UK Foundation Clinic Dates and Tickets
Master teacher Catherine Marshall leads the training of Légèreté UK’s most recently approved Trainee Instructors through the 3 year Foundation Training in the principles and methodology of Philippe Karl’s School of Légèreté. The training began in September 2023 and student instructors are required to complete a minimum of 3 years training before attempting to qualify to gain their license. Spectators are welcome.
2024 Clinic Dates:
26 – 29th September
2025 Clinic Dates:
30 Jan – 2nd Feb
29th May – 1st June
Venue: Grange Farm (Naturally Light Equitation), Preston Capes, Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 3TQ
The Foundation Clinics are for Légèreté UK’s new student teachers. 9 horse trainers and coaches with varying previous levels of training in the school immerse themselves in the philosophy of The School of Légèreté and study the work and theory set out in Philippe Karl’s book Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage in order to become a licensed teacher of the school. Clinics involve training and ultimately exams and assessment in the following areas:
1 - Theory. Philippe Karl is passionate that Légèreté instructors should understand the theory in great depth and detail. This way of riding causes much controversy as it bumps up against the mainstream - so it is critical that when questioned or teaching, instructors know the theory and science inside-out. The theory exam is tough. Students are expected to ‘know’ a huge amount of information, then on exam day are given a specific topic to present, with no books or prompts. Clinic spectators witness the theory lectures and exams as part of the clinics.
2. Training your own horse. Over 3 years watch the student instructors develop their own horses using the principles of Légèreté, developing strong foundations. The word foundation belies how very demanding this is, for the exams the instructors ultimately need to demonstrate many things to an extremely high standard:
- Work on the lunge
- Work in hand
- Ridden work
Across all 3 elements the horse needs to be shown to be light to the aids, relaxed and forwards in all gaits, can easily come to mise-en-main, and able to extend their neck with no loss of rhythm or balance. And able to demonstrate all lateral work, counter canter and extended trot again with the same quality.
3 - Pedagogy – learning how to teach the application of the principles of the school in the most effective way to a range of horse and rider combination. Clinic spactators will get to witness student instructors delivering “first Légèreté lessons” to a variety of horse and rider combinations during the 2nd and 3rd years of the clinics.
The clinic horses have a range of individual challenges and strengths and all have very different starting points ranging from those at the very start of their Légèreté training to those who are more established; young horses; horses undergoing rehab for physical issues; competition horses and all sorts of breeds, shapes and sizes. Similarly the student instructors come from a variety of backgrounds. There is learning for everyone to take home and apply to their own horse and training.
