is your training safe?


have specialist expertise in a particular discipline, which are easy to check online. Frances Murray explains; “These registers of instructors ensure that everyone listed who is working as an instructor, has at least a basic level of competence and insurance, is DBS checked [Disclosure & Barring Service] and has undertaken relevant Safeguarding and First Aid training.


“I think that if you want to support your industry as an instructor, you should make your work official and I don’t accept people who say they can’t afford to take exams and pay annual fees for insurance and inclusion on a register. If you are that good, you will find the qualification very easy and it will bring clients to you. I think of it all as ‘continuing professional development’ (CPD) and I spend a lot of money on CPD of many different sorts.” Claire Dryden BHSII shares a similar view. She works across the northern region as a freelance instructor, holds BHS qualifications and is working towards UKCC Level 3 (Generic), in addition to being a YMCA Level 3 Mat Pilates teacher. She observes; “UKCC level 2 and 3 (specific) coaches without


Frances Murray BSc Hons, PGCE, BHS Int SM, Int T - and as Equine went to print, awaiting the result of a UKCC Level 3 Coaching (Generic) to add to her portfolio of professional qualifications.


Living near Cambridge, Frances began her professional career with a degree in International Equine and Agricultural Business Management at Cirencester, but had begun teaching riders at her local Pony Club from the age of 17. She explains; “Initially I did A-levels and when my parents insisted I got a degree, I decided it might as well involve ponies! After I graduated, I went straight to Talland School of Equitation to train formally and finish the BHS AI qualification I’d already started.


“Then I started working at a local riding school to complete the required number of teaching hours before starting a job as a lecturer at an equine and agricultural college. I lectured for several years, obtained a post graduate qualification in teaching along the way, worked up to a senior lecturer position and helped set up an equine degree course. “I then moved colleges to take up a part time role and from there became self employed as an Instructor, which I’ve done for four years. I’m now 35 and I doubt I’d go back to a 9-5 role.” Frances teaches most days, alongside riding her own horses, which are based


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BHS or similar practical exams to compliment their knowledge, potentially lack the holistic ability to assess every aspect of effective training. “Riders should ask more questions to ensure that their prospective trainer has relevant and solid experience, for example a dressage ‘coach’ is unlikely to have the skills to make a good jumping trainer without prior experience. In the same vein, whilst I covered fitting tack as part of my BHS exams, in no way would I consider myself competent to fit a saddle to a horse; I recommend clients engage a qualified saddlefitter to do that job. “Everyone should also check that their chosen instructor has valid insurance. In my case, I need separate insurances to teach riding lessons and Pilates and I have spent thousands of pounds to train, take exams to ensure I’m properly qualified and that my CPD is always up to date.” Frances offers this advice; “Riders looking for an instructor should start with the body to which they feel most closely associated and use an instructor from its register, which may be the BHS, or in the case of the competition bodies, will be a


specialist from your discipline. These people are on the register to be monitored, so you can complain – and they can be struck off! That should give riders confidence in their choice.” Verity Daughtrey from Herefordshire agrees, saying;


“I regularly have lessons with a British Eventing Master Coach. He is brilliant! A very good friend told me to contact him and it’s one of the best decisions I have ever made! He gives me so much confidence and has got me to believe in myself!”


Claire working with one member of the Pony Club at an Area competition. Image courtesy of Jenny Walton


Claire Dryden BHSII, BHS Accredited Professional Coach, British Dressage List 4 Judge, EquipilatesTM Affiliated Instructor, YMCA Level 3 Mat Pilates Teacher - and as Equine went to print, awaiting the result of a UKCC Level 3 Coaching (Generic) to add to her portfolio of professional qualifications.


Frances Murray


at a local yard. She feels emphatically that it’s important to be properly qualified as an instructor, have insurance and as much practical experience as possible, saying; “I’ve done both the qualifications and gained the practical experience; I have a huge amount of different experience to draw on. “I will teach anyone who approaches me, from any discipline, just as long as I feel I have something to offer them. I teach locally at Pony Club and also have clients whose riding is associated with doing re-enactments who just want to ride their horses in a better way whilst performing. Clients come to me either by word of mouth or through recommendation. I don’t advertise as I’m busy enough.”


Having progressed through Pony Club, completing her BHS AI in 1989 and then the BHS Intermediate in 1990, Claire has been working as a freelance instructor since then. Living in Cleveland, she invariably hunted her dressage horses through the winter and competed in dressage in the summer, which added up to a very varied, thorough and practical experience both in


the saddle and out of it. In dressage competition, Claire rode up to Prix-St-Georges level , saying; “until a serious accident grounded me, but I was determined not to be put off and have used the Equipilates TM route to get me back in the saddle. Claire’s client base is varied. Pony Club teams she has taught have won Championships and she currently works with riders right up to affiliated eventing at 3* level. She confirms; I like to teach people who want to learn at any level and what I’m starting to do more of now, thanks to my Equipilates TM training and experience, is facilitate them learning ‘how to’ achieve the results to which they aspire. I like to think that enables me to offer riders much more than just a riding lesson.


Clare in the saddle to demonstrate the importance of correct rider alignment. Image courtesy of Kevin Owens, www.digitalworksltd.co.uk


Equine Page 37


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