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Course 100 — Equine Science & Care

Course 100 — Equine Science & Care

The first course of the Level 1 Foundational Horsemanship Certification, and the place every rider at Ocean View Stables begins. Course 100 opens with the Leyden Way itself: Feel, Timing, and Balance, how horses actually learn, and the two standards that govern your progress, the Zero Assistance Standard and the Rule of Three. From there it moves to the horse: anatomy, colors and markings, feed and water, hooves, vital signs, and the daily routine.

Then the hands-on core: grooming as a daily physical exam, the parts of the western saddle, the California knot, saddle fit, and the after-care that finishes every ride. Pass the certification at the end to show your ground knowledge is solid, then carry it into Course 101.

Soft is strong. Clarity is kindness.

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Responsible Ocean View Stables
Last Update 09/27/2026
Completion Time 9 hours 22 minutes
Members 84
Level 1
  • The Foundation (empty)
    8Lessons · 1 hr 1 min
  • Knowing the Horse (empty)
    9Lessons · 1 hr 33 min
    • The Points of the Horse
      10 xp
    • Age, Height, and Body Condition
      10 xp
    • Coat Colors and How to Name Them
      10 xp
    • Face Markings and How to Name Them
      10 xp
    • Leg Markings and How to Name Them
      10 xp
    • Watch: Naming the Coat Colors
    • Watch: The Five Common Face Markings
    • Watch: Reading Leg Markings
    • Watch: Learn the Parts of the Horse
  • Daily Care and Feeding (empty)
    8Lessons · 1 hr 20 min
    • Feed, Forage, and Water
      10 xp
    • The Hoof: Picking, Cycles, and What to Watch
      10 xp
    • Vital Signs and When to Call
      10 xp
    • Turnout, Stall, and the Daily Routine
      10 xp
    • Watch: How the Horse's Gut Works
    • Watch: How to Check a Horse's Vital Signs
      New
    • Watch: Body Condition Scoring, Hands On
      New
    • Watch: Picking Out a Hoof, Step by Step
      New
  • Grooming (empty)
    4Lessons · 1 hr
    • The Grooming Kit and What Each Tool Does
      10 xp
    • Grooming as Diagnosis
      10 xp
    • Grooming With Intention
      10 xp
    • Watch: How to Groom a Horse, Step by Step
  • Saddling (empty)
    7Lessons · 1 hr 47 min
    • Parts of the Western Saddle and the Pad
      10 xp
    • The California Knot
      10 xp
    • Does the Saddle Fit?
      10 xp
    • Saddling and Unsaddling With Intention
      10 xp
    • Watch: The Basics of Saddling
    • Watch: Saddling Properly With the AQHA
      New
    • Watch: Checking Western Saddle Fit
      New
  • After-Care (empty)
    5Lessons · 43 min
    • Cooling Out and Putting the Horse Away
      10 xp
    • Caring for Your Tack
      10 xp
    • Closing the Loop: Leaving the Barn Better Than You Found It
      10 xp
    • Watch: Is Your Horse Cooled Out?
    • Watch: Saddle Soap or Oil, and When
      New
  • The Certification (empty)
    1Lessons · 30 min
    • Course 100 Certification
  • Go Deeper (empty)
    8Lessons · 1 hr 27 min
    • The Library of the Leyden Way
    • Watch: The Original — Tom Dorrance
    • Watch: Bill Dorrance at Ninety — Lessons from a Legend
    • Watch: Buck on Ray — What He Meant
    • Watch: A Tribute to Ray Hunt
    • Watch: A Legacy of Legends
    • Watch: Buck — The Film That Told the World
    • Watch: Monty Roberts — A Real Horse Whisperer