Press Releases

Official Press Releases published by the Certified Horsemanship Association.

Marketing and Social Media Trends for the Equine Industry with Christy Landwehr Brought to You by CHA

(January 2023) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is proud to announce a new webinar on Marketing and Social Media Trends for the Equine Industry presented by Christy Landwehr. The recording is now available at https://cha.horse/shop-webinars/

Christy Landwehr is the past CEO of Certified Horsemanship Association and currently the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Senior Director of Corporate Relations. Christy Landwehr has been active in the horse industry for over 35 years. Hunter/jumper, dressage, native costume, side saddle, western pleasure, endurance riding and saddle seat equitation are just some of the disciplines Christy has competed in at the local, regional and national levels. She has been teaching children and adults how to ride for over 30 years. Christy is a Master Level Riding Instructor through the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) and has been involved in teaching students in 4-H, FFA and Pony Club. She is a past President of the American Youth Horse Council (AYHC). She also founded, competed on and coached the University of Colorado at Boulder equestrian team. With an undergraduate degree in public relations and speech communication and a master’s degree in mass communication and journalism, Christy has vast experience in marketing and sales. She continues to maintain her status as a CHA Certifier. She can be reached at clandwehr@nrha.com

CHA produces many webinars each year on a variety of horsemanship topics. Each are about an hour in length. There are over 50 educational horsemanship webinars in our online store. These webinars are for riding instructors, barn managers, horse owners and those wanting to buy a horse. Some of the topics include:

  • Helping Timid Riders Achieve Their Horsemanship Goals
  • Horse Selection and Suitability
  • Horse and Herd Management
  • Yoga for Every Equestrian
  • Exercises, Patterns and Drills for All Levels of Riders
  • Risk Management in a Horsemanship Program
  • Teaching Techniques for Riding Instructors
  • Marketing Your Equine Business
  • Equine and Disaster Planning
  • The 9 Things the IRS Looks for in Your Equine Business
  • Function to Form: A Novel Look at Conformation
  • And Many More!

To select and watch these educational horse industry webinars, please visit https://CHA.horse/education/#CHA-webinars

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors and barn managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Marketing and Social Media Trends for the Equine Industry with Christy Landwehr Brought to You by CHA Read More »

Call for Speakers for the Certified Horsemanship Association’s 2023 International Conference to be held October 26 – 28 in Fort Collins, Colorado

(January 2023) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) International Conference is scheduled for October 26th – 28th in Fort Collins, Colorado in conjunction with Colorado State University Equine Sciences Foothills Campus. This event is open to the public and participants get to ride in sessions on great school horses!

CHA is now accepting speaker applications for classroom style lectures, hands-on horse demos that take place in a round pen or small arena and riding sessions where participants ride on school horses provided by the conference site. Colorado State University’s Equine Sciences Program is providing quality jumping, horsemanship, trail, hunter, and western pleasure horses! Potential speakers are asked to submit the following information: the title and a brief overview of your presentation, type of session (classroom, round pen, arena), and a speaker bio. Deadline for submission is Friday, March 10, 2023. Please send speaker submissions and direct questions to Jacqueline Tiley, jtiley@cha.horse.

Here is a list of all the speakers and their bios from last year so you can see the type of topics that our attendees are interested in, which include riding instructors, barn managers and owners, and general horse enthusiasts –  2022 Conference Speakers

For more information on the conference visit – 2023 International Conference

Hope you can join us this fall in Colorado!

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors and barn managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Call for Speakers for the Certified Horsemanship Association’s 2023 International Conference to be held October 26 – 28 in Fort Collins, Colorado Read More »

CHA Honored 2022 Volunteer of the Year and School Horse of the Year

(November 2022) Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) members gathered to participate in the 2022 CHA International Conference in Murfreesboro, TN. During the event, attendees engaged in networking, expanded their knowledge over a variety of equine topics, and honored the highly anticipated award winners.

Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) gives many great awards out to its members each year. The CHA Volunteer of the Year is an award that recognizes the countless hours and dedication CHA volunteers spend changing lives through safe experiences with horses.  A big thank you and congratulations to the CHA 2022 Volunteer of the Year – Anne Brzezicki from Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Anne is an unbelievably hard-working champion for CHA. She has worked not only on our 2022 conference as the host site committee chair, but on many critical educational initiatives, including the new CHA Level-Up Certification and the Amateur Initiative this year alone. With her leadership and expertise Middle Tennessee State University hosted CHA’s first Pilot Level-Up Certification which was a huge success. This will allow current CHA Instructors to attend certifications while testing up into the next level(s) of certification.

Anne has also been instrumental in supporting education and outreach on the new Armature Initiative. With her drive, passion, and industry contacts the American Horse Council posted a positive position on the Amateur Initiative, saying, “Due to the decline of youth and young adult involvement with horses over several decades, and for the urgent need to engage youth and young adults in equestrian sports, the Show & Competition Committee calls on all equestrian competition organizations to review their amateur rules, giving greater berth of opportunities for properly certified or supervised amateur exhibitors to provide fee-for-services introductory riding lessons without the threat of losing amateur status. And AHC Show & Competition Committee Chair, Dr. Billy Smith stated, “The horse community is missing that critical on-ramp for young riders. That same community can solve this problem if it works together, developing strategies that welcome young riders on a worldwide scale.” Reaching out and getting her voice heard on the national level shows Anne’s true dedication!

The CHA School Horse of the Year Award highlights the wonderful animals that spend countless hours being patient with riders new and not-so-new riders We all started out learning how to ride on a certain horse. If our family did not own horses, it was very likely that a wonderful school horse at a camp or lesson barn program taught us how to ride. So, it is only fitting that an outstanding horse be honored as the Certified Horsemanship Association School Horse of the Year. To commemorate such an outstanding honor, the winning horse receives a hand-painted oil painting from CHA member Julie Fischer from Colorado with bark from her Girl Scout camp as the frame and a wooden and leather trophy plaque from Lone Star Awards.

This year’s CHA School Horse of the Year was donated to Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, they suspect he was a highly trained western horse. This old man will surprise you with how quick he will turn a barrel, or spin in a reining pattern. Although he is a fantastic horse for our advanced girls to learn on, he is even better at taking care of all our Girl Scouts from the littlest of girls all the way up to our Adult Volunteers. He will lead a trail ride with a newly trained adult volunteer and make sure they find their way home

He is always a winner at “tag” making sure that girls can sneak up on their friends to tag them. Whether it’s horse painting, grooming, or a girl’s first time in the saddle, He is one we can always rely on. For several years, He was even featured on TV in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade carrying either the American or Texas flag for our Council.

In a head-to-head vote for CHA School Horse of the Year in a pool with 38 other horses Midas won by a landslide! (63% of the VOTES!!!) Not to mention he is also TikTok famous! This old man has over 260,000 views! In his 11 years with Girl Scouts – he has served roughly 40,000 girls at Misty Meadows!

The girls of Misty Meadows Camp call this year’s winner their very own Spirit the Stallion of the Cimarron. This 28-year-old Dun AQHA gelding is the 2022 CHA School Horse of the Year Midas from Girl Scouts of San Jacinto in Houston, Texas.

 

For a complete list of past CHA award winners, visit https://cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse

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CHA Honored 2022 Volunteer of the Year and School Horse of the Year Read More »

CHA Honored 2022 Certifier of the Year and Instructor of the Year

(November 2022) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) members gathered to participate in the 2022 CHA International Conference in Murfreesboro, TN. During the event, attendees engaged in networking, expanded their knowledge over a variety of equine topics, and honored the highly anticipated award winners.

CHA Certifiers are vital in order to continue growing the association and accomplishing our mission. The 2022 CHA Certifier of the Year Award is reserved for someone who has shown outstanding service to CHA by conducting meaningful certifications and influencing the careers of equine professionals over many years. This year’s award was given to Debbie Holmes from Grants Pass, Oregon.

Debbie’s professional certifications include: CHA Master Instructor and Certifier in Western, English, and Jumping; CHA Master Instructor and Certifier for Instructors for Riders with Disabilities; CHA Regional Triad Director for Region 1; PATH CTRI, Equine Specialist, and Mentor; Her focus is preparing new instructors for certification and providing support for those starting new adaptive riding centers.

She has been instrumental in supporting CHA’s growth of IRD certifications this year. Debbie is always available to answers questions when new IRD host sites reach out to CHA and works with current IRD Certified Instructors who have strong potential as IRD Certifier Candidates. She has been a key certifier in promoting and growing the IRD program at this pivotal and opportune time for CHA. She is part of our IRD sub-committee which continually is looking at and building tools to help instructors prepare for this certification.

Some of her CHA certification clinic participants have this to say about her, “Debbie is so willing to share her knowledgeable. She made my certification a positive learning experience, not just a testing environment. I look forward to testing again as I grow.”

Our individual certified instructors are the life blood of our association. Without whom we would not exist. Each year CHA recognizes an outstanding individual that has been nominated by their students to receive recognition for what they do best – teach people to ride! This year’s 2022 CHA Instructor of the Year is Emily Padgett from Acadia, Indiana.

“When you think of a great Riding Instructor, they must excel at servant leadership. This leader must lift you to so that stepping out of your comfort zone is an empowering, upward growth with their trustworthy support. Emily Padgett is an Instructor, Program Director, and leader at Agape Therapeutic Riding Resources, who embodies just that. Through her efforts and endless enthusiasm as a CHA Instructor of Riders with Disabilities, hundreds of riders have had their lives transformed over the years because of Emily’s steadfast support and determination. Emily inspires not only her riders but her fellow colleagues to continually improve through research and continuing education as well as mentoring her colleges as they worked towards CHA IRD certification.”

A parent shared this about Emily, “Emily’s love for Agape Therapeutic Riding and her riders has been shown through her dedication, compassion, nurturing, caring, kindhearted, putting everyone else first and the love that she has shown throughout the years with our daughter, Stephanie.”

Emily always puts safety first and applies her years of experience to making her lessons fun and engaging.

For a complete list of past CHA award winners, visit https://cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse

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CHA Honored 2022 Certifier of the Year and Instructor of the Year Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Honored 2022 Distinguished Service Award Recipient

(November 2022) The CHA Distinguished Service Award is a lifetime achievement award for an individual who has gone above and beyond through the years promoting and upholding the mission of the Certified Horsemanship Association, helping in the horse industry, and believing in all we stand for. The 2022 recipient is Jo-Anne Young of Houghton, New York was recently recognized at the 2022 CHA International Conference in Murfreesboro, TN.

This year’s Distinguished Service Award winner Jo-Anne has been a certifier for CHA’s EWI certification program since the late 1980’s and has been a strong supporter of CHA since then. She was a CHA Regional Director for Region 5 for over a decade. She is still very active as she recently participated in the pilot certification for CHA’s EFM Program. She is also an Accredited Site Visitor.

She has also served on CHA’s Board of Directors. She has volunteered her time at most of our International Conferences by teaching riding workshops and donating her time to teach semi-private or private lessons at these conferences donating the fees to CHA’s Scholarship Fund. She donates lessons on her dressage masters in CHA’s silent auction and she houses and feeds them.

She has promoted CHA at different events and through her time teaching and directing Houghton College’s Equine Program. While at Houghton she had the college host a CHA Pack and Trail Certification at Cheley Colorado Camps in Este Park, Colorado.

Yet, one of her biggest contributions is that she wrote her Master Thesis on “Preparing students for riding instructor certification through the college curricula”. She encouraged CHA to develop a College Certification for the EWI programs and later added the EFM Certification to the college programs.

Jo-Anne has helped CHA to develop into a more respected program stressing our core values of safety, education, and fun. She has been a past recipient of CHA’s Volunteer of the Year Award (2001) and Certifier of the Year Award (2017). She also along with Larissa Ries was instrumental in Houghton College be awarded CHA Partnership in Safety Award (2017).

Jo-Anne is very humble, giving, and always teaching. She has received many awards by the State of NY and through the states 4H programs.

For a complete list of past CHA award winners, visit https://cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Honored 2022 Distinguished Service Award Recipient Read More »

CHA Certification Scholarship Applications Now Available for 2023

(December 2022) The Certified Horsemanship Association’s 2023 Certification Scholarship Application is now available. These are for individuals in critical financial need seeking to develop career opportunities or program credibility through CHA certification please review the scholarship criteria. Scholarship Applications are due February 28, 2023!

CHA Certification Scholarship Application Criteria link!

CHA Certification Scholarship Application link!

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse

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CHA Certification Scholarship Applications Now Available for 2023 Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Welcome New Board Members

(December 2022) – CHA welcomes four new board members to our fold for the 2022-2024 term. This group of professionals bring a wealth of new experience and knowledge to the board of directors.

Dr. Debra Powell is originally from Charleston, South Carolina, she earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Hampton University in Virginia and a master’s degree in animal sciences from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana before receiving her doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

Dr. Powell owns and operates a mobile small business, Powell’s Equine and Canine Therapeutic Services (PECTS). With this business, she provides alternative therapies, including massage, therapeutic laser, therapeutic ultrasound and pulsed electromagnetic therapy, among others, to horses, dogs and cattle. She also provides nutritional and pasture management consulting for her equine clients.

Rebecca Halvorson grew up in Abilene, Texas with a ranching background.  She started riding, showing and rodeoing around the age of 6. Rebecca enjoyed numerous activities including 4-H, FFA, showing horses and pigs, competing on Horse Judging and Meat Judging Teams and played Varsity Basketball. Rebecca attended Texas A&M University, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and continued graduate school studying Equine Nutrition. After leaving Texas A&M, Rebecca accepted a position at Northwestern State University as an instructor in Equine Science then moved to Colorado State University where she was an instructor in the Equine Science Department for 2 years.

Rebecca married Wayne Halvorson in 1997 and helped in managing Halvorson Ranch where they stood many of the top stallions in AQHA and APHA, breeding hundreds of mares while training halter horses full time and averaged foaling out 100 mares per year.  Rebecca holds judges’ cards in AQHA, APHA, NSBA and WCHA and has judged the AQHA World Show, AQHYA World Show, APHA World Show, All American Quarter Horse Congress, NSBA World Show and WCHA Championship Futurity as well as many shows internationally.

Josi Reed recently joined the APHA team as director of amateur and youth activities. Growing up in Southern Illinois, Josie always enjoyed horse showing and competitive judging; she continued these passions through college. After completing a master’s degree in agriculture at West Texas A&M University, Josi returned to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M University, where she earned her associate’s degree, to serve as head coach of the IHSA equestrian team, among other roles. She still owns horses and is ready to jump into her new role at APHA.

The founder of LOHR, Deanna Mancuso, is a well-established member of the local professional equine community.  Starting out as an exercise rider for various farms from Westchester to Columbia Counties, she successfully moved up to barn management, eventually transitioning to business-owner of Equine Escape Stable. Within a few years of opening Equine Escape, Deanna began to recognize a disturbing trend within the community.  She was receiving a growing number of inquiries regarding unwanted horses and how to report abuse and neglect.  This problem was only exacerbated by requests from the DCSPCA to foster seized horses which had begun to outnumber available spaces at their own facilities. Determined to be part of the solution, Deanna established Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue to offer permanent sanctuary to these otherwise unwanted, abused, or neglected animals, and provide them with a safe haven where they would never again experience the situations that led them to LOHR in the first place. Deanna is a CHA Certified English & Western Instructor, and site accreditation visitor.

CHA welcomes these amazing individuals with diverse backgrounds.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Welcome New Board Members Read More »

Christy Landwehr Says Goodbye to CHA and Welcomes Interim CEO Jacqueline Tiley

(July 2022) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) says goodbye to long time CEO Christy Landwehr and wishes her well in her new role with the National Reining Horse Association as their Vice President of Corporate Sponsorships. Christy leaves a 20-year legacy of growth in membership, programming, and fiscal responsibility. The CHA Board, staff, and membership will miss her and wish her the very best as she joins NRHA.

