Anne Kursinski Masterclass Course Workbook PDF

MASTERCLASS
Anne Kursinski
Teaches How to Bring out
the Best in Your Horse
Course Workbook
Table of Contents
COURSE OVERVIEW 3
LESSON ONE: 5
Lessons Learned from Following a Passion
LESSON TWO: 8
Understanding how Horses Think
LESSON THREE: 14
Building a Strong Partnership
LESSON FOUR: 22
Creating the Connection
LESSON FIVE: 29
Using Transitions to Build Teamwork
LESSON SIX: 35
Developing Your Feel
LESSON SEVEN: 41
Feeling Over Fences
LESSON EIGHT: 47
Balance and Feel While Jumping
LESSON NINE: 53
Film Review: Teamwork in Action
LESSON TEN: 57
Bringing It All Together to Get Results
Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in each Insider Masterclass are not necessarily reflective of the views of Noëlle
Floyd. We’re offering education from the best in the sport, but remember that each instructor has their own set of opinions,
training style, and way of doing things. We hope you enjoy learning from them and incorporating their lessons into your riding
and training in a way that works for you and your horse.
MASTERCLASS Anne Kursinski 2

COURSE OVERVIEW
Your horse wants to perform their best for you. But as a rider, how can you help them succeed?
Understanding the way our horses think, feel, and behave can enhance our performance at
home and in the show ring. When we’re connected, communicating, and collaborating with our
horse, we’re able to work seamlessly as a team and develop a sense of ‘feel’ that empowers us to
ride effectively, help our horse use their body better, and produce results.
If you’re ready to connect with your horse on a deeper level, master the basics of riding, and take
your partnership to the next level, this course is made for you. In this Masterclass, you’ll use a
combination of theory, practical application, and exercises that can be easily applied in your
lessons with a trainer or riding alone. Designed for riders of all levels and disciplines, this course
will help you understand the way you ride — and the way that affects your horse — on a deeper
level than ever before. While some exercises involve jumping, the course has been holistically
curated to make a difference for hunter, jumper, equitation, eventing, and dressage horses and
riders.
This course begins with Anne’s personal journey from her early days to her Olympic
appearances, then moves into her philosophies about horsemanship and effective riding. The
course evolves into specific riding exercises that will improve your communication with your
horse, develop your ‘feel,’ hone your skills, and empower your equine partner to perform their
very best. Whether you ride with a trainer or on your own, the lessons in this course can be
seamlessly worked into your riding routine in a way that works for you and your lifestyle.
Remember, this course is designed to be utilized systematically over a four to eight week period.
Watch each video module, read through the lessons in the course workbook, and implement
the exercises at the barn. Creating new skills and habits requires repetition, which is why it’s
important to take your time with the material.
About Your Instructor
Anne Kursinski is a top U.S. show jumper, with five Olympic appearances and two Olympic
silver medals. Anne is a fierce competitor in the hunter and jumper rings and competes
regularly. As a coach, she works with riders of all levels and disciplines to develop their skills
and achieve their goals in the saddle. Anne focuses on understanding our horses to effectively
communicate with them and help them perform at their best. She believes that horses strive to
give their best effort, and it’s our responsibility as riders to support them.
As a Masterclass instructor, Anne is excited to educate and empower riders to become the most
effective, empathetic, and confident riders they can be, as well as help build an unbreakable
bond with each horse they ride.
How Should I Use This Workbook?
This workbook is designed to be used alongside the complete video Masterclass. Each video
lesson is broken down in the workbook to recap important lessons, highlight key takeaways,
and give effective tools and interactive exercises to help turn Anne’s teachings into real results
in the saddle.
This NOËLLE FLOYD Masterclass is a comprehensive course. We suggest dedicating around

four to eight weeks, regularly referring back to Anne’s course lessons while putting into
practice her philosophies and exercises. This course can also be used side-by-side with any other
NOËLLE FLOYD Masterclasses. Understanding and being aware of these theories will give you
a leg-up in your understanding, but it’s incorporating these skills and practices into your riding
and daily habits on a consistent basis that will foster improvement and give you real results.
The easiest way to use this workbook? Watch a video lesson, then use the workbook as a study
guide, take notes, fill out the worksheets, then implement the teachings into your daily habits.
You can also watch the entire course, then go through the workbook and start practically
working through each section.
In each section you’ll find key takeaways, space to take notes, and interactive exercises to take
Anne’s lessons from the screen to the saddle.
Make sure you join the private NF.insider Facebook group before beginning the course to
connect with other members, ask questions, share personal experiences, and discuss each of the
lessons. You never know — Anne might even make a personal appearance!

LESSON ONE
ANNE’S STORY:
LESSONS LEARNED
FROM FOLLOWING
A PASSION
What Anne has learned

from her lifetime of
riding, competing, and
being with horses.

