Volunteer’s area – Leading

Videos, training links and fun to help you learn all about Diamond!

What to know before you lead

Coach & Deputy roles

The coach arranges and leads the sessions based around the goals of the individual participants and the coach
They check for the safety of the horses, riders and volunteers
They take the lead when mounting and dismounting
The deputy supports the coach and covers for the coach if absent.

Leading v side walking

If there is a leader and a side walker:

The leader is responsible for the horse
The side walker is responsible for communicating with the participants and the riders safety

Where there is a leader and 2 side walkers:

The leader is still responsible for the horse
Both side walkers are responsible for the safety of the rider
Only 1 side walker should communicate with the rider

If there is only a leader they cover all of the above roles, however, the rider should be proficient enough to only need minimal support

Safeguarding when Side walking

Side walkers should be in line with the participants leg; approx. 1m away
Side walkers may support the participants ankle to keep the lower leg in a good place (if required), this often keeps the upper body in a better position
Side walkers should give as little physical support as possible
Side walkers should never support the participants above the knee
Side walkers can use brief touch to aid adjustment of participants position
Side walkers should not rest their hand on the horse or saddle
Side walkers should not hold onto participants clothes

Leading and School Terminology

School Leading

The correct position for the leader should be between the shoulder and head of the horse
They should have just enough contact to keep control at all times
There should be a small “smile” in the lead rope
The lead rope should not be wrapped around the hand

School Terminology

There are a number of terms used during an RDA lesson that only apply in the horse world. It sometimes takes a while to learn them but if you are unsure ask your coach to clarify. If you are new, it is also a good idea to try to be leading a horse in the middle of the group, for your first few lessons, as the majority of lessons are completed with one horse following the other or copying what the previous horses have done. Do not go right at the back as when the ride “changes rein” [goes the other way] you will be at the front.

At Diamond we have 3 schools – the big school, the small school and the outdoor arena.

Each school has the same set of letters around the outside of the school.
These letters are used by the coach when they give instructions to the riders. E.g. At C turn down the centre of the school.
At Diamond each letter has been given a word/or name, which is supported by a picture.
C – Cat; M – Monkey; B – Butterfly; F – Fish; A – Apple; K – Kite; E – Elephant; H – Horse.
These words/pictures help the riders [and volunteers] in lessons.

The blue line shows the “outside track”.
Most led RDA lessons start with horses using the “full school” and on the “outside track”
The term “go large” is used to describe this
The red line shows the “inner track”

Left and Right Rein

These are the terms for telling the riders which direction they should be going in and are based on the riders hands.
Right rein – going round the school with the riders right hand to the inside; e.g. going in a clockwise direction
Left rein – going round the school with the riders left hand to the inside; e.g. going anti-clockwise around the school

The school has 3 imaginary lines running along the long aspect of the school.

The centre line is the one most commonly used. It is marked in blue in the picture below, and runs from A to C.

The coach will often ask the ride to change the rein down the centre of the school from A-C, or vice versa. The aim is for the rider to make the line as straight as possible.

The green and red lines are quarter lines. Sometimes riders are asked to come down the quarter line.