What You Get When You Enrol in the Curriculum of…

The “Trail Ride Instructor (Certificate 3)” Course With Government Accredited Qualification

A Personal Message from Glenys Cox

Hi, and welcome to ‘Online Horse College .com‘!

Thanks for taking the time to find out more about our exciting online horse course where you can gain your qualifications to safely and efficiently lead trails.

This is not just another course where we give you the videos, workbooks and other learning resources and that is it! You are assessed to confirm that you have the knowledge and once you are competent you will receive your Government Accredited Qualification.

All of our courses are Government Approved for training in the equine industry and this courses is especially designed to give you the knowledge to work with horses safely and correctly. You may already be working in a trail ride centre either as a volunteer or a paid worker, or you may enjoy going trail riding and would like to lead your friends out on trails safely and efficiently.

This is a fantastic way to start your career in the horse industry and discover new skills while leading trail rides.

When you enrol in your ‘Trail Ride Instructor’ course, I am sure you will enjoy your experience with us and trust that it will lead you to learn more about horses and into a full-time rewarding career where you can follow your passion!

Remember to live your dreams,

Glenys 🙂

(Ms) Glenys Cox
Director – Online Horse College (Ausintec Academy)
AHRC Level 2 Horseriding Coach
EFA Level 2 General (Dressage, Showjumping, Eventing) Equestrian Coach
EFA & AHRC Examiner
EFA & AHRC Coach Educator
Workplace Trainer and Assessor
International Level 2 Equestrian Passport
Bachelor of Adult and Vocational Education
Master of Education (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

Here is what you get when you join the Trail Ride Instructor Course

Your ‘Trail Ride Instructor’ course outline includes the horse care, riding and teaching/ supervising areas of study listed below

Your Horse Care areas are

• Identify, Handling, Facilities and Basic Travel – This first four areas of study should confirm that you have enrolled in the correct course. You should be able to complete the requirements easily, but if you have difficulty please speak to us about changing your enrolment into another one of our online horse courses.
• Stable Practices – As we expect you to complete this course and go into a professional riding establishment, this subject is essential to set a professional standard. In your position as a Trail Ride Instructor, you may be required to supervise others while they perform their stable duties such as feeding, cleaning stables and maintaining saddlery.
• Horse Husbandry – We continue your role as the supervisor and confirm that you are able to recognize the correct horse husbandry practices in a stable of horses, as well as extras like tips on pulling manes and tails, trimming and preventing rubs so you present the horses you care for to look their best
• Illness and Injury – Hoof injuries, allergic reactions, wounds and other signs of ill- health are included in the area of illness and injury. Causes, symptoms and treatment are taught so when you are in charge of a large stable, you can help prevent many common illnesses and injuries that are so common in the horse industry
• Basic First Aid – Do you know what to do if a horse become ‘cast’ in his stable? You will learn how to deal with that situation, and how to help prevent other life threatening ailments. We teach you what a well equipped first aid kit will contain, the application of first aid bandages and infectious diseases.
• Work Routines – Determining work objectives prior to managing and monitoring the tasks of yourself and your staff are essential in a well run stable and you will learn about this in this unit. the factors which affect work, giving and receiving performance feedback and job roles are also taught
• Work Performance – How well you perform in the workplace will attribute to your efficiency as an employee. Being efficient means you will be able to complete tasks and routines quickly, but you will also need to be able to communicate and work well with other colleagues, clients and horses
• Assessing Horse Health – As a horse person working in the industry it important you become accustomed to continually assessing the health and well being of horses. We teach you techniques for developing an ‘eye’ to quickly make decisions for what a healthy horse looks like and what tasks they are able to perform
• Horse First Aid – We teach you about the two types of first aid for horses 1) treating an injury which doesn’t require medical attention (e.g. minor cuts, scrapes and scratches) and 2) providing temporary measures (e.g. minimising blood loss) until the vet arrives. Also how to maintain your horse first aid kit, keeping it well stocked and in a convenient location.
• Basic Reproduction – While we won’t be specializing in preparing you to manage a large stud, this area introduces you to the reproductive system, dealing with parts of the female and male systems, gestation and signs of foaling so you have a basic knowledge of the breeding of horses
• Physiology 1 – This first physiology area takes a general look at the functions and essential components of the nervous, musculo-skeletal and endocrine systems. We divide these systems into the parts, with further explanations of each part
• Physiology 2 – This second physiology area introduces the concept of the body systems of the horse and focuses on the respiratory, circulatory and digestive systems of the horse. The parts and functions of these body systems are taught with many color diagrams and clear, well worded explanations to assist the learner in this area.
• Confirmation – You will learn about the general desirability’s of any breed or type, and the reasons they may be undesirable. We look at the standards and desirability’s between different breeds, and how a horse with unsuitable confirmation for one riding discipline may excel at another type of riding.