LESSON OVERVIEW
Anne Kursinski is one of the all-time leading riders in U.S. show jumping history. She is a five-
time Olympian and two-time team silver medalist from the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta
with Eros and the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, where she also tied for individual fourth
aboard her famed mount, Starman. She also won individual and team gold medals at the 1983
Pan-American Games in Caracas, Venezuela.
Anne started riding at age four and made her international debut while still in high school.
Some of her major wins include the Grand Prix of Aachen, the American Invitational, the
American Gold Cup, the Hampton Classic, the Grand Prix of Rome, and the Gran Premio Pulsar
in Monterrey, Mexico. She has ridden on 47 U.S. Nations Cups teams, has competed in 10 World
Cup Finals, and has been a member of three U.S. World Equestrian Games (WEG) teams.
Anne’s outstanding results and dedication to the sport have earned her many accolades,
including being named the AHSA Horsewoman of the Year in 1988 and 1992 and Equestrian
of the Year in 1995. She won the Leading Lady Rider award at the 1991 FEI World Cup Finals
in Gothenburg and the U.S. Olympic Committee named her Female Equestrian Athlete of the
Year. That year, L’Année Hippique ranked her as the No. 1 American and No. 1 female rider in
the world. In 2011, she was voted America’s Favorite Show Jumping Equestrian. In 2017, she was
inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame.
Anne’s passion for the show ring and the sport remains strong. Along with her competitive
career, she has been exceptionally involved in the development and promotion of the sport.
She is a USHJA clinician, and a member of the USHJA, USET Executive Committees, and
USEF Board of Directors. Anne is the Chef d’Equipe for the U.S. Show Jumping Development
program and was a selector for the 2014 WEG bronze medal-winning U.S. team in Normandy,
France and the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medal-winning U.S. team.
At her home base in Frenchtown, New Jersey, Anne uses her passion for horses to help up-and-
coming riders achieve their goals. Anne has worked with many top hunter and jumper riders
such as Hunter Holloway, Victoria Birdsall, and Karen Polle and eventing riders Matt Brown and
Will Coleman Jr. Now, she’s bringing her knowledge to you in this exclusive Masterclass.

“I encourage all riders to
follow their dreams”
Anne Kursinski

LESSON TWO
UNDERSTANDING
HOW HORSES THINK

LESSON OVERVIEW
Being a good rider starts with understanding how horses think, feel, and behave. It’s our job
to support, guide, and encourage them to perform at their best. We can only do that with true
knowledge and understanding of what makes them tick.
From horse management at home to how we sit in the saddle, everything we do affects our horses.
It’s important to take time and start at the beginning to educate ourselves to the best of our
abilities.
Putting Learning First
To be a great horseman is a journey; there is so much to learn. Each type of horse and each
experience teaches us many lessons. Success with horses doesn’t necessarily mean winning that
blue ribbon or gold medal, but being able to understand horses and communicate with them
effectively. Winning comes as a result of that.
Understanding and Appreciating Our Horses
To really get inside the horse, to understand the horse, to enjoy the process –– that’s what makes
you a winner as a rider. The sign of a great rider is a happy horse.
The best riders in any discipline are the ones who are able to allow their horse to love his or her job.
When you see an engaged, happy horse go around, that’s when you know you’re watching a skilled
rider.
Why Horsemanship Matters
Being a good horseman or horsewoman means having the knowledge of the way horses think, and
understanding how we, as riders, affect our horses. The core basics of horsemanship are the same
in any discipline –– hunter/jumper, Western, dressage, eventing, equitation –– the fundamentals
are consistent. If you master your ability to communicate with your horse, management of your
horse on the ground, your basic riding position, and the use of your aids, then you can ride any
horse well.

Thinking Like a Horse
Horses will never think like human beings. But humans can think like a horse. To understand how
horses operate, we first need to understand that they are herd animals that naturally have a flight
response; they need boundaries and need help becoming confident.
Horses love to bond with people and want to do their best for us. Like the saying goes, “You don’t
teach a dancer to dance with sharp sticks and long whips.” With horses, we need to understand
them and encourage them to fulfill their potential. Most horses are kind, gentle, and very giving.
More often than not, the issues that our horses have come down to training, handling, care, health,
and management.
Understanding horses begins in the barn. Take time at the stables and watch how your horse
behaves –– how they eat, how they act in their stall, their normal habits. How is your horse
being handled? Are they stressed? How do they act on the crossties? Good horsemanship starts
at home in the barn. Regardless of your skill level, or if you work with a trainer in a program or
manage your horse alone, you can become more involved in your horse’s day-to-day life. If you’re
not yet educated on the ins and outs of horse care, begin learning from your trainers, grooms,
veterinarians, and farriers. The more you know about horses, the more tuned in you’ll be with your
own horse’s behavior and habits, and the more you’ll be able to recognize changes.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Horses naturally want to do their best for us. Most horses are very
giving, but we need to set them up for success by understanding them,
communicating properly, and guiding them.
• Horses don’t have the ability to think like people. But we have the ability
to “think like a horse.”
• Horses are herd animals and flight animals. They crave guidance
and need healthy boundaries, empathy, and encouragement to build
confidence.
• Good horsemanship is fundamentally the same across all disciplines
— the understanding of horse behavior, the way we handle horses on
the ground, and effective use of our bodies on the horse works whether
we’re jumping a course or riding Western.
• Horsemanship starts at home. Being involved in your horse’s daily
life allows you to understand their behavior and personality to track
patterns and changes. Even if your horse is in a full program or you
work full-time, take the time to learn and observe as much as you can.

