Do you have to be a certified Riding Instructor to teach?

Question

I have been helping my old barn owner and I just had a girl who is leasing my mare ask me to give her lessons. It got me thinking about how much I liked to help people with their riding ability. I would say I am intermediate-advanced rider. I my self am still taking lessons. So do you have to be certified to teach. The lady I take lessons with is a Level 3 Centered Riding Instructor..

Answer 1

no u dont just as long as u no what u are doing  

Answer 2

No, there is no certification required to be an instructor, but I have known many excellent instructors who didn't possess a certification.  

Answer 3

You don't have to be certified, but if you can get certification, then go for it.  I myself would love to take a few lessons with a certified Centered Riding instructor, but there are none in my area.

Answer 4

i suppose it depends on where you plan to teach.

Im 16 and i teach a few lessons on my own but the yard owner is fine with it so it doesnt matter.

If your just casually helping the girl out with her lessons, it should be fine.

good luck.

Answer 5

It just depends on where you live. Certain states require you to be a certified teacher and others do not. For example Florida does not require you to be certified but Massachusetts does. Just check in you state if it is required. Your trainer should know this information.  

Answer 6

You don't need to be certified, you just need experience. If you like teaching and seem to communicate well with your students, then why not teach? Just make sure that if you're charging for lessons, your students know what your level of experience is. All to often, people who are not qualified to teach and are not very good at it, hang a sign and call themselves a "trainer." People just assume they know what they're doing and can find themselves in dangerous situations. That can be scary, and unfortunately it happens a lot.

Answer 7

No, you don't have to be certified to teach, However, very often in order to be insurable to teach, you have to be certified. Insurance companies won't insure someone who isn't a certified instructor, or if they do you can be sure the cost will be very high. And you'll for sure want insurance, to protect yourself should any liability issues ensue.

Answer 8

No, unfortunately, you don't NEED certification.  I've seen a lot of people that have experience riding start teaching.  But just because you KNOW stuff, doesn't mean you can TEACH it, and teach it well.  There is a trick to teaching to make it effective, so you really have to be taught to teach.  I know it seems silly but it's true.  That's why school teachers go through years of education and also have to student-teach.  Unfortunately the same is not true in the horse world.  The only trainers I've had that were worth their salt were certified ones.  I know a lot of people like to THINK they can teach, but it's really an acquired skill.

Kind of like most "horse trainers."  Just because you can ride doesn't mean you can train.  And yet so many people who have no business doing so advertise themselves as horse trainers.

Answer 9

You don't need to be certified, BUT I would look into insurance for your own protection just in case. To be a good teacher you should be able to communicate effectively. Remember that they are taking lessons to learn and may not understand everything you are teaching. Explain what something is, how to do it and why you do it. Break it down into simple steps and be prepared to show how  by physical example. And never ever assume someone knows exactly what you are talking about just because they nod and smile. I still get kids who don't know what,or where, the balls of their feet are, and adults who  assume reverse means to go backwards.Get some good books and learn your subject matter.Never try and teach past your own abilities and always keep your students safety foremost in your mind.I started teaching at 13, still love it and am still learning myself. Good Luck and have fun,

Answer 10

You don't have to be certified, but you do need to be able to explain what you know in a way that someone else can understand. The best way I've found to do this is to watch a LOT of lessons and ask your trainer if you can shadow her for awhile to get ideas of how to explain things.

Answer 11

Many excellent instructors are not certified, and many certified instructors are not very good teachers.  What certification will tell you is that the person is serious about teaching, and has a level of book knowledge, and, in the case of some programs, has demonstrated to one degree or a another to the testers that they can give a lesson in their chosen discipline, with some degree of proficiency.  Usually they've had to submit a video, or conduct a lesson in front of a "judge."

So, whether or not to be certified is up to you.  As some others have said, there are some pretty terrible so-called instructors out there (unfortunately I've wasted my money on a few), and experience and a natural ability to teach are the real qualifications needed.  It's too bad we don't have something like the BHS here.   Pony club is too limited in the States, in my opinion.

By the way, I respect instructors who take lessons themselves.  (I teach and take lessons at every chance I can).  I've always figured that if the olympic riders have coaches and instructors, well . . . .it's pretty arrogant for someone to think they're beyond lessons, unless you're talking about someone like Sally Swift or George Morris or David O'Conner, who doesn't ride anymore.

(PS I AM certified, have been for 13 years now).    

Answer 12

no actually i take lessons to and my instructor is not certified she just uses her knowledge with the horse and rider, but shes 35