Qualifications or Experience??

J

JJ1987

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 November 2007
Messages
353
Visit site
Just wondering what you would prefer more in an instructor....someone with loads of qualifications or someone with years of experience? Or would you expect a bit of both?

I've been teaching for many years on an informal basis, ranging from beginners to fairly experienced combinations; adults and youngsters. I don't have the certificates behind me but I've been riding for 19 years, ridden all sorts of horses, ridden at a show jumpers, hunting and polo yard and specialised in bringing on and training young and problem horses.

I would really like to be able to offer lessons on a freelance basis to people in my area who may not be able to afford riding schools or trainers but Im concerned Im not going to get much interest due to not having teaching qualifications.

Im wondering if anyone does have instructors or trainers who haven't got the bits of paper but have the experience as to me, I think experience is far more desirable in the person teaching.

I really enjoy teaching and seeing someone progress through their riding and I miss this at the moment which is why I would really like to get back into it. Im hoping that by not charging extortionate prices that I may attract some people. I'd also like to offer help with youngsters and problem horses but there doesn't seem to be much market for this either at the moment?

Cookies and milk for all who get this far!
 
You might find your options slightly limited without the paper trail behind you. For two reasons.

Firstly that you will have to have some form of insurance for your own sake if you start out as a freelance instructor. I've only got experience of the Pony Club system and I'd be the first to accept that it can be a bit old fashioned - but you can't get insurance cover without the paper trail.

The second reason is that you might find it easier to get work - at least at first. A BHS riding school would have to use BHS certified instructors. When I'm sourcing instructors for pony club rallies I have to use either BHS certified or those on the pony club register of instructors. Once you get known and have a good reputation I suspect it would matter less. but there are some great instructors around us I'd love to use; but can't because they don't have the paperwork. (Mind you I don't think it bothers then becuase they are good instructors and have a following regardless.)

Whatever the reality of my second point though - please make sure you have insurance. Kids fall off and instructors get sued!
 
Insurance is extortionate without a minimum of BHSAI. Even with ptt its very expensive. So if your planning charging less due to no qualifications u may struggle to make money by the time you have paid insurance, fuel, tax etc.
Why not have a look at doing ukcc through the pony club? Prob mosy cost effective way to get some qualifications x
 
experiance is excellent but may be worth you going through the stages to qualify in meantime im sure you would fly, i have come across loads qualified but not experianced and vice versa think it depends on individuals .ie if one of the whittakers were going to give you a lesson, who cares if they are qualified they are experianced, :) i had lessons on my 4 yo and chose someone who was experianced competitor and had a bhsai , i found her prices the same as someone local , not qualified and i watched her give my stable mate a lesson i didnt think id learn from here but sounds you have lots of experiance, but id say perhaps looking at doing your stages,good luck in what ever you choose ;)
 
I would go for experience for myself, as I accept the risks that come with riding and if I feel I am not safe doing what an instructor has suggested, then I will say so. Also, there are a number of BHS qualified instructors out there whose teaching skills leave a lot to be desired. Passing an exam does not always give you the eye that years of experience does. To get your BHSAI (unless they have changed it in the last 10 years) you need to have passed your stage three, for which you need to demonstrate you are able to walk trot and canter in balance, improve the horse's way of going and jump a SJ and XC course at around a metre. I don't remember there being lateral work, or having to place the horse at a jump, or sort out any real issues. I couldn't see a stride for toffee, had a horrendous miss XC (but got away with it cos I slipped my reins) and the flatwork horses were all generally pretty well established in their schooling already. There are many many people who ride and teach a million times better than me without a single letter to their name.

That said, without the qualifications it is probably harder to find work initially as everything is done by word of mouth recommendation. Agree with Sahy about the insurance though. Good luck!
 
Qualifications mean sweet fa to me. But unfortunately, insurance is cheaper with it. And unless you already have a mega reputation, then it would be hard to get new clients without. If you are already at that level, just do your bhsai.
 
My daughter has had instructors with qualifications & instructors with no qualifications & to be honest we haven't cared, we have been interested in their ability to teach & the way they interact with my daughter. Daughter is an adult & she decides who she will go to. One instructor she has at the moment for high quality show jump training for her & her horse has no qualifications on paper however he does appear in the first 50 of the top 200 show jumpers in the British Show Jumping Rankings. You don't need to have qualifications to teach but for insurance purposes you may. Contact some insurance companies & check with them because they will be the ones that will have to provide you insurance.

Why not take some qualifications? You could apply to several bodies for their training package, British Show Jumping do UKCC training to 3 star level.
 