LESSON TWO: Worksheet
UNDERSTANDING YOUR HORSE

(or the horse you ride most often)
1. What type of personality does my horse, or the horse I ride, have?
2. What quirks or interesting habits does my horse have?
3. What things or occurrences tend to irritate my horse or make them anxious?
4. How does my horse act on the crossties? For the vet? For the farrier?

LESSON TWO: Worksheet
5. What type of rider am I? Am I confident? Nervous? Strong? Gentle?
6. How am I currently affecting my horse?
7. How would connecting deeper and communicating better improve my relationship with my
horse and help our performance as a team?

LESSON THREE
BUILDING A
STRONG
PARTNERSHIP

LESSON OVERVIEW
Similar to children, horses have complex feelings, thoughts, and emotions. To get the most out of
our horse, we must first understand that. Second, we must make it our mission to build a strong,
confident partnership. While horses are athletes and have a job to do, they are not slaves or
machines, and it’s our duty to learn what makes them feel their best.
From building your horse’s confidence through healthy boundaries and consistent correction, to
finding your ‘flow’ and becoming one unit, connection with our horses affects everything we do
from grooming to horse show performances.
Becoming ‘One’ With Your Horse
Riding horses, working with horses, and training all comes down to communication. When
you watch top riders in any discipline, it looks as if the horse is doing it on its own; they’ve really
become ‘one’ with that horse.
To reach that point of ‘oneness’ we first must look at the way we communicate with one another.
Communication is a two-way conversation; we’re not simply demanding what we want — horses
are not machines, they’re our partners. We have to ask questions and ask them to perform, but also
listen to them and understand the way they respond. Yes, there has to be training and correction,
but rewards and empathy are incredibly important when it comes to building confidence in our
horse. We first must believe in them, and we must give them the necessary training to help them
believe in themselves, too.
Each and every horse is different, which can be challenging. But as you develop as a horseman
or horsewoman, that will start to be a fun challenge. Each horse is a new opportunity to better
understand horse behavior and improve the way that we, as riders and trainers, communicate with
these animals. As you grow in experience, you’ll be able to tune into when different horses need
different things from you –– when a horse needs a stronger ride, or when you need to be light.

Becoming the Best Rider for Your Horse
Horses are a reflection of their riders. Horses are adaptable and can read our emotions, feelings,
and levels of confidence. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being novice or inexperienced,
and a good, experienced horse will understand its job in this situation and help you grow into the
most confident version of yourself.
This is part of why matching yourself with the right horse, for your current level, is crucial so that
you’re able to develop into the type of rider who can adapt to any horse. You must first build your
own confidence before helping a young or timid horse build theirs. This is not to say that you can’t
grow together! This simply must be done slowly and systematically and is usually best done with
the help of a coach or trainer.
The way we are as riders greatly impacts our horses so it’s our duty to become the best riders
we can be for them. This often means taking our own needs, wants, and preferences out of
the equation so we can support our four-legged partners. It all starts with that listening,
understanding, and communication.
Setting Healthy Boundaries
We often forget to think about how horses feel about themselves. Similar to children, we need
to be aware of our horses self-esteem and the way they feel emotionally in the barn, while being
handled, and under saddle. Each horse is different and requires a different approach. The key is
knowing and reading your horse.
Because horses are herd animals, one important way we can support their confidence, while also
making sure they are pleasant to handle, is by setting healthy boundaries. Over-spoiling horses
doesn’t actually make them happier; horses crave order and enjoy having a job to do, whether that’s
being a pet, trail riding, or being a sport horse.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Riding horses, working with horses, and training horses all comes
down to communication.
• Communication is a two-way conversation; we’re not simply demanding
what we want — horses are not machines, they’re our partners.
• Empathy and understanding is crucial when working with horses.
• The feeling of becoming ‘one’ with the horse is a sign of a true
partnership.
• Training and boundaries are important parts of developing a
partnership.
• Horses are reflections of their riders.
• Horses feel and interpret our demeanor and behavior, both on the
ground and in the saddle.
• Every horse is different. They have unique personalities, different needs,
and different levels of confidence.

LESSON THREE: Worksheet
BUILDING THE PARTNERSHIP
Over the next seven to 14 days, keep a journal each time you ride, groom, or interact with your
horse (or the horse that you most often ride or work with). Each day, answer the following
questions:
1. What mood was I in today? What emotions, feelings, or behaviors did I exhibit around my
horse?
2. What mood was my horse in today?
3. How did my horse behave on the ground today?
4. How did my horse behave under saddle today?
5. Did I notice anything unusual about my horse’s behavior today?
6. Did my horse respect my boundaries today?
7. How did we get along as partners today?
8. What could I do next time to better understand, empathize with, and communicate with my
horse to strengthen our partnership?


