"IHRA" - what's it take to get it?

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noobs31

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Hope I have got the acronym right. Reason for asking is an acquaintance on my yard (not been there long) has decided to sell her horse on the advice of one of these. From what I've seen the pony is really not all that bad or problematic, she's just a nervous rider and insists on it hacking out alone which it's not inclined to do.

I also see it on here a lot. Don't want to open a can of worms, genuine and knowledgeable answer to a straight question would be nice.
 
noobs31 said:
Yes, I can google thanks. That's as vague as everything else I've heard about them.

I *think* it stands for "intelligent horsemanship recommended associate".

My question remains, what exactly do they have to do/undertake/pass/prove to get this qualification?
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That link actually takes you to the 'The Steps to becoming a Recommended associate of intelligent horsemanship' (should explain all there).


http://www.intelligenthorsemanship....ed-associate-of-intelligent-horsemanship.html
 
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noobs31 said:
Hope I have got the acronym right. Reason for asking is an acquaintance on my yard (not been there long) has decided to sell her horse on the advice of one of these. From what I've seen the pony is really not all that bad or problematic, she's just a nervous rider and insists on it hacking out alone which it's not inclined to do.
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Possibly the RAis making the recommendation based on her wanting a horse that will hack alone and this one won't?

From my understanding the qualification takes a lot of commitment and the teaching and assessment are taken seriously.So whatever your view of IH there is a certain rigour to the qualification process
 
Renvers said:
From my understanding the qualification takes a lot of commitment and the teaching and assessment are taken seriously.So whatever your view of IH there is a certain rigour to the qualification process
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So why the blue haze? A few courses hardly makes a nagsman, do they?

I remain hugely sceptical.
 
It sounds as though in the RA's opinion the horse and rider are simply not a good match for each other. Perhaps the rider lacks confidence or is too novice and the RA can see an accident waiting to happen? In which case recommending she sell the pony is a perfectly fair comment, whether it comes from an RA or a BHS instructor or another qualified person is neither here nor there, if the situation looks potentially dangerous, or maybe just hopeless, they are right to point it out.

I did the stage 1 RA course a few years ago, I haven't done a BHS course or any other type so I can't compare the two and say one is harder/easier or better/worse than the other . I've had horses nearly all my (long!) life and thought I was quite knowledgable (as most of us do) and the stage 1 would be easy, or maybe even boring. Wrong. It's very intense and bloody hard work, more so if, like me, you have to unlearn previous methods and shed preconceptions. It really opened my eyes though, I learned more in those few weeks than I ever did in all the years of owning horses. As Renvers says, it takes a lot of commitment to go on to be an RA, and Noobs, well, absolutely right, a few courses do not make a nagsman, I respect your sceptisism, but don't knock it until you've tried it.
 
gala said:
I respect your sceptisism, but don't knock it until you've tried it.
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This is true, but I won't be trying it at their prices anytime soon!!! Also I have my own nagsman so I'm a lucky gal, he'll fix anything (kindly, taking as long as it takes) for £20 lol.
 
I can't comment on what it takes to become an RA as never looked into it just like i haven't looked into what it takes to become an AI but i would guess alot of hard work and commitment. What i would say though from reading what you said in you opening comments is that the horse and rider aren't suited to each other and that is why she has recommeded her to sell the horse and find a more suitable one that is happy to hack out alone before they have a seroius accident. That is what it looks like to me, just from my opinion of an outsider from what you have said.
 
I completely agree that's what the "RA" has concluded. But what I do not get is, when the problem is a ridden one, why don't they get on board?? How can "groundwork" fix everything?

I also get the feeling this person was out of her depth with the pony. So it's easier to say "sell it" rather than "try someone/something else and if they fix the problem, excellent".

I just hate nice horses being written off so easily. Realistically, at my friend's budget (now seriously depleted by this lady I have to add) she's not going to end up with a perfect horse. She's just going to trade one problem for another. And with the money she's spent she could have had a shedload of RIDDEN lessons with a proper instructor.
 
noobs31 said:
I completely agree that's what the "RA" has concluded. But what I do not get is, when the problem is a ridden one, why don't they get on board?? How can "groundwork" fix everything?

