Does anyone have suggestions for fun activities to do when teaching beginner horseback riding lessons?

I teach beginner riding lessons (ages 8-12) and I am looking for fun, fresh teaching ideas so I can mix up the lessons a bit.Does anyone have suggestions for fun activities to do when teaching beginner horseback riding lessons?
I spent a couple of years teaching beginner flat lessons to 8 to 10-year-olds. One way to improve balance and make students more comfortable on the horse (assuming you're working with safe, easygoing horses) is to play Simon Says. Have the group walk around the ring and make them follow different commands, such as simon says put both reins in your right hand, simon says put your left hand on your head, simon says drop your right stirrup, etc.





Another idea is to practice different movement patterns, like figure eights and serpentines. I've always really enjoyed serpentines, and it's a great way to teach turning skills (emphasize turning off the leg and using less rein, making turns evenly spaced and moving straight across the ring).





Young riders also seem to really enjoy poles and cavaletti. Horses will just walk or trot over them, but the students feel like they're starting to learn how to jump. Practice riding over the center of the pole and keeping eyes up. You could even set up a line of poles or create a little ';course'; to follow.