Young Horse Training Course with Ritter Dressage

The step-by-step, compassionate, and holistic approach to training your young (or retraining) horse from Green to Great!

Kind to the horse. Kind to the rider. Kind to the process.

It’s a bit of a problem, isn’t it?

When you have no idea how to proceed...

You’ve got a young (or young-ish), untrained horse recently started under saddle but you have no idea how to proceed with the training.

When your horse is relatively uneducated...

Or perhaps you have a relatively uneducated horse new to Dressage (perhaps a Hunter from Ireland, an Off the Track Thoroughbred, or a lovely hacking horse who has never seen the inside of a Dressage arena).

When your horse is new to Dressage...

Perhaps you have a horse transitioning from another discipline.

When your horse needs to be retrained...

Or even maybe you are rehabbing a badly trained horse who basically needs to start over.

When your feel directionless...

Perhaps you feel a little directionless and off track. You don’t feel like you have a clear plan of how to proceed.

When you are unsure...

Maybe you are also nervous about training your own horse from the early stages and you are worried you will make a big mess out of it all.

When you feel overwhelmed...

Perhaps you have never ridden an untrained horse and you feel overwhelmed with the enormity of the task. You don’t have any idea of what to do or how to do it.

When you are in uncharted territory...

Maybe you are even well-experienced with riding a "trained horse" and until now, you never had to think about HOW to teach your horse to do the simple things. How do you teach a horse that doesn’t know anything? How do you proceed?

“Send the horse to the trainer!” they say.

But there’s a problem with that…

What if you cannot find a trainer to work with who is kind and compassionate with your horse? What if you look around and don’t see a single trainer you want riding your horse? What if no trainers around you ride young horses? Or they are all Western trainers, Hunter trainers, or something else and you want your horse to have the best foundation for Dressage?

The conventional 30-, 60-, 90- days to Walk, Trot, Canter approach is unrealistic, too fast, unfair, and puts too much pressure on the horse. In the end, often times you just get back a fractious, unwilling, nervous, tense, scared, or angry horse who is not in a good frame of mind.

And… What if you can’t afford to send your horse off to a trainer? Even just for one month, two months, or three months… training plus board and all the other expenses involved with sending your horse away really adds up. I mean, it REALLY adds up!

And then… What if you bought your horse to learn how to train it yourself and you WANT to do it yourself? What do you do THEN?

“Just get on and figure it out as you go” (and make all the mistakes)

There’s a problem with that, too.

Mistakes are costly. Making a mis-step in the early stages of the training (or skipping or missing steps simply because you didn’t know you should do these things)can cost you a huge amount of time and aggravation later.

Setting a solid foundation in the early part of the training is the MOST important thing you can do to help your horse be happy, healthy, and confident in the later training. This (what is typically considered the first year of training) is THE most important phase of the training and you want to do it right. It sets the stage and tone for the entire rest of the life of the horse. It's THAT important.

“Okay. Then just stick the horse in the pasture and forget about it” (a.k.a. Give up)

The problem with this is…

You miss out on the enjoyment of having a nice horse to ride. While the horse may be perfectly happy with this, this wasn’t why you bought your horse. You’d like to have a nice horse to ride!

“Fine! Just sell the horse” (and assume you don’t have what it takes to train your horse yourself after all… Even though it’s been your lifelong dream to do this)

WAIT! Is this really true? Really??

This is a last resort and you’re not at that point yet!

Perhaps you just don’t have the knowledge and skills yet. YET. Don’t give up too soon. Get the help you need first. Find out what skills you need that you don’t have.

There is hope. There is light at the end of the tunnel. And there is a solution!

We’d like to invite you to our brand new course…
“The Young Horse Training Course”.

Whether your horse is young and recently started under saddle, is untrained or in need of retraining, or just identifies as “green and untrained”, this course is going to give you the clear plan, strategy, and all the skills you need to know how to train your horse.

What you really need and nothing that you don’t need!

What you really need is…

A program that clearly outlines WHAT to do at each stage of the training, WHY to do it, and HOW to do it

You need understanding of the mindset, strategy, and approach of training the young horse. The GOAL is to prepare the horse as best as possible for the next phase of training.

Step-by-step instruction. Systematic direction of how to train the horse. You need to build a ladder of small learning steps for the horse- where everything you teach them is a stepping stone and prepares them for the next step.

A systematic, cohesive framework where each step follows logically from the previous one. So you’re not just doing Willy Nilly random things. Your training routine has a structure.