I also get the feeling this person was out of her depth with the pony. So it's easier to say "sell it" rather than "try someone/something else and if they fix the problem, excellent".

I just hate nice horses being written off so easily. Realistically, at my friend's budget (now seriously depleted by this lady I have to add) she's not going to end up with a perfect horse. She's just going to trade one problem for another. And with the money she's spent she could have had a shedload of RIDDEN lessons with a proper instructor.
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Well it's her choice to sell and if it's a nice horse someone may get a nice cheap project to work on I have got some lovely easily sorted horses in these situations.
I agree with you lessons with a good riding teacher would have been a better investment I don't know why people go off down these routes but if you are a weak novice rider it's riding lessons you need and I don't think this IH lady will have had any Trianing to help with that.
 
No instructor, no matter how good, can put together an unsuitable horse/rider combination.I sold a horse because he was too sharp and spooky for me.I accept that someone elsemight have no problems.And yes, my excellent instructor does ride my horses.
 
noobs31 said:
And with the money she's spent she could have had a shedload of RIDDEN lessons with a proper instructor.
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If you've an (apparently not overly-informed) argument to make, make it properly and like an adult :rolleyes: - RAs in their professional capacity do not profess to be 'instructors'.

And like you say, you haven't known the lady on your yard that long. Horses for courses, though. Perhaps she personally wouldn't get on with any riding instructor that you would. Who knows so who can comment? Very difficult to pass judgement without more (or at least first-hand) information on what actually went on.
 
MissChaos said:
If you've an (apparently not overly-informed) argument to make, make it properly and like an adult :rolleyes:
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Rude, patronising, inaccurate, and utterly hypocritical! Read that back, are you happy with how you sound?

If they are not instructors, what ARE they then? Same deal. It's all a bit...undefined.
 
noobs31 said:
Rude, patronising, inaccurate, and utterly hypocritical! Read that back, are you happy with how you sound?

If they are not instructors, what ARE they then? Same deal. It's all a bit...undefined.
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Problem solvers. At least, that is the impression I get from everything I have read online so far.
 
Completely happy.

You're being somewhat hysterical now. It's the actually patronising (to be polite) tone of 'proper instructors' that does you down, not to mention your rudeness in your second post on this thread - for all you know, the third poster posted in response to the second.

I reiterate, fburton: horses for courses. No one approach is going to work for everybody but that's my entire point. I don't think borderline vitriol towards something one knows little about - by their own admission - does anybody any favours.
 
In addition, noobs31, if you're going to quote someone, include the full context. Rather than accusing you overall of being full of childishness, as you quote me as if to infer, my first post picked issue with a particular sentence you'd written - which was unnecessarily dismissive and that is a problem when you are underinformed (which you are, and that is fine in itself when you go looking for info with an open mind, or you would not have posted this thread).
 
MissChaos said:
I reiterate, fburton: horses for courses. No one approach is going to work for everybody but that's my entire point. I don't think borderline vitriol towards something one knows little about - by their own admission - does anybody any favours.
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Not sure how "horses for courses" relates to what I wrote, but I agree with your last sentence.
 
Not particularly an IH fan, but based on what you've said I would agree with their recommendation to sell. If the rider is nervous, then the RA getting on board won't solve much.

Groundwork doesn't solve everything, but then, riding doesn't, either. I have solved issues in the saddle by groundwork, more than once. :)
 
I'm another that would agree with the recommendation to sell, there are completely 'good' horses and ponies that are just the wrong match for the owner. Nothing wrong with the owner selling and buying something that suits her needs. I also worked for many years as an instructor and the thing that bugged me most was those who couldn't admit defeat when a horse was just too much for them, they invariably learned the hard way and did the horse no favours.

Just because riding through an issue would be the right thing for you, it doesn't mean that it is for this particular owner, far better if she is nervous to get something she can build confidence with and have some fun.
 
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