08/30/2026
Unmounted Mini Horse Lesson! Your weekly lessons don’t just have to be mounted lessons. There’s so much to learn about horses! The learning is never ending!
1. Leading & Safety
* Practice leading the mini at a walk
* Practice stopping, starting, and changing directions
* Learn where your body should be when leading
* Learn where you shouldn’t stand, especially directly in front of or behind the horse
* Practice maintaining personal space and awareness
2. Moving With the Horse
* Walk beside the mini
* Practice jogging/trotting next to the horse
* Learn how to match the horse’s pace
* Practice staying beside the shoulder rather than getting ahead or falling behind
* Talk about watching the horse’s body language while moving
3. Confidence Building
* Leading through different spaces
* Navigating around cones and poles
* Asking the mini to move through something new
* Encouraging students to try independently
* Celebrate effort, not just getting the exercise “right”
4. Brainstorming
Give the students a challenge:
“What can we build with these obstacles?”
Let them work together to decide how to create a course using:
* Cones
* Poles
* Barrels
* Hula hoops
* Pool noodles
* Small jumps/poles
* Tarps
* Flags or other safe obstacles
Then have them explain why they designed the course that way.
5. Teamwork Challenge
Have students work in pairs or small groups to:
* Design an obstacle course
* Decide who leads first
* Help each other through the course
* Give positive feedback
* Make changes if something doesn’t work
Lesson Goal
The focus isn’t just on working with the mini. It’s teaching kids to think, communicate, problem-solve, work as a team, and build confidence while learning safe horsemanship.