Your Riding areas are:

• Grooming and Equipment, Riding Preparation, Aids and Gaits and Basic Riding – This is another area that you should find fairly straightforward and is introduced early in the course. If you find these first four areas difficult, we recommend that you discuss changing your course with us as soon.
• Upright Seat – As you will be teaching your students on how to sit in the saddle and hold the reins, it is essential that you are able to demonstrate an independent, balanced and effective way of riding. You learn about maintaining this position during transitions within and between the paces in walk, trot and canter
• Using Aids – You learn about the natural and artificial aids, including the types of forward aids, lateral (sideways) aids and regulating aids. We give you tips on how to develop your ‘feel’ and riding ‘half-halts’ so you can ride different types of horses and train them individually, according to their ability to progress.
• Track and Figures – In this area we confirm that you can demonstrate the ability to control your horse accurately around an arena. You will need to correctly demonstrate turning, circling and controlling your horse through transitions and the reasons this will help your horse on trail.
• Training Scal –e We introduce you to a program of physical education or gymnastic process to develop your horse’s natural physical and mental aptitudes thus producing a horse which is a pleasure to ride. You will learn why it is important to develop the horses natural rhythm and then how to encourage their suppleness/ looseness so they become more comfortable and safer on rides
• Contact – You will learn how to obtain contact, what is a good contact and ways horses avoid the contact as well as common faults. We teach you how to make sure your horse is loose and supple and can be ridden forward into the contact, so they are more controllable on a trail ride with less likelihood of shying or loss of control.
• Training – No matter what discipline or recreation you choose to pursue with your horse it will probably require some sort of training. Even the weekend trail riding horse can benefit from some basic flatwork or dressage training to assist in the communication between horse and rider.
• Terminology – There are many terms you will hear being used within horse riding and there are just as many ways to describe what is going on with the horse and rider. The meaning of some can be quite quizzical while others can be more obvious. We give you simple easily understood explanations of this terminology.
• Lateral Work – You will learn the early exercises and movements where the horse is asked to go forward and sideways so that the legs in motion step forward an across the legs on the ground. You will learn how to co-ordinate your aids and help to develop ‘feel’ for your horse’s movement. These skills will be particularly useful on a difficult trail or when opening and closing gates.
• Show Skills – While you may not plan to prepare your trail horses for showing, we give you lots of tips about presenting your horse at its best. You will learn how to present your horse in its best condition:- good body condition, including hooves, well mannered, tempered and educated. We also give you an overview of common classes, workouts and presentation.
• Jumping Seat – In this area you will learn how to effectively and confidently ride in undulating country. We give you tips on how to develop the strength and balance in the jumping seat to ride safely and effectively, and to have the correct stirrup length to be secure and effective when out on a difficult trail.
• Jumping – You will learn the basics about jumping and we give you a safety checklist to use when you jump. This can then be adapted when you come to teach jumping These skills will be required when you are explaining the safety essentials of riding and jumping on a trail ride to your riders.
• Poles and Grids – In this area you will learn more about introducing the horse or rider to jumping, giving you exercises which can be adapted on a trail ride, like commencing with a single walking pole or fallen branch and progressing through to a series of obstacles. A guide for distances for each exercise is included as well as times when these distances are varied.

