ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF RIDING INSTRUCTOR

 

LESSON ONE

 

Instructor: Eleanor Blazer

 

 

What’s required to become a riding instructor?

 

That seems a simple question that should have a simple answer.

 

But you’ll find the answer is one that can be discussed in detail in this college course, yet will leave you asking yourself for better, more refined answers throughout your career.

 

The answer, of course, is complex, and must consider personal abilities, talents and qualities.

 

The actual teaching of riding is a minute part of being a riding instructor. Understanding that, it comes as no surprise that many who begin this career find themselves blindsided by all the un-thought-of facets it entails.

 

There are many traits a good riding instructor must have; perhaps the two most important are honesty and ethics.

 

There is a choice to be made now.  Be honest--either you are pursuing this career so you may benefit horses and those who love horses, or you are simply in search of making a quick buck.

 

As you get further into this course you’ll find the dollar does not speak loud enough or carry enough weight to entice anyone to continue the career of a riding instructor.  As with all business, it will take twice as long for a good reputation to emerge than it will take a negative image to become indelible.

 

When you talk with people about signing up to take lessons or are giving a lesson, be honest--don’t waste your time and don’t waste their time creating an image or situation that simply doesn’t exist. That is not to say you should be blunt, mean or disrespectful.  It simply means live in the truth.  For example, if a person came to you seeking riding instruction and wanted to know how many lessons they would have to take before they could “ride”, a dishonest answer would be: “Buy one lesson package and after you complete all the lessons you’ll a good  “rider”.   A blunt answer might be: “I don’t know, just depends.”

 

An honest and ethical answer would be: “I know you are looking forward to becoming a skilled rider; so I wish I could say exactly how many lessons you would need, but I can’t.  You’ll discover the art of riding is something that continues to improve with dedication.  There are so many variables involved; you will decide the level of riding that satisfies you, and you will decide when you’ve achieved your goals.

 

“Riding horses is better described as a journey, not a destination.”

 

         Answer a potential client’s question in an honest, ethical way, and it will surprise you to see what a positive effect it has on your students not to mention yourself.

 

Being a person of ethics will serve you well in this business. Only a person with a strong character will have the ability to become a great instructor. Students will sense whether or not an instructor has the student’s best interest at heart or if it is a self-serving interest.

 

When a person senses that another is only out for him or herself, trust is lost. Without the trust of a student, the instructor will not be able to teach to the best of his or her ability.

 

Keep things simple, be honest, be ethical, be a good person and you will be on your way to becoming great instructor.

 

         For many years people have searched for a list of guidelines, a sort of check-list anyone can use to determine what they will be successful doing.  Scholars have considered genetics, level of education and environmental factors, and while they play a role in what we become and the profession we choose, they are not the answer.

 

I believe the single most important factor in success is determination.  We all have our own definition or vision of determination.  I would like to share my definition of determination: “to posses an unyielding commitment to excellence and achievement while relinquishing any attachment to expectations. To recognize and understand that though I may make mistakes I will choose to learn from the errors.  When I am down, I will pick myself up, brush myself off, and try again.”

 

To possess determination only requires your decision.

 

Determination is the cornerstone to achieving success in the horse world.

 

Determination exerts its greatest power on success when it is accompanied by a constant desire for self-improvement.

 

Here is where most will begin to have trouble.

 

Some may say, “I am the instructor, therefore I know all there is to know”. To this person, I can say with confidence, “Get ready to pick yourself up and brush yourself off.”

 

There is no way to grasp and retain everything there is to know about horses or about people. The first time anyone begins to believe they know it all, or can do it all, they limit themselves. It is “know-it-all thinking that limits people and keeps them from becoming great horseman and instructors.

 

Consider this: of all the horses on this earth there are no two alike, of all the people on the earth there are no two alike. So unless you have worked with all the horses on earth and worked with all the people on earth there is no way you can know it all. Therefore you will always be presented with new opportunities to learn.

 

Whenever we learn, good things or bad, we can be improving ourselves.

 

The choice of self-improvement is a difficult one for those who are placed in the position of providing education.

 

It’s easy for the mind to become so twisted that a person actually begins to believe it necessary to present an unwavering front, project an absolutely, without a doubt, have been there and done that, know it all attitude, or he or she will be considered a poor instructor.

 

When an instructor falls into this pattern, she cheats herself and those she instructs.

 

Students are always amazed when I tell them I learn new things almost every day. They have a hard time understanding how it’s possible since I am literally surrounded by horses and students every day.

 

I learn from my students, the same as they learn from me.

 

What I hope happens with every student is a connection filled with a mutual respect that often translates into a lifelong friendship.

