A new year begins at La Bergerie, where many activities await horse enthusiasts. For the La Bergerie equestrian center at Juillenay, it's back-to-school time. With 110 diplomas handed out at the end of last season, trained instructor Laëtitia Puccinelli has set very specific objectives for the new year, which will see a marked increase in the number of adults who come to take horse riding classes.

This year will see courses adapted by skill level and by age, which will make it easier to train students in a consistent manner.

Rider and mount are one.
Laëtitia has a very special teaching style. She likes to have students take part in caring for and handling the horses and ponies and gives them theoretical knowledge of the animals. At La Bergerie, the rider works their horse. Even beginners must be aware thtat they are learning while they work their pony. For Laëtitia, the goal is to teach students the basics so they can be one with their pony or horse.

At La Bergerie, lthe choice was made to have a very special teaching style: using everything that happens around the horse to better learn how to ride it. In fact, the horse is trained at the same time as the rider works. The disciplines are varied and students will work in the paddock, but also outside, and will go on rides, and will take part in pony-games and other games. Baby pony classes will enable young children to ride starting at the age of 3. But La Bergerie also offerstrail rides and treks, but also preparation and testing for riding in nature (TREC), Federal exams are prepared for in dressage, jumping and cross and the club travels for competitions.. Also, La Bergerie offers breaking for young mounted horses. Classes over school vacations are a supplement to classes taught throughout the year.. We would also like to point out that schools are welcome, and the structure is set up to accompdate handicapped children.

Juillenay. The recreation center on pony-back (Bien Public from June 10, 2009) Photo Élisabeth Berthier

Children who visit traveling and community recreation centers in the towns of the Saulieu are currently benefitting from the pony introduction classes taught at La Bergerie at Juillenay Trained by Laëtitia, a government-certified instructor, the youngest riders are introduced to the pony and begin riding. As for the bigger ones, they work in the paddock but also go on rides and play games. Thus children, after three sessions each will have learned to guide the pony and to stop. The traveling recreation center has twenty children from Thoisy-la-Berchèreand the majority are from Villargoix. As for the Saulieu and La Roche-en-Brenil sites, they have 15 children. They are all particularly welcoming of this type of activity that is offered to them at a lower cost.