The CHA Board of Directors welcomed Jacqueline Tiley into the role of interim CEO to provide continuity of services and leadership to the organization while they review their long-term plans to move with a CEO search. Jacqueline comes to CHA with extensive background in membership association leadership, conference and event management, fundraising, fiscal management, grant writing and management, program development and evaluation, marketing and external relationships. She was also once a CHA Certified Camp Instructor at a Girl Scout Camp in Sophia, NC and knows firsthand the value of CHA certification.

Jacqueline was involved in equine programing with Girl Scout camps, from the age of 15 to 24, first as a Wrangler-in-Training, then a Camp Counselor, and finally a Camp Riding Director. This passion for working with kids and horses led her to Colorado State University where she earned her B.S. in Equine Sciences with an industry concentration. She moved to North Carolina and worked for the Girl Scouts at Keyawee Program Center for 3 years, during this time she certified with CHA at Level 3 English and Western and grew their brand-new horse program before returning to Colorado. Once back in Colorado she immersed herself in the world of Therapeutic Horsemanship and became a PATH (then NARHA) Advanced Certified Instructor, PATH On-Site Registered Workshop Faculty and Evaluator, PATH Accreditation Site Visitor, and PATH Standards Workshop Facilitator. Jacqueline has worked at programs in Colorado and Texas teaching lessons to volunteers, riders with a wide range of (dis)abilities and worked as the equine specialist/horse handler for physical therapists, Occupational therapists, and Speech Language Pathologists during therapy session to provide the most effect movement from the horse.

In 2005 Jacqueline joined the NARHA team as Manager of Certification. She held several roles in her 4 plus years with NARHA including, Director of Programs, Managing Director of Program Operations during a change of leadership, and Director of Standards and Education. For 8 years she worked for the American Hippotherapy Association as their Executive Director, growing both their membership and educational offerings by well over 50%, providing new membership resources, and growing sponsorships and diversifying funding streams. The past two and a half years she has worked locally for a human services agency as their Director of Development and External Relations, growing their funding during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, managing nearly a million dollars in government grants. She managed annual giving campaigns, special events, and their foundation grant program. Through all these administrative roles she continued to travel to facilitate workshops and certifications and mentor instructors.

Jacqueline’s heart has always been tied to promoting safe, professional, and effective interactions with horses. She could not be happier to provide leadership and support to the organization that started her career in the equine industry.

For a list of all CHA educational blog posts please visit – https://cha.horse/cha-blog/
CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors and barn managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse
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Christy Landwehr Says Goodbye to CHA and Welcomes Interim CEO Jacqueline Tiley Read More »

Creating a Sustainable Stable While Still Saving Money is the new Educational Blog Post on Certified Horsemanship Association Website

(May 2022) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has a new educational blog post up about Creating a Sustainable Stable While Still Saving Money by Cheryl Rohnke Kronsberg. Visit here today to see this full post.

This article goes into depth about ways a stable owner can save money and still provide sustainability to help the environment with unique ideas on how to improve your office space, your water usage and your overall equine facility just to name a few.

Cheryl Rohnke Kronsberg is a CHA Master Instructor, Certifier, and an AQHA Professional Horsewoman with over 40 years teaching horsemanship and training horses at all levels. She also has a BA in English from California State University Fullerton. Cheryl ran her own boarding, lesson, and training business in Yorba Linda for 20+ years, and now enjoys volunteering at a therapeutic facility working with the Hippotherapy and Adaptive Riding Programs.  You can find more of Cheryl’s writing at www.CRKTrainingstable.com.

For a list of all CHA educational blog posts please visit – https://cha.horse/cha-blog/

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors and barn managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Creating a Sustainable Stable While Still Saving Money is the new Educational Blog Post on Certified Horsemanship Association Website Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Driving Certification to be Held September 2022 in Idaho

(May 2022) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is hosting a Driving Instructor/Driver Certification at Swiftsure Ranch Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Bellevue, Idaho September 19 – 23, 2022.

This five‐day certification program is for driving instructors who teach group lessons in the camp or commercial driving school setting, and for recreational or commercial drivers. Certification includes single and team driving with multiple vehicle types. Both breast collar and collar harness are addressed. Certification involves teaching multiple lessons or doing skills demonstrations and a written test. There are presentations by the Certifiers in this clinic including Teaching Techniques for Driving, Risk Reduction, Passenger Safety in Loading and Unloading, Harness Fit and Adjustment, Road Driving, Emergency Procedures and Professionalism.

Certification may be earned at the following levels: Participants may be qualified in Single or Pair. Different levels may be achieved for Driving Instructor and Driver.

  • ASSISTANT DRIVING INSTRUCTOR/DRIVER: Minimum age 16. Qualified to assist a certified instructor or driver including grooming, harnessing, ground driving and heading.
  • LEVEL 1 DRIVING INSTRUCTOR/DRIVER: Minimum age 18. Qualified to teach/drive single and/or pairs recreationally on private property or in an arena. Must be able to hitch and unhitch, including fitting and adjusting harness, and be able to perform vehicle safety checks.
  • LEVEL 2 DRIVING INSTRUCTOR/DRIVER: Minimum age 18. Qualified to teach/drive single and/or pair on public streets or roadways. Must be able to correct horse behavior problems, select suitable driving horses, maintain lateral and longitudinal alignment, and utilize appropriate safety equipment. Knowledge of bits, hoof care and common health problems is required.
  • DRIVING INSTRUCTOR/DRIVER ASSISTANT CERTIFIER: Minimum age 21. Must be Level 2 for both Driving Instructor and Driver in both Single and Pairs and be recommended by both CHA Certifiers. An application process is required.
  • DRIVING INSTRUCTOR/DRIVER CERTIFIER: Minimum age 25. Qualified to conduct CHA Driving Instructor/Driver certification clinics and certify Driving Instructors and Drivers in cooperation with another CHA Driving Instructor/Driver certifier. Must complete an apprenticeship.

Click here to register for this certification today – Register Now

To find other CHA Certifications near you including Equine Facility Manager, English Western Instructor, Day Ride Trail Guide and many others visit – https://cha.horse/cha-certifications/

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Driving Certification to be Held September 2022 in Idaho Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association and Interscholastic Equestrian Association are Partnering to Provide Speakers for the CHA International Conference in October in Tennessee

(May 2022) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) and Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) are partnering to provide educational speakers for the CHA International Conference that is scheduled for October 20 – 22 at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro just outside of Nashville. Speakers at this event include riding instructors, horse trainers, barn managers, veterinarians, equine behaviorists, farriers, saddle fit specialists, equine association representatives, business consultants, and other equine professionals. Those wishing to attend the conference should Save the Dates.

“CHA and IEA are multi-breed and multi-discipline organizations,” says CHA Chief Executive Officer Christy Landwehr. “We are thrilled to have IEA join us in helping in the networking and education of our memberships as it relates to horsemanship safety and excellence that we all impart to our students.”

“The IEA Education Committee saw a need to provide IEA coaches with additional tools to assist them in bringing the best to their teams and programs,” says Courtney Smith IEA Education Committee Chair.  “Partnering with CHA was a natural fit to promote safe, effective and fun educational resources to our membership. This is an incomparable opportunity to learn from others, network with instructors from all over the country, and take home some new tools to reenergize our programs.”

For the schedule for this event visit here. And to register today please see this link. IEA coaches and members will be able to attend at CHA member rates.

For more information about the CHA International Conference, including hotel registration and flight discounts, visit https://cha.horse/international-conference/. The detailed list of speakers and sessions will be on the CHA website in July.  Hope to see you there!

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association and Interscholastic Equestrian Association are Partnering to Provide Speakers for the CHA International Conference in October in Tennessee Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Has a New Blog Posted on Tools and Tips to Identify Subtle Signs of Pain in Lesson Horses

(April 2022) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has a new blog posted – Tools and Tips to Identify Subtle Signs of Pain in Lesson Horses. This blog has online tools available to use to determine possible pain in your horses including the Lameness Grading Scale from the American Association of Equine Practitioners, The Equine Pain and Welfare Assessment App from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University and more. You can read the blog in full here.

This blog article is written by Jill Montgomery who is a CHA English and Western Riding Instructor, and a CHA Equine Facility Manager and Certifier. She is owner and CEO of JRAM Enterprises Inc. an equine consulting business that focuses on work to keep equine activities accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Jill@JRAMEnterprises.com

Nina Ekholm-Fry is featured in this blog. She is the Director of Equine Programs at University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection and Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology and the Graduate School of Social Work where her work focuses on therapeutic human-horse interactions and on equine behavior and welfare. Nina is a former Equestrian Special Olympics Coach and teaches Equine Behavior at Yavapai College in Arizona. She is a CHA certified riding instructor (Level 4) and holds a certificate in Equine Management from the Vocational College of Ostrobothnia, Finland. As a practitioner member of the International Society of Equitation Science (ISES), she is dedicated to ethical equitation, correct application of learning theory, and the understanding of equine cognition, behavior, and mental states as part of equine management, assessment, handling, and training. She has a background as a mental health practitioner providing clinical services, specializing in trauma treatment, as a competitive rider and equine behavior consultant, and as an academic professional actively engaged in national and international organizations for both human and equine health.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Has a New Blog Posted on Tools and Tips to Identify Subtle Signs of Pain in Lesson Horses Read More »

Webinars on How to Work on the ShareFile Platform, Create Fillable PDFs and Level Up in CHA by Certified Horsemanship Association

(April 2022) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) features Ann Streett-Joslin on how to use Sharefile and create fillable PDF forms for your equine business. Ann does editing, layout, file organization, and user support of CHA’s hundreds of documents.  Ann has been active with horses and the horse industry for more than 55 years, from the show-ring, to 4-H, to guest ranches, to driving, training colts, all types of instruction, and program/facility management.  She is a CHA Master Level Riding Instructor and Certifier for English/Western Instructor, Instructors of Riders with Disabilities, Equine Facility Management, and Driving Instructor/Driver, as well as a CHA Site Visitor Trainer and a former member of both the CHA and PATH International Boards of Directors.  She currently manages Rancho Vista near Dolores, Colorado, where she and husband Dave enjoy trail riding in the surrounding mountains and canyons.  Here is the link to download your copy today – https://CHA.horse/education/#CHA-webinars

CHA is also featuring a webinar by Julie Goodnight, CHA’s Spokesperson on how to know when to Level Up your students as you are teaching them to ride. Julie is best known for her TV show, “Horse Master,” and for her practical training for riders of all disciplines. Her methods are grounded in natural horsemanship, classical riding, and understanding horse behavior. Goodnight is a CHA Master Instructor and a lifetime member. She teaches horsemanship at clinics and expos everywhere and offers online education, how-to DVDs, and her own tack and training tools at JulieGoodnight.com.

CHA produces many webinars each year on a variety of horsemanship topics. Each are an hour in length. There are over 50 educational horsemanship webinars in our online store. These webinars are for riding instructors, barn managers, horse owners and those wanting to buy a horse. Some of the topics include:

  • Helping Timid Riders Achieve Their Horsemanship Goals
  • Horse Selection and Suitability
  • Horse and Herd Management
  • Yoga for Every Equestrian
  • Exercises, Patterns and Drills for All Levels of Riders
  • Risk Management in a Horsemanship Program
  • Teaching Techniques for Riding Instructors
  • Marketing Your Equine Business
  • Equine and Disaster Planning
  • The 9 Things the IRS Looks for in Your Equine Business
  • And Many More!

To select and watch these educational horse industry webinars, please visit https://CHA.horse/education/#CHA-webinars

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors and barn managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Webinars on How to Work on the ShareFile Platform, Create Fillable PDFs and Level Up in CHA by Certified Horsemanship Association Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Is Hosting a Virtual Job Fair for the Equine Industry

(April 2022) – Many camps, lesson barns, boarding facilities, etc. are looking for qualified staff this time of year and can use all the help they can get finding them.  Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) wants to help get the word out about job openings around the country and help prospective employees connect with employers.

CHA will be hosting a Virtual Job Fair, Tuesday, April 19, 2022 at 4 p.m. PT, 5 p.m. MT, 6 p.m. CT and 7 p.m. ET.  Employers will register for a time slot to introduce yourself and your program and describe the job(s) you have available. Employers must be current CHA members to sign up for a spot. Employees, you can register for free and do not need to be CHA members. This session will be recorded as well as being live. Hope to see you there!

Employers click here to register today for just $20.

Employees click here to register for free!

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Driving and Vaulting Certifications Coming Up Soon

(March 2022) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) conducts over 80 certifications a year around the United States and Canada for English/Western Riding Instructors, Equine Facility Managers and more. Here are two specialty ones that are coming up in 2022 – one for Driving Instructors and Drivers and one for Vaulting Coaches in the equine industry.

These multi-day events enable participants to be certified at whichever level they can achieve during the certification. So if someone has been teaching driving or coaching vaulting for a while, he/she could potentially achieve the highest level during just one certification.

The CHA Driving Instructor/Driver Certification will be held at Swiftsure Ranch Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Bellevue, Idaho from September 19, 2022 to September 21, 2022. Interested parties can go here to Register Now

The CHA Vaulting Coach Certification is being held at the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto/Misty Meadows in Conroe, Texas from June 4, 2022 to June 6, 2022. Interested parties can visit here to Register Now and this certification includes meals and lodging.

To see the full list of CHA Certifications set so far for 2022, please visit – https://cha.horse/search-cha-certifications-by-location/ or by visiting https://cha.horse/find-cha-certifications-by-date/ or by going to https://cha.horse/find-cha-certifications-by-type/

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse     ###

Certified Horsemanship Association Driving and Vaulting Certifications Coming Up Soon Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Has a New Blog Posted About When Burn Out Steals the Joy from Working with Horses

(March 2022) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has a new blog posted – “When Burn Out Steals the Joy from Working with Horses (Don’t Lose Your Love for the Lifestyle).”  Please see all past CHA blog articles on horsemanship, training, teaching riding and much more here – https://cha.horse/cha-blog/

This blog article is written by Jill Montgomery who is a CHA English and Western Riding Instructor, and a CHA Equine Facility Manager and Certifier. She is owner and CEO of JRAM Enterprises Inc. an equine consulting business that focuses on work to keep equine activities accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Jill@JRAMEnterprises.com

One of the interviews of this blog post is Tara Gamble who is a Past President of the Certified Horsemanship Association and of the Alberta Equestrian Federation, and has served on the Canadian Quarter Horse Association Board of Directors as Secretary, the Equestrian Canada Board of Directors, and was the past AQHA Director for B.C.  She is a current CHA Instructor Certifier, an AQHA Professional Horseman, and serves on the AQHA Youth Activities Committee.  Her education includes a BS in agriculture from the University of Alberta.

Lisa Lombardi is also featured. Lisa is a CHA Master Instructor, Site Evaluator, and Certifier. She is also PATH and Ceip-Ed certified, and has a BA in English with an emphasis on education. She is a Santa Rosa Junior College equine science instructor in addition to running her own lesson program with nine horses. Lisa has a wide range of teaching, riding, and competition experience, including reining, jumping, dressage and western dressage, trail riding and camping, adaptive riding instruction, drill team and color guard, and ranch riding.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Has a New Blog Posted About When Burn Out Steals the Joy from Working with Horses Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Region 1 Awards Its Members at the CHA Region 1 Conference in Washington

(March 2022) Certified Horsemanship Association Region 1 just wrapped up another incredible conference! It was an awesome time of learning and fellowship. CHA Region 1 includes:  Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and the Yukon Territory.