Your Trail Ride Leading/ Teaching areas are:

• Coach Practices – This area supports your ‘Beginner Coaching’ course, but specializes in the area of teaching and coaching horse riding. As a trail horse leader, you may be required to be a motivator, planner and advisor to your students and in this area you will learn how to combine these roles in accordance with your ‘Code of Conduct’
• Coaching Special Groups – Trail riders may do so for many different reasons, because they want to improve fitness, develop new skill or for social contacts and riders with special needs are no different. We teach you how to accept each participant as an individual and how to be an effective coach and adjust to accommodate for individuals, especially those with special needs.
• Provide First Aid – The horse industry will never be completely free from risk or hazards, but it is possible to avoid or minimize these where ever possible. We teach you how to look at the potential risks around a horse environment and how to consider the level of risk for each potential hazard.
• First Aid – We ask you to consider the basic aspects of dealing with a first aid scenario in the horse environment. You will learn that as a Trail Ride Instructor it will be part of your role to make decisions and prioritize actions in an event of an injured rider/ person in your control.
• Supervise Horse Handling – You will learn what how to continually assess your riders, consider their stage of learning and the type of supervision and training they require to minimize your legal liability. We teach you how to provide assistance and when to seek assistance, as well as the planning and preparation prior to teaching.
• Safe Riding – Safety is always an important element when you are riding, but especially important when you have the responsibility for others. Maintaining safe practices when you ride and teach will minimize hazards and risks to yourself and others. Arena Rules may vary between different equine establishments, but it is important you understand the reasons they were created before you make any changes
• Risk With Horses – You will be given a scenario which may easily happen in an equine environment. You will be required to take control of the situation to eliminate hazards, control the risks and minimize the risk of further problems. You will learn the appropriate regulations and guidelines and the impact of risks.
• Risk Analysi –s As you progress through your career in the horse industry, you will usually be required to accept a higher degree of responsibility for risks and to contribute to ‘Risk Treatment Plans’. We teach you how to implement and improve the risk management within an equine environment, what are acceptable risks and how to define between internal and external sources of risk.
• Lunging the Horse – Prior to lunging a rider on a horse, it is essential that you can lunge a horse safely and efficiently. You will learn how to recognize a safe lunging area, the required equipment for lunging, using a lunge rein, lunging the horse to prepare for the rider. We teach you about the considerations for lunging and also considerations for teaching a rider on the lunge.
• Mounting and Dismounting – While this exercise is a simple process to the experienced horse person, it can be extremely difficult for the beginner, both physically and psychologically. It will be part of your role and responsibility as a Trail Ride Instructor to ensure the safety of the horse, rider and yourself. We give you a checklist with points to remember throughout this process.
• Lunging Exercises – While there are no specific ‘guaranteed’ exercises which will solve every problem, we teach you games, activities and exercises that you can vary to suit every type of rider. So it won’t matter if you are teaching some-one that is very confident or extremely nervous, you will have a wide range of progressive exercises to help your riders.
• Teaching Walk – A nervous adult beginner will want to focus a lot more on walk before progressing onto trot than a more confident younger rider. We teach you techniques to hold their interest and also some tricks for teaching the theory of the walk to younger, more active and more confident riders.
• Teaching Trot – Most riders can learn to rise to the trot within minutes of sitting on a horse for the first time if they are taught the correct techniques. We show you how to teach the trot without riders’ balancing on the horses reins or giving the a sore back. Your will learn about exercises to change easily between sitting trot to rising trot as well as jumping position in the trot.
• Student Assessment – There are many non-verbal signs that a rider will show an experienced teacher that they are not ready to progress onto the next exercise. We give you a checklist of signs to check before you take you rider away from their comfort zone of you controlling their horse onto them riding and controlling their horse by themselves.
• Turning and Guiding – Sometimes beginner riders treat their horse like an insensitive vehicle, pulling on the reins for turning and stopping using strength instead of feeling and upsetting their horse in the process. We give you some simple exercises to teach the rider to turn and guide their horse using sensitivity and feeling.
• Trot Diagonals – As your students become more established in the rising trot and are able to maintain they rhythm of the trot, they are able to learn about riding on the correct diagonal. We teach you about the common problems riders have in recognizing the correct diagonal, and we give you some easy tips to teach both correct diagonals and changing diagonals.
• Circle Exercises – Riding a circle can be difficult for a beginner, but it is a reflection on the way a rider can control them in an open area. If the rider allows them to speed up on a circle, they may allow them to canter or even gallop in an open area. Similarly if they drift in and out, slow down or ignore the rider this is a larger problem in an open area. We teach you the signs that a rider is not really in control and how to fix them while they are still in a safe environment.
• Corners and Half Arena – We teach you some more exercises to teach a beginner rider in a safe way. If they are always in control, they gain confidence and progress more quickly. This is another area where we give you tips for teaching exercises to the beginner and include transitions with a focus on maintaining control and building confidence.
• Full Arena – Before you take your rider on trail, you will probably assess them for control, balance and confidence in a large arena. We teach you how to recognize the behavior of horses and how they are affected by working in a larger area. You will learn how to bring them under control in a safe efficient way, without the rider losing confidence.
• Trail Riding and Leading Trails – You will take this elective to complete you course. This is the specialist part of your course and will involve several specialist assessments (both practical and theoretical on both trail riding and leading trails) safely and effectively. Many trail riding centers prefer someone who is competent in this area, you may already work, or plan to work in a trail riding or trekking center.
• Final Summary – In this part of the course, we give you a topic to teach that may include a combination of the above areas. You will have a limited time to prepare and teach this lesson as you would if you were working as a professional, employed by a private rider or in a riding school, equestrian centre, pony club or other professional environment.