Over the next seven to 14 days, keep a journal each time you ride, groom, or interact with your
horse (or the horse that you most often ride or work with). Each day, answer the following
questions:
1. What patterns did I notice while keeping this journal?
2. Did my own emotions and feelings affect my horse?
3. What factored into my horse behaving in certain ways?

4. What struggles did I notice most prominently?
5. What elements of our partnership have the most room for improvement?

LESSON FOUR
CREATING THE
CONNECTION

LESSON OVERVIEW
In this lesson, we’re focusing on clear communication during our rides, through the use of our
aids, our position, and our mental focus in the saddle. We’ll develop an understanding of the way
we ‘talk’ to our horse while riding, as well as how our horse responds to us in a variety of ways
–– from the way they sense our focus and moods, to the way they respond to pressure, release, and
reward.
Using Our Bodies to Connect
The way that we ‘talk’ to horses while in the saddle is through the combination of our aids –– legs,
seat, hands, and voice.
When we talk about communication, a large part of the ‘conversation’ that we have with our horses
occurs while riding. Our aids allow us to communicate with the horse through pressure and
release; asking questions and expecting answers. Horses learn and respond through pressure and
release, so it is through using different degrees of pressure that we’re able to communicate exactly
what we want.
There are different degrees of correction we apply while ‘talking.’ We first ask with a small amount
of pressure and gradually increase the pressure until we achieve the desired result –– this could
mean first applying leg, then contact with the spur, then a tap with the stick. Once that desired
result is achieved, it’s very important that we reward the horse for responding. Through the release
of pressure combined with reward, we’re teaching the horse to be light and responsive.
The way we use our aids all comes down to connection. Without connection to the horse,
communication can’t take place. The way you sit in the saddle, carry your hands, and use your legs
all influence connection. There is also an intangible element to connection –– the energy that
you’re bringing to the ride, your intention, and what you’re feeling while riding all impact the way
your horse is able to connect with you and understand what you want from them.

Keeping ‘Real Life’ out of the Saddle
Your horse knows more about you than you might think. Horses are incredibly sensitive to
energies and emotions; if you bring stress from school, work, or home to the barn, your horse will
feel that. Your horse will feel if you’re fully focused or if you’re not quite in the moment. As much as
you can, be fully present each time you ride — you owe that to yourself and to your horse.
Working as a Team
Good equitation isn’t about looking pretty. Great riding is about the way you affect the horse and if
you can support that horse to perform at their best. Even if you’re not particularly experienced, you
can begin to develop a deep connection that allows you to understand what your horse is thinking,
what they need from you, and how to shape their behavior with your aids.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Communication starts with our position in the saddle. The correct

position allows us to effectively communicate and make things as easy
as possible on our horses.
• We ‘talk’ to horses through the combined use of our aids –– seat, legs,
hands, and voice.
• Good equitation isn’t about looking pretty. It’s about using our
bodies in the most effective way to support and encourage our horse’s
performance and communicate with them invisibly.
• Through the development of our aids and experience in the saddle, we
can begin to develop a sense of ‘oneness’ with our horse.
• Horses are sensitive: they always pick up on your moods and emotions.
Do your best to leave ‘real life’ behind for the short time that you are on
your horse. Carrying that stress, worry, or distraction to the saddle is not
fair to you or your horse.

LESSON FOUR: Worksheet
DEVELOPING THE AIDS
For the next seven to 14 days, keep a journal after each ride. If you work with a trainer or coach, ask
them for feedback or journal collaboratively. Each ride, answer the following questions:
1. Was I focused and present during today’s ride?
2. Did I carry any stress from my everyday life to my ride today?
3. How effectively do I feel I used my body and aids to communicate with my horse today?
4. How responsive was my horse to my aids?

5. Were there moments when he/she was dull? Were there moments when he/she was very
light and responsive?
6. Did my horse act up today when I asked something of him/her?
7. What do I think my horse could have been trying to tell me when they acted up?
8. Are there any areas where I feel like my horse and I are not ‘getting’ each other or not
communicating?

9. What are three ways I can better communicate with my horse while riding?
10. How do I feel overall about the communication between my horse and I during my ride
today?

LESSON FIVE
USING TRANSITIONS
TO BUILD
TEAMWORK

LESSON OVERVIEW
If you want to jump courses of any height, advance in dressage, or perform any type of athletic
endeavor on a horse, you must first master the art of basic flatwork.
Flatwork might seem simple, but if you can’t do something at the walk, you can’t do that task at
the canter or over fences. Practicing deliberate flatwork and incorporating specific, accurate
transitions and targeted lateral work allows us to develop a clear understanding of precisely how
our bodies and aids interact with our horse and what their body feels like when they respond
properly to our questions. This is the key ingredient in developing ‘feel’ and a deep connection.
Going Back to Basics
Transitions, as simple as they may seem, are imperative in developing connection with your horse
and our ‘feel.’ If you can’t do something at the walk, you won’t be able to do it between jumps or
during a difficult dressage test.
First, slow things down –– practice the use of your aids and the communication with the horse
during walk transitions until you feel completely in sync.
Encouraging Self-Carriage
Another purpose of transition work, in addition to developing the connection and ‘feel’ with our
aids, is to encourage the horse to participate actively as a partner. Through support with the leg,
a light but active seat, and soft, elastic hands, we encourage the horse to ‘carry’ himself –– to stay
engaged, push from the hind end, use their back, and accept contact with the bit. The horse should
learn to work from back to front, using their hind end as the motor to propel the connection into
the bit.
To encourage self-carriage, think about riding the horse’s full body with your full body. It’s a
complete, full body connection from rider to horse.

