Essentials1™ is a 60-hour programme designed for complete beginners, entirely focused on groundwork. Participants learn to understand equine behaviour, develop safe handling skills, practise grooming and leading, and build trust from the ground up. The course includes 30 hours of individual training and 30 hours of independent practice. It is ideal for riders, horse owners, veterinarians and equestrian professionals, stable staff or parents supporting young riders.
€3,300 excluding VAT
Essentials1™ explains the essentials for communication and connection with your horse from the ground and in the saddle, includes understanding equine behaviour and body language so you can recognise how horses perceive their environment and respond to pressure, learning safe handling and groundwork tools that allow you to guide movement with clarity yet building trust, confidence and respectful boundaries through consistent cues and steady interactions.
Total sixty hours: thirty one-on-one instruction, thirty independent practice using Alterreno facilities. Intensive format available up to four days weekly, five hours daily in fifty-minute sessions. Each morning lesson followed by mandatory afternoon practice with coaches available for guidance. No riding involved, fully focused on safe handling and ground connection. Final evaluation includes theory and practical skill test, Alterreno certification upon completion.
Learn reading horse body language, expressions and energy levels. Understand equine emotions, reactions and behaviour patterns. Discover how horses communicate nonverbally and how to synchronize your energy field with theirs. This knowledge creates foundation for safe handling, trust building and effective communication. Students learn recognizing right brain versus left brain states, fight-flight-freeze responses and personality differences.
Develop practical skills for safe and confident horse management: how to approach correctly in the stable or at pasture, fit a headcollar and bridle, use ropes, training sticks or whips appropriately, groom while the horse stands quietly, and lift the feet securely. Learn to lead from both sides, asking the horse to move forwards, backwards, left and right with clarity. Master the halt, maintain safe boundaries, and establish respect for personal space through precise and consistent communication.
Build theoretical understanding supporting practical skills: reading horse personality to evaluate what matters to individual horses, choosing safest communication strategies based on personality and skill level, understanding basic equine anatomical terminology and biomechanics. This knowledge enables informed decision-making, recognizing when approaches need adjustment and developing analytical capability supporting continued learning.
PRECISION THAT BEGINS WITH UNDERSTANDING
Alterreno Essentials1™ inverts traditional approach by keeping students entirely on ground before any riding. This groundwork-first methodology builds solid foundation preventing common problems arising from skipping essential relationship-building and communication fundamentals.
No previous horse experience required. Essentials1™ designed for anyone interested in horses, from complete beginners to professionals needing groundwork foundation.
Perfect for vet professionals, farriers, osteopaths, grooms, stable staff, parents accompanying children to barn, anyone physically contacting horses regularly.
Combining thirty hours instruction with thirty independent practice creates competence. Students develop genuine understanding and memorized procedures.
Every student receives individual coaching addressing specific challenges. Instructors adapt teaching to personality, learning style, confidence level.
Mandatory afternoon practice sessions with coaches on call ensure students develop capability independently, building confidence.
Upon completion, students receive Alterreno Essentials1™ certification. Optional BHS pathway available by adding specific modules.
SOLID FOUNDATIONS FOR YOUR FUTURE
Alterreno offers the tools to become a more capable rider and a clearer communicator. You can contact our teaching team to discuss your aims and shape a learning path with the support of experienced professionals.
Alterreno students are internationally recognised for their unique approach, establishing their profile worldwide.
Each course establishes the groundwork for decades of achievement, shaping skills that endure across a long-term career.
Alterreno Essentials1™ provide you with solid skills and the foundation for a thoughtful, consistent approach to working with horses.