CHA Region 1 honored Sherilyn Sander for her dedicated service to not only CHA Region 1, but to the entire CHA family. Sherilyn graduated from the University of Idaho with a B.S. in Animal Science and Canyonview Equestrian College where she went on to serve as the Dean of Students for 16 years. She has been a certified CHA riding instructor since 1989. In 1997, she earned her Master Instructor and Assistant Certifier designation. From 2002-2006 Sherilyn served on the Board of Directors for CHA and was CHA Vice President for a term. She is dual certified in Pack & Trail and is a Combined Arena/Trail Certifier as well as a CHA Accredited Site Visitor. Sherilyn has been very active in CHA Region 1 since the early 90’s when the first Region 1 Conference was held at Pioneer Chehalis in British Columbia.

Other noteworthy conference highlights include the CHA Region 1 volunteer of the year, Jennifer Mayberry.  Jennifer was certified at Camp Berachah in 2001 and earned her CHA Certifier status in 2010. She joined the CHA Region 1 leadership team in 2017. She will be stepping away from her leadership role to focus on the next adventure coming into her life! She will be missed!

The CHA Region 1 School Horse of the Year is Kahraba Nazem who is a 34-year-old purebred registered Arabian mare who serves riders at Royal Ridges Retreat in Yacolt, WA. CHA Region 1 is so honored to have these exceptional individuals in the CHA family!

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors and barn managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse                             

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Certified Horsemanship Association Region 1 Awards Its Members at the CHA Region 1 Conference in Washington Read More »

Webinar On Attending a Certified Horsemanship Association Instructor of Riders with Disabilities Certification  

(February 2022) – The Certified Horsemanship Association’s (CHA) produces many webinars each year on a variety of horsemanship topics. Each are an hour in length. There are over 50 educational horsemanship webinars in our website shopping mall.

Join CHA Certifier Tammi Gainer live on Friday, March 4th at 9 a.m. PT, 10 a.m. MT, 11 a.m. CT and Noon ET to dive into what to expect when you attend a CHA Instructor of Riders with Disabilities Certification.

Tammi Gainer began her professional equine career as a trail guide at a large ranch camp where she was first exposed to the world of equestrian vaulting and attended her first CHA Certification. Since then, she has achieved CHA Master Level Instructor/Certifier status in English/Western, Instructors of Riders with Disabilities and Vaulting. Tammi is the Equestrian Director at Pegasus Farm in Ohio and has since achieved Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning and instructor certification from  PATH International and is an AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association) Professional Horseman.

To join this webinar live email us at office@CHA.horse and to watch the recording later visit https://cha.horse/education/#cha-webinars after it airs.

Some of the other webinar topics include:

  • Horse Selection and Suitability
  • Yoga for Every Equestrian
  • Exercises, Patterns and Drills for All Levels of Riders
  • Risk Management in a Horsemanship Program
  • Teaching Techniques for Riding Instructors
  • Marketing Your Equine Business
  • Equine and Disaster Planning
  • The 9 Things the IRS Looks for in Your Equine Business
  • Function to Form: A Novel Look at Conformation
  • And Many More!

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors and barn managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse                                                                   

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Webinar On Attending a Certified Horsemanship Association Instructor of Riders with Disabilities Certification   Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Equine Professional Certifications Are Hot in 2022

(February 2022) – Anyone who wants to further their career by earning a Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Certification is encouraged to check out the CHA Certification Schedule online by Type of certification, by Location in the US and Canada, and by Date of when it is being held. CHA Certifications are intensive multi-day events in which attendees learn and demonstrate their skills so they can be certified at one of CHA’s various certification types and levels. They are currently available for 2022 are English/Western Instructor (EWI), Equine Facility Manager (EFM), and Instructor of Riders with Disabilities (IRD) certifications. Day Ride Trail Guide (DRTG), Driving (DID), and Vaulting (VTL) are going to be posted on our website soon. Many more will be added in the next few months for this year. Join more than 30,000 experts who have been certified by the largest equine professional certifying program in North America!

At this time, CHA Certifications are available in the following locations: Alabama, Alberta, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. Normally, CHA conducts over 80 certifications around the US and Canada each year. They are posted on the CHA website for 2022 at this time with more getting listed every day.

There is no CHA way to teach a rider or manage an equine facility. Certification is based on safety of humans and horses, proper animal welfare and care, professionalism, and effectiveness. Many insurance companies also recognize certification and will give discounts on premiums to those that are certified. Two CHA Certifiers evaluate each attendee, who must also pass written tests and competently demonstrate their skills during the hands-on certification. The cost of the certification includes the attendee’s CHA membership, fees for the event, and all educational materials, school horses that are provided by the host site, etc. Each host site will specify which meals are included and if a lodging option is available with the price.

For more information on attending a CHA Certification and what to expect, please visit https://cha.horse/cha-certifications/ to see the details of each type.

For anyone wishing to host a CHA Certification, the organization is taking applications to host now in the late spring of 2022 and beyond. Host sites must become a CHA Program Member that is pre-approved by CHA. If your facility would like to become a new host site for CHA, please visit https://cha.horse/how-to-host-a-cha-certification/ to find out more.

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please subscribe for the CHA monthly e-newsletter on the home page at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, has educational webinars and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

 

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Certified Horsemanship Association Equine Professional Certifications Are Hot in 2022 Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Seeking Equine Experts for Speakers for the 2022 CHA International Conference in October in Tennessee

(February 2022) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is seeking experts within the horse industry as speakers for the 2022 CHA International Conference. Part of CHA’s mission is providing quality continuing education within the horse industry, and the annual international conference is CHA’s ultimate learning opportunity. The 2022 CHA International Conference is scheduled for October 20 – 22 at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro just outside of Nashville. Speakers at this event include riding instructors, horse trainers, barn managers, veterinarians, equine behaviorists, farriers, saddle fit specialists, equine association representatives, business consultants, and other equine professionals. Those wishing to attend the conference should Save the Dates.

If you would like to speak, CHA is now accepting speaker applications for classroom-style lectures, roundtable discussions, hands-on horse demonstrations, and mounted riding sessions (participants ride the MTSU lesson horses that are used in IHSA competitions) with attendees who sign up on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sessions at the CHA International Conference are focused on safe, effective, and fun horsemanship.

CHA is all-breed and all-discipline organization. The audience at the CHA International Conference includes riding instructors, trail guides, barn managers, driving and vaulting coaches, horse owners, riders, and general horse enthusiasts. CHA members and non-members alike can attend, as the conference is open to the public with prior registration.

Those wishing to present should contact CHA at clandwehr@CHA.horse. The deadline is March 15, 2022. Those applying to speak will need to send a professional biography paragraph, a photo, and a session title and paragraph description, along with anything needed to fulfill your session such as ground poles, cones, projector and screen, etc.

More information about the CHA International Conference can be found at https://cha.horse/international-conference/ Additional information will be added online throughout the year, including the full line-up of speakers and sessions.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Seeking Equine Experts for Speakers for the 2022 CHA International Conference in October in Tennessee Read More »

New Videos Added to Certified Horsemanship Association Equine Video Collection

(January 2022)  The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has six new Equine Safety Short videos. These free resources are great for all ages and experience level to watch and expand their knowledge and while keeping a focus on safety. Viewers can watch all the videos, which cover a variety of topics and range from three to 15 minutes in length by clicking on the links below.

The newest additions cover the following topics:

Past topics covered include Sample Lesson: First Trot and First Canter, the Horse Digestive Track, Lengthening and Shortening Horse’s Strides, Truck and Trailer Safety Check,  Showmanship Tips, How to Pony a Horse Safely, How to Fit a Rope Halter, and much more.

CHA encourages the horse industry and the public to use these free videos and to embed them on their websites for their clients. CHA’s videos are created with the goals of helping to spread the CHA’s mission of safe, effective, and fun horsemanship.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, has educational webinars and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

 

New Videos Added to Certified Horsemanship Association Equine Video Collection Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Is Looking for Host Sites for Riding Instructor and Equine Facility Manager Certifications

(January 2022) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is encouraging equine facilities (lesson program barns, camps, universities/colleges, dude ranches, trail ride operations, etc.) to host a CHA Certification to certify your own staff, accredit your facility and make some money doing so! We are looking for host sites in all states and provinces that might be interested. Please reach out to us at office@CHA.horse to find out more.

CHA Certifications are intensive multi-day events in which attendees learn and demonstrate their skills so they can be certified at one of CHA’s various certification types and levels. They are currently available for the English/Western Instructor, Equine Facility Manager, Vaulting, Driving, Trail, Seasonal Equestrian Staff, University/College and Instructors of Riders with Disabilities.

At this time, CHA Certifications are available in the following locations: Alabama, Alberta, Colorado, Indiana, Maine, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington. CHA conducts certifications around the US and Canada each year. Most will be posted on the CHA website by the end of March for 2022. Each host site will specify which meals are included and if a lodging option is available with the final price.

A person’s willingness to dedicate their time and money to the CHA certification process indicates that they are a serious professional. CHA certified equine professionals must demonstrate a high level of professional competence and adhere to continuing education requirements set forth by CHA to maintain their certification. In addition, many insurance companies recognize certification and will give discounts.

For anyone wishing to host a CHA Certification, the organization is taking applications to host in 2022 and beyond. Host sites must be approved by CHA. If your facility would like to become a new host site for CHA, please visit https://cha.horse/how-to-host-a-cha-clinic/

For more information on attending a CHA Certification and what to expect, please visit https://cha.horse/cha-certifications/

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please subscribe for the CHA monthly email newsletter on the home page at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, has educational webinars and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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How to Build the Ultimate Lesson Based Horse Business with Brian Wee Brought to You by Certified Horsemanship Association

(January 2022) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is proud to announce Brian Wee’s webinar on How to Build the Ultimate Lesson Based Horse Business. The recording is now available for purchase at https://cha.horse/shop-webinars/

As a second generation Certified Financial Planner, Brian went the route of the more lucrative family business of financial planning with his dad as his mentor. Even with modest success importing sale horses and as a horse trainer- it puzzled him why it was so difficult to be financially successful in the horse business.  The high overhead, the scarcity of clients, the culture among the horse industry, the difficulty in scaling – all these factors felt like headwinds for the horse professionals trying to carve out a living working with these beautiful animals. He made it his mission to help equestrians improve their financial mindset, business plans, and overall financial plans because he truly believes it will lead to a higher quality life for their horses.

Brian will be sharing his latest thinking on the six key elements of a profitable riding school: Your facility, your services and how you price them, marketing, sales, back office admin decisions, and the curriculum you teach.

CHA produces many webinars each year on a variety of horsemanship topics. Each are an hour in length. There are over 50 educational horsemanship webinars in our online store. These webinars are for riding instructors, barn managers, horse owners and those wanting to buy a horse. Some of the topics include:

  • Helping Timid Riders Achieve Their Horsemanship Goals
  • Horse Selection and Suitability
  • Horse and Herd Management
  • Yoga for Every Equestrian
  • Exercises, Patterns and Drills for All Levels of Riders
  • Risk Management in a Horsemanship Program
  • Teaching Techniques for Riding Instructors
  • Marketing Your Equine Business
  • Equine and Disaster Planning
  • The 9 Things the IRS Looks for in Your Equine Business
  • Function to Form: A Novel Look at Conformation
  • And Many More!

To select and watch these educational horse industry webinars, please visit https://CHA.horse/education/#CHA-webinars

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors and barn managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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How to Build the Ultimate Lesson Based Horse Business with Brian Wee Brought to You by Certified Horsemanship Association Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Volunteer of the Year is Kristine Mika from Connecticut and APHA Earns the Partner in Safety Award

(December 2021)  Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) gives many great awards out to its members each year. The CHA Volunteer of the Year is an award that recognizes the countless hours and dedication CHA volunteers spend changing lives through safe experiences with horses.  A big thank you and congratulations to the CHA 2021 Volunteer of the Year – Kristine Mika from Colchester, Connecticut.

Kristine is so responsive to emails and calls and really cares about CHA and wanting to see it grow. She created a newsletter that she sent out to all the CHA members in her state when she was a state representative and now that she is a Regional Director is doing a newsletter for her entire region. She loves taking photos and recently visited a CHA host site near her to take photos and see this host site in action. She asks questions and figures out solutions to help CHA members navigate CHA as a newly certified instructor or a host site.

She has been a CHA certified member as an English/Western Instructor since 2015. She has been involved in the CHA Booth at the Equine Affaire in Springfield, Massachusetts for a while now and left straight from our CHA International Conference in Fort Worth to go volunteer there. That is dedication!

Another important awards given each year is the CHA Partner in Safety Award that is given to a person or entity that embodies horsemanship safety at the core.  The 2021 CHA Partner in Safety is the American Paint Horse Association.

This association has been an education alliance partner with CHA for many years. They work with us to have our members learn about how to become APHA Professional Horsemen and are great about supporting our magazine, The Instructor, and our International Conference program with ads for this program. Many of our past School Horse winners were APHA horses and we have done numerous safety videos with registered Paint horses in them. We are currently developing a plan to possibly utilize their Horse IQ program for our Certifiers and Site Visitors to be able to do their recertification tests online. This group cares about the welfare of the horse and the safety of riders and handlers. We have a showmanship video that one of their staff did for us at a past CHA conference and it was a pleasure to have their CEO, Billy Smith, speak at our annual meeting this year. They were a CHA Conference Partner helping shuttle our members to and from the hotel to the Cowtown Coliseum and offering a free conference room at their office on Mule Alley for our board meeting and a discount in their store for our conference attendees.

To see this press release online visit https://cha.horse/cha-press-releases/ and for a complete list of past CHA award winners, visit https://cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Volunteer of the Year is Kristine Mika from Connecticut and APHA Earns the Partner in Safety Award Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Instructor of the Year – Kathy Richardson from Washington

(December 2021)  Our individual certified instructors are the life blood of our association. Each year CHA recognizes an outstanding individual that has been nominated by their students to receive recognition for what they do best – teach people to ride and handle horses!  The CHA 2021 Instructor of the Year is Kathy Richardson from Roy, Washington.

A mom writes, “Kathy told my daughter, Mackenzie, over and over again that she was good enough and emphasized that it did not matter how she placed in the show as long as she had fun.  After Mackenzie’s first video was loaded, we waited, and a week later she messaged us to let Mackenzie know that she took 2 place and was moving up a level in difficulty.  Over the last year we have watched Mackenzie’s self-esteem grow with each competition, and with each lesson where Kathy works on her weaknesses, but emphasizes her strengths.  What has impressed me the most is how no matter how difficult the lesson went, Kathy always finds a way to end things on a positive note.  I have watched the way that she treats all of her students with dignity and respect.  I have talked to many of the other parents and have heard the comments where she has encouraged their children as well.  She is consistently looking out for the best interest of her students while pushing them to improve their skills and understand how to relate with the horses they work with.”

An adult student writes, “Kathy has helped me with my horses that I recently purchased. She has given me insight into the life of a horse and how I should work with them as an owner, as a friend and as a leader. Kathy has taken her time in training me to respect the horse without a strong hand and that dealing with horses is a major step in life. I know that she has had struggles since I met her and she has kept an upbeat attitude while dealing with issues that would knock others out of the saddle. She is consistent with the horses and takes the time with all her students not only with the horses, but also by giving a helping hand to a family that needs help with groceries that she gets from coordinating with other families.”

Kathy is a CHA Certified Member in English/Western Instructor since 2008.  And is very active with American Horse Council’s Time to Ride Program and her program, Rusty Bar Ranch, is an Arabian Horse Discovery Farm as well.

For a complete list of past CHA award winners, visit https://cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Instructor of the Year – Kathy Richardson from Washington Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Certifier of the Year Award – Sue Ott from Pennsylvania

(December 2021)  Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has over 150 certifiers around the US and Canada.  The CHA Certifier Award goes to someone who has shown outstanding service to CHA by conducting meaningful certifications and influencing the careers of numerous equine professionals over many years.  The CHA 2021 Certifier Award goes to Sue Ott from Montgomery, Pennsylvania.