 

         For many, the word “teacher” conjures an unpleasant image—a person bigger and better who has them at his or her mercy.  This image needs to be erased now.

 

Teaching someone requires much more that head-knowledge.

 

It requires knowledge of the heart.  It is in your heart that compassion lives, and your students will need compassion from time to time.

 

You are a teacher, not a critic.

 

We all know when we have made a mistake, or performed below par.  It is not necessary to be told immediately.

 

It is very important to understand your student’s feeling and ideas. We will discuss in detail ways to identify what your student is feeling and thinking when we get to the riding portion of this course. For now we will keep it basic.

 

Students 15 years of age and younger are conditioned to be respectful to elders. (At least most of them are; there are always exceptions to the rule.) A young student will have lots of heart, but will also be very sensitive. This will be evident in many ways.

 

Students over the age of 15 through adult are a totally different story.  These students are trying to be independent; they constantly make judgments about situations, performances and instruction. They have a constant need to compare themselves with others and draw a conclusion. Imagine all of the possible emotions generated by the questions: “Why did you do that?  Weren’t you listening? How many times do I have to tell you the same thing?”

 

Students who want to learn to ride, don’t deliberately make mistakes.  People by nature want to succeed, they want to please and they want to accomplish.  We all know when we don’t accomplish what we set out to do; we don’t need criticism or ridicule; we need insight, compassion, help and guidance.

 

Life is very difficult for everyone at one time or another.

 

When a person comes for riding lessons, he or she brings everything else in their lives with them. If it was a difficult day, they will bring their frustration with them.  If greeted by attitude of superiority, the lesson will be a disaster.

 

If frustration is meet with compassion and sympathy the lesson and the time can translate into the feeling of comfort for that student.

 

You will find that part of becoming a great instructor involves paying attention to the emotional needs of your students. If you feel you are going to have trouble with this aspect of teaching, simply put yourself in your student’s shoes. Think about what it is like for a 15-year-old in high school, who struggles through classes. Or think about what it would be like to a 55-year-old women who is divorced, works more than 40 hours a week, all of her kids are grown, live out of state, and she lives alone.  She has probably chosen riding to give her life some enjoyment.

 

Put things in perspective.  It is not a case of “I am better than you” or “If you don’t perform such and such correctly, then you aren’t trying”. It’s a case of traveling down a road together, offering instruction, and offering understanding and compassion when needed.

 

         We’ve spent some time talking about what you can expect to experience in your career as a riding instructor, but we haven’t talked about the basic guidelines to insure you project a professional image.

 

There is only one opportunity to make a first impression.

 

Imagine yourself as the client. (I said client and not customer. A client is a person with whom you will develop a long lasting relationship; a customer is someone who merely passes through your life to make a purchase.) As a client you enter the gate to a prospective new training facility for your horse. After walking thru scattered debris from trees and stepping over countless piles of manure left by horses traveling to and from the arena, you find what appears to be the office of the instructor.

 

Only you are not sure that it is the office you have found since everything inside is in disarray.  There is an old dusty chair sitting in the corner, a desk and what appears to be a phone and answering machine.  All of the equipment looks like it was deposited in the first available space.

 

Unsure, you ask the first person you see where Susie the instructor can be found. Much to your surprise the women dressed in torn jeans, a stained T-shirt and looks in general something like what the cat may have brought home, informs you that she is the riding instructor.

 

Of course you should never judge a book by its cover, but practice your honesty here.  As a potential client you would probably turn and walk away from this situation.  After all, if a person does not respect herself, or her profession enough to take the time to present herself in an appropriate manner, will she take the time to respect you as a student? For that matter, how much respect and care do you think they would show their horses?

 

Presenting a professional image as a riding instructor is really no different than in any other business.  When you come to work, dress appropriately.  This means clean jeans, clean shirt, (no potentially offensive words printed on the shirt,) clean and polished boots, and your hair should be well kept.

 

The tack room should be kept in perfect order. Everything should be neatly arranged and well kept.

 

         When speaking with potential new clients or existing clients, always speak in a manner that conveys respect. Stay away from slang or poor language. Be attentive when speaking or being spoken to. (There will be times when you need to end a conversation.  Some clients have nowhere else to be and will continue to talk to you until the day is almost exhausted. If this starts to happen I suggest you try either one of these ideas. You may simply state that you need to get to the arena to help the next person with riding, or ask to set up another time to talk further. Always be respectful, but also set boundaries.)


         There are other basic business skills you’ll need in order to operate a successful business.

 

There is a substantial amount of paperwork involved.

 

Each client should have his or her own file folder.

 

In the client file folder you should have copies of all written material pertaining to that person.  It may include information sheets and a release of liability.

