in-hand whip. If your horse is afraid of the whip, we can help guide you how to help your horse learn to trust the whip.

You will need a device (computer, tablet, or phone) and internet access.

For the supported learning option, you will also need Facebook if you wish to be in the Facebook Group. You can attend the Q&As on Zoom (free software). Everything will be hosted on a course platform you can access with any internet browser, but there is also a free app you can use to access the course platform on your phone, but it is not necessary.

What if I have never done any groundwork before?

Then you are in the right place! We have designed this course specifically with YOU in mind so that you can give yourself and your horse the very best possible start with this work.

With the supported learning option, how is feedback given? How does that work? How long will I get support and feedback?

In our supported learning option, you can get our feedback in three ways: 

ONE: You can post your videos in a private, secure Facebook Group set up just for this course. With those videos, provide any background information we need to know and any questions you have. We will watch the videos and tell you what we see going on and give you tips or suggestions. You can (and should) ask follow-up questions, post follow-up videos, etc.

TWO: There are 2 Live Q&A sessions where we can answer your questions LIVE. You can also pre-post your questions and we will answer them live whether you are able to attend or not.

THREE: There are 2 Hot seat sessions where we will review the submitted videos live, and explain what we see going on. You can ask further questions right then and there, even if it is not YOUR video. Great for improving your eye and understanding. Again, you don't have to attend the session live to get our feedback.

Feedback and support lasts for all of until June 9, 2024. After that, the Facebook Group will be archived. You will have lifetime access to all the materials.

Do you offer a payment plan? What if I have more questions about the course or have trouble enrolling or with the payment process?

We do offer 3-month and 12-month (for May course only) payment plan options . Just click the button and click your preference.

If you have any questions about the course, just email us at [email protected].

It is possible to pay by bank transfer within the EU. Just email us at [email protected] to set it up.

 

Can I buy this later?

The supported learning option will only be available for May 2024, and you can enroll anytime in May but your support ends June 9, 2024 regardless of when you enroll. After that time, you can purchase the self-study version in our store on our website. We will definitely offer this again at another time, because it will become a required course in the Certification program we are creating.

Can I participate in the May 2024 Supported Course even if I already have the self-study course or did the one of the previous Supported Courses?

Yes, you can!

If you previously purchased the self-study version and want to add on the support for May 2024, we have a special link for you to upgrade for €100. Email us at [email protected] and we will give it to you.

If you participated in any of the previous  supported versions of the course and want to do it all again, you can sign up at the discounted rate of €100. Email us at [email protected] and we will give it to you.

How much fun you will have with your horse!

This is the very BEST way to start the work-in-hand with your horse. You won't not want to pass up this chance to get 5 weeks of support from us.
And with the guarantee, the risk is all on us - make a decision using the information YOU HAVE, rather than the information you don’t. 

INTRODUCTION TO THE WORK-IN-HAND COURSE WITH RITTER DRESSAGE

A Solid, Correct, Classical Work-in-Hand Foundation in 5 weeks.
A Solid, Correct, Classical Work-in-Hand Foundation in 5 weeks.
(May 6, 2024-June 9, 2024)

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TWO OPTIONS

OPTION 1: 5-WEEK  LEARNING EXPERIENCE with Coaching

7 Theory Foundation Lessons (lifetime access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Value €140)
 9 Foundation Exercises (lifetime access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Value €225)

2 LIVE Hotseat sessions (downloadable recordings) . . . . . . . ..(Value €200)

2 LIVE Q&A sessions (downloadable recordings) . . . . . . . . . . . (Value €100)

Customized Feedback on your videos in the FB Group . . . . . . (Value €200)

 

Total Value = (€865)
TODAY'S PRICE = €197

YES, I'M READY TO LEARN IT ALL

OPTION 2: SELF-STUDY

7 Theory Foundation Lessons (lifetime access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Value €140)
 9 Foundation Exercises (lifetime access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Value €225)

Do the course one your own,  at your own pace. No support, no Q&As, no hotseats, and no Facebook Group.

Total Value = (€365)
TODAY'S PRICE = €97

YES, I'M READY TO LEARN IT ALL
I'LL JUST LEARN ON MY OWN.

Payment options in USD, Euro, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, & ZAR.

Course starts May 6, 2024!

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