| Once the rider has gotten the basics down, the rider | | | | adapt it to different situations. This can be anything |
| has now entered out of the cognitive stage, and into | | | | from being able to learn more about how the horse |
| the associative stage. In this stage, the rider will be | | | | moves, and how each gait is different on each horse. |
| able to notice mistakes made and be able to correct | | | | This means at this point the rider should be trying to |
| them on their own or with little help. In this stage the | | | | move these learned skills into a faster movement. |
| rider should have developed the muscles that are | | | | Trying the movement at a trot, and a gallop are |
| used for asking the horse to walk forward, squeezing | | | | different situations that require the same skills. The |
| and releasing of the reins, and the core muscles | | | | situation change from being able to ride a horse at |
| required to hold a basic riding seat posture. | | | | the walk in a circle should positively transfer to being |
| At this point the rider should not have all the steps | | | | able to ride a horse at the trot. The steps and skills |
| down automatically, but should now each step and | | | | are completely the same, just executed more |
| what order then now fall in. The biggest and most | | | | dramatically with each advance in gait. Keep up the |
| important part of the associative stage is being able | | | | practice, practice makes perfect. |
| to take what the rider has learned, modify it, and | | | | |