AEL Team
In 2018, Harmony began looking for a way to help students expand their riding and horsemanship abilities, improve confidence, and find more opportunities in the show ring. Through that search, we found The Athletic Equestrian League.
AEL is an organization that promotes horsemanship, correct balanced seat riding, and encourages learning—all ideals that align wonderfully with Harmony and our students’ goals.
What Makes AEL Different?
Competition Structure: In AEL, you compete in three phases. Your scores from each phase are totaled to determine your individual placing, and team placings are determined by combining your top rider’s score in each division.
Flat
Over Fences
Practicum
In your Flat and Over Fences phases, you receive scores and judge’s comments—similar to dressage shows. By receiving your score and judge’s feedback, riders are able to better analyze and learn from each competition, allowing for real progress.
Horse Draw: Like similar organizations, the host team provides the horses riders compete on. Riders are assigned a horse during the Horse Draw, which can be done live (where competitors draw the horse’s name) or during the coaches’ meeting where the steward draws the names.
The Practicum Phase: What Sets AEL Apart
Unlike other organizations, AEL promotes horsemanship skills through the unique Practicum phase. Each Practicum includes specific skills for the various AEL levels and tests:
- Horse care and equipment identifications
- Ability to demonstrate hands-on skills
- Knowledge of definitions and terminology
- Explanations of “why” behind horsemanship practices
Preparation Advantage: For the Over Fences phase, the host team chooses which pattern will be used prior to the competition, allowing competitors the ability to practice and prepare for the specific pattern they’ll ride.
What Makes AEL Different? AEL welcomes riders of all ages and experience levels:
Main Team
Adult Group
Mini Group
Benefits of AEL
AEL has allowed Harmony students to:
- Improve riding skills and confidence through regular lessons and team practices
- Gain experience competing on unfamiliar horses
- Show without the enormous expense associated with taking horses to other types of competitions
- Develop as well-rounded, knowledgeable horsemen and horsewomen
Harmony’s AEL Team consists of Minis, Adults, and 4th-12th graders. Practices are divided into two groups based on age, allowing us to maximize individual attention while promoting team development. We are open to all!
During practices we focus on:
- Improving our Over Fences patterns
- Learning memory techniques for courses and tests
- Practicing our Practicums
- Learning how to make a mistake and quickly move on
- Increasing physical fitness
- Finding strategies to deal with show nerves
Harmony’s AEL Team is open to anyone interested—you do not need to be a regular Harmony student to join us.
Ready to Join Our Team?
For more information about Harmony’s AEL Team, please contact:
Stacey@harmonyequestriancenter.com