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Equestrian · Basic · b6

Fall and roll safely

At home 8 min 1 to 3 players One room, park

Ready when: nothing.

Start a session

What you are learning

How to fall without hurting the head: chin tucked, slapping the mat with the whole forearm, and rolling with the fall. Every rider falls off sometimes; a rider who has practised falling stays calm and safe.

Words on this card Pony
Pony
A pony is a small horse, under about 148 cm at the shoulder.

Set up

Mats or an old mattress; never a hard floor.

Weather: any weather indoors

The base setup for equestrian

Show it first for the one teaching

  1. Lie on your back, lift the head and tuck the chin. Slap the mat with both forearms and palms.
  2. Sit, roll back with the chin on the chest, and slap.
  3. From sitting, fall back diagonally to one side, slapping with one arm, the other hand on the belly.

Your part while they practise

Show each step slowly first; watch the head.

Step by step

  1. Lying on the back, head lifted and chin tucked, slap the mat with both forearms and palms.
  2. From sitting, roll back with the chin on the chest and slap.
  3. Rock forward and back curled up.
  4. A side fall from sitting: fall diagonally back and slap with one arm, the other hand on the belly; each side.

How much: 5 of each 8 min a session 2 days a week

Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.

The game: Rock and slap

On your clap, rock back and slap; the head must never touch.

Who plays: 1 to 3 children; you clap and watch.

How to play, turn by turn
Turns
  1. Children sit on the mat, curled up
  2. You clap: they rock back and slap with both arms
  3. You call "left" or "right": they do a side fall that way
  4. 10 calls
Fair play
A younger child does the rock and slap only, without side falls.
Points
1 point for each fall done right with the head off the mat.
Fouls
No point
  • The head touches the mat
  • Landing on a straight arm or the hand only
  • Falling to the wrong side
Winning
Beat your best from 10 calls.
Stars
  1. 5 points for 1 star
  2. 8 points for 2 stars
  3. 10 points for 3 stars

Easier or harder

Easier

Lying only.

Harder

From a crouch.

What you will see, and what to say

  • the head touches the mat Chin to chestLook at your belly button.
  • the child lands on a straight arm Slap with the whole forearmElbow to palm, flat.
  • only one side Now the other sidePractise both.

Self-check

5

5 falls each way with the head never touching.

Stop and get a coach when

Neck or wrist pain, or the child is afraid to try.

Fitness for this

Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.

This card trains a safe fall from the pony, calm after a fall.

awiseathlete.com/sports/equestrian/equestrian-b6