Practicing Accuracy, Timing, and Elasticity in Upward Transitions
In upward transitions, focus on the lightness and self-carriage that we’ve developed in the walk-
halt-walk and walk-trot-walk transitions that we’ve already worked on. Transitioning upward into
the canter from a halt or walk helps us to pay attention to every detail and really feel the way our
horse’s body works. We can also feel if there is any confusion or resistance.
Transitions also let us practice being elastic and supportive, encouraging the horse to use their
whole body in an effective manner. If we’re thinking forward, the horse will be thinking forward.
This work directly translates to all kinds of jumping, as well as to dressage. Without the ability to
create propulsion from the hind end, effectively communicate what we want, and work together
for accurate timing, we can’t expect to jump bigger courses, collect in lines, or perform exercises
like flying changes.
Asking New Questions
When riding, we carry on a constant conversation with our horses. Practicing transitions allows
us to develop an understanding of the way our aids and bodies interact with our horse’s minds and
bodies. Beginning to incorporate new questions, such as a counter canter, further deepens that
connection and your horse’s ability to understand you and the way that you ask for things. It also
lets you gauge how effectively you’re asking questions –– does your horse immediately ‘get it,’ or is
your direction unclear?
Going Further With Lateral Work
Once you’ve mastered the use of your aids, feel that you can effectively and accurately
communicate with your horse, and your horse understands exactly how to use their body, you can
start to introduce lateral work. Lateral work –– here we’re focusing on shoulder-ins and shoulder-
outs –– reinforce the “whole body riding the whole body” concept and force us to support the horse
with our aids even more. This type of work is also great for the horse as it strengthens their bodies,
helps with self-carriage, and gives them a challenging but very doable task to focus on.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• If you can’t do something correctly at the walk, you can’t do it cantering,

jumping, or anywhere else.
• Flatwork builds the foundation for your partnership. You must master
basic flatwork together before aspiring towards more.
• Transitions allow us to practice communication with our horses by
asking specific questions, immediately being able to gauge their
response, and by feeling the way that their bodies respond to our aids.
• We should always feel that our ‘whole body’ is riding our horse’s whole
body.
• Transition work encourages self-carriage, which is a key element in all
types of jumping and dressage.
• Light, elastic aids encourage lightness and self-carriage in the horse.
• The idea behind transition work and lateral work is for our horses
to completely understand what is being asked of them and to give it
willingly.

LESSON FIVE: Worksheet
TRANSITION WORK AT HOME
Dedicate one to two full rides per week for the next four weeks to working through the specific
transitions and lateral work outlined in the video lesson. Be sure to pay attention to the videos
and slow-motion footage to get a visual representation of exactly how to use your aids and the way
that your horse should respond. Work systematically through each exercise, first mastering the
walk transitions and working through any confusion or difficulty before moving on to the next
challenge.
At the end of the four weeks, use the space below to journal your key takeaways from your
transition and lateral work with your horse.

LESSON FIVE: Worksheet

LESSON SIX
DEVELOPING
YOUR FEEL

LESSON OVERVIEW
When we hear people talk about top riders, they often describe the great ‘feel’ that a rider has.
What they’re talking about is a sense of deep connection and understanding that particularly
skilled riders are able to develop –– an extra sense that allows them to tune into precisely what the
horse they’re riding needs from them to do their best.
Riders with a sense of ‘feel’ are the ones that you see make effortless adjustments to pace and speed
for beautiful distances, support horses in precisely the right way through difficult challenges, and
seem to be completely in sync with the horse below them.
While ‘feel’ can be a bit of an elusive quality, it’s something that can be understood now and then
developed over time with the right mindset and the right kind of practice.
Understanding ‘Feel’
We practice communication with our horse through working on basic exercises, like transition
work, then moving on to bigger questions. The ultimate end result that we’re after is a quality that
horse people call ‘feeling.’
The top riders can sense instantly what a horse needs to change a behavior, better answer a
question, and to perform their best. They can adjust their aids or position at a moment’s notice,
lightening or becoming stronger when needed. A rider that has tremendous feel knows what
works and what doesn’t work, and what the horse needs from them –– it’s almost a sixth sense.
Feel typically comes from hours in the saddle and experience, but it’s also a mindset –– you must
be present during your rides and have a growth-mindset so that you’re tuned into your horse,
thinking more about your relationship and connection with them than your own wants and needs.
The Fundamentals of Feeling
When in the saddle, we’re having that constant conversation with our horse through our aids. It’s
through consistent application of our aids that horses are able to learn what we want and we’re
able to develop a sense of feel.
Great riders are consistent –– they’re 100% present and do things methodically. If you’re always
asking things in the same manner, your horse will start to provide answers immediately, and you’ll
be able to start creating the small, nearly invisible nuances that make up having a ‘feel.’

