Susan Yeaman Deal
USHJA Certified Category I Trainer
Susan is an accomplished rider and instructor who has taught hunter seat equitation at Sweet Briar College, St. Andrews College, Eagle's Nest Camp, and elsewhere. The summer camp is a natural outgrowth of her interest in and love of children and horses. Susan teaches lessons year-round, takes students to shows and riding to hounds. Susan rode her horse Penn Park to the 2005 North American Field Hunter Championship.
Susan is an ANRC Level 5 Rider, National Judge, and Steward who serves on the ANRC board as well as the USHJA Youth Council.
Website: www.grovespringfarm.com
Susan's Video Topics:
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Forward Riding Series Part 18 - Longitudinal Control: Coordination of the Rider’s Hands & Legs Part 18 of Susan Deal’s "Forward Riding Series - Exercises for a Rider's First Year" In this video topic, Susan Deal asks her young student for longitudinal movements, adjustments of pace, in order to begin feeling when to increase or decrease hand and leg pressure. When performing transitions from a regular posting trot to a slow sitting trot, for example, the rider must recognize when she needs to use her leg to prevent the pony from breaking to the walk, likewise, too much hand will also cause a break to the walk. This ability to gauge, calibrate and coordinate hand and leg is fundamental to the rider’s progress. Running Time: 3 minutes and 5 seconds |
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Forward Riding Series Part 19 - Lateral Control: Using the Leg & Rein Aids Together to Turn Part 19 of Susan Deal’s "Forward Riding Series - Exercises for a Rider's First Year" Near the end of the young rider’s first year, Susan introduces the indirect rein. This rein aid, used in conjunction with the leg aids, is more sophisticated than an opening rein to facilitate turns. In this video topic, Susan uses exercises with figures, such as circles, half circles and serpentines, to solidify her students’ use of leg and rein aids together. Running Time: 9 minutes and 37 seconds |
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Forward Riding Series Part 2 - The First Lesson for a Beginner Rider Part 2 of Susan Deal's "Forward Riding Series - Exercises for a Rider's First Year" Join USHJA certified trainer, Susan Deal, as she gives young students their first lesson on a horse and starts them on the path of proper position and correct horsemanship. In this video Susan, with her upbeat, encouraging style, shows us her methods for starting a beginner equestrian off right by covering stirrup and girth adjustments, mounting, picking up the reins, proper position, and basic rein aids. The exercises she uses are designed to get the rider comfortable in the saddle. Running Time: 18 minutes and 58 seconds |
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Forward Riding Series Part 20 - Learning to Jump in the Ring Part 20 of Susan Deal’s "Forward Riding Series - Exercises for a Rider's First Year" At this point in the beginning rider’s progress, she can trot independently, steering with her hands off the pony’s neck and she can maintain a solid jump position while negotiating a rail on the ground. During this video tutorial, Susan Deal starts her student over an exercise consisting of rails on the ground and advances from a cross rail with trot poles to a single vertical. Once the young rider is capable of this, she can start to incorporate more jumps until she and her pony are jumping courses. Running Time: 10 minutes and 9 seconds
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Forward Riding Series Part 21 - Steering the Horse with a Driving Rein Part 21 of Susan Deal’s "Forward Riding Series - Exercises for a Rider's First Year" In this topic the young student has progressed to the point that she is beginning to ride on contact. It is important that the rider has tactful arms and hands when riding with contact as not to abuse the horse’s mouth. Susan finds that teaching her students to steer with a driving rein really encourages them to follow the balancing gestures of the horse’s head and neck with sensitivity. Running Time: 8 minutes and 9 seconds |
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Forward Riding Series Part 22 - Communication with the Horse - Progression from the Elementary to Intermediate Level Part 22 of Susan Deal’s "Forward Riding Series - Exercises for a Rider's First Year" As the rider progresses in her abilities, her communication with her horse becomes more fine-tuned. The rider is not only able to feel where the horse is and what the horse is doing, but to affect that movement. In this topic Susan gives her student a specific plan to make various transitions throughout the ring. This exercise works on the rider’s timing, effective use of the aids and leads to a more sophisticated communication level with the horse. Running Time: 2 minutes and 59 seconds |
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Forward Riding Series Part 23 - Learning to Jump in the Ring 2 Part 23 of Susan Deal’s "Forward Riding Series - Exercises for a Rider's First Year" After the rider is secure jumping one low jump, steering well before and after the obstacle, Susan introduces her student to an in and out. The jumps are initially set with an approach trot rail followed by a cross rail to a small vertical. At this point in the rider’s progress, her focus is on position and straightness with the aid of guide rails. Gradually the jumps increase in height, the vertical becomes an oxer, and the rider works to maintain her position over two jumps. Running Time: 4 mintues and 40 seconds |
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Forward Riding Series Part 24 - Learning to Jump in the Ring 3 Part 24 of Susan Deal’s "Forward Riding Series - Exercises for a Rider's First Year" At this stage in the young rider’s progress, she is comfortable jumping a one stride in and out. Susan then adds another element and the horse and rider gain confidence through a triple combination. As before, the rider concentrates on position and straightness through the exercise with the use of guide rails. Ultimately, the rider goes through the triple without hands to better develop balance, weight distribution and spring. Running Time: 6 minutes and 27 seconds |
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Forward Riding Series Part 25 - Learning to Jump Part 4 - Jumping in the Field Part 25 of Susan Deal’s "Forward Riding Series - Exercises for a Rider's First Year" This time Susan Deal introduces her young student and pony to jumps out in the field. The rider has progressed from jumping in an arena and is now ready to meet the challenges of natural jumps like logs and coops in an open field. Susan starts her rider and pony with trot jumps and moves on to cantering the obstacles, taking advantage of an upward slope in the terrain to slow the pony if needed. RunningTime: 4 minutes and 1 second |
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Forward Riding Series Part 26 - Learning to Jump Part 5 - Jumping a Line Part 26 of Susan Deal’s "Forward Riding Series - Exercises for a Rider's First Year" Before the young or beginning student can move on to course work, Susan Deal introduces her to jumping a line. The rider starts by trotting into the line and cantering out working up to cantering both elements. As the focus for the rider is straightness, Susan uses flower boxes and shrubs as guides at each end of the arena. RunningTime: 5 minutes and 9 seconds |
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