Evening Classes

Tuesday - Balance and Coordination

7:00 - 8:00pm, Wanda Bendisch, £37

The aim of this evening class is to develop a positive attitude towards riding through releasing stress and supporting the rider’s confidence by working on our level of fitness and coordination. Through developing a better balance on the horse we increase the rider’s equilibrium and his seat on the horse.

Our aims are to improve mobility and flexibility, core stability, postural alignment, weight loss, cardiovascular fitness and create a oneness with our horse. The class is mainly for the novice rider who is capable to walk, trot and canter independently. But we also welcome the adult rider who has started riding recently and would like to try riding in a group in a relaxed atmosphere.
We like to try different things on our Tuesday evening class like vaulting, fitness workouts, riding to music etcetera. If you would like to try anything special let us know 🙂

One hour group ride.

Elite Young Riders Club

6:00 - 7:00pm, Joao Cavaco, £40

Since the summer of 2014 Joao Cavaco has run a very successful Elite Young Riders Club on every Wednesday night, specialising in Dressage.
The club teaches Young Riders how to develop their way of riding, whilst teaching some of our Advanced School Horses and ponies to develop within their paces and movement. Joao teaches in a very unique way to get the children to progress and enjoy Dressage.
As Joao is very busy and doesn’t usually teach children it is a fantastic opportunity to learn from a professional and an Advanced Instructor. All riders need to be of a certain level, and need to be willing to listen to criticism and advice. Tariq, Toby and Millie are main horses within the group, however other horses and ponies are frequently used.

Wednesday - Joao's Advanced Dressage Evening

7:00 - 8:00pm, Joao Cavaco, £40

Our chief instructor Joao Cavaco has a busy teaching calendar but Wednesday Nights you have the chance to join his class to learn and practice advanced dressage movements on our advanced horses. Joao’s very direct and charming portugese manner combined with challenging exercises will make you sweat and laugh. From time to time he will jump on one of the horses and ride through the movements to explain to you exactly what you need to focus on and how to be the rider and not the passenger on the horse.

Wednesday - Joao's Advanced Dressage Evening

Thursday - Jump Club

6:00 - 7:00 pm, Evening Classes, £37

Show jumping Thursdays are now running and open to anyone capable in walk, trot and canter that can manage a small jump. You will need to be assessed for the group before joining as it is a group that works on improving the horses way of going over and around fences. Learn different exercises to help your confidence, balance and light seat position.

One hour group ride.

Thursday - Dressage, Tea & Cake Club

7:00 - 8:30pm, Nicola Swain, £37

The Thursday evening class is targeted at riders have a good understanding of the basics and have progressed from the novice groups and who wish to push their riding and baking skills further.

The sessions consist of a 1hr ride, followed by a lecture/discussion with tea (or coffee) and home baked cake.

The principal instructor for the group is Nicola Swain. Nicola focuses on the scales of training and the interaction between them to improve her riders’ abilities. The techniques she employs ensure that the riders both have a goal to work to and have to work to that goal.

The group was initially set up by one of the other instructors as a lighthearted alternative to Wanda’s Tuesday Balance and Fitness Club, quickly earning the nickname the Fatness Club due to the requirement of all members taking turns to bake a cake. The competitive nature of the group works well to push both their riding and baking skills forwards.

This is a very popular group and riders who are interested in joining the group are welcome, subject to space being available.

Friday - Pony Club

5:30 - 7:00pm, Leila Khaldi, £32.50

Our Friday Pony Club is a firm favourite with our child riders & Pony Club members. Sessions include a one hour ridden session including polework, lateral work and confidence building for all ages. the session also includes a half hour stable managment lecture working towards Pony club achievement badges. These sessions are fun and interactive for all ages of riders able to walk, trot and canter.

Leila Khaldi

, Evening Classes,

BHSAI Instructor with multiple skills including side saddle and western.

Leila is no stranger to Contessa! She started her training here in 2006 gaining her ABRS ITA and her PTT. After working at various yards, from private competition yards of Para Dressage riders as a competition groom to a big college yard where she was the assistant manager, Leila returned to Contessa with her BHSAI and is working towards her BHSII. Leila has recently gained her BHS Stage 4 Care certificate. “I returned to Contessa to for fill my ambitions and further my equestrian knowledge from the best people in the industry who are also now dear friends. Contessa is a rare place and is a way of life not just a work environment”.

Leila loves teaching riders of all abilities and ages and is especially good at building peoples confidence while riding. Leila has her own event horse who she has introduced to western. She has plans that he will learn side-saddle this year.

Leila is currently competing her horse ‘Time for Change’ (Wills) in affiliated dressage and is scoring well. Leila also shows a keen interest in natural horsemanship. As our office and yard coordinator, she is a key part of our team organising events/shows secretary & is PA to Tina & Dawn. Leila can be regularly seen riding on the majority of all the current clinics with her colour coordinated outfits. Leila was also short listed for the ABRS Golden Spur Award 2015 & a an ABRS training scholarship.

Leila runs our sucessful evening Jump Club groups on Mondays, 6pm Novice jump group & 7pm Intermediate Jump group