Discover the Cense
La Cense is a training center in ethological horse riding.
The reference in ethological riding
In 2000, William Kriegel is a pioneer, when he devotes the Cense to a new approach to the man-horse relationship: ethological horse riding. This name brings together horse education techniques, from American horsemanship practiced by the “ whisperers », and scientific knowledge on horse behavior: ethology.
Ethological riding responds to the need to make equestrian practice more respectful of the nature and character of the horse, thus contributing to its well-being and establishing a relationship of trust with the rider.
From 2000 to 2002, La Cense developed its teaching activity in ethological riding and opened La Cense School, the first professional training center, specializing in ethological horse riding.
In 2003, the French Horse Riding Federation created Ethological Knowledge and Federal Certificates for Ethological Horse Riding Supervision (BFE EE 1 and 2). They allow professionals to teach ethological riding and provide their students with Ethological Knowledge.
In 2005, La Cense published the first edition of the book of the La Cense method, a reference work which allows a wide dissemination of the knowledge, know-how and techniques taught at Cense.
Since 2012, the galloping program of the French Equestrian Federation has included some of its techniques and knowledge of ethology.
Today, this approach is essential. La Cense transmits its know-how, to professionals and amateurs, across all equestrian disciplines.
The La Cense Method, an education program for riders and horses
La La Cense method is a training program designed for horse and rider. Its progression of exercises, structured in 8 degrees, helps develop the human-horse relationship and responds to the needs and difficulties encountered by riders in their equestrian practice.
His mission : learn to know the horse better to understand it and develop a relationship of trust with him to evolve together in equestrian practice and become a man/woman of horses.
Its content, accessible to everyone, is taught at La Cense as part of internships, walks, online and professional training, thanks to innovative teaching materials : the book of the method, videos, theoretical and practical works…
It is also learning path offered to riders of all levels.
A certification course in 8 degrees

The Degrees are La Cense diplomas, delivered by instructors trained in La Cense method. Each degree includes around fifteen exercises to carry out to develop skills in ethological riding. At the end of these diplomas, you obtain their equivalence in Ethological Horse Riding Knowledge from the FFE, directly integrated into your license.
La Cense gives each graduate a colored cord, identifying the stage of their progress.
Le technical content of the degrees allows you to achieve the objectives of the “Practical on foot” part of Ethological Knowledge.
Contains the practical part of Knowledge 1.
- Back the horse out of your personal space and achieve stillness for 10 seconds.
- Capture your horse's attention thanks to control of the hindquarters.
- Desensitize using the communication stick, the cord then the lanyard by changing sides correctly.
- Lower the horse's head, touch the head, ears, eyes, mouth.
- Back up using sensation (chamfer – halter) and suggestion (stick – lunge).
- Show slight lateral flexion on each side.
- Control posterior and anterior using a sensation then a suggestion.
- Ask the horse to walk towards you, stop and take him back 3 steps.
- Show the connection by leading the horse next to your elbow at a walk, stop and step back.
- Show the saddle knot of the halter.
- In a small enclosure or box, ask the horse to face you. Putting on and taking off the halter like a horseman.
- Tie up your horse securely.
Contains the practical part of Knowledge 2.
- Desensitize using the plastic bag (stroking and moving around).
- Lead the horse by each foot, and lift each foot correctly.
- “Change your eye” by passing the rope around your rump, and simulate the passage of a strap.
- Back the horse over a bar and into a narrow space.
- Take a lateral bend on the opposite side (on each side); take and return a slight vertical bend.
- Move the rear and forehand 360° using sensation and suggestion.
- Send the horse over an obstacle and a plastic sheet between you and the barrier, then disengage the hindquarters.
- Send the horse in a circle at a trot, then disengage (in both directions).
- Show transitions between walk and trot on the circle.
- Trot the horse back towards you, stop and back up, then trot next to you, stop and back up.
- Lead the horse in an extended and low stance, at a walk and a trot.
- With the stick and plastic bag over the horse's back, lead him into the trailer, back halfway, then re-enter.
- Send the horse into lateral movement along a barrier (in both directions).
- Capturing the horse's attention and connection in a small enclosure.
Contains the practical part of Knowledge 3.
- Sell correctly.
- Move and assess your horse on the ground, re-girdle.
- With 1 rein, check the flexions, hoist yourself up on each side and move the stirrup to the opposite side.
- Make 2 reins, ride correctly, show 10 seconds of immobility then a lateral bend on each side.
- Move the hindquarters using an indirect rein; the forehand with a direct rein; then the hindquarters and forehand in a continuous movement.
- From walk and trot, bend to a stop using side bends.
- Perform a figure eight at a walk using only a support rein.
- On a straight line, trot, stop and walk backwards; 3 times.
- Follow the barrier at a walk and trot, with long reins.
- Perform a figure eight at a walk without using the reins.
- When stationary and walking, take and return a slight flexion.
- Perform a lateral movement using the barrier.
Contains the practical part of Knowledge 3.
- Send the horse to the saddle. Seller on the right. Ask the horse to come to a stand or fence and mount with one rein.