 

         An information sheet is exactly what it implies, information about the student. The information sheet should include the student’s name, parent’s name (if applicable), home address (this is mandatory if you will be billing for services), phone number and emergency contact name and phone number. You may also choose to include a few simple questions such as:

 

Ø  Have you ridden before?

Ø  Are you interested in purchasing a horse?

Ø  What are your goals with horse?

 

     By taking time to ask a few very simple questions you will gain insight into student desires and goals.  You will then be able to tailor your program to the needs of each individual. This information will also help put students into groups, so that they are either all of similar riding levels or wanting to learn similar skills.

 

        Here is a sample of an information sheet:

 

 

Information Sheet

 

Name ___________________________________     Birth Date___________

 

Parent/Guardian _______________________________________________

 

Address _____________________________________________________

 

City _____________________  State_____   Zip Code________________

 

Home Phone (____)_________________

 

Work Phone (____)_________________

 

Cell Phone (____)_________________

 

Emergency Contact: _______________________________________

 

Emergency Contact Phone (_____)_______________  (____)____________

 

Please answer the following questions so we can create the perfect riding program for you..

 

Ø  Have you ridden horses before? __________

 

Ø  If yes, how often? _______________

 

 

Ø  What are your goals with horses? ____________________________

_____________________________________________________________

 

Ø  Are you interested in purchasing a horse? _____________

 

Ø  Are you interested in leasing a horse?  ________________

 

 

Ø  What do you like most about horses?_________________________

_____________________________________________________________

 

 

Additional Comments __________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

 

 

          Having gathered information about your student, and shown them your interest in their needs, ideas and goals, establishes a perfect time to give the student some information about yourself.

 

Give the student a copy of your business card with contact information. The contact information you provide should only include the barn number. Do not give your home phone number. This falls into the area of setting boundaries.

 

 Imagine yourself at home after a busy and tough week of working at the barn.  You decide to treat yourself , and you rent a movie.  You settle down to relax and 30-mintues into the movie the phone rings.  It is a parent of a student.. She called at home at night, to discuss in detail the direction of her child’s riding career. Not wanting to be rude you talk with this parent for more an hour.  As you hang up the phone you glance at the clock and it is now 10:30 p.m.  You have students coming to the barn at 8 a.m.; no time to finish the movie, it’s time to get ready for tomorrow.

 

You have cheated yourself out of much needed personal time.  If this kind of thing continues  (of course you want to help, but there is a time and a place) you’ll find your attitude starting to change.  Instead of being eager to help, resentment will grow.  But don’t blame the clients.  You make the choices.  Choose wisely.  It is important that you allow personal time to rest and rejuvenate your energy.

 

You are not being selfish or disrespectful; you are allowing time to rest and take care of yourself so you’ll be a great teacher.

 

After the business card, with no home phone number, if you have a brochure that details your services, offer it to the potential client.

 

 If you have any kind of certification or college credits, (you’ll soon have your Professional Riding Instructor Certification) be sure you make it the highlight of your brochure.

 

 

KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS

 

Keep your lessons focused on subjects in which you are well versed.  In other words, if your specialty is western trail horses, don’t decide to give a jumping lesson because someone called and asked for one.

 

If you specialize in beginning lessons stick to that, if you excel in western events, then state that in your brochure. Not everyone can excel in every type of riding; find your niche and focus on that.  Become an expert at what you do…not a Jack of All Trades, Master of None.

 

Other things that may be included in your brochure are specifics about lessons; length of time and costs. If lesson packages are offered be sure to clearly list the details of the package.

 

It is always a good business practice to have an expiration date on package deals. Example: If you offer a package of 10 lessons at a reduced rate, there should be a six to eight month time limit for the student to use the package.  If the time expires before the total number of lessons are used there should be no refund. Make sure this is clearly stated in the explanation of the package offer.

 

Always be sure to have a record of money that has come in and money that has gone out, and what it was for. This is essential for good business practices.  (Lesson Four is a Simple Bookkeeping System)

 

Your clients will surprise you at how quickly they forget what they have paid for and when.

 

You must keep business records; a requirement by taxing agencies no matter what country in which you live.

 

 

WHAT NEXT?

 

So far you have secured information about your student and provided your student (or parent) with information about you.  It’s time to provide the student with a copy of the ranch rules.

 

Let everyone know what is expected during a visit to the ranch or training facility.  Here is a sample of facility rules:

 

 

New Riders Ranch

1122 Saddle Way

Any town, AZ, 10026

602)555-4444

 

GENERAL RULES AND GUIDELINES:

 

1.    RANCH HOURS: New Riders Ranch is open for lessons Tuesday thru Saturday from 8a.m. to 5p.m. Lessons are by appointment only. The ranch is closed on Sunday and Monday.

