Any riding instructors out there ?. I need your help?

Question

Okay im 16 years old, and staying on at school. have average grades, and i like to go riding quite regulary. I have worked at riding schools, and volunteered at the riding for the disabled association, so im not a total begginer with horses.

Well my question is, i want to become a riding instructor and train horses, but i have no idea who or where to go to. Can someone help me with what type of qualifications i need, can i go to college or uni to learn about it, or whether im just chasing a hopeless cause. What did you do, to become an instructor

My parents want me to join the police but this is what i really want to do, should i give up or go for it ??.

I live in Scotland < if that helps :) x

Answer 1

There are certain qualification you can get to become an instructor but the main thing is experience. The best instructors are usually thoses who show and train horses for a living as well. Help out an instructor and maybe they would be willing to give you a try. I did it on and off from about 16-18 but it doesn&#039;t pay well enough to make a career out of. That said, the very top riders can get a lot for a lesson which means they can ususally survive. You don&#039;t get paid very much for a lesson and then you use most of that to keep up the care of a lesson horse. Then you have to pay for insurance so if a student gets hurt your not liable, once all that&#039;s done there&#039;s not much left. The other thing is lesson students can be undependable. They might give up riding, move to another instructor, not show up to lessons etc. That means you don&#039;t have a steady income. That said, it&#039;s very rewarding and super fun. Only you can decide whether having money or having fun is more important in the long run.

Answer 2

In the USA, the American Riding Instructors Association certifies instructors.  Many programs are available around the country to become certified.  Unfortunately, in the states, anyone who has ever accepted 10 dollars to teach someone their version of riding can call themselves a riding instructor, take people&#039;s money and get away with it.  I&#039;m glad you plan to be certified...I hope you go for it, because we need more certified trainers and instructors in the horse industry.

Answer 3

OK! first thing is dont let the last few comments put you off!!!

to become an equine instructor the best way to achieve qualifications is through the BHS stages, once you get an AI you are insured by the BHS and can charge a good rate per lesson.

If you are serious about doing it you need to have experience yourself, but not at a riding school, you need to find horses to ride and compete and in the begining you might have to pay the owner, but if your commited you´ll do well and make a name for yourself, all this can be done on weekends and after school... trust me i did it!

I really would advise you to do freelance instructing instead of riding school, instructors at riding schools are generally underpaid and overworked, but with freelance you name you hours and price.

there are also many colleges that you can got to at 16 or as a mature student to study equine management, science, riding and training, the closest to you would be kirkley hall in northumberland. (google kirkley hall equine and the page will come up)



hope some of this helps!

p.s. my parents wanted me to be a lawyer and were very pushy about it, but your parents love you so if you sit and talk to them like an adult about why you want to become and instructor and how you can achieve it i am sure they will accept it and in time support it! GOOD LUCK!!!

Answer 4

Summer 2008 Riding Instructor

http://www.riding-instructor.com/

=)

Answer 5

You&#039;ll be better paid and work better hours in the police!

Your best bet would be to do the BHS stages and the PTT (preliminary teaching test) - you need 500 hours of teaching experience before you can sit the BHSAI.  I got my AI many many years ago, I grew up with horses and my mother was a BHSI who guided / pushed me up the ladder.

As for starting off - you could get a job as a working pupil.  It&#039;s slave labour and you&#039;ll be working every hour of the day for the priviledge of being put through the stages, but you&#039;ll be on the yard not in a classroom.  Or you could go to college - Oatridge in West Lothian is very good and they have courses from about equal with BHS stage 2, up to an HND. You&#039;ll need a few highers (probably 2 or 3) to get onto the HNC/D course - but only experience for the lower courses.

Answer 6

Hey, what about joining the Police and then moving on the the Mounted section.

You have the best of both worlds, you are happy and your folks are happy.

I used to live in Bristol as a kid and used to visit the police stable regularly, it was all I wanted to do, then I became a builder like my Dad...to live it over again!!!

Good luck!

Answer 7

At my barn, they offer an instructors exam. Its basicly when you learn how to teach an actually group of riders (mostly the beginners). You have to do a written test and as well as a test when you teach a class. They might have it at your barn/in the area.

Id love to be an instructor as well, but my parents want me to become a teacher (for school, not riding). I dont want to disapoint my parents but i want to follow my dreams. Im not sure if they understand that horses is a big part of my life. Try explaining to your parents how much horses and riding mean to you.

Remember, &quot;Follow Your Dreams!&quot;

Good luck!

Answer 8

Its a long and poorly paid job working with horses. I did myself from 16 to 25. You&#039;d be better getting a good job and earning enought to get one of your own.

get a job that you want, but remember, keeping horses is very expensive. At the very least £100 a week.