Philippe Karl's School of Légèreté UK

Philippe Karl's School of Légèreté UK Philippe Karl created the School of Légèreté (lightness) to share his respectful and effective me Karl in person.

Author, trainer and classical master, Philippe Karl is a Frenchman with a mission. He wants to change the horse world for the better by sharing his lifetime of experience - which includes 13 years as an Ecuyer of the prestigious Cadre Noir de Saumur. An outspoken critic of forceful riding, Philippe Karl is the author of several books and DVDs which present classical and horse-friendly solutions to

the common problems and challenges encountered when schooling horses. The School of Légèreté offers a training course for riding instructors, consisting of a series of ten 4-day clinics held over a 3-year period. Candidates who wish to ride on the course must already be established riding instructors with significant experience. They may become Licenced Instructors of the School only after completing this course and achieving success in a series of rigorous practical and theoretical exams conducted by M. This course is also open to spectators who are willing to commit to following all 10 clinics. They will receive a corresponding certificate after completing the programme. After completing the initial 3-year course, the instructors can continue their education with Monsieur Karl, before and after gaining their licence, in Advanced clinics which are held 3 times each year. The Advanced clinics are also open to spectators who can attend for as little as one day.

SOUTH WEST INSTRUCTOR COURSE Thanks to everyone who rode in and spectated at the Devon Légèreté clinic this week with Ca...
14/06/2026

SOUTH WEST INSTRUCTOR COURSE

Thanks to everyone who rode in and spectated at the Devon Légèreté clinic this week with Catherine Marshall. This was principally a taster clinic for those interested in becoming EdL instructors.

It was a fantastic 3 days filled with positive energy, horses and laughter.

The plan to hold a Foundation Instructor Course in the South West looks like it might very well come to fruition, we have several students interested and willing to take the plunge. If you would like to join them and master teacher Catherine Marshall the application process is on the Légèreté.co.uk website.

Please email completed applications to [email protected] by end September 2026.

The course will be held at the fabulous venue Ayton PRE, by Okehampton, Devon, courtesy of Nicola White and will begin in Spring, 2027.

The school of Légèreté and their guest riders.Each clinic we invite riders and horses with either little or no experienc...
13/06/2026

The school of Légèreté and their guest riders.

Each clinic we invite riders and horses with either little or no experience of Philippe Karl's school of legerete for a lesson.

The lesson is taken by one of the school of Légèreté's trainee or licensed instructors under the watchful eye of their master teacher.

This is an extremely good way of learning on all accounts, it teaches us all to be better.
We first evaluate the partnership; we watch the rider and their horse and see what they already do, we ask for them to walk trot and canter on both reins, this allows us to check many things, the main things are the asymmetry of the horse and rider, the riders balance and does the horse have more go or more whoa.
We then get on and have a feel for ourselves. We pick what would be most beneficial and valuable for the horse and rider to take away with them and hopefully make a difference within that first experience of the school of Légèreté.
We then teach the rider with their horse.

This approach to training is for the horse, not to the horse and having more knowledge and developing skill are some of the things you pick up along the way.

It's a really good thing to get on your students horses every now and again to check what you see and what you feel is the same.
There are lots of benefits to riding different types of horses

Teaching an unknown student is part of the exam process, so firstly is good practice.
Once you are a licensed EdL teacher, you have to present a teaching practice atleast once a year in front of your master teacher.
Once we are a licensed teacher, part of our CPD is we have to teach once a year at our training clinics.

If you would like to have this opportunity then follow this link and answer a few questions about you and your horse

https://legerete.co.uk/index.php/uk-clinics-and-tickets/apply-to-be-a-guest-rider/

or to find out more about the school of Légèreté and upcoming clinics follow this link :

https://legerete.co.uk/index.php/product/book-a-spectator-place/

June 26th-28th is the Légèreté Advanced instructor course, and we have some extra special things for spectators!One of t...
06/06/2026

June 26th-28th is the Légèreté Advanced instructor course, and we have some extra special things for spectators!

One of these is a demonstration on the Friday, with licensed instructor Becky Holden Riding from the ground. UP. This will be a free addition for all spectators.