Susan Berger, a fellow CHA Certifier says, “Sue was one of the first certifiers I worked with.  We worked together many times.  I have a huge respect for her as a horsewoman, educator, and colleague. She can be quite matter of fact as she evaluated prospective instructors and at the same time very fair and encouraging in the words she uses to help them grow. She is unique (first person I’ve met who eats cereal without milk).  She is creative (have you seen the remarkable hanging wreaths she makes?). She is humble (I imagine many who work with her don’t know how very accomplished she is as an equestrian). Other words that come to mind…intuitive, high energy, a ready smile, thoughtful & caring.”

Some of her CHA certification participants have this to say, “Sue really knows her stuff. I appreciate her empathy for students and horses. She is very knowledgeable, educational, informative and caring. Easy to understand and FUN! Informative and flexible when needed. Friendly, energetic and always helpful. Well organized, went above and beyond.”

Beth Powers, a Past President of CHA says, “We used to volunteer in the CHA booth at trade shows. We spent many hours together in our “stall” talking to folks about the value of a CHA membership, watching people go by and eating fair food. It was time spent at these events that I learned about her passion for horses and teaching. And it seemed that every year she would tell me about new life adventures with her husband, different jobs and horses.”

Sue was in a photo sitting on a horse for our very first color brochure CHA made for promotional purposes many years ago.  She has been a CHA member since 1990 and was recommended as an Assistant Certifier for CHA at her first clinic. She has conducted 29 certifications for us including 27 English/Western Instructor and two Seasonal Equestrian Staff.

For a complete list of past CHA award winners, visit https://cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Certifier of the Year Award – Sue Ott from Pennsylvania Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Distinguished Service Award Winner – Stan Loewen from Kansas

(November 2021)  The CHA Distinguished Service Award is a lifetime achievement award for an individual who has gone above and beyond through the years promoting and upholding the mission of the Certified Horsemanship Association, helping in the horse industry and believing in all we stand for.  THANK YOU to the CHA Distinguished Service Award winner – Stan Loewen from Meade, Kansas!

“I spent many fun filled times with Stan,” says CHA Past President and Life Member Jim Glunt. “He came to Camp Tippecanoe many times offering CHA Pack and Trail Clinics. Every one of them was very pleasant and both I and the other camp staff enjoyed his visits. Our CHA certifications were usually offered toward the end of our summer season and served as a horse focused finish to summer camp.  I do remember a time that the trail group had just left main camp and was travelling through the pasture when one of the participants let a lead rope get too long and wrap around the back end of a horse that was being packed for the first time. As that lead rope gathered around that horse’s butt and started tightening under his tail trouble was brewing. Neither Stan nor I could get the rider’s attention in time. As it turned out the tight lead under his tail caused the horse to sit squarely down and stay there. This really befuddled the rider as he was unsure of what to do without causing a wreck. It all worked out fine and was the reason for many laughs throughout that certification.”

“Stan is always pleasant to everyone with many interesting stories and willing to flex his schedule to suit camp’s other programs. I spent two weeks with him in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania learning saddle and tack repair. That was a very rewarding experience. In fact, he sold me a full size marble tombstone to use as a base for setting rivets and the like. I still have it and refer to it as “Uncle Paul” because Paul something-or-other was the name on the stone.”

Stan has served on the CHA Board for several terms and worked with the committee that developed the CHA Pack and Trail certification. He has been a CHA member since 1984 and his CHA journey had included being certified in Western in 1984, then in both English and Western in 1986. He became trail certified in 1987 and has been part of the CHA Certifier Team in English/Western Instructor and Trail since 1988. He has conducted over 64 CHA Certifications including:  21 Combined Arena and Trail, 19 English/Western Instructor, 19 Trail and 5 Seasonal Equestrian Staff Certifications.

If you have ever been to a CHA International Conference that had a Trail Encampment, this person was one of the leads putting up his wall tent for folks to come into, cooking over the Dutch Ovens, making the cowboy coffee and chatting with whomever stops by.  He is also currently on the home page of our website, www.CHA.horse and on the cover of our CHA Trail Manual packing mules in the Bob Marshall wilderness.  Thank you Stan for all of your service to CHA through the years!

For a complete list of past CHA award winners, visit https://cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Distinguished Service Award Winner – Stan Loewen from Kansas Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Celebrates School Horses

(November 2021)  We all started out learning how to ride on a certain horse. If our family did not own horses, it was very likely that a wonderful school horse at a camp or lesson barn program taught us how to ride. So it is only fitting that an outstanding horse be honored as the Certified Horsemanship Association School Horse of the Year. To commemorate such an outstanding honor, the winning horse receives a hand-painted oil painting from CHA member Julie Fischer from Colorado with bark from her Girl Scout camp as the frame and a wooden and leather trophy plaque from Lone Star Awards.

Earning the title of 2021 CHA School Horse of the Year is 34-year-old flea bitten grey Quarter Horse gelding Oakie from Girl Scouts of San Jacinto in Houston, Texas.

Oakie has been a staple to our program since 2008. Before being donated to us he was a high school rodeo horse. He calmly took to the trails for first time riders, became the right amount of stubborn for the older riders, and would accept any task you put in front of him. Western? Of course, he would teach you quick stops and pivots. English? Without a doubt he would trot and canter over poles with the rest of them. A bareback ride? Perfect – he’s not too tall in case you slip off!  As our special guy has gotten older, his workload has lightened. Unfortunately, there was an accident in March 2020 when we thought it was the end. He slipped when headed out to the pasture and was unable to walk. Our vet gave him 24 hours, either to start improving or we would have to make a very hard decision. A day later he acted as if nothing happened! It was officially retirement for our sweet man – which meant nothing more than getting loved on by everyone!

He spent the next year continuing to teach others how to groom, lead, and care for a horse. That’s when we spotted him galloping in the field! He was feeling so good we checked with our vet again and decided to try him back in some light work. This old man perked up and was so thrilled to be on the occasional trail ride for our littlest riders this past summer.  In his 13 years with Girl Scouts he has served over 50,000 girls! This horse has done it all: lessons, trail rides, grooming, painting, flag ceremonies, and even has been a unicorn a few (too many!) times. They say 10,000 hours in something makes you an expert, I would say he is far beyond that. Having a horse like him should be essential to any program and he will be irreplaceable when he is gone!

What our Girl Scouts have to say about him. We used to have a day during the week where special needs kids came and did Love, Hug & Groom. I volunteered several times, and Oakie was always a saint. Nothing scared him; walkers, crutches, wheelchairs were all no big deal. The kids loved him! Oakie is an inspiration to us all. He is the most loving, caring, and reliable horse in the world. He is amazingly good with troop riders and makes them feel comfortable when they are just learning to ride. He is everyone’s best friend for a reason. Out of our barn of 40 horses, he is the horse that if you say his name everyone’s heart melts. They are remembering their special moments with him.

The CHA host site where our winner hails from has been a CHA Program Member since 1989 and has hosted 25 CHA Certifications including 17 Seasonals and 8 English/Western Instructor ones.

The CHA School Horse of the Year Program honors the best of the school horses who are part of CHA member programs. Each equine finalist receives a plaque from CHA and were also honored at the CHA Awards Ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas. The top five finalists included:

  1. Ghost from Rusty Bar Ranch in Washington
  2. Oakie from Girl Scouts of San Jacinto in Texas
  3. Radish from Star T Ranch in Texas
  4. Sapphire – Warm Beach Camp in Washington
  5. Zap – Potter’s Ranch in Kentucky

For a complete list of past CHA award winners, visit https://cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Celebrates School Horses Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Online Auction is Open for Bidding Until December 10, 2021

(November 2021) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) needs your bids by December 10, 2021 for its Online Auction.  The online auction will be live from November 9 – December 10, 2021. Visit https://www.32auctions.com/CHAEquine today and bid often and high!

It is also not too late to donate an item to the auction. Visit this link today to put in your products and services that you want to donate to share what you do with over 12,000 equine facility mangers and horseback riding instructors. Thank you for your support!

 CHA Changes Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

 

Certified Horsemanship Association Online Auction is Open for Bidding Until December 10, 2021 Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Streaming Videos Are Very Popular  

(October 2021) – During the upcoming fall and winter months, take the time while indoors more to check out the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) video streaming service.

This streaming service offers videos in four different categories:

  • Riding Instruction – Videos that are beneficial for both riding instructors and owners and are designed to improve the rider’s equitation and communication with his/her horse.
  • Horse and Rider Psychology – These videos look into the way horses think and react and the rider/horse interactive relationship.
  • Herd Management – These videos feature topics geared toward the care and use of our equine partners and specifically address the needs of managing a herd that is used for lesson programs, striving to make their lives more comfortable.
  • Horsemanship Specialties – Videos in this group address a variety of distinctive disciplines within the horse industry.

Each category offers a variety of videos, with some of the topics including Foundational Lateral Movements, Polishing Rider Position, Training Principals for All Disciplines, Prevention of Lesson Horse Burnout and many more.

While you don’t have to be a CHA member to access this resource, you do get a discount on the subscription if you are one. Pricing to access this exciting resource is:

  • $5/single view (CHA member price)
  • $10/single view (non-CHA member price)
  • $45/month for program membership subscription (CHA member price, unlimited views of all titles)
  • $95/month for program membership subscription (non-CHA member price, unlimited views of all titles)

Sign up and start watching today by clicking here!

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association Streaming Videos Are Very Popular   Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association’s June Training Tuesday on “Horses in the Morning” featuring Pam Minick and Barbara Schulte

(October 2021) – The Certified Horsemanship Association’s (CHA) Training Tuesday show on Horses in the Morning

To listen to this upcoming show go to https://www.horsesinthemorning.com/player.htm and for past CHA “Horses in the Morning” episodes, please visit https://cha.horse/education/#horse-radio-show

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association’s June Training Tuesday on “Horses in the Morning” featuring Pam Minick and Barbara Schulte Read More »

Deadline Approaching for Donations to the Certified Horsemanship Association Online Silent Auction

(October 2021) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) needs your donations by November 5, 2021 for its Online Silent Auction.  Donate a product or service that you can send to the highest bidder by December 15th.

Visit this link today to put in your products and services that you want to donate to share what you do with over 12,000 equine facility mangers and horseback riding instructors. Please plan on donating items to support our CHA scholarship fund!  The auction will be live from November 9 – December 10, 2021 and will open at our annual meeting to be held at our CHA International Conference in Fort Worth, Texas next month.  Thank you for your support!

 CHA Changes Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

Deadline Approaching for Donations to the Certified Horsemanship Association Online Silent Auction Read More »

Early Bird Registration for Certified Horsemanship Association International Conference in November in Fort Worth Ends This Week

(September 2021) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) International Conference is scheduled for November 9 – 11, 2021 at the Fort Worth Stockyards in Texas. Speakers at this event include riding instructors, horse trainers, barn managers, equine behaviorists, equine association representatives, business and marketing consultants, and other equine professionals. Those wishing to attend the conference should register today for the early bird discount by clicking here.

Full Conference participants get to ride in sessions with top instructors on horses provided by The Fort Worth Herd and eventing horses from a local Fort Worth CHA instructor.  Sessions include classroom-style lectures, roundtable discussions, hands-on horse demonstrations, and mounted riding sessions.

CHA is all-breed and all-discipline organization. The audience at a CHA International Conference includes riding instructors, horse trainers, trail guides, barn managers, driving and vaulting coaches, horse owners, riders, and general horse enthusiasts. CHA members and non-members alike can attend as the conference is open to the public with prior registration.

Some of the speakers and sessions at this year’s event include:  National Cowgirl Hall of Fame winner Pam Minick, cutting horse trainer Barbara Schulte, Road to the Horse Winner Wade Black, CHA Spokesperson Julie Goodnight, University of Kentucky professor Dr. Bob Coleman and many more!

For more information on the CHA International Conference and to register online, visit  https://cha.horse/international-conference/ Additional information will be added online soon, including the complete biographies and session descriptions for each speaker.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Early Bird Registration for Certified Horsemanship Association International Conference in November in Fort Worth Ends This Week Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association at Equitana USA

(September 2021) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) will have a booth at Equitana USA in Lexington, Kentucky October 1 – 3, 2021.

CHA’s Chief Executive Officer, Christy Landwehr, will be speaking on Risk Management in Riding Programs, Teaching Techniques for Riding Instructors and Working with At-Risk Youth Riding Programs.

Visit here to get your tickets today and see you in Kentucky next week!  https://www.equitanausa.com/

 CHA Changes Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

Certified Horsemanship Association at Equitana USA Read More »

Donate Your Products/Services to Reach over 12,000 Equine Facility Managers/Riding Instructors with the Certified Horsemanship Association Online Silent Auction

(September 2021) – Certified Horsemanship Association needs your donations today for an Online Silent Auction we are hosting this year in November and December with our launch date at our Annual Meeting on November 9, 2021.

Visit this link today to put in your products and services that you want to donate to share what you do with over 12,000 equine facility mangers and horseback riding instructors. Please plan on donating items to support our CHA scholarship fund!  Will need the form filled out by no later than November 1, 2021. The auction will be live from November 9 – December 10, 2021.  Thank you for your support!

 CHA Changes Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

Donate Your Products/Services to Reach over 12,000 Equine Facility Managers/Riding Instructors with the Certified Horsemanship Association Online Silent Auction Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Nominations Due for Annual Awards

(August 2021) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) holds annual awards for horses, humans and companies. They include:

  • CHA Certified Horseback Riding Instructor of the Year
  • CHA Partner in Safety
  • CHA Volunteer of the Year
  • CHA School Horse of the Year
  • CHA Certifier of the Year
  • And the CHA Distinguished Service Award

Here is the list of our past award winners in each category since 1996. Some of them include:  Susan Harris, Lew Sterrett, American Youth Horse Council,
Dallas from Spring Hill Camp in Michigan, and Pumpkin from Houghton College in New York. https://cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners

In order to nominate a horse, human or company to win one of these annual CHA Awards, please return these forms, https://cha.horse/international-conference/#nomination-forms no later than September 10, 2021 to us at office@CHA.horse

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association Nominations Due for Annual Awards Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Has a New Blog Posted About Teaching the Older Rider

(August 2021) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has a new blog posted – “Is an Older Client a Good Fit in Your Equine Program”. You can visit here to read it in full – https://cha.horse/is-an-older-client-a-good-fit-in-your-equine-program/  Please see all past CHA blog articles on horsemanship, training, teaching riding and much more here – https://cha.horse/cha-blog/

This blog article is written by Jill Montgomery who is a CHA English and Western Riding Instructor, and Equine Facility Manager and Certifier. She is owner and CEO of JRAM Enterprises Inc. an equine consulting business that focuses on work to keep equine activities accessible and enjoyable for everyone. FMI Jill@JRAMEnterprises.com

One of the contributors to the blog is Christy Landwehr is CHA’s CEO and holds most of the credentials available through the organization, especially relevant to this article is her CHA certification as a Master Level Riding Instructor. She has been teaching children and adults how to ride for over 30 years. Christy is an AQHA Professional Horseman, an APHA Professional Horseman and won the AYHC Distinguished Service of the Year Award. Christy sits on the Colorado State University Equine Advisory Council and teaches in the Communications Department part time at the Community College of Aurora. She is also on the Interscholastic Equestrian Association Board of Directors. Christy runs CJL Training where she teaches riding and does meditation and facilitation of meetings for the equine industry and others. FMI www.CJLTrainingInc.com

Ken Najorka is the other contributor and has been affiliated with CHA for many years, he owns Najorka Performance Horses in Fort White FL where he raises, trains, and sells reining horses. Ken was the coach for the University of Central FL equestrian team and now conducts horsemanship clinics across the southeast. He maintains a lesson program at his barn that serves to develop riders in Western Dressage, Ranch Horse, and Trail Riding disciplines. FMI contact najorkaperformancehorses@gmail.com

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Has a New Blog Posted About Teaching the Older Rider Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association 2021 International Conference in November in Fort Worth – Register Today!

