Equestrian Canada (EC) English Learn to Ride Program

The Equestrian Canada (EC) English Learn to Ride program provides a structured pathway for junior and senior riders, beginning at Rider Level 1, which introduces fundamental horsemanship and riding skills, and progressing up to Rider Level 10. 

This program is designed to be guided by a Certified and Licensed Instructor or Coach to ensure riders fully understand key concepts before advancing to more challenging levels. Riders demonstrate their progress through a series of increasingly complex written tests, interviews, and under-saddle assessments in both jumping and flatwork.

Evaluator Eligibility

English Rider Level 1-2

• Must be an Equestrian Canada current certified Instructor or Coach who is trained to evaluate the rider levels.
• May be evaluated by own current certified Instructor or Coach who is trained to evaluate the rider levels.
• May be evaluated by a single evaluator.

English Rider Level 3-4

• Must be an Equestrian Canada current certified Coach who is trained to evaluate the rider levels.
• May be evaluated by own current certified Coach who is trained to evaluate the rider levels.
• May be evaluated by the current Instructor with Jump Module (if not their own students) who are trained to evaluate the rider levels.  Note: If candidates are NOT doing the Jump Module, then a current Instructor without the jump module may evaluate (not their own students)
• May be evaluated by a single evaluator.

English Rider Level 5

• Must be an Equestrian Canada current certified Coach who is trained to evaluate the rider levels.
• Evaluators may not evaluate their own students.
• May be evaluated by a single evaluator.

English Rider Level 6-7-8

• Must be an Equestrian Canada current certified Coach who is trained to evaluate the rider levels.
• Evaluators are approved only after they have attended two training events. One may be a classroom presentation of the levels and one event must be to shadow a Rider Level evaluation completing their own set of marking papers to the satisfaction of the Mentor Evaluator. The candidate evaluator may shadow two evaluations as an option.
• Evaluators may not evaluate their own students.
• May be evaluated by a single evaluator.

Upon completing the required training, Licensed and NCCP Certified Competition Coaches will be eligible to evaluate the Learn to Ride program up to and including Level 8. Evaluators will receive all necessary tools and information to conduct assessments.