"In-hand demonstration. For the Sake of the Horse and the Rider"

The benefits of in-hand work for the horse are well documented, but it can be equally valuable for the rider. In this demonstration, Becky will show how working from the ground can improve the rider’s timing, posture, and awareness of the conversation taking place through the hands.

By refining these skills on the ground, riders can develop clearer intentions and more effective communication when planning and riding schooling exercises.

Becky will be working with a student’s Lusitano stallion who has previously found new environments stressful. The horse-focused aspect of the demonstration will explore how in-hand work can help a horse relax, build confidence, and stay connected in unfamiliar situations.

This demonstration will highlight how in-hand work benefits both horse and rider, creating a stronger partnership and a clearer dialogue between them."

Don't forget to get your tickets before June 10th, with a discount for day tickets using code 'earlybirdjune26'. Book all 3 days at an already discounted price.

At the end of this month, we welcome Légèreté Master Teacher Sylvia Stössel to the U.K, to teach the summer Instructo...
04/06/2026

At the end of this month, we welcome Légèreté Master Teacher Sylvia Stössel to the U.K, to teach the summer Instructor training clinic.

We also welcome spectators to these clinics! And this time we will be offering free interactive workshops and demonstrations, providing hands on experiences and detailed information from our licensed instructors, just for spectators.

In the Ecole de Légèreté we talk a lot about the subtle and complex language of the aids. The seat is the 'Mother of all Aids'. - but the rein aids are primary. Our hands can have delicate and interesting conversations about relaxation, balance, posture, straightness and much more. It takes commitment and practice to develop both the understanding and physical dexterity to be able to use the reins in this way.

On Saturday lunchtime there will be a fun hands-on session to help develop your understanding and practical ability in applying the rein aids - with Licensed instructor Nikki Stephens. This is open to all.

Learn the feel you need to develop on your own horse by practising on a fellow spectator!

No equipment needed - just your bare hands...

If you would like to join us, don't forget to use your discount code and get your tickets by June 10th- 'earlybirdjune26'

If you would like to join us as a guest rider please click the link below. https://legerete.co.uk/index.php/uk-clinics-a...
03/06/2026

If you would like to join us as a guest rider please click the link below.

https://legerete.co.uk/index.php/uk-clinics-and-tickets/apply-to-be-a-guest-rider/

It is a great chance for a free introduction to Légèreté with a lesson from a trainee or licensed teacher under the supervision of a master teacher.

Here is what Beverley had to say about her lesson with Jen Mitchinson.

“A special day for us yesterday at Foundation Legerete Training . Watching the In hand work and lessons and enjoyed our lesson with Jen Mitchinson as part of her training.
Such a great system of training ...Frosty was a star and we have lots to work on ...just sorting through pics and videos massive thanks to Karen Parsons K P Elite Horse Transport 🩷”

A selection of photos from the recent UK Légèreté Foundation Instructor course held at Naturally Light Equitation with m...
01/06/2026

A selection of photos from the recent UK Légèreté Foundation Instructor course held at Naturally Light Equitation with master teacher Catherine Marshall.

Thankyou to all the riders for your ongoing dedication- diligent practice is the only way to make lasting improvements, and your efforts are paying off. It is a pleasure to teach you all.

Thanks too to all the spectators for coming along and supporting us- I hope you found it interesting and useful. Without you the courses become very expensive for riders; your money goes towards arena hire, and other costs which would otherwise have to be covered by the riders themselves.

Becky Sayward your cakes were (as always) the main attraction and enjoyed by all. Thankyou for spending your evenings on the run up to the clinic baking, we all appreciate it.

Thanks Andy and Shane for hosting. Andy has kindly offered a heated marquee area for the colder clinics, which will make a big difference to the spectator experience in the colder months.

The next instructor course at Preston Capes is Sylvia Stǒssel’s advanced group on 26-28 June. I am hoping to bring at least one of mine down for this course and hope to see some of you there.

Photos courtesy of Emma Ransom-Jones, Zoë Williams and Georgina Ridal - Comprehensive Equine Podiatry and Equitation

Huge congratulations to Anna for passing with flying colours her in hand and lunge exam. It was a pleasure to watch your...
01/06/2026

Huge congratulations to Anna for passing with flying colours her in hand and lunge exam. It was a pleasure to watch your hard work and dedication rewarded with this beautiful presentation.