(July 2021) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) International Conference is scheduled for November 9 – 11, 2021 at the Fort Worth Stockyards in Texas. Speakers at this event include riding instructors, horse trainers, barn managers, veterinarians, equine behaviorists, farriers, saddle fit specialists, equine association representatives, business and marketing consultants, and other equine professionals. Those wishing to attend the conference should register now at https://cha.horse/international-conference/

Full Conference participants get to ride in sessions with top instructors on horses provided by The Fort Worth Herd that are used by the Drovers who move the longhorns down East Exchange Avenue each day, and eventing horses from a local Fort Worth CHA certified riding instructor.  Sessions include classroom-style lectures, roundtable discussions, hands-on horse demonstrations, and mounted riding sessions.

CHA is all-breed and all-discipline organization. The audience at a CHA International Conference includes riding instructors, horse trainers, trail guides, barn managers, driving and vaulting coaches, horse owners, riders, and general horse enthusiasts. CHA members and non-members alike can attend as the conference is open to the public with prior registration.

Some of the speakers and sessions at this year’s event include:  National Cowgirl Hall of Fame winner Pam Minick, cutting horse trainer Barbara Schulte, Road to the Horse Winner Wade Black, CHA Spokesperson Julie Goodnight, Equine Nutrition with University of Kentucky professor Dr. Bob Coleman, Simple and Flying Changes with Ren Bannerman, Barrel Racing and Pole Bending with Amy Obringer, Jumping – Pace, Position and Line with Jody Taylor and many more!

For more information on the CHA International Conference and to register online, visit  https://cha.horse/international-conference/ Additional information will be added online soon, including the complete biographies and session descriptions for each speaker.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Offering $10 Off Most Popular Manual – Composite Horsemanship Manual

(July 2021) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has many educational resources for those just getting started taking riding lessons to those that have been teaching riding for years. Manuals, safety posters for your barn, webinars, online educational articles, a streaming video service and DVDs are just some of what CHA offers.

This month, CHA is offering $10 off one of its most popular educational horsemanship manuals. Written by 30 professional horsemanship instructors from the United States and Canada, this four level manual contains a complete program for all levels of riders, with many illustrations by noted author and illustrator, Susan Harris. Available as separate level manuals or all four levels in this Composite Manual.  It contains written tests and riding test patterns at the end of each level. To receive this discount, visit by August 15thhttps://cha.horse/shop-educational-manuals/

“This CHA publication is essentially a self-guided tour of horsemanship from care to riding,” says CHA’s CEO Christy Landwehr. “The CHA Composite Manual of Horsemanship has 4 levels that you can go through to make sure that you are correctly and safely taking care of your horses and yourself when you work with them on the ground and in the saddle.”

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors and barn managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association’s July Webinar on How to Create Great Arena Footing

(July 2021) – The Certified Horsemanship Association’s (CHA) is happy to announce our July webinar that featured Barb Dipalma of GGT Footing who discussed arena footing – what works for your disciplines, area of the country, indoor or outdoor arenas, amount of horse traffic, and how to maintain it to its best advantage.

CHA has over 30 educational horsemanship webinars on our site. Some of the other topics include:

  • Helping Timid Riders Achieve Their Horsemanship Goals
  • Horse Selection and Suitability
  • Horse and Herd Management
  • Yoga for Every Equestrian
  • Exercises, Patterns and Drills for All Levels of Riders
  • Risk Management in a Horsemanship Program
  • Teaching Techniques for Riding Instructors
  • Marketing That Works
  • Function to Form: A Novel Look at Conformation
  • And Many More!

To select and watch these educational horse industry webinars, please visit https://cha.horse/education/#cha-webinars

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors and barn managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association Level One Horsemanship Manual Available in Spanish Both Hard Copy and Electronically

(June 2021) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) offers many educational horsemanship manuals. Some of the most popular are the four levels of horsemanship manuals that are sold individually or all four of them are included in the CHA Composite Horsemanship Manual. In addition, CHA is now proud to offer its Level One Manual of Horsemanship in Spanish both in hard copy and electronically.

Manual Compuesto de Equitación Nivel 1 is a 48-page book with illustrations by Susan Harris and detailed information on horse sense, rules for safe riding, parts of the horse and tack, how to safely approach the horse, leading, grooming, saddling and bridling, mounting and dismounting, basic seat and hand position, basic aids and horse control, circles and reverses, beginning the trot, exercises on horseback, elementary trail riding, and more. The book also contains a written exam and arena riding patterns.

Buy your copy today at https://cha.horse/shop-educational-manuals/ and to see all of the educational horsemanship products sold by CHA, please visit https://cha.horse/store

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association’s June Training Tuesday on “Horses in the Morning” featuring Pam Minick and Barbara Schulte

(June 2021) – The Certified Horsemanship Association’s (CHA) Training Tuesday show on Horses in the Morning is coming up this Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at 10 a.m. ET. Listen in to our two guests for the day who are both National Cowgirl Hall of Fame inductees!

Pam Minick has been inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame, the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, and Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame.  Pam is a former Miss Rodeo Nevada and Miss Rodeo America, which propelled her into a broadcasting career.  Pam has hosted more than 1,000 television shows on ESPN, TNN, NBC, and CBS, and is now the host of The American Rancher and Gentle Giants on RFD TV.  She recently retired after 25 years as the marketing director of Billy Bob’s Texas in the Fort Worth Stockyards – where she and husband Billy are co-owners.

Pam is a former World Champion breakaway calf roper, qualified for the Women’s National Finals rodeo 16 times in team roping, and was Vice President of the Women’s Pro Rodeo Association for more than a decade.  In 2020, Pam turned her focus from team roping to AQHA Versatility events.  At the AQHA World Championship Show in Oklahoma City, she won Reserve Champion in the Level 1 Ranch Riding on her Quarter Horse Gelding “Smart Smartie”. Pam serves on the board of various non-profit organizations around North Texas including as President of Friends of the Fort Worth Herd and Past President of Speedway Children’s Charities.   Pam was named “Great Woman of Texas” in 2006 and received the “Dateline Award” from the American Advertising Federation in 2015.  In 2016, Pam was the first woman to receive the prestigious “Western Horseman of the year award”.  During the 2020 National Finals Rodeo, Pam was presented the “Legacy of Rodeo Award”.  Pam and Billy live on a small ranch in Argyle, Texas with horses, cattle, donkeys and dogs where they enjoy team roping.

Barbra Schulte a High-Performance Coach, horse trainer, the author of four books, publisher of video blogs and online programs, clinician, speaker, and an honoree in the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame. As a national cutting horse competitor, Barbra was the first woman to win two legs of cutting’s triple crown. She was awarded the National Female Equestrian of the Year Award by the AQHA and the Women’s Sports Foundation. In 2020, she received the American Horse Publications Equine Industry Vision Award for her positive impact across the horse industry. In 2021, she received the Western Horseman Women of the West Award. Barbara is the CEO of the Center for Equestrian Performance. She lives in Brenham, Texas with her husband, Tom.

To listen to this upcoming show go to https://www.horsesinthemorning.com/player.htm and for past CHA “Horses in the Morning” episodes, please visit https://cha.horse/education/#horse-radio-show

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association Webinar – Horse Selection and Suitability

(June 2021) – Join us for our CHA Webinar on Horse Selection and Suitability at the link below on Monday, June 14th at Noon Eastern Time. To join in person live or get the recording afterwards, please visit – https://cha.horse/education/#cha-webinars

This session will feature what you need to know to select a horse based on conformation and temperament for any discipline including working with riders with disabilities. The two presenters are CHA Certifiers Debbie Holmes from Oregon and Cheryl West from Oklahoma.

Debbie Holmes is the Program Director for The Foundation of Southern Oregon. The Foundation provides adaptive riding lessons to individuals with developmental disabilities.  Prior to moving to Southern Oregon, she was an instructor for Horses with Heart in Chino Valley, AZ and Arizona State University’s therapeutic riding program. Her background includes teaching riders with cognitive and physical disabilities, at-risk youth, and able body riders. She served as a Special Olympics delegation head coach and coached a Division A rider who was a member of Team USA in the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.  Her professional certifications include: CHA Master Instructor and Certifier in Western, English, and Jumping; CHA Master Instructor and Certifier for Instructors for Riders with Disabilities; CHA Regional Triad Director for Region 1; PATH CTRI, Equine Specialist, and Mentor.

Cheryl West born in Australia, is a United States Dressage Federation Bronze Medalist on a rescued Rhinelander and served 8 years as US Army Aviation Helicopter Crew Chief. Additionally a CHA Master Instructor and Certifier for English/Western Instructor, Instructor of Riders with Disabilities and Equine Facility Manager and a PATH CTRI and Mentor.  Cheryl began by riding western, and then did eventing, moving to Oklahoma in 1998 to begin dressage, reining and teaching. Her career has also included 15 years of barefoot trimming and farrier experience, running a full-service facility with 50+ riders, and operating a therapeutic facility with 70+ riders. Recently she obtained her CPT, Certified Personal Trainer qualification with NASM.

Certified Horsemanship Association produces many webinars, videos, articles and more!  Check out our site at www.CHA.horse to see them all.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association 2021 International Conference in November in Fort Worth

(May 2021) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) International Conference is scheduled for November 9 – 11, 2021 at the Fort Worth Stockyards in Texas. Speakers at this event include riding instructors, horse trainers, barn managers, veterinarians, equine behaviorists, farriers, saddle fit specialists, equine association representatives, business and marketing consultants, and other equine professionals. Those wishing to attend the conference should Save the Dates.

Full Conference participants get to ride in sessions with top instructors on horses provided by The Fort Worth Herd and eventing horses from a local Fort Worth CHA instructor.  Sessions include classroom-style lectures, roundtable discussions, hands-on horse demonstrations, and mounted riding sessions.

CHA is all-breed and all-discipline organization. The audience at a CHA International Conference includes riding instructors, horse trainers, trail guides, barn managers, driving and vaulting coaches, horse owners, riders, and general horse enthusiasts. CHA members and non-members alike can attend as the conference is open to the public with prior registration.

Some of the speakers and sessions at this year’s event include:  National Cowgirl Hall of Fame winner Pam Minick, cutting horse trainer Barbara Schulte, Road to the Horse Winner Wade Black, CHA Spokesperson Julie Goodnight, University of Kentucky professor Dr. Bob Coleman and many more!

For more information on the CHA International Conference and to register online, visit  https://cha.horse/international-conference/ Additional information will be added online soon, including the complete biographies and session descriptions for each speaker.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Website Offers Job Platforms  

(May 2021) – Need to find a job for the summer?  How about finding qualified employees?  Want a place to sell a horse or some tack? Or a place to find an equine property?  Well, www.CHA.horse, the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) website, can help.

Just visit www.CHA.horse and go to the Find a Certified Professional tab and then click on the Job Board to post a job for an equine professional or to find one. Posting your equine professional job opening (for positions such as a riding instructor, barn manager, horsemanship director, stable worker, etc.) is available to everyone with CHA Individual Members getting a special rate and CHA Program Members get to do this for free as an added benefit.

Next, check out the CHA Classified Ads section of the site. Anyone can post a classified ad here that reaches equine professionals with CHA members that post under 25 words being able to do this for free as a member benefit.

Finally, CHA members can also post their resume for free here on the CHA Resume Board. This is a great place to find certified riding instructors, barn managers, trail ride guides and more!

Hope to see you soon on the CHA website equine industry job platforms!

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship streaming videos, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or an accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse     ###

 

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Certified Horsemanship Association May Podcast – Virtual Horse Showing

(May 2021) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) will be on Horses in the Morning for our “Training Tuesday” show on Tuesday, May 19th at 10 a.m. ET. This month’s show is sponsored by B-Free of Flies Insect Killer. This is a free podcast on the Horse Radio Network. Hope you can listen in!  https://cha.horse/education/#horse-radio-show

Join Glenn and Jennifer Hebert, hosts of Horses in the Morning, and Christy Landwehr, the CEO of CHA, as they co-host this show each month. This episode will be about Virtual Horse Showing and will include CHA Board Member Jennifer Eaton from Massachusetts and CHA Regional Director Schellie Blochberger from Missouri. Jennifer puts on virtual horse shows as part of her job at the Interscholastic Equestrian Association and Schellie is a participant and judge for numerous virtual horse shows.

This show is being sponsored by B-Free of Flies – https://www.b-freeofflies.com/

Cami O’Neal is the Administrative Coordinator and Sales Representative for B-Free of Flies, which is a family owned business, located in Boyd, TX.  They have been in business for 30 years and their products are EPA approved and made in the USA!

If you can’t make the live show, you can find the free recordings here for this show and all the CHA shows we have done for the past years with the Horse Radio Network – https://cha.horse/education/#horse-radio-show.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association Has Many Horsemanship Educational Manuals

(April 2021) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has many educational horsemanship manuals to help the horse owner and those that take horseback riding lessons. These have been created and updated by a team of professional riding instructors and equine facility managers. The CHA manuals can be purchased at https://cha.horse/store/ for CHA member and non-member rates.  Anyone can join CHA by visiting https://members.CHA.horse/secure/membership.cfm and get 50% off the manuals.

The CHA manuals include:

  1. CHA Composite Horsemanship Manual Levels 1 – 4 – Written by 30 professional horsemanship instructors from the United States and Canada. This four level manual contains a complete program for all levels of riders, with many illustrations by noted author and illustrator, Susan Harris. Written tests and riding test patterns at the end of each level.
  2. Individual CHA Level Manuals 1 – 4 – Each manual can be purchased separately for riders to work through. Level 1 is also available in Spanish.
  3. Equine Professional Manual: The Art of Teaching Riding – This 208 page manual is full of illustrations and photos that will help the professional riding instructor just starting out, as well as those that have been teaching for a long time. Learning styles, teaching styles, sample lessons plans and stretches for the rider are all included.  It is a comprehensive guide for all riding instructors.
  4. CHA Trail Manual – This is a comprehensive manual to trail riding, camping and packing out with your horses and mules. It is a must have for all avid trail riders, overnight campers and wilderness packing guides. It has four levels of horsemanship, trail ride information, camping with your horse, knots, packing, Dutch oven cooking and much more!  Great detailed photos and illustrations.
  5. Standards for Equestrian Programs – This manual lists standards for a safer equine environment for site, program, management, driving, trail and more. These standards are intended to serve as goals in order that facilities and/or individuals can develop an individualized program designed to promote safety. It is also used by equine facilities wanting to attain CHA Site Accreditation.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Vaulting Certification to be Held in June 2021 in Ohio

(April 2021) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is hosting a Vaulting Coach Certification June 25 – 27, 2021 in Hartville, Ohio at Pegasus Farm.

The goal of the CHA Vaulting Coach Certification clinics is to provide the vaulting community a certification process through which participants may be evaluated in their skills as coaches to provide a safe, enjoyable and effective vaulting program. The three-day Vaulting Coach Certification is conducted by two CHA Vaulting Coach Certifiers, whose job it is to evaluate the coaching skills of each participant and offer constructive advice for a safe and effective vaulting program.

Certification is available at three levels ranging from coaching vaulting at walk/trot up to canter in either a recreational and/or competition vaulting program. The level of certification attained, if any, is at the sole discretion of the CHA Certifiers and is determined by skills and knowledge demonstrated during the certification clinic.

