The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) was created to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the entire horse industry. This is accomplished by certifying instructors, accrediting equine facilities and publishing educational resources.
It’s a really interesting organization. Brent Morgan is the President. From their website:
“CHA has developed a highly lauded certification process for arena instructors, trail guides, instructors of riders with disabilities and seasonal equestrian staff. Instructors are evaluated in five areas: safety, horsemanship knowledge and ability, teaching technique, group control, and responsibility and professionalism. CHA’s certification process has been continually monitored and refined for more than 40 years, in order to meet the needs of a changing horse industry.
“The purpose of CHA clinics is to evaluate the existing knowledge and skill level of the clinic participants and to grant certification at the level that each participant is able to demonstrate his/her proficiency throughout the clinic, not to teach participants how to become an instructor or trail guide. However, everyone is certain to learn a lot at the clinic through all the knowledge shared by both participants and clinic staff.
“The Benefits of CHA certification… are numerous and effect not only the individual instructor, but also the employer, program manager and the riding student. Certification is a validation of the individual’s knowledge and ability and demonstrates to employers and customers that the instructor has been proven against a respected standard, under independent evaluation. Certification means the instructor is committed to professional standards and is proven to be safe, knowledgeable and effective. Additional benefits of CHA certification are insurance discounts, marketing/advertising advantages, increased employment opportunities and the experience of a “hands-on” program that offers critique by teaching experts and the opportunity to network with peers and colleagues. A range of levels of certification may be attained and certification is received at the end of the clinic.”
They have an online store, you can search for certified instructors or facilities, they have several excellent books and videos and a monthly e-newsletter. Plus regional clinics and an annual conference this year being held October 27 – 30, 2011 in Lexington, Kentucky at the famous Kentucky Horse Park. You should join!
You can get more information at their website by clicking HERE.
If you have problems seeing the video below click HERE
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