A mentor you can trust who can tell you when you’re on track and when you’re off track, who can help you when you get stuck, and who will guide you gently through the entire process.

And here it is...

The step-by-step, compassionate, and holistic approach to training your young (or retraining) horse from Green to Great!

Introducing the...

We lay it all out step by step:
    - The WHAT so you know what you are supposed to be working on in what order, at each phase of the training.
    - The WHY so you understand what you are trying to achieve by doing each of these things, what the objective is.
    - The HOW because application of the process is EVERYTHING.

Underneath it all, a red thread that ties it all together so you have a clear plan, a clear strategy, a clear understanding of the approach.

All with a compassionate, classically correct, and biomecahnically based focus.

Kind to the horse.

Kind to the rider.

Kind to the process.

But first, a quick bit about us ...

(if you don't already know us, it's nice to meet you!)

Dr. Thomas Ritter

Thomas is an international Dressage clinician and author of two books and countless articles in many publications. Originally from Germany, Thomas studied under Karl Mikolka, Egon von Neindorff, Arthur Kottas, Charles de Kunffy, Hubert Rohrer, Dorothee Baumann-Pellny, and Thomas Faltejsek. Husband to Shana Ritter, they now live together with their Lusitanos on a regenerative farm in Portgual.

Shana Ritter

Shana is originally from the US and is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist, competing with Lipizzans, Warmbloods, and PREs. Shana also studied under Karl Mikolka, Egon von Neindorff, Arthur Kottas, Charles de Kunffy, and Dorothee Baumann-Pellny. Wife to Thomas Ritter, they run the Artistic Dressage training program, as well as train and plant trees on their farm, together.

We take a holistic approach to training:

Developing the horse with Classical exercises based on biomechanics
Improving knowledge and understanding to empower you to make smart training decisions
Using videos to help you improve your understanding and eye
Developing your seat, timing, and feel so you can be the best rider for your horse

We have trained hundreds of young horses, directly and indirectly through teaching our students. We know this process very well. We have made ALL the mistakes and learned how NOT to make them again. We can share our knowledge and experience so you don’t have to make those mistakes.

We have fine-tuned and modified this approach over the years to find the gentlest, simplest way to educate your horse.

Not only that… we can give you help when you get stuck, feedback on your videos so you can understand where possible problems are coming from and more importantly - how to fix them before they become bigger problems.

We can tell you what is not important to focus on right now, and also tell you what you SHOULD focus on improving before moving on to the next step in the training. We can help you discern how much work is too much for your horse, and how much is the perfect amount to help your horse develop in the best way possible.

Even better… We don’t hold any knowledge back. We will teach you everything we know because we have no interest in making you dependent on us. Our ultimate goal? We want our students to become trainers in their own right so they can become independent.

You want your horse to be trained.
You want it to be done right.
You may as well just do it yourself.
...with our help, of course!

Theory

A classically-sound theoretical strategy for training, laid out step by step for a thorough understanding of the what and why. If you don’t know the purpose and aim of what you are doing, your intention and aids will always be unclear.

Riding Exercises

Biomechanics-based riding exercises designed for each step of the process. These are your tools to implement the theory into your day-to-day riding program. Each exercise has a diagram, explanation video, and written instructions.

The Red Thread

The mindset, strategy, and approach of training the young horse. This is the GLUE that ties it all together. This is the stuff that makes all the difference between an unhappy, resistant horse that can do the skills but HATES the work and a happy, well-adjusted eager horse who is ready to move on to the next phase of training. The GOAL is to prepare the horse as best as possible for the next phase of training.

Instructional and Demonstration Videos

Through videos of Thomas, Shana, and our qualified assistant trainers explaining and demonstrating each stage of the training, you will gain both an expert eye as well as expert understanding.

Q&As

Bi-weekly LIVE Q&A sessions with Thomas where you can get ANY of your questions answered, even those questions that are not directly related to the course material (and… by the way, it is all usually connected anyway!)

Video Coaching Feedback

Fine tune YOUR riding, not just your eye, by submitting videos for feedback from Thomas, Shana, and the assistant trainers. Need help, need verification, need tips, need advice? That is what this is for.

Exclusive Community

Get feedback, ask questions, discuss topics, share your journey, and make lasting friendships in the exclusive members-only Facebook Group.

Lifetime Access

You never lose access to your course materials. That means you can come back to the course content over and over and over again, as much as you like and it (and we) will always be there for you.