Certification may be earned at these levels:

  • ASSISTANT VAULTING COACH: Minimum age 16. Qualified to direct warm‐up exercises, spot or longe under the direct supervision of a Level 1 or higher certified vaulting coach.
  • LEVEL 1 VAULTING COACH: Minimum age 18. Qualified to coach vaulting in a beginner or one‐time vaulting program at walk and beginning trot. Minimum written test score of 70%.
  • LEVEL 2 VAULTING COACH: Minimum age 18. Qualified to teach in a vaulting program or club at walk‐trot and beginning canter. Minimum written test score of 80%.
  • LEVEL 3 VAULTING COACH: Minimum age 18. Qualified to teach in a recreational and/or competitive vaulting program or club at walk, trot, and canter. Minimum written test score of 90%.
  • VAULTING COACH ASSISTANT CERTIFIER: Minimum age 21. Must be a Level 3 Vaulting Coach and be recommended by both CHA Certifiers. An application process is required.
  • VAULTING COACH CERTIFIER: Minimum age 25. Qualified to conduct CHA Vaulting Coach certification clinics and certify vaulting coaches in cooperation with another CHA Vaulting Coach certifier. Must complete an apprenticeship.

Please join us at the Vaulting Coach Certification – Pegasus Farm June 25, 2021 to June 27, 2021 in Hartville, Ohio by clicking here – Register Now

 

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Seeking Equine Experts for Speakers for the 2021 CHA International Conference in November in Fort Worth

(April 2021) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is seeking experts within the horse industry as speakers for the 2021 CHA International Conference. Part of CHA’s mission is providing quality continuing education within the horse industry, and the annual international conference is CHA’s ultimate learning opportunity. The 2021 CHA International Conference is scheduled for November 9 – 11, 2021 at the Fort Worth Stockyards in Texas. Speakers at this event include riding instructors, horse trainers, barn managers, veterinarians, equine behaviorists, farriers, saddle fit specialists, equine association representatives, business consultants, and other equine professionals. Those wishing to attend the conference should Save the Dates.

If you would like to speak, CHA is now accepting speaker applications for classroom-style lectures, roundtable discussions, hands-on horse demonstrations, and mounted riding sessions (using the Fort Worth drover horses and Eventing and Dressage horses from a local CHA instructor) with attendees who sign up on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sessions at the CHA International Conference are focused on safe, effective, and fun horsemanship.

CHA is all-breed and all-discipline organization. The audience at the CHA International Conference includes riding instructors, trail guides, barn managers, driving and vaulting coaches, horse owners, riders, and general horse enthusiasts. Attendees can sign up to ride these well-trained school horses in the educational sessions. CHA members and non-members alike can attend as the conference is open to the public with prior registration.

Those wishing to speak should contact CHA at clandwehr@CHA.horse. The deadline is April 15, 2021. Those applying to speak will need to send a professional biography paragraph, a photo, and a session title and paragraph description, along with anything needed to fulfill your session such as ground poles or cones.

More information about the CHA International Conference can be found at https://cha.horse/international-conference/ Additional information will be added online throughout the year, including the full line-up of speakers and sessions.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Spring Blog Post – Riding Program Success Lessons from the Pandemic

(March 2021) – Riding Program Success Lessons from the Pandemic by CHA Equine Facility Manager Certifier Jill Montgomery is the latest CHA blog post for readers to enjoy.

Jill interviews Jody Taylor who is a CHA Certified Riding Instructor and co-owner with his partner Kim of Star T Ranch in Aledo, Texas just outside of Fort Worth.

Jody describes their experience, “We started out 2020 with a well-established program and a great crew of six CHA certified riding instructors. When the Pandemic hit, we developed protocols to keep our students and boarders safe following guidance provided to area businesses by the City of Fort Worth. By showing leadership and sharing the plan with our clients – we made a smooth transition from closing the month of April through a graduated re-opening of services and were back to 100% by July – that led to the busiest Autumn in our history to date.” He went on to say, “Clear and regular communication with our clients about the rules and commitment to their health and safety were keys to our operation’s success dealing with COVID19.”

Susan Garside who is a CHA Board Member and Certifier and the Equestrian Program Director at Akron, Ohio’s YMCA Camp Y-Noah was also featured. Camp Y-Noah offers a year-round riding facility for youth and adults. Programs include riding lessons, trail rides, birthday parties with ponies and both day and overnight youth camps. Being part of a larger organization Susan’s program has several levels of management to clear when changing program details. She describes 2020 as a stressful year requiring creativity and adaptability. She also saw big pay offs in getting two parts of their Camp running for the 2020 season. The experience required recalibrating priorities.

To read more about Jody and Susan’s experiences and to read more great blogs from CHA visit here –  https://cha.horse/cha-blog/

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association March Webinar – Publishing and Social Media for the Horse Industry

(March 2021) – Join us for our March CHA Monthly Member Chat at the link below on Wednesday, March 17th at Noon Eastern Time. If you can’t join us live, not to worry, you can find the link on our website here the day after and CHA members are free and non-members pay a small fee to watch the recording – https://cha.horse/education/#cha-webinars

Jeff Tiessen, Publisher of the horse crazy kid publication – Blaze Magazine and Emily Blackborow the Communications Coordinator with ParaSport Ontario will be on to discuss the publishing industry and current social media trends and how you can use them to your advantage.

Certified Horsemanship Association produced many webinars, videos, articles and more!  Check out our site at www.CHA.horse to see them all.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association March Podcast – Teaching Riders with Physical or Cognitive Disabilities

(March 2021) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) will be on Horses in the Morning for our “Training Tuesday” show on Tuesday, March 16th at 10 a.m. ET. This month’s show is sponsored by Reinbow Stirrups. This is a free podcast on the Horse Radio Network. Hope you can listen in!  https://cha.horse/education/#horse-radio-show

Join Glenn Hebert, host of Horses in the Morning, and Christy Landwehr, the CEO of CHA, as they co-host this show each month. This episode will be about Teaching Riders with Physical or Cognitive Disabilities and will include CHA Certifiers Debbie Holmes from Oregon and Cheryl West from Oklahoma. Debbie is a CHA Instructor for Riders with Disabilities (IRD) and English/Western Instructor (EWI) Certifier, as well as a PATH CTRI, Mentor, and Equine Specialist. Cheryl is a CHA IRD, EWI and Equine Facility Manager Certifier.

This show is being sponsored by Reinbow Stirrups – www.Reinbowtherapy.org

Monica Wu, who owns Reinbow Therapy, is a Masters level registered and licensed occupational therapist with a specialty in pediatrics in Massachusetts. Monica founded her private Occupational Therapy practice called Reinbow Therapy in 2007 which incorporates equine movement which is known as “hippotherapy” as one of the treatment strategies in combination with other treatment techniques.

As a result of using her professional OT background of evaluating and addressing functional needs while utilizing equine movement, she realized that having a better safety stirrup system was needed and so she created the Reinbow Stirrup System.  This safety stirrup system evolved over a period of 10 years and finally received a U.S. patent in February after 3 years of hard work.  She is very excited to share this safety & functional product with the listeners on Horses in the Morning.

If you can’t make the live show, you can find the free recordings here for this show and all the CHA shows we have done for the past years with the Horse Radio Network – https://cha.horse/education/#horse-radio-show.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association Riding Instructor and Equine Facility Manager Certifications Are Hot in 2021

(February 2021) – Anyone who wants to further their career by earning a Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Certification is encouraged to check out the CHA Certification Schedule online by type at https://cha.horse/find-cha-certification-clinics-by-type/ and by location at https://cha.horse/search-cha-certification-clinics-by-location/  and by date at https://cha.horse/find-cha-certification-clinics-by-date/    CHA Certifications are intensive multi-day events in which attendees learn and demonstrate their skills so they can be certified at one of CHA’s various certification types and levels. They are currently available for the English/Western Instructor (EWI), Equine Facility Manager (EFM), Vaulting (VTL) and Instructors of Riders with Disabilities (IRD) during 2021. Many more will be added in the next few months for this year. Join more than 30,000 experts who have been certified by the largest equine professional certifying organization in North America!

At this time, CHA Certifications are available in the following locations: Alabama, Alberta, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Manitoba, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Normally, CHA conducts over 80 certifications around the US and Canada each year. They are posted on the CHA website for 2021 at this time.

Certification offers many benefits to the equine professional, including showing the industry and potential customers that you have the skills and knowledge to teach riders or to run an equine facility according to strict industry standards set by an independent third party. In addition, certification demonstrates professionalism, dedication, and a commitment to horsemanship instruction and/or equine facility management. Certified individuals have demonstrated their focus on the safety and well-being of all participants in equestrian pursuits, humans and horses alike.

A person’s willingness to dedicate their time and money to the CHA certification process indicates that they are a serious professional. CHA certified equine professionals must demonstrate a high level of professional competence and adhere to continuing education requirements set forth by CHA to maintain their certification. In addition, many insurance companies recognize certification and will give discounts.

Certification includes workshops and hands-on demonstrations in five areas: safety, horsemanship knowledge and ability, teaching techniques, group control, and professionalism and ethics. Two CHA Certifiers evaluate each attendee, who must also pass written tests and competently demonstrate their skills during the event to receive their certification. The cost of the certification also includes the attendee’s membership in CHA, fees for the event, and all educational materials. Each host site will specify which meals are included and if a lodging option is available with the final price.

For more information on attending a CHA Certification and what to expect, please visit https://cha.horse/cha-certifications/

For anyone wishing to host a CHA Certification, the organization is taking applications to host in the fall of 2021 and beyond. Host sites must become a CHA Program Member that is pre-approved by CHA. If your facility would like to become a new host site for CHA, please visit https://cha.horse/how-to-host-a-cha-clinic/

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter on the home page at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, has educational webinars and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

 

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Certified Horsemanship Association Offers Educational Webinars for Equine Professionals and Enthusiasts

(January 2021) The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) offers a variety of resources for horse professionals and enthusiasts alike to learn more about horsemanship. One of CHA’s most popular educational resources are the professional webinars, which are offered live and also in recorded format. Anyone interested in a past webinar topic can purchase a downloadable file at https://cha.horse/education/#cha-webinars. In addition to gaining more horsemanship knowledge, these webinars can also serve as continuing education credit hours for those that need them in the equine industry.  Business owners can use CHA webinars as educational training for staff.

These are just some of the many horsemanship webinars available on www.CHA.horse:

  • Caring for the Senior Working Horse with Megan Bryant Purina Mills
  • Equine and Disaster Planning with Jim Boller
  • Equine Educational Opportunities at Colleges/Universities with Dr. Bob Coleman and Amanda Love
  • Equine Assisted Learning and Working with At-Risk Youth in a Riding Program with Bonnie Riley
  • Exercises, Patterns and Drills for Riding at All Levels with Julie Goodnight
  • Insurance for the Private Horse Owner and the Equine Professional with Diane Lesher Equisure
  • Form to Function: A Novel Look at Conformation with Dale Rudin
  • Horse Trauma and PTSD with Nina Ekholm Fry University of Denver
  • Marketing That Works with Jordan Manfredi
  • Nine Things the IRS Looks for in Your Horse Business with Victoria Long, CPA
  • Questions and Answers with Dr. Temple Grandin
  • Risk Management: What You Need to Know About Liability, Contracts, and Releases with attorney Julie Fershtman
  • Social Media and Marketing Tactics with Suzi Carragher
  • Teaching Techniques for Riding Instructors with Christy Landwehr
  • Test Before You Treat – The Right Way to Deworm your Horse with Tim Davis
  • Yoga for Every Equestrian with Gabrielle Diakon

To be on a CHA webinar live and to keep up with new monthly webinars and other resources and information provided by CHA, please subscribe for CHA’s free monthly educational email newsletter at the bottom of the CHA website home page at www.CHA.horse

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association January Podcast

(January 2021) Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) will be on Horses in the Morning for our “Training Tuesday” show on Tuesday, January 19th at 10 a.m. ET. This is a free podcast on the Horse Radio Network. Hope you can listen in!  https://cha.horse/education/#horse-radio-show

Join Glenn Hebert, host of Horses in the Morning, and Christy Landwehr, the CEO of CHA, as they co-host this show each month. This episode will talk about New Year’s Resolutions for Yourself, Your Horses, Your Clients and Your Barns and will feature Julie Goodnight Master Instructor with CHA from Colorado and Rashel Pack who is an attorney at Appleby Healy, Attorneys at Law in Ozark, Missouri.

This show is being sponsored by DiO – Draw It Out Veterinary Strength Liniment and owner Jon Conklin will be coming on the show to talk about this product and everything it can provide to your horses.

If you can’t make the live show, you can find the free recordings here for this show and all the CHA shows we have done for the past 5 years with the Horse Radio Network – https://cha.horse/education/#horse-radio-show.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association Monthly Member Chat Webinar with CHA Instructor Dale Rudin – Function to Form: A Novel Look at Conformation

(December 2020) Join us for the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Monthly Member Chat Webinar on Function to Form: A Novel Look at Conformation on Wednesday, 12/16 at Noon Eastern Time for CHA members and then the recording will be available to everyone after.

Your horse’s conformation is a treasure trove of information that can give you valuable insight into your horse’s performance and well-being. Learn how to evaluate your horse’s conformation and what changes in your horse’s shape and structure can mean.

Dale Rudin is a welfare-centered horse trainer and CHA certified English and western riding instructor. Her passion is to help humans find joy with their horses. Her priority is to develop emotional balance and physical health in horses of all breeds and disciplines. She is a certified equine nutritionist, behavior specialist, and uses her background in biomechanics to help horses be the best they can. Dale’s experience with “problem” horses has made equine rehabilitation a big part of her life. She has recently created Pure Joy Horse Haven, an equine rescue and sanctuary that gives horses a chance at a better life or a forever home. Dale is a founding member of Force Free Tennessee, an animal advocacy organization. Her articles have been published in Horse Illustrated, HorseChannel.com, and WoofOnNashville. Dale offers training, instruction, and clinics at her farm in Santa Fe, Tennessee and surrounding areas as well comprehensive assessments, nutrition consulting, saddle fitting and online education. https://www.purejoyhorsemanship.com/

Here is the link to CHA’s educational horsemanship webinars topics. Explore them today! https://cha.horse/education/#cha-webinars

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals and webinars, produces educational horsemanship videos, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse. ###

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Certified Horsemanship Association Celebrates School Horses

(December 2020) We all started out learning how to ride on a certain horse. If our family did not own horses, it was very likely that a wonderful school horse taught us how to ride. So it is only fitting that an outstanding horse be honored as the Certified Horsemanship Association School Horse of the Year. To commemorate such an outstanding honor, the winning horse receives a hand-painted oil painting from CHA member Julie Fischer from Colorado with bark from her camp as the frame and a wooden and leather trophy plaque from Lone Star Awards.

Earning the title of 2020 CHA School Horse of the Year is 30-year-old quarter horse gelding Dallas from SpringHill Camp in Evart, Michigan. “Without fail, kids that come through the barn will ask who my favorite horse is,” says Katrina Lechlitner. “As the barn manager, I am always diplomatic and will say that I have lots of favorites it just depends on the job that needs to be done. Then I whisper, “It’s actually Dallas, but don’t tell the other horses.” They usually giggle and then ask if I always ride him because I love him so much. It’s then that I have to confess that I have never ridden him in the 15 years I have been in charge. “I only get to ride the ones that need help listening and Dallas never does anything wrong so you get to ride him.” “Why do you like him so much then?” That is my favorite moment. “Dallas makes me proud and I can trust him to take care of you. I’m kind of like his mom now and all the lessons he learned growing up he is teaching you. He’s my favorite because he’s using all of his lessons to help other people and I know that you will do the same thing when you are older. We should all want to be just like Dallas.”

“It doesn’t stop there though. The staff always ask that question too. With them I am a bit more coy. I’ll ask them who their favorites are and why. Without fail they will name a horse that they feel like they are training or one of our flashy colored horses. They are almost disappointed when I tell them it’s Dallas. My response it a bit more age appropriate though. “You like the idea of that other horse, I’d say that makes them ‘dateable’ – Dallas is marriage material.” Of course those conversations lead to talking about their future, but when they do get distracted by a boy at camp it gives me a chance to offer some perspective. “Is he a Dallas or just dateable?” That is the kind of reputation EVERY man should strive for. He’s 30. We’ll never be able to replace him. I am confident I will cry uncontrollably on his last day. Until then I will keep asking the dentist for the ‘live forever float,’ the farrier for the ‘stay sound forever trim,’ the vet for secrets to ‘make him live forever,’ and myself to learn how to care for him the best I can.”

