Empowering instructors, students and parents, The ALPHA Equestrian Challenge complements riding lessons by giving clear, detailed schooling on: why we need to be good leaders to our horses; how to be good leaders to our horses; and how to prevent our horses from reacting dangerously out of fear. Rich with full color illustrations, this book helps riders develop safe, trusting relationships with their equine partners, while teaching that more than anything Astute Leadership Prevents Harmful Accidents! Developing good riding skills allows the student to have fun in the saddle, but developing good leadership skills allows the student to keep her horse calm and cooperative so her fun time does not turn into a terrifying experience. Riding and leadership are two completely different sets of skills, yet too many riders learn the hard way, through fear and/or injury, that they missed out on the vital "leadership" part of their education. Created to benefit riding lesson programs, The ALPHA Equestrian Challenge is the instructors" tool for providing their students with the basics of good horse leadership. It empowers instructors to bring along students who are not only good riders, but leaders who know how to keep themselves and their horses safe. The ALPHA Equestrian Challenge empowers students by helping them understand how horses think and behave; it teaches them how to deal effectively with common challenges horses present; it starts students developing groundwork skills so they can get their horses" calm submission prior to mounting; and lastly, through bomb-proofing exercises, it helps students learn how to get their horses to behave calmly no matter what. This book helps students develop good horse leadership skills on the ground; skills they can carry confidently into the saddle for safer riding. Designed for students of all ages, this book encourages "barn parents" to develop their own leadership skills as well, empowering them to help their children have safer riding experiences.