Beta Course Benefits

This is a brand-new beta course, which means we are creating it around our beta course students' needs and requests. This means when you have specific questions or needs, we incorporate it into the course materials!

“I would highly recommend it, It will help train your eye and mind to knowing what your goal should be. These courses are amazingly suited to all levels of learning. It can save you and your horse from poor trainers and training styles by knowing what you should look for and do."

Nathalie Latendresse Ferrato

“For all of you who are still doubting to sign up - just do it. It can be life changing in your riding journey. I was member of the first beta-course and learned so much. Going a second time through it made the foundation and understanding even deeper. So for me it was a 10-second decision to also sign up for the upcoming course about horse and rider."

Nan Brünig

“Having started riding somewhat later in life than most others (and with a horse that had never experienced "dressage principles" and was at times a snorting, spooking dragon), the Ritter courses helped me to understand my horse and myself so that we were able to form a solid foundation to our partnership. Whether it was mentally, spiritually or physically, the courses’ path encompassed it all. It is an experience of a lifetime that you do not want to miss out on regardless of what discipline you are in. I can't wait to keep moving forward now with so much more confidence in my own abilities as a rider and with a horse (the same one) that has become so much more comfortable in his own skin that our partnership has blossomed and flourished. I no longer have a snorting spooking dragon beneath me but rather a horse that is both confident and more assured than he has ever been. We truly do mirror each other in that way thanks to all we have learned through being Ritterized.”

Babs Hamilton

“I started the first Beta Course hoping to train my own horses. One year later, I am rehabilitating someone's else's horses! I never thought I could impress this owner but I have! These courses reach all levels. You and your horses just continue to grow together. I have really learned to think through issues.”

Carole Cox

“I think I've been in every online course the Ritters have offered. Every course has been invaluable in training my horses. Even my gaited horses have benefited from the information and exercises in these courses. The feedback and support from the Ritters and group members adds so much to the course material. The theory and details given have taught me to think through problems and choose the right path for each individual horse. No cookie cutter training here.

A dressage background is not necessary for this course (or any other Ritter Dressage course). This is the basics that any horse should have no matter what discipline they will be used for. I have gaited horses, a Quarter Horse, and an OTTB that have competed in Mounted Shooting, Hunter Paces, and 2 are currently used for fox hunting. All have been trained using what I have learned from the Ritters."

Sandy Kern

“The Ritter courses benefit everyone from beginner to upper level. The earlier you get correct advice and exercises that help you and your horse develop, the better of you'll be!! Thomas is very easy to understand and always willing to help. Go for it!!👍"

Lynn Stokking

“I highly recommend any of the courses that are offered. I took a horse with a muscle disease that was so crooked that he was literally unrideable and he is now rideable a little over a year later and completely symmetrical in his body. He is still a work in progress, as they all are, but my vet could not believe the physical change in his musculature and that such a change could take place from riding exercises. He had extreme high/low hoof syndrome in his front hooves , and his right hind had a negative palmar angle and a bull nosed appearance. His hooves now all match. So the change in his body and his feet has been nothing short of amazing. I followed the course and some parts he was not capable of but we participated to the best of his ability and I now have my horse back.”

Michelle Dorsey

“I think my riding has improved quite a bit and I'm more confident solving problems as I've more tools in the box now.”

Verena Fuchs

"These courses address detail of riding instruction not even considered traditionally. They provide bridges between what you think you know over waters to cross you didn't even know existed & you'll be able to do so at your own pace having lifetime access to complete and review. Without a doubt you'll learn things you did not realise were missing from your riding education."

Karen Veronneau

“I've been doing Ritter courses for a few years now. Through their instruction and examples, I've transformed from a skilled but driven, frustrated, rider into one who is calm, happy, and analytical in my training. I rarely get frustrated now that I have a big selection of Ritter tools in my training tool kit. When my horse doesn't respond as expected, instead of getting annoyed, my reflexive reaction now is, "That was interesting. Why did that happen and what should I do differently? What exercise will help me explain this better?" Despite having had decades of excellent instruction, it took the Ritters to teach me to be calmer, more analytical, and therefore much more effective in my riding. Everyone is happier AND we make better progress. My horses and I all thank Thomas Ritter and Shana Ritter.”

Anne Zahradnik

“This is the best on line learning site I have found and love the Ritters deep dive into biomechanics of dressage. Little by little pieces are starting to fall into place. Thank you to the whole team for all that you do , sharing your knowledge, and being grounded in classical dressage.”