Many riders take a horse’s response for granted. It’s our job to teach and shape the way that horses
respond to us and to constantly improve the way that we communicate with them in the saddle.
While it may be more fun to skip ahead to more advanced exercises, the only way to become a
rider with a true sense of ‘feel’ is to work on the basics and master that sense of connection.
Being Better for Our Horses
One of the best ways to understand your horse is to essentially “be the horse.” If we’re
always thinking, “How can I be better for my horse?”, we’ll be on the right path to becoming
understanding, empathetic, effective riders.
1. If you expect your horse to be an athlete, you should be an athlete. The more fit and healthy
you are, the more functional you are for you horse.

2. Understand the care that your horse goes through. Understanding what icing,
acupuncture, etc. feels like will help clue you in to what your horse feels.
3. Work on your mental skills: if you want a confident, happy horse, you first must be able to
feel calm, confident, and happy in the saddle. Working with a sports psychologist, doing
self-led mental skills programs, or even practicing basic skills on an experienced horse all
lead you to the mindset that you need to be the best rider possible for your horse.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• ‘Feel’ is a term used to talk about a deep understanding that top riders
have of the horses that they ride.
• ‘Feel’ takes time and experience to develop, but can be created through
being present, deliberate practice, and repetition.
• Both horses and riders learn through repetition –– the more you
perform an exercise, the more you’ll be able to understand the nuances
and develop a feel.
• Our horses deserve the best possible versions of us as riders.
• We should aim to first embody what we expect of our horses: if we
expect them to be athletes, we should be athletes. If we expect them to
be strong and confident, we should also be strong and confident.
• Our mental state directly affects our ability to ride off of feel.

LESSON SIX: Worksheet
BE THE HORSE
Fill out this worksheet now, with the intention of revisiting in one month.
1. What do I expect from my horse as a partner?
2. Do I currently embody those qualities as a rider?
3. What steps can I take to better understand how my horse thinks, feels, and behaves?

LESSON SIX: Worksheet
4. What specific steps can I take over the next month to become a better rider for my horse?
5. How do I currently rank, on a scale of 1 - 5, my sense of ‘feel’ while riding?

LESSON SEVEN
FEELING
OVER FENCES

LESSON OVERVIEW
A big part of ‘feel’ that most people immediately notice when watching very skilled, experienced
riders jump is their ability to effortlessly find effective distances to the jumps. A lot of this comes
from experience –– the more you jump, the more you’ll develop a sense of where you are. But
there are ways to expedite this process and form those neural pathways, including the counting
exercises that we’ll learn in this lesson.
Keep in mind that these exercises are best practiced over very small jumps, as it’s not about the
jumps themselves, but instead about developing your eye, sense of place, and ability to feel what
your horse needs from you to maintain an even, quality canter.
If you’re just starting out, or if you’d like to first go back to basics, you can do these exercises over
poles on the ground. Even if you do not ride a jumping discipline, these exercises are excellent
for developing feeling. Dressage riders, Western riders, and pleasure riders can all benefit from
a better understanding of spatial awareness, canter quality, and how changes in position can
affect the way you interact with obstacles. These exercises are not solely about jumping, but about
developing that ‘sixth sense’ of feeling on the horse.
Counting for Feel, Presence, and Finding the Distance
Counting exercises help our feel by developing a sense of timing, awareness of how our horse feels
beneath us, and forcing us to be completely present in the saddle. Each of the following exercises
challenges us in a different way, but all focus on creating a sense of feel. While these will help with
accuracy and your ability to find a distance, a perfect distance isn’t the focus here — the mistakes
in these exercises are actually just as valuable as the successes.

Creating a Morning Routine
In this exercise, we’ll use a long approach to a fence.
To begin, you’ll start with counting “one” when you are one stride from the pole or fence. Once
you’ve mastered that, you’ll count “one, two” when you are two strides away. You’ll continue to
follow this pattern of counting up from one until you can count eight strides out.
Tips:
• Always count up from one, not down from eight.
• The idea of this exercise is to gain a deeper understanding, not forcing in strides to fit your
counting. Allow your horse to maintain their rhythm as you count — don’t adjust their stride
length to fit your counting if you are slightly off. Simply continue the exercise on a steady
canter until you have mastered the number you’re working on.
• Look early and think early. Many riders focus on the jump too late. The moment you turn,
mentally lock your focus on the jump or pole.
Counting up on a Figure-of-Eight
This exercise is very similar to the first exercise, but adds an increased level of difficulty by
incorporating consistent turns through a figure-of-eight pattern. This allows us to better develop
our feel of the canter through turns, how our horse responds to our aids, and improve the accuracy
of our eye through the turns.
Tips:
• Failure is feedback in these exercises: do not beat yourself up if you make a mistake! The
mistakes are our best learning opportunities in these exercises.
• During the turns, focus on feeling your horse beneath you, using all of your aids, and helping
your horse to maintain self-carriage in the turn. As soon as you complete the turn, focus on
the jump and begin your counting.
• Practice and repetition are key in mastering these exercises.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Counting exercises are a great way to develop a sense of feel, which