“What an honor to have Dallas be recognized by CHA as the 2020 School Horse of the Year,” says Katrina Lechlitner. “There are so many special lesson horses in CHA programs everywhere and Dallas truly is our backbone. It was so hard to put his 18 years of service into words to nominate him because we felt we could not do his history with us justice. His name puts a twinkle in the eye of so many campers, guests and staff alike. It’s been fun to share this recognition with all those who have crossed paths with him. He might just be another sorrel horse, but he’s the heart and soul of our herd. SpringHill Camps has been blessed to have a horse like him. Thank you CHA!”

The CHA School Horse of the Year Program honors the best of the school horses who are part of CHA member programs. Each equine finalist receives a plaque from CHA and were also honored at the virtual CHA Awards Ceremony. The top five finalists included:
• Cresson – Whispering Willow Farm in Wisconsin
• Dallas – Spring Hill Camp in Michigan
• Indy – JT Ranch in Washington
• Maverick – Birch Bay Ranch in Alberta
• Sonora – Camp Chippewa in Kansas

For a complete list of past CHA award winners, visit https://cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners
CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse.
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Reach Equine Professionals by Advertising in the Certified Horsemanship Association’s Magazine, The Instructor

(November 2020) – For businesses who want to share their products and services with equine professionals, advertising in the Certified Horsemanship Association’s magazine, The Instructor, is the perfect way to do that. The Instructor magazine is published every spring, and readership includes riding instructors, equine facility owners, managers and staff, camps, trail guides, colleges and universities, and other equine professionals. Now is the time to book ad space in CHA’s official publication.

The Instructor is a full-color publication that includes CHA news and updates, informative and engaging features, and the CHA Annual Report. More than 4,500 issues are distributed to all CHA members and available at the CHA International Conference and other trade shows and events attended by CHA representatives. Full color ad spaces range from 1/6th-page ads to full-page ads, with premium placement ads available on the back cover, the inside front cover, and the inside back cover.

In addition, those who advertise in both The Instructor magazine and the 2021 CHA International Conference Program will receive 20% off on a conference program ad of any size. The program will be published for the 2021 CHA International Conference. The conference program is printed in black and white each year and given to all attendees at the conference.
Book your ad space in the full color The Instructor magazine by mid-February 2021! Ad materials are due by the end of February. In addition to CHA’s amazingly low rates, CHA Individual and Program members receive discounts on advertising in the magazine, the conference program, and the monthly e-newsletter thanks to their membership with the organization.
Opportunities are also currently available for advertising with the CHA Radio Podcast Show, which airs monthly on “Horses in the Morning”; in the monthly CHA e-newsletter; and in horsemanship safety videos produced by CHA for use by the equine industry.

For more information on rates and ad specifications, the CHA Media Kit can be found online at https://cha.horse/advertise/#cha-media-kit and to book your ad space, or for questions, please contact CHA’s ad sales representative Leigh Ann Matthews at sales@CHA.horse

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse.
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Deserving Award Winners Honored at the 2020 CHA Virtual Awards Ceremony

(November 2020) Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) members, instructors, and speakers gathered to participate in the 2020 CHA Virtual International Conference, Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony. During the two days attendees engaged in networking, expanded their knowledge over a variety of equine topics, and honored the highly anticipated award winners.

1. The first award recipient to be honored during the virtual awards ceremony was the CHA Volunteer of the Year. The coveted award that recognizes the countless hours and dedication CHA volunteers spend changing lives through safe experiences with horses. The winner is Pam Prudler from Sacramento, California.

CHA member Lisa Lombardi said this about Pam. “Pam has devoted her life to enriching newcomers to the safety and joys of horsemanship since 1972. At that time, she first became a CHA certified riding instructor and was immediately hired to teach at the location where she was certified, Shady Lawn Farm in Oakdale, CA. It was there at Shady Lawn that she met educators who wanted to include safe horseback riding at their camps, and she got involved with further developing what was then called Camp Horsemanship Association. The main idea was to come up with a leveling system that resembled what was already in place for Red Cross water safety. The earned certificate or patch would mean the same in any camp program, so that the campers riding skills would not need to be re-tested if they chose a different camp.

In approximately 1980, she and others from around the country met in Illinois to put together official CHA manuals that would include the written materials and illustrations already being used by Shady Lawn Farm. During her time at Shady Lawn Farm (1972-1989), Lois Orr, Pam and others pushed for having certified instructors, helmet use, coordination with liability insurance companies, and to expand the CHA program to include western states.

She still owns horses and has taught hundreds to ride including her own nieces and grandnieces. Today nothing gives her more joy than watching children with horses. She has dedicated her life to educating others in the safety and joy of horsemanship. Pam is, and always has been, a contributor to the horse world and to CHA.”

2. The CHA Partner in Safety Award is given to a person or entity that embodies horsemanship safety at the core. The CHA Partner in Safety goes to Marmon Valley Farm in Ohio.

Marmon Valley Farm was established in 1964 and began certifying CHA instructors and campers soon after. Programs have included both seats English and Western at all 4 levels, Jumping, Drill teams, Driving, Vaulting, Pack Trips, Gymkhana and simple Trail courses. All campers ride on the 250 wooded acres of trails. They also host small horse shows and have a public riding stables that serves hundreds of guests every year. They can put out 25 riders every half hour on a busy fall Saturday.

Marmon Valley began as a small Farm camp with 5 horses in 1964 on 75 acres. Now over 50 years later, it’s an established horse facility with 500 acres and 150 horses. Marmon Valley Farm and the Wiley family have been a supporting member of CHA holding clinics to provide safe programs for over 50 years! This family has three generations of CHA Certifiers! Marmon Valley Farm in Zanesfield, Ohio has hosted 49 certifications clinics since 1996, certifying 353 CHA Instructors.

“The Marmon Valley Farm Staff was excited to be this year’s proud winner of the “CHA Partner in Safety Award,” says Jane Wiley Olsen. “We appreciate the recognition for all the hard work our staff have put in, over the 50 years, to keep horseback riding and horse related activities safe in our organization and many others. Thank you for recognizing us in this wonderful association.”

3. CHA Certifiers are vital in order to continue growing the association and accomplishing our mission. The CHA Certifier of the Year Award is reserved for someone who has shown outstanding service to CHA by conducting meaningful certifications and influencing the careers of equine professionals over many years. This year’s award was given to Cheryl West from Oklahoma.

Cheryl is a CHA Certifier in the CHA English/Western Instructor Certification, Equine Facility Managers Certification and Instructors of Riders with Disabilities Certification. She has also been a very active Regional Director for her area of the country.

She has had this said about her, “It has been a pleasure to learn the ropes of how to conduct a CHA Certification from her. She runs a smooth, orderly and clearly lined-out clinic. She is quick to make adjustments and adapt when needed. She remains positive, fair and energetic throughout the process even during the long days. She challenges each equine professional attendee in a way to help them see their fullest potential and encourages them to shine in their unique individual style. She brings years of experience with passion, enthusiasm, pride and encouragement for each participant. She takes pride in representing CHA to others. Cheryl challenges herself and continues to grow in order to bring out her very best for those around her. She is an inspiration and models grit, determination, perseverance and passion.”

“It is humbling and gratifying to know that I could have a positive influence for others in our industry,” says Cheryl West. “It’s a huge responsibility to be a CHA Certifier and I enjoy making a difference.”

4. Often described as the life blood of the association, individual certified instructors undoubtedly play a key role in the success of the association and its mission. Earning the title of 2020 CHA Instructor of the Year is Trisha Kiefer-Reed from Montana.

Trisha has had this said about her: “She has the ability to teach each student regardless of what level they are at. She not only tells the students how to adjust themselves and their horses, she breaks down the mechanics and explains the why and how of the maneuvers and the adjustments. She has the ability to adjust how she explains things to the level of each rider. This results in success for each and every student. I think this is the “pot of gold” for the students that are fortunate enough to ride with her. Trisha is a powerhouse of energy. In the past twelve months alone, she has tirelessly spread enthusiasm for safe and sane horsemanship throughout her home state of Montana as well as Alberta, Wyoming, and the far reaches of Alaska.

Trisha is very involved with WE United Association that is about the sport of Working Equitation. One of the things that impressed me the most about Trisha is that she took the time to learn about the sport before she jumped in and began to offer instruction in it. Trisha began to teach clinics and private lessons grounded in the discipline of working equitation after over a year of intensive professional growth. As word of the quality of her instruction began to spread, her clinics began to sell out, and her weekends quickly filled.

Trisha is a CHA Master Instructor and Clinician and is the consummate professional. She is excellent at meeting the horse and rider where they are, on any given day. Her enthusiasm and humor make her instructions fun and memorable. She’s patient, fair, encouraging, and possesses the best sense of humor ever!”

“I am deeply honored and humbled to be recognized amongst this outstanding group of men and women,” says Trisha Kiefer-Reed. “My goal now is to keep learning and sharing information, keeping this chain of knowledge strong for our aspiring instructors.”

5. The CHA Distinguished Service Award is a lifetime achievement award for an individual who has gone above and beyond through the years promoting and upholding the mission of the association. The 2020 recipient is Beth Powers of Bellefontaine, Ohio.

For 30 years since the beginning of her equestrian career, she has been a friendly face to everyone she meets sharing her love for the CHA organization, its members, staff, and mission. Her passion for life is evident from your first conversation. It does not take long for you to know that she is a life time member of the CHA proud team! A fixture each year at the CHA booth at Equine Affaire in Ohio she continues to share her love of the profession & our organization. She has volunteered her time in that booth for over 20 years! Setting it up, spending each of the four days talking to members and prospective members, tearing it down and keeping all the furniture and carpet at her house during the year. Beth is a CHA Life Member and is certified in both English/Western Instructor and Trail. She is a CHA Site visitor and Site Visitor Trainer and she conducts our trainings of new site visitors at our International Conferences every other year. She has been many roles in leadership with CHA including committee chair, and even our President. Beth was nominated and elected to our Board of Directors in 1999 and is just now rotating off after 21 years of service!

“I was completely surprised by this recognition,” says Beth Powers. “I have had many opportunities over the years to tell our CHA story of safe, fun and effective horsemanship to anyone who would listen. I have traveled all over doing conferences and trade shows for CHA and realize CHA is still needed and is just as relevant as it was over 50 years ago. Thank you so much.”

For a complete list of past CHA award winners, visit https://cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners
CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse.
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Certified Horsemanship Association Welcomes New Board Members for 2021

(November 2020) The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has new leadership on its board for 2021. We are excited to introduce them.

Dr. Bob Coleman is the new CHA President. Dr. Coleman graduated from the University of Manitoba with a bachelor’s in Agriculture with a major in Animal Sciences and then a Master of Science. He worked in the Canadian feed industry as a nutritionist for two major feed companies. In then became the extension horse specialist for Alberta Agriculture and completed his PhD at the University of Alberta with a focus in Equine Nutrition. He is now the University of Kentucky’s equine extension specialist in Lexington. He also teaches in the Equine Science and Management program, advises undergraduate students, and served as the program’s director of undergraduate studies until May 2017. He has researched voluntary forage intake of horses and the use of rotational grazing practices to meet maintenance needs of adult horses. He has worked with University of Minnesota faculty to develop the Healthy Horse app, which helps owners to estimate their horse’s current and ideal body weight. He is a CHA Site Visitor Trainer for the CHA Equine Facility Accreditation Program.
“I am honored and excited to be the incoming CHA president as CHA brings together people from all aspects of the industry to help those they meet have a safe experience with horses and those experiences do change lives,” says Dr. Coleman. “It is not just those new to horses this impacts, but all of us.”

Kristin Jaworski is the new CHA President Elect. She is from Fort Worth, TX and is the Director of the Fort Worth Herd where she manages and directs the world’s only twice daily longhorn cattle drive. She grew up raising mules and horses in northern Arizona and later graduated with her Master’s Degree in Management and Leadership from Tarleton State University. Since 2002 she has expanded all aspects of The Herd, including educational programs, facility operations, and horsemanship to support the economy and raise awareness of western heritage. Kristin was introduced to CHA through The Herd program and is a CHA Certified Instructor and a CHA Equine Facility Manager Certifier.

“The Certified Horsemanship Association has remained true to its why statement, by changing my life through safe experiences with horses, members of the organization, education and volunteers,” says Jaworski. “CHA has professionally influenced me as a rider and encouraged me to become a steward of the organization and I am honored to be elected President Elect. I believe in the excellence that this organization represents in the horse industry and am honored to serve.”

Katie Reynolds was elected to a second term on the CHA Board of Directors.
Katie is the Director of Youth Development & AQHYA at the American Quarter Horse Association. In this role since July of 2016, Katie is responsible for engaging a youth membership of more than 22,000, developing a diverse portfolio of programs and educational resources, and providing career and leadership development opportunities to tomorrow’s industry leaders. Katie is a graduate of Colorado State University. Katie spent several years as the Youth Programs Coordinator for Arabian Horse Association in Denver, Colorado, where she created programs, increased fundraising revenues, and advanced youth leadership development. It was during those years that Katie established a deep personal commitment to youth involvement. In 2008, Katie joined the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo as the Horse Show Director. There, Katie launched competitive events resulting in an increase of more than 260% in youth participation, worked with a committee of more than 500 volunteers, and managed a wide assortment of world-class events for thousands of exhibitors. A native of Wisconsin, Katie is a lifelong horseman. She resides in Canyon, Texas with her husband and their three children.
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to continue serving as a board member of CHA,” says Katie Reynolds. “CHA’s mission is so important and I look forward to helping advance the association’s objectives in the coming years.”
Returning CHA Board members include: Hayley Eberle, Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association, Oklahoma City, OK; Teddy Franke, Camp Morrow, Pine Hollow, OR; Susan Garside, YMCA Camp Noah, Canal Fulton, OH; Jessica Hersey, Cowboy Mounted Shooting, Gettysburg, PA; Katrina Lechlitner, Spring Hills Camp, Reed City, MI; Amanda Reardon, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY; and James Rickner, Champ Chippewa, KS.

The rest of the CHA Executive Board consist of: Vice President of New Initiatives Anne Brzezicki, Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, Murfreesboro, TN; Vice President of Regional Relations Jennifer Eaton, Interscholastic Equestrian Association, Groveland, MA; Secretary Elizabeth Duffy, Camp America, Eatonton, GA; Treasurer Terry Williams, Blanchester, OH; and Past President Tammi Gainer, Pegasus Farm and PATH International, Alliance, OH

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America and to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse.

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Certified Horsemanship Association Online Silent Auction and Virtual Annual Conference – Join Us!

(October 2020) – The Certified Horsemanship Association Online Silent Auction is open for bidding now at https://cha.horse/advertise/#donate-silent-auction-items. It is truly an All-Breed, All-Discipline Auction thanks to our wonderful donors!

Please share this event with everyone. Great horse owner supplies, travel, gift baskets, books, household items, gift certificates, clothing, art, jewelry and much more is up for bid.

The auction will be live until November 2, 2020 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. Any items you win will be shipped to you after the closing of the auction for FREE. Funds will go towards CHA Scholarships for those in financial need due to hardship to support attendance at a CHA Certification to jump start their careers as a riding instructor or equine facility manager.

CHA is also holding its first ever Virtual Conference on Friday, October 30, 2020. This event will be open to all horse enthusiasts with a CHA member and non-member rate for the educational horsemanship day.

