Horsemanship Elective: High School (Grades 9 to 12) | Spring 2027
12 Tuesdays at the barn, Feb 2 to Apr 20. Horse knowledge, groundwork, then riding. Up to 14 students.
A semester at the barn that teaches more than horses
The Leyden Horsemanship Academy elective gives high school students 12 weeks of real, hands-on work with horses at Ocean View Stables. They start with horse knowledge and safety, move into groundwork on foot, and finish riding with an instructor. Along the way they learn the thing a horse teaches better than any classroom: calm, clear, patient leadership.
12
weekly sessions, 90 minutes each
14
students max, in crews of 4 to 5
18
documented instructional hours
0
horse experience needed
The details
- Who: high school students, grades 9 to 12. Middle schoolers have their own program on Thursdays.
- When: Tuesdays, 3:30 to 5:00 PM, February 2 to April 20, 2027 (12 sessions).
- Where: Ocean View Stables, 2152 Olympic Way, Daly City, CA 94015.
- Price: $1,500 for the full season ($125 per session). Helmets, horses and all materials included.
- Method: the Leyden Horsemanship Process from Soft Is Strong: The Art of Horsemanship by Zachary and Kalea Leyden. Pressure is information, not punishment. Release is where learning happens.
How every session works
The group splits into three crews that rotate through three instructor-led stations, 20 minutes each. Everyone works hands-on with a horse every single week, and no one stands around waiting. Each crew has a crew leader, a role that rotates weekly.
- Check-in (10 min): helmets fitted, crews assigned, safety reminder.
- Opening demo (10 min): the day's concept, taught with a live horse.
- Station rotations (60 min): Horse station, Skills station and Leadership Lab.
- Crew report and journal (10 min): one try each crew saw from a horse, and one journal line.
The 12-week itinerary
Unit 1: Knowledge (weeks 1 to 3)
| Week | Session | What students do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Feb 2) | Welcome to the herd | Barn rules, safe zones, how a prey animal sees the world; meet the horses over the fence |
| 2 (Feb 9) | Reading the horse | Ears, eyes, tail and posture; herd observation log; first safe approach and touch |
| 3 (Feb 16) | Care and anatomy | Grooming, hoof care, feed and daily needs; label an anatomy chart |
Unit 2: Groundwork (weeks 4 to 8)
| Week | Session | What students do |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (Feb 23) | Haltering and leading | Halter, safety knot, lead at the shoulder through a pattern |
| 5 (Mar 2) | Pressure and release | The four Phases; ask a horse to back and step over, releasing on the smallest try |
| 6 (Mar 9) | Moving the feet | Hindquarter and forehand yields, the core safety tools |
| 7 (Mar 16) | Confidence and desensitizing | Flag, tarp and ground poles; build a horse's confidence without force |
| 8 (Mar 23) | Hooking on | Round-pen demo, then guided join-up; groundwork check-off |
Unit 3: Riding (weeks 9 to 12)
| Week | Session | What students do |
|---|---|---|
| 9 (Mar 30) | Tacking up and first ride | Saddle, bridle, cinch check, safe mounting; first ride at a walk; the Safety Stop |
| 10 (Apr 6) | Balance and seat | Sit tall, eyes up, soft hands; balance work in the saddle |
| 11 (Apr 13) | Steering with feel | Seat, legs and light rein; cones, poles, gates and simple trail obstacles |
| 12 (Apr 20) | Capstone and show day | Each student teaches one groundwork skill, then leads, yields and rides a pattern for families; certificates |
Why it is worth it for high schoolers
- Credit-ready: 18 instructional hours in a signed log. Schools decide whether it counts toward PE, elective or CTE credit.
- College and career: a certificate, a crew-leader role and a capstone for resumes and applications, plus career spotlights on vet care, farriery and barn management.
- Leadership they can feel: a 1,000-pound animal does not respond to volume or ego, only to calm, clear, consistent requests.
- Graded work: skills log, unit check-offs and a 500-word leadership reflection essay.
Safety first, always
- 3 trained instructors per session, never more than 5 students per instructor; a fourth helper joins for riding.
- Calm, school-proven lesson horses, matched to each student.
- Helmets required and provided.
- A parent or guardian signs our electronic release waiver after registering. It arrives by email right away.
- Rider weight limit 240 lbs.
What to wear
Long pants, boots or sturdy closed-toe shoes with a small heel, and layers for coastal wind. Long hair tied back, no dangling jewelry.
Rain plan
Heavy-rain sessions move to a covered or classroom format, or are made up at the end of the season.
Signing up a whole class or school group?
Schools and charter programs can reserve a full group of up to 14 students, be invoiced directly, or pay through enrichment or vendor funds where allowed. Email zachary@oceanviewstables.com.
Students who finish can continue into the Academy's Level One program and, after passing it, lease a horse of their own.