Last edited:
Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm keen to do through qualifications it's just the cost that is really getting me down.....I can't believe how expensive it has become. As many of you say, however, insurance will be a lot easier to sort out with them!

A further question : is there still a market out there for schooling/training horses for people? Just wondering if people are still willing to pay for someone to school their horse or help with youngsters/problem horses?
 
I should think there is a market for both.

If its anything like the personal training field the qualifications tend to cover all the health and safety stuff needed for insurance and you'll also be required to get some first aid training - CPR at the very least. But bottom line is the qualifications make a lot of money for the organisations that run them, but you're kinda stuck with that.

You'll probably find that you start small and build up a client base on personal recommendation as much as advertising.

There's a lot of problem horses and rubbish riders out there - but the trick is probably to work out who has the money to pay for services and what it is that they want i.e. common problems of rich horse owners. ;)

Paula
 
Tricky, I personally like to know my instructor has got some sort of qualification, mainly because there are far too many people in this area setting themselves up as instructors\horse re-trainers when TBH I wouldn't let them sit on my horse, their riding is pretty uninspiring! So it's handy to know that someone has at least had to prove their riding is up to a decent standard. It's easy for someone to big them self up and talk the talk (not saying this is you, but I have one example in my head of someone local to me who has done exactly this!) and no I wouldn't have lessons with her (even though she has a whole 12 years experience with horses *rollseyes*)
 
I would rather a have an instructor who could actually ride instead of one with a bit of paper. I have had many instructors and to be honest i have never recommended a instructor who did have a history of riding and competing. I have always found the people out of collage with a bit of paper are lacking where it counts an example that springs to mind is when a horse reared in a lesson and said instructor just screamed. When it comes to instructors it seems that if your good people will come.
 
Thanks for all your replies folks, it's lovely to get some opinions on it all. I think Im going to look into it a bit more like you all say. I'd definitely like to get into the schooling/training side of things again as I've missed doing that
 
Experience.

I have two instructors in the wings, who I'll be back to using when horse and I are fit again, no idea if they have qualifications. Chose them both by recommendation and because I like their riding styles.

I'm insured as is D1 and we won't do anything daft/that we would claim against an instructor for.
 
For me it's a bit of both, and depends on the qualification and depends on the experience.

I think sometimes people expect too much of AIs. I have an AI equivalent qualification (the old NPS stud assistant exam) and it was only ever meant to show that you were a competent, knowledgeable, safe assistant. Not a manager or someone to be left in sole charge - it's the entry level certificate. The key is in the word assistant.

For an AI equivalent particularly I would want to see some additional experience (my current instructor 3DEs and trained with Mark Rashid for example) and for someone without quals I would expect that additional experience to really shine through.
 
I don't think I've ever had a qaulified instructor, only those who ride well at top level. To get on pc list you don't actually need any qaulifications, and also to become Bs accredited coach you don't either. I think the BHS stuff is a complete joke and tbh has its place in riding schools only. I wouldn't be taught by a fresh out of college AI and they wouldn't have the depth of knowledge to teach much more than your average numpty.
 
I think the ABRS qualifications are better than the BHS ones. IME the reason people expect too much of BHSAI's is because they go around acting like they know everything. As already mentioned, the key is in the word Assistant. I'd beware people who say they've trained with top names too. I've known someone go to be a working pupil slave for a month at someone's yard, have one lesson a week, then strut about saying they've trained with so-and-so ! If an instructor told me they'd trained with someone I'd want proof.
 
JJ1987 said:
I would really like to be able to offer lessons on a freelance basis to people in my area who may not be able to afford riding schools or trainers but Im concerned Im not going to get much interest due to not having teaching qualifications.
Click to expand...
Not having qualifications has never been a problem for me, either finding pupils or when looking for some training myself.
Several of my pupils have been far more qualified (on paper) than me but didn't bother them.
Word of mouth is by far the best way to find pupils.
Even though I no longer have any involvement with horses I still seem to be unable to get rid of certain pupils. The fact that I dont charge for teaching might have something to do with it but I dont think so. Pretty much all the people I have taught have offered payment, I just declined.
 
Having no experience with insurance etc I can only give my opinion :)

I personally would go for experience. I am currently having lessons with my YO who only has her Stage 2. She is however very quick to pick up on things that need 'tweaking' and my boy goes lovely in her lessons.
 
The ai is handy to have if you do already have the experience & are looking for cheaper insurance though. But I do agree, if your experience is limited to the requirements of gaining an ai, its not exactly a pinnacle of skill, either riding or teaching.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top