Bonuses

We want to be the best Online Horse College in the world! To do this we need students to give us feedback on how we are going and how we can improve. To encourage you to enrol in this course and to give us the feedback so we can continue to improve, we are offering the following bonuses

• Bonus Summary Lessons – Just to make sure you have repetitive learning, on completion of all the above areas you will be taken to four more bonus ‘summary’ lessons where you will be re-assessed in all the above areas. This will confirm your knowledge about horse care and have you ready to receive your qualification.
• Bonus Weekly Tutorials – This bonus is probably worth more than the course itself! How much do you pay now for your weekly lessons? Each week you have the opportunity to come on a teleconference with one of our professional equine experts They are usually with a qualified riding instructor, but they could be with a Veterinary Surgeon, a Farrier/ Blacksmith or another person who specialized in a particular area related to the equine industry. If you have a question about riding or another horse related subject, we can usually answer it in the weekly phone tutorials.
• Bonus Recordings – We are building a library of recordings of interview with equine experts. These recordings will be available to you free of charge once you enrol in any of our courses. The weekly tutorials are also recorded and you will have access to previous calls with our equine experts.
• Bonus Ebooks – To complement your course and expand your knowledge, we also have a library of horse related ebooks that you will have access to. Many of these horse care ebooks have been written by Specialist Veterinary Surgeons and Blacksmiths/ Farriers.

Your Graduation

On successful completion of the ‘Trail Ride Instructor’ course, you will receive a ‘SRS30306 Certificate 3 in Sport Coaching’ qualification.

We want you to be qualified in the latest, most up to date courses. If the Training Package changes while you are enrolled we will do our best to change your course into the new Training Package as early as possible. Also, we monitor the latest demands of the horse industry and we will update your course to these demands as early as possible.

How long will my course take?

This course has been designed to be taken full time, over 72 weeks. However, it could take less time if you already have previous experience with horses plan to study for more than 20 hours per week plan to study full time

If you already have previous experience and would like to study at more than 20 hours per week, this course about taking out trail rides in a professional trail riding centre could take far less. In fact it could take a few months. Simply let us know if you would like to ‘fast track’ your course!

Of course you may take longer if you like and your enrolment will be valid for up to two years. If you would like to re-enrol for a further two years (no charge), just contact us for updated enrolment details.

Where and how is my course delivered?

All lessons are delivered online through your secure web page with a range of resources such as

• Workbooks
• Extension Lessons/Homework
• Video Tutorials
• Power Point Presentations
• Telephone Tutorials/ Telephone Tutorials Recordings

A combination of practical skills and theoretical knowledge are the main requirements for this qualification and these skills will be developed throughout the course.

The theory component is assessed through Online Horse College and the practical component may be completed by RPL from prior qualifications, references, third party reports or practical assessment. Otherwise you can upload a video and email us the link with your self and peer assessments. The cost for the practical assessments is paid directly to the assessor.