When Philippe Karl established the Ecole de Légèreté he did it to not to create a series of carbon copies of himself (i...
01/06/2026

When Philippe Karl established the Ecole de Légèreté he did it to not to create a series of carbon copies of himself (impossible!) or to provide a step-by-step system of training. Instead, he wanted to gift as many instructors and teachers - and therefore riders - with principles, ideas and approaches which might help them to ride with 'Respect for the horse'.

In a world where so many equestrians are rightly looking for alternatives to tight nosebands, lots of equipment and harsh training, it can feel extremely difficult to know what is possible and practical. If we want our horses to feel good about being ridden - both mentally and physically - how can we set about to do this with as much insight as possible?

Philippe Karl took the best of French classical training, along with modern understanding of horse anatomy and psychology, and created a school which welcomes horses of all shapes and sizes. He has shared his knowledge and insights through books, DVD's, lectures - and a huge body of instructor training which can be found in many countries.

This June 26th-28th you can see master teacher Sylvia Stössel teaching the UK Advanced instructor group at Naturally Light Equitation. This group includes very experienced riders who are new to this approach, and teachers who have been training in the school for many years. They bring with them an interesting and varied group of horses, so there will be something relevant to everyone who comes watch.

If you buy your tickets before June 10th using code 'earlybirdjune26' you get £10 off each day spectating. We hope to see you there!

25/05/2026

⚠️On Thursday the Foundation Teachers look forward to welcoming you to our 4 day Phillipe Karl's School of Légèreté Foundation Instructor Course at Preston Capes, Daventry.

⚠️We have full timetable of learning including 8 lessons per day, 4 Pedagogy lessons, 3 lunging/inhand exams and our Master Teacher Catherine Marshall will giving a theory lecture on the training chart.

⚠️Please note; The lunging/inhand exams take place on Thursday and once each exam starts there will be no entry into the arena until the exam is finished.

⚠️As well as tea and coffee our now famous cakes are aplenty, supplied by our incredible baker Becky Sayward.
It's going to be great weather so don't forget to bring cold drinks with you. Cash and your own mugs please.

Here's Catherine showing her incredible work with her cob, Flo.

We look forward to seeing you. You can still buy tickets by clicking on the link below.

https://legerete.co.uk/index.php/product/book-a-spectator-place-foundation/

🔹️It's just 9 days until our Foundation Instructor Course which brings together our Master Teacher Catherine Marshall an...
19/05/2026

🔹️It's just 9 days until our Foundation Instructor Course which brings together our Master Teacher Catherine Marshall and our Trainee Teachers with their horses for 4 days of learning which you are very welcome to come and spectate.

🔹️in the lead up to our clinic the teachers have been talking about what they've been working on with their horses in preparation for the May clinic.

🔹️Here's Rosie tells us all about what she's been doing with Mico in the build up to the clinic.

🔹️Since the last clinic I’ve been continuing to slowly build Mico’s strength back up after 12 months under veterinary care last year for a number of physical challenges.

We’ve been working really hard on connection, balance and relaxation in the lunge work. This has definitely been our Achilles heel to date. Mico had some tricky training in Spain which prioritised flamboyant movement over relaxation and balance, and it’s proven quite difficult to unpick on the lunge. I’m happy with how things have been progressing at home… whether that translates into the more pressured environment of the clinic remains to be seen.

Which leads me onto the other thing we’ve been working on: improving Mico’s tolerance of loud noises and his ability to regulate his responses under pressure. This has involved tambourines, children’s party clappers, and a very tolerant yard owner putting up with the chaos!

This week I’ve also discovered I probably should have done more in-hand work than I have been, so we’ll be cramming some practice in next week before our mock in-hand exam. The focus is STRAIGHTNESS. I still find it much easier to keep this slippery noodle of a horse straight under saddle than in hand.

If you would like to see Rosie and Mico in action spectator tickets can be bought here:

https://legerete.co.uk/index.php/product/book-a-spectator-place-foundation/

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