will in turn help you improve your accuracy, timing, and ability to find
distances.
• Focus is a key ingredient in developing feeling.
• These exercises can be done over poles or very small jumps, and are
suitable for all levels of rider. The focus shouldn’t be on the jump itself,
but instead on the rhythm, feel, connection, and timing.
• Even if you don’t jump your horse, you can benefit from these exercises.
Simply use a pole on the ground instead of a jump –– you will still get
the same benefits.
• The mistakes that we make in these exercises offer us the most valuable
feedback. Appreciate and learn from the mistakes.

LESSON SEVEN: Worksheet
COUNTING EXERCISES
Dedicate one to two rides per week for the next four weeks to work through the two counting
exercises outlined in the video lesson. Be sure to pay attention to the videos and tips to get a
representation of exactly how to perform the exercises and the goals that we’re working towards.
Work systematically through each exercise, first mastering counting up from one on the long
approach. If you work with a coach or trainer, ask them to participate by setting these exercises up
in a lesson and observing you, as well as offering feedback. If you are working alone and do not
wish to jump, or your horse does not jump, practice these exercises over a pole.
At the end of the four weeks, use the space below to journal your key takeaways from your
transition and lateral work with your horse.

LESSON SEVEN: Worksheet

LESSON EIGHT
BALANCE AND FEEL

WHILE JUMPING

LESSON OVERVIEW
We’ve learned that the way we use our bodies directly affects the way our horses respond and
behave. Once we’ve mastered flatwork, transitions, and the counting exercises, we can begin to
better fine-tune the way our bodies influence our horses in the air over fences.
If our balance is off, our horses can’t jump their best. Also, if we’re balancing on the neck or
gripping with our knees, we’re losing our ability to fully connect with the horse (whole body
riding) and we need that deep, thorough connection both over the jumps and between jumps in
order to effectively communicate.
This exercise is fun and can be performed over jumps of any height. The easiest way to set this
up is to create a gymnastic grid of one to two stride combinations on a straight line. Jumps can
be very small to start and work up to your normal school height with practice. If you ride a non-
jumping discipline, you can perform this exercise over a series of poles placed one to two strides
apart in a straight line, practicing your balance as you two-point over each pole.
Although we call this the ‘automatic release exercise,’ it’s less about learning the automatic release
and more about understanding how your own body behaves in the air and how that interacts with
the horse.
Beginning With Balance
Balance affects everything we do while riding. Being balanced and having weight in the right
places directly influences the way we use our aids to communicate and connect with the horse.
Part of being an effective rider is also knowing when to get out of your horse’s way. In the air over
fences, this means staying perfectly balanced over the horse, giving them plenty of release in their
head and neck without losing the connection through the hands, and maintaining the connection
with the legs so you’re not taking them on and off abruptly.
Once you develop this sense of balance, you’ll feel your horse relax and begin to use themselves
more athletically.

Practicing the Automatic Release Exercise
Instructions:
To practice this exercise, set up a gymnastic grid of appropriately sized fences (starting with
smaller than you usually jump). You can perform this over poles or cavalettis as well. As you
progress, you can increase the size of the jumps.
You’ll flip the grip of your hands upside-down so that your thumbs are on top of the reins –– this
forces us to have light hands. On the approach to the jump, spread your hands wide, several inches
away from the neck. Maintain this hand position throughout the gymnastic as you move through
your two-point, landing, approach, and two-point again. Keep the weight in your heels, your eyes
up, and use your core to support you over each fence.
Performing the Exercise
When you do this exercise successfully, you’ll start to feel perfectly balanced in the air, keep the
connection with your leg, and notice that your horse will begin jumping up to you as opposed to
you throwing your body towards them.
Before trying this exercise over poles, cavalettis, or jumps, make sure you feel completely
comfortable in your flatwork and transitions, and have developed a strong sense of balance on the
flat. This is a challenging exercise, but one that produces great results and really helps to develop
balance and a sense of feel. This exercise exemplifies partnership and connection by allowing you
to help your horse through proper balance and use of aids while also realizing when to step back
and allow your horse to perform without your interference.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• The more balanced we are as riders, the more balanced our horses can be.
• Sometimes the best way to connect with our horses is by making sure
that we’re not interfering with their ability to do their best.
• Practicing balance exercises makes us more aware of how we use our
bodies while on our horses.

LESSON EIGHT: Worksheet
PRACTICING THE AUTOMATIC RELEASE EXERCISE
Set up the automatic release exercise alone or with a trainer at a height that feels comfortable to
you. Practice going through the exercise at a low height until you feel perfectly balanced in the air,
able to use your aids effectively while balancing, and feel that your horse is able to perform their
best. Over the next four weeks, practice this exercise once per week. Gradually increase the jump
height until you are jumping at your normal school height while maintaining perfect balance. If
you do not do a jumping discipline, work through the exercise using poles on the ground, each
week adding a pole to the gymnastic line to increase difficulty.
At the end of the four weeks, journal your key takeaways from the exercise below.

