COACHING and TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
We don’t just teach we coach – our aim is to develop a rider’s skills and awareness. Encouraging you to be independent in your riding by providing the opportunity to experiment and develop your own understanding. We want you to want us but not need us – we want you to be confident and to thrive and be the best you can be.
We will give you time where necessary to process any learning, and we will help you navigate a way to deal with your nerves and fears. We are understanding and work hard to match an individual’s specific needs and capabilities. We know that home and work life can affect our riding and we will offer you support when the going gets tough.
We make long and short term goals so dreams can become a reality. We help develop your own fitness, mobility, posture and balance. We offer a variety of skill sets including in-hand work using TRT methods, postural/balance training using our dressage simulator, body conditioning and strengthening for horse and rider. In addition, we can cover identification of rider asymmetry using the TESTT process, Kinesiology taping and pole work to aid the horse’s gymnastic ability.
Horses and riders of all levels and disciplines are welcome, our methods include gymnastic work using poles and jumps, hacking and of course schooling & focused training up to GP level with Nicola.
From £42
Groundwork with Nicola
£65 per session
One-to-one lesson
with Nicola – 1 hour
£65
From £42
Groundwork with Nicola
£65 per session
One-to-one lesson
with Nicola – 1 hour
£65
SPARROW OAST CLINICS
Sparrow Oast clinics are designed to make training fun!
We offer a range of different clinics which you can find on our Facebook page each month… they will include:
Sparrow Oast Groundwork / in-hand training with Nicola
Teaching the horse to be more aware of their own bodies. Working on their symmetry, balance, posture and helping them to overcome their own anxiety when they are under pressure eg at competitions, we teach the horse to be in their own self carriage.
SPARROW OAST COMPETITIONS
Sparrow Oast competitions
Bringing horse and rider together showing off their improved balance, suppleness, harmony and ease of movement.
SO runs its own dressage series March to October, culminating in a championship! From sausage rolls to sashes our shows have become really popular, because we offer such a friendly and supportive environment with the best cakes!
My Hoggy Journey
It was back in October 2014 when I first met Hoggy. At this time I had just suffered the biggest crisis of confidence imagineable. My horse was out on loan, my stables were empty and I was on the point of giving up horses altogether. I happened to see a flyer advertising lessons on Hoggy. I had always been intrigued by learning on a computerised, mechanical horse and he was only 20 minutes from me so I thought why not give it a go?
Upon arriving at Sparrow I was immediately impressed. My lesson took place in a warm comfortable building, out of the wind and rain. Hoggy proved enlightening. It was nice to sit on something which I knew would not buck rear, spook or spin and responded perfectly to my aids (when I got them right). I was able to work on my own body without worrying about what was happening with the horse. Of course more lessons followed. Fast forward a while and I was looking for another horse.
Tess arrived at Sparrow some time later after an extensive search. Recently over from Ireland, she was not the schoolmaster I had envisaged but was bought because of her outstanding temperament. I can remember saying at that time I would be thrilled if I could get to elementary level.
Not only have I reached my goal, I have surpassed it. Thanks to Nicola, Hoggy and the team at Sparrow we are now working confidently at elementary with our aim being medium by the end of the year. Hoggy you have saved a lifetime passion for horse from being lost forever to a confidence crisis. I cannot thank you enough.