Hi everyone
I’m seriously considering taking my certification to become a therapeutic riding instructor. I have a facility very close to me where I currently volunteer and they offer the NTHRA (?) cert twice a year.
Just wondering about experiences - finding employment, part or full time… I don’t expect to make much money but wanted to know about those of you who do manage to do this as a career… would love to hear from you!
Many thanks!
Hi TexasEventer -
I’d be happy to answer any of your questions. I am a NARHA certified instructor practicing in North Carolina. PM me - lets chat!
You’ve probably checked into it enough to find out that the process of getting certified is fairly lengthy, and requires doing the workshop, having a certain number of supervised teaching hours, and then doing the onsite certification – an involved process that takes some real commitment. If you don’t have an existing relationship with a program, and/or a promise of a job ahead of you, it’s going to be really hard to get in all the stuff you need to do, and then keep up your certification. You have to teach some number of hours each year (sorry I’m so vague on all of this, they keep changing it) to keep your certification up, which means you need to have a plan or all your hard work will go to waste!
Our program will approach a potential apprentice instructor and invite them to talk about certification with the program director to be sure it’s a good fit for both parties. Then they do a year of apprenticeship, maybe more, working with one or two mentor instructors to get practice teaching various kinds of learners. We host the workshop at our program and they’re expected to do that, as well as all the other steps involved, and when our program director feels they’re ready, then they do their certification. If they pass, they have a job waiting for them (and an expectation that they’ll stick around for a few years after we’ve made the investment in them). All our instructors are part time and teach one or two days/week. As an Advanced instructor, I make about half of what I make teaching private lessons at another barn.
I’d approach the programs near you and do a sort of interview of them, to see if you’re a good match for each other and if they’d be willing to sponsor your apprenticeship if you could come to teach for them afterward. Don’t quit your day job. If you have the sort of career that gives you a part time option or flexible hours, teaching therapeutic riding could be a great add-on to your other job. If you have the sort of career that requires long hours, irregular schedules, or is emotionally exhausting, this may not be the right match. If you need to rely on a steady income from teaching, therapeutic riding isn’t any more predictable than teaching individuals on their own horses.
I’m not trying to talk you out of it! I’ve been teaching for almost 20 years and I still LOVE it, but every time I get sick of my day job and wish I could teach full time, I give myself the reality talk and appreciate my indoor job with state benefits even more.
[QUOTE=betsyk;5151194]
You’ve probably checked into it enough to find out that the process of getting certified is fairly lengthy, and requires doing the workshop, having a certain number of supervised teaching hours, and then doing the onsite certification – an involved process that takes some real commitment. If you don’t have an existing relationship with a program, and/or a promise of a job ahead of you, it’s going to be really hard to get in all the stuff you need to do, and then keep up your certification. You have to teach some number of hours each year (sorry I’m so vague on all of this, they keep changing it) to keep your certification up, which means you need to have a plan or all your hard work will go to waste! [/QUOTE]
I currently volunteer at a center as a leader and I help in the barn. I have an appt tomorrow to talk to our volunteer director about a program as she has talked with me about increasing my commitment to the center - I’m really interested in the barn management and riding/horse fitness aspect of it as well as working with the riders themselves.
This is interesting and I will ask about this - they can tailor an internship (based on # of hours avail, and areas of interest), which is unpaid and then the NARHA cert cost on top of it will mean I’m without income (and adding expenses) for some time. I can make it work but without having any idea about employment on the other end scares me - so so at your center the give the “interns” the asst teaching time they need, in exchange these graduates (who have paid their own way through the NARHA cert) then give their time back as a paid instructor, if I’m understanding that right? And yes, I do have a backup income (small, but it’s there). I realize no one gets into this job for the money . 
thanks for your help!
We try to arrange it so that nobody has to spend a lot in order to make it happen. Most of our apprentices come out one evening/week, often the night they would normally volunteer, and spend maybe an hour on top of that with the instructor, usually at the beginning or end of the night, talking about goals and lesson plans and such. Like the rest of us, they usually come straight from their day job, or make arrangements to leave a little early. We also have Saturday lessons. The apprentices are expected to attend staff meetings a couple times/year, and help with horse training and pretty much all the other things the instructors do (none of us are paid for that sort of thing so it’s no different for the apprentices). They’re expected to ride well enough and consistently enough to pass the riding portion of the exam; if they don’t have a horse of their own, or a way to get lessons, we’ll help them within the limits of what our program horses can handle. If I remember correctly, they pay for their NARHA membership and whatever fees are required to start the certification process, and we reimburse some part of the certification and workshop fees if they pass. We figure it’s in our best interest as a program to make sure our apprentices get a really good experience, so when they pass their exam and are able to teach on their own, they’re offering a really good quality program to our riders. Our investment in them is, ideally, paid back over and over again!
Every program is going to have a slightly different approach based on what they need, how they schedule things, how busy they are, etc. Good luck in working something out! especially if they’re already approaching you about getting more involved, it sounds like this could be a good fit for everyone.
I was a volunteer in TR and Hippotherapy for over 12 years before I took the next step to get my NARHA certification and State instructor’s License.
It has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I love being part of the healing power of the horse. The NARHA Certification process is expensive and time consuming but if you enjoy helping people it is a rewarding career choice. You’re never going to get rich doing this, but it’s a job that makes you feel like you are really making a difference in people’s lives and that is very rewarding.
Good luck to you if you take the step. Please feel free to pm me with any questions.
Texaseventer, are you talking about Equest? I had the pleasure of judging their competitive trail classes at their show last year (2009). I was referred to them by Riding Unlimited in Ponder. Equest has a great facility and they were very hospitable and kind.
I will be teaching special ed in a public school next year and have definitely toyed with the idea of pursuing certification or at least getting more involved in therapeutic riding as obviously the two professions go hand in hand!
Please keep us updated on your progress and decisions. I for one would like to know more about the various ways to be involved. Maybe one day we’ll work together 
Good luck!
I received NARHA certification 4 years ago. Because I had already been a certified instructor (BHS) for quite a few years, I wasn’t sure I really “needed it” - but the Riding Center where I worked required all instructors to go through the requirements / the tests, the workshops - and pass the testing. I feel it was worth it, and added to my marketability as an instructor. To remain “certified” through NARHA, yearly continuing education hours, and teaching are required, but there are a variety of ways to achieve this; clinics, conferences, lessons. and hours of teaching.Like a college degree…it doesn’t guarantee a job. There are so many variables, it’s difficult to predict “if” you will find a position as an instructor. Good luck!
(of course, I realize that this thread is 3 months old, so you might have already gone through the process)
I’d be interested to learn what you decided to do.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