This horse care course will be much more straightforward if you have easy access to an equine environment where you can regularly practice your skills

You will also be able to have regular phone tutorials during the course. In these you can ask us about any particular questions about Trail Ride Instructor, even if it has nothing to do with your course

Who will supervise my assessments?

Although they will need to be confirmed with us, when you complete most of your online assessments, you will know the results immediately! If you are not happy with the results, you simply take the online assessment again!

If you already have a horse riding instructor or equestrian coach, they may be already qualified to supervise and/ or assess your practical assessments or even give us a ‘Third Party Report’. (There is an application process for assessors that must be completed prior to your assessment) Other people who may be qualified to supervise and/ or assess could be the owner/manager of your stable, or someone-one else you know who has considerable experience with horses.

If this is not possible we can also assess your practical skills with horses and ponies by video. Simply upload or send us a video to view so we can complete your assessment.

You will also be required to ‘self’ assess and ‘peer’ assess your practical activities with horses. A ‘peer’ may be some-one with around the same experience as you with horses. They act as a ‘mirror’ and mark off your checklist as you complete your activities.

We may also conduct some verbal assessments during a phone call or phone tutorial

Some of these assessments may be simulated when it is impractical to assess in a realistic setting.

Will I be accepted into this course?

This online horse course is part of our ‘Career Pathway’ and suitable if you already have substantial experience with horses. If you already have extensive knowledge handling and caring for horses you can compete an RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) application.

Alternatively you could consider our ‘Horse Riding Instructor – Certificate 3′ course. It is also possible to customize a course to suit your equine needs. Please contact us if this sounds like you

Also you should be

• fit and healthy enough to meet the practical requirements of this course
• at least sixteen (16) years of age to commence this course
• completed equivalent to Year 10 (Queensland Education)
  • or equivalent to eleven years full-time study in the English language
  • or equivalent to twelve years full-time study in another language
    • with excellent reading, writing, speaking and listening English language skills

Alternatively you may have sufficient life experience (at least 18 years) in lieu of the educational qualifications.

This course is delivered and assessed in English, so if English is not your first language you should be able to read, write, listen and speak the English language in an excellent manner prior to enrolment so you can maximise your learning.

If you believe you have equivalent pre-requisites to enter this course, or a very good reason why you cannot meet these pre-requisites, please contact us to discuss.

What do I need to supply for my course?

You will need to supply

• A computer with
  • Internet access
  • Microsoft Office suite
  • Printer
  • Scanner (preferable but not essential)
  • Skype software (free) for phone tutorials
  • Other free software as advised during the course
• An equestrian environment/ trail ride centre for practical training and assessments, ideally in a commercial setting (see our checklist)
• A suitable horse for your practical activities
• A supervisor who has experience with horses and in particular in the section you are studying. As horse activities are of a high risk nature, it is essential that when you are attempting unfamiliar activities you
  • have completed the theory components prior to attempting the practical components
  • are under the supervision of an experienced horse person who can perform the task competently. This supervisor should have performed the task many times, is able to advise you on the risks and show you how to minimise the risks. They should continue to supervise you until you are competent.

What further study or work opportunities are available on completion of my course?

When you have completed the ‘Trail Ride Instructor’ course, you can enrol in our ‘Horse Riding Instructor – Certificate 4‘ or ‘Own Horse Business’ courses.

The ‘Trail Ride Instructor’ qualification is recognized for work entry by most employers and some employers will also encourage you to work towards the above two courses as part of your professional development.

If you are not able to ride, you may enroll in this course with a non riding option. Please contact us for further details.

Is this course recognized in my country?

Our distance learning equine studies all work within the Australian Training Qualifications Framework (AQTF). We provide a Pathway from High School through our Certificate and Diploma courses that give recognized credit into University courses. These distance learning equine courses are registered in Australia, but because they are taught by distance education, students can access them around the world and still receive their educational qualifications.

Most countries recognize qualifications delivered and accredited by Registered Training Organisations in Australia. They are often held in higher regard to qualifications issued in their own country!

If your country has equestrian and equine qualifications, they may be able to grant RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) into their qualifications from your studies at Online Horse College.

