Clearwater Bay Equestrian Centre

Riding

The centre caters to all riding interests and levels. We offer lead rein to advanced coaching and have fabulous staff that make the facility friendly and welcoming while maintaining our high standards of professionalism and safety. We actively encourage participation from parents and other family members and offer camps in the school holidays for riders of all levels.

We promote interaction with the horses & ponies and encourage experienced riders to tack and un-tack their horses. For those less experienced, our camps and stable management lessons teach students the basics in this area. This is absolutely key to the development of riding – building confidence off horses is as important as building riding skills.

You are required to be a member to ride regularly at the CEEC. Generally non-members may ride weekday mornings and in the school holidays only.

For those that wish to be actively involved in competition in HK, we have introduced a competition squad for junior riders – this has been hugely successful. The centre competes frequently during the season in HK with great success on both the horses and ponies. This is an area that we are building together with the rest of the equestrian community in HK. The centre is closely involved with both the Pony Club and the HKEF (Hong Kong Equestrian Federation). We also offer one scholarship per year.

We offer a riding progression chart within the centre and riders are regularly rewarded as they develop their riding skills.

Riding Levels and Examinations

Level/Colour

Assessment Criteria

Light Blue

5 years and under beginner

Light Pink

Beginner

Fuscia

Walk and steer off the lead rein
Still on Lead rein for trotting
Can approach a pony/horse correctly

Red

Lead your horse/pony
Mount and Dismount (using a mounting block)
Basic check of horse’s tack and girth
Halting
Walking
Steering
Getting rising trot but not established
Changes of rein
Basic points of the pony/horse

Red+

Ride a 20m circle in walk
Rising trot in balance
Change the rein in trot
Maintain a reasonably correct position
Basic Horse Colourings
Ready for a semi private group lesson
Put on a headcollar

Orange

Trot without stirrups
Learning to recognise diagonals
Beginning to canter
Ride basic trotting poles
Alter stirrups with assistance
Be aware of obvious tack safety faults
Ready for group lesson
Identify a range of markings of the pony/horse
Tie up correctly
Ride along a road and say thank you

Orange+

20m circle at trot on the correct diagonal
Show ability to ride horse/pony forward
Maintain canter for a short period of time
Basic jump position and jump a small x-poles
Change a short crop correctly
Tighten girth correctly
Lead a pony correctly at walk
Correctly hand feed and horse or pony
Children aged 8 are ready to take PC D test

Yellow

Use correct aids to ride circles & straight lines in trot
Canter confidently
Show an improved jump position
Ride with the reins in one hand
Jumping small x poles on either side of the arena
Ride a variety of horses /ponies confidently
Understand the “Green Cross” code
Fit a saddle pad correctly
Know the dressage letters of the school

Yellow+

Sit correctly to canter
Ride a 15m circle & 3 loop serpentine in trot
Ride a figure of 8 with reins in one hand
Alter own stirrups while mounted
Jump small uprights and spreads
More difficult points of the pony/horse (10-12)
More parts of the saddle & bridle
Ability to name most parts of the saddle & bridle
Tie a hay net
Un-tack and wash down safely

Green

Ride 5m loops, ½ 10m & ½ 15m demi volts
Ride all basic transitions correctly
Canter without stirrups
Ride a serpentine with the reins in one hand
Ride a walk & trot dressage test
60cm course of 4 fences
Change a Dressage whip correctly
Basic grooming and parts of the grooming kits
Tacking up to ride
Ready to do PC D+ plus (age 10)
Put on brushing boots

Green+

Ability to tell the canter lead
Recognise when the canter is disunited
Ride with the reins in one hand
Ride correctly into corners, without markers to help
Jumping small grids and courses
Alter Stirrups at walk
Mount correctly from the ground
Ride a simulated road safety course
Put on a tail bandage
Clean tack correctly

Blue

Riding in open order on both reins
Canter on a named leg
Know the riding school rules
Ride figure of 8 with trot, walk transitions accurately
Ride a variety of ponies/horses forwards confidently
Jumping small grids and courses of 8 fences (60cm)
Know the footfalls at walk, trot and canter
Types & fitting of nosebands and martingales
Signs of good and bad health

Blue+

Ride with the correct bend at walk & trot
Awareness of the use of the inside leg
Maintain a suitable rein contact
Jump a basic (60/70cm) course confidently
Serpentines with canter transitions at the end
Ride a walk, trot test accurately
Recognize when the horse is lame
Signs of colic
Can plait a mane
At a level where you can take BHS Stage 1

Indigo

Has a secure lower leg
Ride with the correct bend at all times
Learning to work the horse in an outline
Rides up and down hill
Ride the horse with some work on the bit unaided by a training aid
Jump a more difficult course confidently
Jump a small double
Ride a basic walk, trot canter dressage test
Know when and why the farrier is needed
Correct cleaning of tack

Indigo+

Ride with the correct bend at all times
Ride in a consistent outline at walk & trot
Jump a more difficult 70cm course including fillers and doubles confidently
Awareness of the 5 phases of jumping
Start simulated Cross country
Ride a basic dressage test
Give and receive a leg up
Know how to load a horse
Ready to sit PC Test C (age 11/12)

Violet

Ride with the correct bend at all times in walk and trot with some consistency in the outline
Ride turn on the forehand
Ride a figure of 8 with trot, canter transitions
Ride a prelim dressage test
To ride with due care for others
Jump a basic course of 70/75cm confidently
Know the sequence of the footfalls at all paces
Types of feeds, soaking sugarbeet

Violet+

Ride with the correct bend at all times in walk, trot and canter with more consistency in the outline
Ride with correct bend in canter
Ride leg yielding
Jump a course of 70/75cm confidently
Ride a figure of 8 with trot, canter transitions
Ride a more difficult prelim dressage test
Types of bedding
Apply stable bandages
Ready to sit PC Test C+ (age 14)
BHS Stage 2 level

The CEEC colour chart now splits into two sections – jumping and dressage. Riders may reach higher levels in each discipline or achieve a joint level which is obviously a higher achievement.

In co-operation with the HK Pony Club, we offer rallies and Pony Club tests on a regular basis.

We also offer BHS stage courses and instructor training. We offer training for all BHS examinations – some of these can be taken in Hong Kong. For further information, please contact us.