 

 

2.    FEEDING: We provide horses with the best possible hay available. Some of horses are maintained on special diets, please do not feed additional feed or treats to the horses.

 

3.    TACK AND EQUIPMENT STORAGE: For lesson horses we provided all equipment needed for riding. Please help keep equipment in good working condition by treating it with respect and returning it to the proper storage area.

 

4.    GROOMING AREA: The Ranch has several grooming areas available for your use. Please use these areas for all grooming and saddling. Leave the area clean when you are finished.

 

5.    DOGS: Your dog is welcome at the ranch as long as it behaves. i.e. does not fight with the ranch dogs, chase horses or bark excessively. Please keep your dog leashed at all times. Do not use a “flex” leash.

 

6.    PARKING: Please park your car in the designated area. No parking by barns.

 

7.    CANCELLATIONS:  If you are unable to keep a scheduled lesson please call the barn 24 hours in advanced to cancel. Lessons cancelled within the 24 hour time frame are subject to a $25 cancellation fee.

 

 

Providing a couple of pages with ranch rules accomplishes many things for you.

 

It lets people know not only how to conduct themselves when they are at the ranch and it lets them know how you expect equipment and the work area maintained. Listing hours and cancellation policy will help protect your time and make you more efficient, thereby making your business more successful.

 

As we talk more about what is involved in becoming a great riding instructor you will begin to understand why all of these elements discussed are often over looked, and yet are so vital to your success.

 

Imagine spending the entire day training and teaching, but now you have only one lesson remaining. The student was scheduled for 4:30 p.m.  Four thirty has come and gone, and it is now 5:15 p.m.  No sign of the student, so you call her home, but there is no answer.  The horse she was to have ridden has not been out yet and daylight is quickly disappearing.

 

Now you have to make a decision here, wait longer hoping the student arrives, call it quits for the day, or get the horse out and provide some type of exercise and care for the horse.

 

Not to worry, I have found a way to help eliminate this scenario. At the end of the day, if the last student is not in the ranch within ten minutes of their lesson time, the horse is cared for by going on the walker, turned out or lunged.  If the student does arrive, they are still allowed to ride, but only for the remaining scheduled time. If the lesson was set for 4:30 and the student arrives at 5 p.m. the lesson is now only 30 minutes.

 

It is important to understand there are times when unexpected things delay us.  But it is also important to understand there is an obligation to provide care for the horse who is completely dependent upon us for his health care, exercise, food and housing.  By limiting the late student’s riding time, you are not scolding, nor disciplining the student; you are simply abiding by a schedule agreed upon by both parties.

 

You are setting necessary boundaries; but keep in mind the circumstances may warrant an adjustment in scheduling.

 

You must be understanding and flexible.

 

You may choose to provide a late student with not only an hour of riding time, but even more than an hour.  If you choose to do so, it is your choice and you cannot harbor resentment toward the student for what you have chosen to do.

 

The circumstances of the day should guide your choices.

 

We barely begun to mention all that is required to become a riding instructor, but hopefully you are becoming aware of the strong work ethic needed.

 

 When people ask me how many days per week I work and how many hours each day, I find myself amused at their reaction when I tell them a normal day is 10 hours, often followed by work at home. This is not a career for the lazy or those who think they can succeed giving a lesson or two a day.

 

  This is a career for a person who loves working with horses and people and will work long days, and as many days in a row as necessary to provide the level of care and skill needed to benefit both horse and rider.

 

You may be asking what you are going to get in return.

 

Will it be money and how much?  Or recognition and fame?

 

Be assured you can make a very good living and enjoy both personal and financial freedom.  And there may be some fame involved.  But you’ll gain something much more valuable.

 

You’ll enjoy the opportunity to share your knowledge of the horse with others. You’ll contribute to making dreams come true. You’ll help students achieve things they never thought possible.

 

How much is that worth?

     

Click here to Take Quiz

 

Assignment:

 

1. In detail describe what things or events created the desire for you to offer riding lessons?

 

2. Visit a local stable that is giving riding lessons. Tell me the name of the facility.  If they have a web site please include it in your report.

 

Answer the following questions:

          * What was your first impression? Give details – was the facility clean and neat? Safe? How were the instructors or employees dressed?  How did the horses look?

          * Did you see a sign with barn rules?  What did it list?

          * Were you given a business card or brochure?  What did it state?

          * Ask for a fee schedule.  What are the fees?

          * What are the qualifications of the instructors?

 

 

3. What is your definition of “determination”?

 

Please send your report to elblazer@horsecoursesonline.com  It can be a Word document attached to an email.