	All of our online equine courses are from fully accredited qualifications and we are Nationally Recognised to deliver this training. See details of our last audit here. These home study horse courses have been adapted to the needs of the international Equestrian Industry. We are accredited to deliver the following; SIS30712 Certificate 3 in Sport Coaching SIS40512 Certificate 4 in Sport Coaching SIS50512 Diploma of Sport Coaching BSB10112 Certificate 1 in Business BSB20112 Certificate 2 in Business BSB30112 Certificate 3 in Business BSB40207 Certificate 4 in Business BSB50207 Diploma of Business
	We are a member of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET). Acpet is the National Industry Association for independent providers of Vocational Education. They have strict controls in place to guarantee that students are treated fairly and in accordance with their guidelines
	You may be eligible to be paid for up to two years for an individual course, but only if you are an Australian citizen and meet the Centrelink guidelines. Your local Centrelink office will be able to let you know if you meet their criteria for our equine home learning. Most people do, but if you already have a sizable income then don’t expect to qualify!Provider Institution Ref No: 4P530
	Ausintec Academy (previously Ausintec/Caboolture Equestrian Centre) has been a Registered Training Organisation since 2010 delivering courses to meet the needs of the International Equestrian Industry during that time. Until recently Ausintec Academy has delivered all training ‘on campus’ but has developed online courses to meet the needs of the growing International equine community.Registered Training Organisation No: 31352
	We offer a 100% Money Back Risk Free GuaranteeWe are so sure that our courses will prepare you to work in the Horse Industry that we will guarantee you a 100% full refund of all the course fees paid to OnlineHorseCollege .com if you cannot find work in the horse industry once you have completed our International Equine Career Pathway.
	As a Registered Training Organisation, we cannot give you credit into the EA (Equestrian Australia – previously Equestrian Federation of Australia qualifications for the study you compete with us.However our Director (Glenys Cox) is a qualified Coach Educator and Examiner for EA and is able to offer credit into the EA qualifications from your studies at OnlineHorseCollege.comPlease contact her at Glenys (at) OnlineHorseCollege.com for further details For information of RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) from our courses into EA courses, please visit this link on the EA website http://www.equestrian.org.au/?ID=33170#Cert%20III
	Depending on your State requirements, the ‘Horse Riding Instructor’/ ‘Trail Ride Instructor’/ ‘Certificate 3 in Sport Coaching’ with Equestrian Electives may be the complete qualification required for you to be employed immediately as a horse riding instructor or a Trail Ride InstructorIf you require further assessments, or credit from one of our other courses our Director (Glenys Cox) is a qualified Coach Educator and Examiner and is able to complete your individual State requirementsPlease contact her at Glenys (at) OnlineHorseCollege.com for further details

What is the total value of my ‘Trail Ride Instructor’ Course?

That’s over 80% off!

Includes Practical Assessments!

Why is there such a huge discount on this course?

Simple! We want to offer the best online equine training in the world! To achieve this goal we need more feedback and are prepared to subsidize your equine/ equestrian training. In return we ask that you give us your opinion on the course and let us know of any ‘teething’ problems.

But once we have completed our testing the price WILL GO UP!. The price will go up without notice so if you would like to learn more about horses, and in particular if you plan to work in the international equine industry then I urge you to enrol NOW!

Is this the right course for me?

Would you like to lead trail rides?

Do you already work with horses and would like to expand your skills?

Do you already work with horses and would like to gain a relevant qualification?

Have you completed our ‘Working With Horses’ course and would like to further your skills and qualifications?

If you have said ‘yes’ to any of the above questions, then YES … this is the right course for you

When do my online classes commence?

Immediately!

Once your payment has been processed, you will automatically gain access to a secure student page. This page will give you access to the first section of your ‘Trail Ride Instructor’ course as well as some of your free bonuses

Start learning within minutes!

Should you have any questions, please feel free to call my office on + 61 7 3102 5498 or (07) 3102 5498. My team will assist you – with respect and courtesy. So please go ahead and Apply now. To delay may mean you pay more or risk missing out.

Here’s to your equine career success,

Ms Glenys Cox
Horse Riding Instructor,
Equestrian Coach Educator & Examiner,
Teacher, Lecturer, Author, Mentor & Horse Lover
Online Horse College