- Riding with a rein. Demonstrate different rein positions, control of direction and impulsion, walking and trotting, stopping and backing up.
- Show the knot to make 2 reins, mount and show lateral bend on each side, stroke the head.
- Be a passenger at a walk and trot, bend to a stop.
- Polo simulation with the stick, follow the barrier by touching it with the stick while walking and trotting.
- Using the communication stick, at a walk and trot, slalom around the cones.
- Show starts from a canter to just from a trot. 2 starts on each foot.
- Show transitions between walk/trot without using the reins, stop and back without tightening the reins.
- When walking and trotting, take and return a slight vertical flexion.
- Circle at walk and trot, take and return a slight vertical flexion with curvature.
- Walk, trot, stop and walk backwards with vertical flexion.
- Demonstrate slight lateral movements using the barrier.
- Jump, stop, jump.
- Show control in case of emergency.
Contains the practical part of Knowledge 4.
- Simulations: dentist, marshal, spray, lawn mower, raincoat, flag.
- Pull something behind the horse on each side.
- Properly put a snaffle on the horse.
- Back up with lightness and vertical flexion by sensation and suggestion.
- Back up by the tail and with pressure around the legs.
- Long reins: straight lines, circles and transitions.
- Active direction changes (send, disengage, send).
- Send over various obstacles including an isolated barrel.
- Send the horse into the van from outside.
- Smooth changes of direction (walk and trot) and transitions up to canter and down to stop and back.
- Bring back to the trot.
- Lead, changes sides behind you. Show up and down transitions (walk, trot, stop, back).
- Barrier-free lateral movements by sensation and suggestion.
- Show off your rope-free connection and communication in large spaces.
Contains the practical part of Knowledge 4.
- Remove the halter. Control posterior and anterior by sensation and suggestion.
- Simulations. Touch the horse everywhere, including delicate areas, farrier, clippers, spray, raincoat, umbrella, flag (including behind the horse).
- Lead at walk and trot, left and right, a horse connected to your outside elbow.
- Trot with a horse connected to your elbow. Change sides behind you while remaining at a trot.
- With a horse connected to your outside elbow, trot, stop and step back. Show active changes of direction (roll-back) along the barrier. To the left and to the right.
- Without moving your feet, ask the horse to take at least 5 steps back, stay still, then come back.
- Send the horse between you and the barrier at a walk and trot, until you have a semi-circle.
- Send the horse in a circle at a trot. Show rising transitions to canter (two turns at each gait). Show transitions down to walking, stopping and backing up. To the left and to the right.
- From a circle, demonstrate smooth changes of direction while trotting. Do it with both hands then trot back to the center. Hit the ground with the cord.
- Move the horse sideways left and right, with and without a barrier.
- Send the horse over various obstacles while maintaining connection
(Examples: obstacles, tarpaulin).
- Connection, communication and imagination in large spaces (ring, career, paddock, etc.)
Contains the practical part of Knowledge 5.
- Lie sideways, lengthwise and kneel on the horse.
- Climb from the barrier or a mount. Walk, turn right and left, stop and go backwards.
- Seller, a cord around the horse's neck. Control the hindquarters, front legs and move the horse laterally in each direction.
- Circle and transitions between bars (walk, trot, canter, stop and move back).
- Show changes of direction and transitions in all 3 gaits. Stop and back up.
- Trot on a figure eight using only the communication stick, and do another figure eight with your arms crossed.
- Starts at a gallop on each foot from a step back. Canter start, stop and back at least 4 times showing canter starts on each foot.
- Show variations between slow, medium and fast in each gait. With a saddle and a universal cord
- Properly put a snaffle on the horse. Take and return a “soft feel” (vertical flexion) in the three gaits, stop and move back.
- Show a square (moving sideways and backwards while maintaining a “soft”
feel”) without moving your hands.
- Ride outdoors, go through water, on bridges, in forests, near vehicles
etc. Ride at three paces in large spaces, stop, move backwards and stay still.
- While remaining on horseback, remove the net and place it on the barrier. With the rope, jump various obstacles (including an isolated barrel). Stop, dismount and walk, your horse following you.
Contains the practical part of Knowledge 5.
- Warm up your horse properly (stretching).
- Ask someone to pass you a flag and then a horse raincoat and move them around the horse while walking with long reins. Pull something behind your horse.
- While maintaining vertical flexion, move the hind legs around the front legs, move the front legs around the hind legs.
- With and without barrier at walk and trot: isolate the head and neck, isolate the front legs, isolate the rear legs.
- Step back into squares, isolating the front and rear legs. Walk back in a circle left and right.
- Maintaining vertical flexion, demonstrate speed and stride control in all three gaits.
- Show at least 4 canter-stop-start canter on the other foot.
- Show a light lateral response when trotting and cantering.
- Show a curved line in a false canter.
- Show 2 foot changes in flight (1 on each side with ground bar allowed).
- With a parachute cord in your horse's mouth, demonstrate vertical flexion at walk and trot, stopping and backing up.
- Show something imaginative you can do with your horse.