Instructers...

[XmisshorsestyleX]

Ok... Im looking for more information on being a riding instructer...

Do you actually need a qualification to teach riding as a profession?

What courses/qualifications are available to take?

How can these courses be taken? Eg College, home study, practical etc

What insurances do you need to take out?

Is there anyone on here who is a freelance instructer as a profession? Are you able to give me the pros and the cons to the job?

Do you think its necessary to be a competant high level rider in order to teach properly?



Thoughts please, any comments or experiences welcome... Thanks in advance

 

[galaxy]

Ok... Im looking for more information on being a riding instructer...

Do you actually need a qualification to teach riding as a profession? It's not required by law at the moment. But there is talk of it.

What courses/qualifications are available to take? BHS exams are the most common. But you can also take ABRS, but that's usually only within a RS, not freelance.

How can these courses be taken? Eg College, home study, practical etc I self taught mine and had lessons at a where to train centre. You can do BHS courses at "where to train" centres like Wellington. Colleges usually do NVQ's and some include the stage exams, but I haven't met anyone who has actually completed their AI that way. You could work at a RS and they would put you through your exams.

What insurances do you need to take out? It is not actually LAW (yet!) to have insurance. But you'd be nuts not to have any. If you qualify the BHS way you can go on the Register of Instructors and get your insurance that way. It is possible to get insurance without qualifications through SEIB though.

Is there anyone on here who is a freelance instructer as a profession? Are you able to give me the pros and the cons to the job?

I am (quick list off top of my head, I'm sure there's more!)

Pros:
Choose own working hours
Earn more /per hour than working in RS, so can work less hours
Build a rapour with clients and goals to work on
Job satisfaction

Cons:
Horrific weather/injury means you can't work = no income
Have to so your own accounts
Takes times to build up client base
You can't teach on your own horse, so can be limiting (and people really just don't get it!)


Do you think its necessary to be a competant high level rider in order to teach properly? I compete BD and have competed in all other disciplines, but not at a high level. I enjoy teaching children and beginners/nervous riders so they care more about you and how you teach than what competition record you have.



Thoughts please, any comments or experiences welcome... Thanks in advance

I don't make a huge amount of money. My husband pays for the mortgage and bills basically so we don't rely on my income. I don't have a yard of my own. If you did it would probably be easier to make more money. Don't do it if you want to be rich!

 

[spotty_pony]

You don't need qualifications to teach riding. However, unless you are well known for being competent and experienced with either teaching or riding you are unlikely to get much business. I would recommend you take your BHS Exams. (At least Stage 1, Riding and Road Safety, Stage 2 and PTT) You are then qualified to a reasonable level and you can decide whether you want to train to a higher level or not. You can choose to train either at a College or you can do it yourself at home. Useful books about each exam are available to buy on the BHS website. www.bhs.org.uk. However, if you are training at home you will need access to a horse to practise the practical elements of the exam. I would also recommend you have a day or two training at a college as well so you can ask someone for advice on anything you are struggling with, and they can also check you are up to the required standard.

You don't need to be a competent rider to teach but being able to ride up to a reasonably good standard will help.

Hope this helps.

 

[XmisshorsestyleX]

Hi,

Thank you for the input guys, I think of myself as a capable rider. I have two of my own horses who I have brought on myself from scratch and have ridden for 10+ years, in that time I have competed at various levels, exercised other peoples horses, and backed and borught on in excess of 20 horses. I'm well known in the area for having difficult ponies/horses that I have brought on from nothing and enjoy getting results from a lot of patience, understanding individual horses/riders needs and hard work.

I do teach a girl at my yard on my pony, which i've enjoyed throughly and they are coming on leaps and bounds but everything has just been unprofitable. I just do it for my own satisifaction of getting results...

I currently work in Accounts and i've studied AAT so doing my own accounts wouldnt be a problem. Im very bored in the office enviroment and my heart is in horses! Just working through my options as doing it fulltime by teaching, schooling for others, and backing services.

However being 20, I dont think I will be taken very seriously. By no means am I a high level rider, but I think I have confidence and experience behind me to back me up...

Instructers how much do you charge for how long? Why do you say you cannot teach on your own horses - not that im sure I would.

Thanks again

 

[galaxy]

You can't teach on your own horses as that constitutes a Riding School and is breaking the law unless you go through the official routes and get all the licences/insurance and council approval etc that goes with a RS to set yourself up as one.

Around here, the average AI charges around £20/hour.