Spend 9 months to a year riding and studying in a working environment.

Choose the length of time you wish to devote to your studies. While some book study is involved, this is not your typical classroom situation. Much of your education will be obtained on the back of a horse and working with a herd in a hands on environment.

Develop your riding in weekly riding lessons

You will benefit from instruction by a Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Master Instructor. Take your own riding to the next level with new techniques and skills and come away with a renewed horse sense!

Cultivate a relationship with your own project horse

Each student will be assigned a project horse of their own, and will be responsible for training and working their project horse. Learn training techniques that will show you how to build a partnership with your horse and leave you with a sense of pride and accomplishment as you watch your horse grow and change along with you.

Self study on topics of interest relating to training disciplines, facility management, equine diseases, first aid, horse psychology, etc.

Research and writing are always part of any educational environment. But when you get to choose topics that interest you and homework involves learning about something you love, the classroom takes on a whole new attraction.

Semester as barn manager

See for yourself what it is like to manage a barn: keeping records, dealing with people, setting schedules. Knowledge of the business end of keeping horses will be yours with real life practice.

Relationships with others

One of the best things about learning is doing it with your peers! Learn from each other, laugh with each other, share triumphs and mistakes, all in an atmosphere that is more like a small family than a dormitory.

Become a riding instructor

Lessons include instruction on how to teach others to ride horses. Not everyone who can ride well can teach. Receive expert instruction on how to put together and present a lesson in a way that is safe, fun and effective.

Graduation is completing a CHA certification clinic as an instructor

Your diploma is not just a piece of paper. It includes a certification clinic that qualifies you as a riding instructor, and a whole lot more!