Is Certification necessary? Is there an advantage to being trained by a certified trainer? Do I need to be certified to be a successful trainer?
Hopefully Iowa Horses can answer some of these pressing questions for you. Please read below.
Comment : I for one don't care for certification. To me that is just someone else's opinion about how someone teaches. I think if people want to find a qualified trainer/instructor they need to ask or find out what that person has done in the past, what kind of students they have, and watch them teach and see if it is something they like. Credentials are important, not certification. I refuse to spend my money on a piece of paper or whatever you get that says I can teach when I already know I can. My students that show do well in the show pen and I never advertise for lessons. I gain them all by word-of-mouth. We all know that bad things travel faster than good things, so I assume if I am getting lessons through word-of-mouth that my students are happy with what I am doing. So, when looking for an instructor I believe that people need to do their research and find the best one they can afford. Just because someone is certified doesn't mean they are a better instructor than someone who is not.Reply : I understand
your point of view. I used to think the same thing, and in some aspects,
you are right. But I think of it this way. At the beginning point of licensing
in EVERY profession, there were people already in said profession who felt
the same way you do. But the public who were acquiring their services had
NO clue about what constituted "good" in this field (take doctors for instance).
This was the basis for the need for licensing. It is the same with riding.
How many times do you go to a horse show, and think "Oh, my god, how did
that person win that class?" Well, think of the person watching that class,
thinking, "Wow, that person must be good....he/she won that class.....I
think I will take lessons from them." I realize that this is an oversimplification,
but my point is that there is no comprehensive way for the non-horse-person
seeking lessons for themselves or, even more importantly, their kids to
decipher who is and isn't a competent instructor. They have NO basis of
experience by which to decide who is qualified. And we, as GOOD instructors,
have a responsibility to figure out a way to make ourselves more available
to the lay-person, and to weed out those instructors who don't have a basis
of experience in ALL aspects of horsemanship (no matter what the discipline).
That includes SAFETY, stable management, equine nutrition, equine psychology,
pasture management, equine physiology, training principles, human physiology,
human psychology, teaching techniques, business management, record- and
bookkeeping, etc. I believe that certification and licensing is the way
to go. We MUST be diligent in allowing for individuality of instruction
while having a comprehensive way to test and evaluate the principles involved
in most or all of the above mentioned areas. Good horsemanship spans all
disciplines, and evaluating instructors is NOT all that difficult. There
will be quacks out there, even with certification/licensing. But I believe
the public will be better equipped to choose even when their knowledge
of the art/sport is non-existent IF we have a national licensing board.
I am here to educate people of the joys AND the responsibilities of horse
ownership for the horse's sake as much as the people's. I want to do the
best job I can, and I can prove it. :-)
Mary
American Riding Instruction Association (ARIA)
Promotes safe, knowledgeable riding instruction by keeping member instructors informed.
Membership fee: 1 years - $35.00 (U.S.), 3 years - $75.00, Lifetime - $750.00
One of ARIA's most successful means of meeting its goals has been to encourage instructors to attend its instructor certification program, American Riding Instructor Certification Program (ARICP)
One day ARICP Test Center is $395.00.
Annual 4 day National Riding Instructors Seminar & Rating Center attendance is $595.00.
Once an instructor has completed the Certification procedure he/she may attend further programs at a greatly reduced fee.
Individual testing at the ARICP Florida office is $595.00.
The ARICP Certified Instructor is kept current in his/her profession through required re-certification every five years.
Please visit American Riding Instruction Association (ARIA) for further details and up to date information.
Certified Horsemanship Association
Most host facilities charge from $400-525 for a certification clinic, which typically includes lodging and meals. Clinic fees always include student manuals, instructor manuals, and CHA membership for the remainder of the current year.
Certification is valid for three years from the certification date.
North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA)
NARHA provides program accreditation to ensure the highest safety standards at riding centers, instructor certification which brings knowledge of disabilities and that of horses together to best serve riders' needs, and low-cost liability insurance for NARHA riding centers.
Please visit the above sites for a more thorough investigation into their certification programs.