Cindy

“I really can’t get enough of the Ritter approach… at this point it is the BEST coaching & goal/objective setting program. After 4yrs, it is now how I think and feel and ride my horses. So - why not! I’ve done a number of Beta classes and love the concept of being immersed in it forever.”

Tracy Farrell

““The Ritter courses have given me my confidence back. A year ago, I was almost ready to give up and just be an owner and find someone who could ride my horse. We were stuck in a cycle of 1 step forwards 2 steps back in our training. I felt over-horsed and completely inadequate. A year later I feel so much more empowered and my relationship with my horse is so much better. I enjoy riding again and I know that he and I are on the right path, and I’ve found the right community of people to help us succeed. 😊”

Katharine Trevelyan

“I have done most Ritter courses and love the teaching style. Thomas and Shana are amazing at getting into the reason of everything, the Why. They have helped me to decode what I feel at the end of the rein. Now any contact issues are simply information about the horse's body and as soon as I fix the cause the contact is back to being fab.”

Morgan Laura Osborne

“You won’t be sorry if you enroll. The Ritters’ courses are so detailed and they allow you to ask the questions you were afraid to ask. You can send videos of your problem areas and get personal instruction. You will find so much support and a community of fellow riders to develop lasting friendships all over the world. It’s really a no brainer to at least try the course because if you don’t feel it is right for you, they give you your money back and without any hesitancy or shame. The Ritters are genuine and are really interested in you succeeding. I have taken several of their courses and am an alumni for this one. I have definitely seen progress in both me and my horse. I love that they put attention on the horses faults in addition to the rider. Most of the time I always felt like I was to blame and the horse was an angel saint. Not anymore. They give you tools to figure out what is wrong and how to fix it and give you lots of options. I still struggle with some concepts so don’t despair if you feel overwhelmed. It keeps getting better. So take the course, there is nothing to lose but much to gain.”

Marci Handley

“This full-loaded of knowledge -courses make riding simple and understandable in its complexity. It increases the creativity in working with both horses and humans.

Marie Folk

“My complicated mare has started to turn the corner now too - been a VERY long road. But got lots and lots of golden nuggets from you to use (when I remember them!!!)."

Libby Thurman

“The courses are definitely useable on any level of horse and rider, Shana and Thomas do suggest different level exercises for each problem."

Tiana Famos

“As a human and veterinary physio, I hope more friends and clients join us as the progress I have seen is magnified with such team working holistically!"

Andraya Hiscock

“The courses are motivational and give structure as well as being supportive and fun. Lots of positive energy in the group."

Eldur Saudadalsa

“I’ve learned so much compared to the previous 4 years. I wish I found you guys earlier. Onwards & upwards, I cannot suggest your courses more highly. Fellow riders at the livery asked what I’ve done as I improved so much."

Juanita Burt

“It is amazing how much I learned in the online course. So much more detail about theory then is able to be addressed in a ridden lesson. LOVED it!"

Amy Barnes

“The Ritters’ courses are amazing. I cannot recommend them enough."

Fran Griffith

“For all the ones still unsure about this course. I did the other Ritter courses and learned so much! It was an eyeopener for my riding and it helped my horse a lot! Also great is the private Group Community. I Love them all. You get nice comments to your Videos or questions. Everybody is Happy for your improvements. 😊 I am so looking forward to the new course 😀😀"

Eva Läbe

“Besides the course material, this is THE most supportive, encouraging, warm group of equestrians you will ever encounter in your horsemanship journey. It truly doesn't matter where you're at in your horsemanship journey, EVERYONE is welcome and treated with respect. <3 My FAVORITE part about the way the Ritters structure their courses is that you can tweak practically every principle and exercise they present to suit the individual needs (and limitations) of you and your horse."

Laura Comotto

This new course begins July 15th

This is a Beta Course release, which is a special experience because you become part of the creation process of the course. We incorporate your questions, requests, and suggestions and we use these to make it the best possible course.