LESSON EIGHT: Worksheet

LESSON NINE
PATNERSHIP
IN ACTION:
FILM REVIEW

LESSON OVERVIEW
In the previous lessons, we’ve discussed connection, communication, the use of our aids,
understanding our horses, and developing a feel. Now, we’ll see how all of these elements come
together in a real-life competition setting.
In this review, we’ll watch Anne dissect a grand prix round and jump-off on a younger, less
experienced horse, and how she utilizes all of the lessons from this course to support the horse,
connect with him, and help him feel confident.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Methodical, purposeful practice at home is what sets us up for success

in the show ring, in any discipline.
• A great round always involves a present connection with the horse.
• Success happens when we’re able to stay connected, know how to
communicate, and are able to feel what our horse needs from us in
every moment.
• Communication is constant while competing: we never let the “line go
dead.”
• Every horse reacts differently to a competition environment, which
affects the way you must communicate with them and the way that you
must adjust your ride.
• Remember that competitions are a very different setting than your
home ring: it’s even more important at a show to listen carefully to your
horse and tune in to how they’re feeling.

LESSON NINE: Worksheet
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Journal below what you learned from this film review.

Bonus: Choose three videos of your favorite riders to review yourself. Journal your thoughts below.

LESSON NINE: Worksheet
COMPETITION JOURNAL EXERCISE
At all of your competitions moving forward, keep a daily show journal and
answer the following questions:
1. What were my goals today?

2. Did I accomplish those goals? Why or why not?
3. How was my horse feeling today?
4. What was the environment like? How did that affect my horse?
5. What was the weather like? How did that affect my horse?
6. Did my horse do anything different today than they normally do when we practice at home?
7. How could I communicate better with my horse next time?
8. What does my horse need from me to perform at their best?

LESSON TEN
TYING IT ALL
TOGETHER AND
GETTING RESULTS
Conclusion

LESSON OVERVIEW
First of all — congratulations on making it this far! You’ve already taken the first steps towards
deepening your connection with your horse, learning how to communicate with horses, and
developing your feel. From this point forward, it’s important to continue to take deliberate action
towards your goals and to practice each exercise with methodical repetition until you’ve mastered
the basics. The knowledge in this Masterclass is an excellent start, but it’s putting the various tools
and exercises into practice long-term that will truly allow you to become the best rider you can
possibly be for your horse.
If you work through the course systematically and follow each of the exercises outlined in this
workbook, you’ll begin to feel a difference within weeks. Complete the entire course, then revisit
certain sections often to help you put all of the tools into consistent practice. This strategy will
usher in those big, game-changing results. Remember that this course was designed for riders
of all levels and disciplines, and for those who work alone or in a program with a trainer. Each
exercise can be adapted to your skill level, horse, and situation. If you work with a trainer, it’s great
to involve them in the process to support you in your learning and development.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Be committed to the practice: the more consistent and deliberate you

are in your learning and use of tools, the faster you’ll see results.
• Be 100% present each time you ride.
• Continuously look back at the process and acknowledge the
improvements that you’ve made.
• Incorporate the tools you’ve learned in this Masterclass into your riding
schedule in a way that works for you long-term.
• Keep listening to your horse to deepen the connection.
• Put the horses first — become the best rider and horseman you can be
to support your equine partners.

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MASTERCLASS

MASTERCLASS Anne Kursinski 2

About Your Instructor

This NOËLLE FLOYD Masterclass is a comprehensive course. We suggest dedicating around

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What Anne has learned

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Putting Learning First

Understanding and Appreciating Our Horses

Why Horsemanship Matters

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UNDERSTANDING YOUR HORSE

1. What type of personality does my horse, or the horse I ride, have?

2. What quirks or interesting habits does my horse have?

3. What things or occurrences tend to irritate my horse or make them anxious?

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5. What type of rider am I? Am I confident? Nervous? Strong? Gentle?

6. How am I currently affecting my horse?

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Becoming ‘One’ With Your Horse

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Setting Healthy Boundaries

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BUILDING THE PARTNERSHIP

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1. What patterns did I notice while keeping this journal?

2. Did my own emotions and feelings affect my horse?

3. What factored into my horse behaving in certain ways?

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4. What struggles did I notice most prominently?

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Using Our Bodies to Connect

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• Communication starts with our position in the saddle. The correct

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DEVELOPING THE AIDS

1. Was I focused and present during today’s ride?

2. Did I carry any stress from my everyday life to my ride today?

4. How responsive was my horse to my aids?

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6. Did my horse act up today when I asked something of him/her?

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Going Back to Basics

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Asking New Questions

Going Further With Lateral Work

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• If you can’t do something correctly at the walk, you can’t do it cantering,

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TRANSITION WORK AT HOME