Through the course, your horse will learn:

Going Forward from the aids (Be “Go-able”)
Halting from the aids (Be Stoppable)
Bending correctly (Be Bendable)
Turn reliably (Be “Turn-able”)
The ability to do up transitions relatively well
The ability to do down transitions relatively well
The ability to begin moving away from the leg (sidestepping)
The ability to begin lengthening the stride (suitable to his ability)
How to understand and respond appropriately to the rider’s aids
The beginning of the canter work

Through the course, you will learn how to TEACH your horse to do all of this, plus:

To see things from the horse’s perspective
To coordinate your body and aids to communicate with your horse
To be super clear about everything you do (aids, intention, strategy in the training, consistency in WHAT you do and HOW you do it)
To praise abundantly and suitably
To build the horse’s confidence and self-esteem
To find the balance between not asking for too much too soon and keeping the training interesting and fun for the horse
To look at everything in terms of the basic elements
To divide bigger steps into smaller steps
To interpret the horse’s difficulties into requests for better clarification from you
To overcome your fear, irritation, anger when things don’t go according to plan
To de-escalate misbehaviours, bad situations, and misunderstandings
To keep the horse’s attention and focus when distraction happens
To evaluate when the horse is trying the best they can for the day
To get off and do something else when it isn’t going well
To stop when it does go well rather than get greedy and ask for too much
To be ambitious enough to keep the training going on a solid trajectory without being so ambitious that you disregard the horse’s needs and feelings

And (because this is a BETA course), this is just the beginning. We can include anything else you suggest that is not covered here.

Take a look at what we'll cover

(additions and modifications are to be expected, as this is a BETA course)

Module 1

First the Foundation
(2 weeks)

► The goal of the training (develop the horse’s natural gaits in a healthy way, keep the horse sound)
► The classical imperative: Ethics of training
► Dressage is Preservative: Preserving the horse’s gaits, well-being, and spirit
► Don’t be stingy: Praise abundantly
► Beginning Work in Hand

Module 2

Using Exercises to Train Your Horse
(2 weeks)

► Form vs. Function: The “Frame” or “Outline” of a Young Horse
► How slow is too slow? The Pace of Training
► Rider’s Confidence: Mindset sets the stage
► Building Good Habits: Practice the right things
► Exercises and Simple Arena Patterns

Module 3

Bending and Turning for the Untrained Horse
(2 weeks)

► Less is More: Ride smart rather than ride hard
► The Horse Athlete: Fitness, Stamina, and Athleticism of the Young Horse
► Priorities in the training: What to focus on first
► Holistic Training: The training scale as it relates to the young horse
► Theory and Biomechanics of Bending
► Theory and Biomechanics of Turning
► Bullet Points on Turning
► Bending and Turning Exercises

Module 4

Stirrup Stepping for the Untrained Horse
(2 weeks)

► Horse Sight: Seeing things from the horse’s perspective
► Clarity: Being clear about everything you do (aids, intention, strategy in the training, consistency in WHAT you do and HOW you do it)
► The Horse’s Confidence: Building the horse’s confidence and self-esteem
► When to ask for more: Finding the balance between not asking for too much too soon and keeping the training interesting and fun for the horse
► Stirrup Stepping Theory
► First Stirrup Stepping Exercises

Module 5

Transitions! Transitions! Transitions!
(2 weeks)

► Looking at everything in terms of the basic elements
► Dividing bigger steps into smaller steps
► How to structure each ride: some examples at various stages of the early training
► Importance of suitable warm-up
► Theory and Biomechanics of Up Transitions
► Theory and Biomechanics of Down Transitions
► Exercises to teach and improve transitions

Module 6

Let’s Lengthen!
(2 weeks)

► Introduction to Lengthening the Strides
► The rider’s seat: When to rise, when to sit
► Ambition? Be ambitious enough to keep the training going on a solid trajectory without being so ambitious that you disregard the horse’s needs and feelings
► When to stop: Evaluate when the horse is trying the best they can for the day, Get off and do something else when it isn’t going well, Stop when it does go well rather than get greedy and ask for too much
► Lengthening Exercises

Module 7

Moving away from the Leg
(2 weeks)

► Theory and Biomechanics of Sidestepping
► Using vs. Performing Lateral Movements?
► Homeopathic Doses?
► Get out of your own head: How to overcome your negative emotions when things don’t go according to plan
► Attention & Focus: Keeping the horse’s attention and focus when distraction happens
► Correcting mistakes
► Introduction to Sidestepping Exercises

Module 8

Introducing the Canter
(2 weeks)

► Prerequisites of the Canter
► When to Canter
► Qualities of a Good Canter
► Faults of the Canter
► Reframing: How to interpret the horse’s difficulties into requests for better clarification from the rider
► De-Escalation: How to de-escalate misbehaviours, bad situations, and misunderstandings
► Correcting misbehavior: addressing the horse’s mind and attitude
► Developing the Canter Exercises