This conference will not just be your typical Zoom call with talking heads and Powerpoint presentations. The sessions will be very interactive and some speakers will be doing videos ahead of time with riders up on horses to showcase what they are teaching during their presentations. They will then be online to answer any questions after the video sessions. Here is the schedule for the day and for the recording you can receive after the event if you can’t join us live.

Friday, October 30, 2020 – 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET
CHA Virtual Conference – $95 for CHA Members and $155 for non-members
9:30 a.m. Gabrielle Diakon – Yoga for the Virtual Equestrian Conference Attendee
10 a.m. Dr. Bob Coleman – 4H Resources Ready for You and Your Youth
10:30 a.m. – Jochen Schleese – The 8 Myths of Saddle Fit
11:30 a.m. – Julie Goodnight – Simple and Flying Lead Changes (video with horses)
12:30 – Lunch break
1 p.m. – Shawna Karrasch – Positive Reinforcement Training (video with horses)
2 p.m. – Tara Reimer – Turnbacks and Rollbacks (video with horses)
3 p.m. – Julie Fischer – Grant Writing and Fundraising
3:30 p.m. – Susan Garside – Ways to Help Your Lesson Horses Succeed with Their Students (video with horses)
4:30 p.m. Jo-Anne Young – Understanding and Developing the Half Pass (video with horses)
5:30 p.m. – Courtney Smith – How to Teach the Boring Stuff in a Fun Way
CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse
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Certified Horsemanship Association Online Silent Auction is OPEN

(October 2020) – Certified Horsemanship Association is hosting an Online Silent Auction this year and it is open for bidding now at https://cha.horse/advertise/#donate-silent-auction-items. It is truly an All-Breed, All-Discipline Auction thanks to our wonderful donors!

Please share this event with everyone. Great horse owner supplies, travel, gift baskets, household items, gift certificates, clothing, art, jewelry and much more is up for bid.

The auction will be live from October 15 – November 2, 2020. Any items you win will be shipped to you after the closing of the auction and shipping is included for free. Funds from this auction will go towards CHA Scholarships for those that are in financial need due to hardship to support attendance at a CHA Certification to jump start their careers as a riding instructor or an equine facility manager.

Thank you for your support by bidding on auction items. And a huge thanks to our supporters who donated items to the CHA Auction!

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse ###

Certified Horsemanship Association Online Silent Auction is OPEN Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Virtual Conference – Join Us!

(October 2020) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is holding its first ever Virtual Conference on Friday, October 30, 2020. This event will be open to all horse enthusiasts with a CHA member and non-member rate for the educational horsemanship day.

This conference will not just be your typical Zoom call with talking heads and Powerpoint presentations. The sessions will be very interactive and some speakers will be doing videos ahead of time with riders up on horses to showcase what they are teaching during their presentations. They will then be online to answer any questions during the video sessions and afterwards. Here is the schedule for the day and for the recording you can receive after the event.

Friday, October 30, 2020
9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET
CHA Virtual Conference – $95 for CHA Members and $155 for non-members
9:30 a.m. Gabrielle Diakon – Yoga for the Virtual Equestrian Conference Attendee
10 a.m. Dr. Bob Coleman – 4H Resources Ready for You and Your Youth
10:30 a.m. – Jochen Schleese – The 8 Myths of Saddle Fit
11:30 a.m. – Julie Goodnight – Simple and Flying Lead Changes (video with horses)
12:30 – Lunch break
1 p.m. – Shawna Karrasch – Positive Reinforcement Training (video with horses)
2 p.m. – Tara Reimer – Turnbacks and Rollbacks (video with horses)
3 p.m. – Julie Fischer – Grant Writing and Fundraising
3:30 p.m. – Susan Garside – Ways to Help Your Lesson Horses Succeed with Their Students (video with horses)
4:30 p.m. Jo-Anne Young – Understanding and Developing the Half Pass (video with horses)
5:30 p.m. – Courtney Smith – How to Teach the Boring Stuff in a Fun Way

CHA will also have a virtual silent auction that companies can donate products and services to. Please visit here to find out more about the event and to register for the link to join or to for the recording afterwards!

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse
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Earn Your Equine Facility Site Accreditation Through the Certified Horsemanship Association

(September 2020)  Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) can help you earn insurance discounts for your equine facility by going through the CHA Site Accreditation Program.

“The hardest part about this program is getting your binder done that has all the mandatory and recommended CHA Site Standard documents printed out and ready to be seen by the site visitors when they come,” says Christy Landwehr CHA Chief Executive Officer. “If your insurance has not heard of CHA, we will send our Standards for Equestrian Programs Manual and a cover letting explaining the process to them. We have received no less than 10% off for our sites when we have done this, and all the way up to 50% for one site on their equine facility insurance policy.”

Visit here https://cha.horse/cha-site-accreditation/ to learn more about this program. The fall and winter months are a great time to get this process done and then you can advertise that you are CHA Site Accredited and be listed on our site and on others where we partner such as American Horse Council’s Time to Ride and more.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Earn Your Equine Facility Site Accreditation Through the Certified Horsemanship Association Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association September Webinar on Disaster Preparedness for Your Barn

(September 2020) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is hosting a webinar on Equines and Disaster Planning on Wednesday, September 30th and you can also watch and listen to the recording afterwards.  To register today for the live webinar or the recording, please visit https://cha.horse/shop-webinars/

Jim Boller is with Code 3 Associates, Inc. and has been in the forefront of animal welfare and disaster response for more than 30 years. Jim is a full time instructor and disaster responder with Code 3 providing extensive training throughout the US to animal welfare professionals and those involved in animal emergency response.

Surveys indicate that only about 10-12% of animal facilities have written disaster plans.  Disaster planning has been shown to minimize the overall affects that can impact a facility shortening the recovery time for a facility when others may continue to struggle.  This discussion will cover some of those areas in the mitigation and preparedness stages of disaster planning that are overlooked and aid in reducing the effects of a devastating event.  Please join us as Jim shares some of his incite of over 30 years of responding to assist animals and their owners during natural and manmade disasters.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association October Podcast

(September 2020) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) will be on Horses in the Morning for our “Training Tuesday” show on October 20th at 10 a.m. ET. This is a free podcast on the Horse Radio Network. Hope you can listen in! https://cha.horse/education/#horse-radio-show

Join Glenn Hebert, host of Horses in the Morning, and Christy Landwehr, the CEO of CHA, as they co-host this show each month. This episode will feature CHA incoming President Dr. Bob Coleman as he discusses 4H Resources Ready for You and Your Youth and CHA member and Tennessee State Rep Courtney Smith speaking on How To Teach Boring Things in a Fun Way to your riding students.

This show is sponsored by the Mustang Heritage Foundation and Michelle Bonds will be on the show talking about the foundation and how you can get involved in their work with mustangs. https://mustangheritagefoundation.org/

If you can’t make the live show, you can find the free recordings here for this show and all the CHA shows we have done for the past 5 years with the Horse Radio Network – https://cha.horse/education/#horse-radio-show.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse
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Certified Horsemanship Association Nominations Due for Annual Awards

(August 2020) Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) holds annual awards for horses, humans and companies. They include:

  • CHA Certified Horseback Riding Instructor of the Year
  • CHA Partner in Safety
  • CHA Volunteer of the Year
  • CHA School Horse of the Year
  • CHA Certifier of the Year
  • And the CHA Distinguished Service Award

Here is the list of our past award winners in each category since 1996. https://cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners

In order to nominate a horse, human or company to win one of these annual CHA Awards, please return this form by no later than August 31st to office@CHA.horse  – https://cha.horse/international-conference/#nomination-forms

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association Online Silent Auction

(August 2020) – Certified Horsemanship Association needs your donations today for an Online Silent Auction we are hosting this year in October in conjunction with our Virtual CHA International Conference, Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony.

Visit this link today to put in your products and services that you want to donate to share what you do with over 12,000 equine facility mangers and horseback riding instructors. Please plan on donating items to support our CHA scholarship fund!  Will need the form filled out by no later than October 1, 2020. The auction will be live from October 19 – November 2, 2020.  Thank you for your support!

 CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

 

Certified Horsemanship Association Online Silent Auction Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association August 2020 Podcast

(August 2020) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) will be on Horses in the Morning for our “Training Tuesday” show on August 18th at 10 a.m. ET. This is a free podcast on the Horse Radio Network. Hope you can listen in!  https://cha.horse/education/#horse-radio-show

Join Glenn Hebert host of Horses in the Morning and Christy Landwehr the CEO of CHA co-host this show each month. This episode will feature Patti Colbert who has been active in the horse industry for 50 years having worked for AQHA and creating the Extreme Mustang Makeover for the Mustang Heritage Foundation among many other things.  She will be talking about different generations and how we all view the horse industry.

Then Julie Broadway, the President of the American Horse Council will be on the show talking about the current legislative issues in our country that involve the horse industry and how we can all get involved to work on change.

If you can’t make the live show, you can find the free recordings here for this show and all the CHA shows we have done for the past 5 years with the Horse Radio Network – https://cha.horse/education/#horse-radio-show.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

Certified Horsemanship Association August 2020 Podcast Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association’s July Webinar on Yoga for Every Equestrian

(July 2020) – The Certified Horsemanship Association’s (CHA) is happy to announce our July webinar Yoga for Every Equestrian with Gabrielle Diakon live on Wednesday, July 29th at Noon ET with a recording to follow to be watched anytime. This webinar will be very interactive with Gabrielle guiding the viewer in yoga postures that will benefit equestrians as they are watching.

Gabrielle Diakon is the Owner/Founder of GMD Training. She is an RYT 200 Certified Yoga Instructor and teaches ‘Yoga for Every Equestrian’ which aids riders with their mental and physical balance in the saddle. Starting off as a timid junior rider and progressing to become a professional rider and trainer, Gabrielle created a program to create confident and strong riders. She specializes in riders’ body awareness in order to optimize their effectiveness, all while helping riders create a strong bond with the horses they ride.

In this webinar we will speak about how using yoga can help your students mentally and physically balance in the saddle. Yoga improves the rider’s concentration, attitude, and physical abilities.

Visit here today to register for the live event on Wednesday, July 29th at Noon ET at https://cha.horse/shop-webinars/.   Register here as well to get the recording if you can’t join us live and CHA can send the link to you. CHA has a special on all of our Webinars in between now and July 31st at half price!  So make sure to register before this deadline!

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association International Conference Will be Virtual in October

(July 2020) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is holding its first ever Virtual International Conference on Friday, October 30, 2020.  This event will be open to all horse enthusiasts with a CHA member and non-member rate for the educational day.

 

This conference will not just be your typical Zoom call with talking heads and Powerpoint presentations.  The sessions will be very interactive and some will be doing videos ahead of time with riders up on horses to showcase what they are teaching during their presentations. They will then be online to answer any questions during the video sessions and afterwards.

 

We already have confirmed as interactive speakers: CHA Spokesperson and Certifier Julie Goodnight, Jochen Schleese with SaddleFit4Life, Dr. Julie Fischer on grant writing and fundraising for your equine business, Tara Reimer of Cloud 9 Ranch in Manitoba with Turnbacks and Rollbacks and many more!

 

CHA will also have a virtual silent auction that companies can donate products and services to. Please visit here to find out more about the event and to register for the link to join or to get the recording if you can’t be on with us live today!

 

 

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association International Conference Will be Virtual in October Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association and Kentucky Equine Education Project Host a CHA Equine Facility Manager Certification

(July 2020) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) and the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) are hosting a CHA Equine Facility Manager Certification from November 20 – 22, 2020 at the Queenslake Facility in Georgetown, KY for only $650 a person.

 

This hands-on with horses certification includes four levels that participants can attain during the 3-day event based on their knowledge of equine safety, horse handling, horse husbandry, equine facility management and professionalism. There are four written tests and skills at each level that need to be demonstrated such as catching and tying a horse, trailer loading, taking vitals, and much more.

 

This link will provide participants with a free EFM webinar to find out more what to expect at the certification, as well as the details that are required at each level.

 

CHA’s Equine Facility Manager Certification checks all the right boxes for a group of employers looking to qualify potential employee’s skill sets,” says Laurie Mays KEEP Equine Talent Pipeline Project Manager.  “The Sport/Show Horse Farm Employer Collaborative group is comprised of 11 facilities in the Central Kentucky area and is the brainchild of both the Kentucky Equine Education Project and the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center. This group of employers is looking for highly experienced and qualified individuals to manage their facilities and feel that by using the EFM certification they can find, and certify, top professionals. Overall, this bodes well for the growth of their businesses as well as the professional progress of the individuals.”

 

About KEEP

The Kentucky Equine Education Project, Kentucky’s equine economic advocate, is a not-for-profit grassroots organization created in 2004 to preserve, promote and protect Kentucky’s signature multi-breed horse industry. KEEP is committed to ensuring Kentucky remains the horse capital of the world, including educating Kentuckians and elected officials of the importance of the horse industry to the state. KEEP was the driving force in the establishment of the Kentucky Breeders Incentive Fund, which has paid out more than $177 million to Kentucky breeders since its inception in 2006, and pari-mutuel wagering on historical horse racing, which has been responsible for more than $40 million to purses and more than $24 million to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.

 

KEEP works to strengthen the horse economy in Kentucky through our statewide network of citizen advocates. To learn more about how you can become a member or support our work, please visit www.horseswork.com.

 

About Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center

Launched in January 2017, and the first in the nation, the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center is the centerpiece of the efforts that grew out of the Chamber’s initial report on the state’s workforce challenges to meet the needs of business. The Center’s programs include Kentucky’s Talent Pipeline, Recovery Response Program for Business, and Bus to Business.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, has an educational horsemanship streaming video channel, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse 

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Certified Horsemanship Association Riding Instructor and Equine Facility Manager Certifications Starting Up Again in August

(May 2020) – Anyone who wants to further their career by earning a Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Certification is encouraged to check out the CHA Certification Schedule online at https://cha.horse/find-cha-certification-clinics-by-date/   CHA Certifications are intensive multi-day events in which attendees learn and demonstrate their skills so they can be certified at one of CHA’s various certification types and levels. They are currently available for the English/Western Instructor (EWI), Equine Facility Manager (EFM), and Instructors of Riders with Disabilities (IRD) this August 2020 on into 2021. Join more than 30,000 experts who have been certified by the largest equine professional certifying organization in North America!

Certification offers many benefits to the equine professional, including showing the industry and potential customers that you have the skills and knowledge to teach riders or to run an equine facility according to strict industry standards set by an independent third party. In addition, certification demonstrates professionalism, dedication, and a commitment to horsemanship instruction and/or equine facility management. Certified individuals have demonstrated their focus on the safety and well-being of all participants in equestrian pursuits, humans and horses alike.

A person’s willingness to dedicate their time and money to the CHA certification process indicates that they are a serious professional. CHA certified equine professionals must demonstrate a high level of professional competence and adhere to continuing education requirements set forth by CHA to maintain their certification. In addition, many insurance companies recognize certification and will give discounts.

At this time, CHA English/Western Instructor Certifications are available in the following locations: Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.

Those wishing to receive CHA Equine Facility Manager Certification can attend certifications in California, Colorado, and Kentucky.

Normally, CHA conducts over 80 certifications around the US and Canada. They are posted on the CHA website for the fall of 2020 into the spring of 2021 at this time.

Certification includes workshops and hands-on demonstrations in five areas: safety, horsemanship knowledge and ability, teaching techniques, group control, and professionalism and ethics. Two CHA Certifiers evaluate each attendee, who must also pass written tests and competently demonstrate their skills during the event to receive their certification. The cost of the certification also includes the attendee’s membership in CHA, fees for the event, and all educational materials. Each host site will specify which meals are included and if a lodging option is available with the final price.

For more information on attending a CHA Certification and what to expect, please visit https://cha.horse/cha-certifications/

For anyone wishing to host a CHA Certification, the organization is taking applications to host in the spring of 2020 and beyond. Host sites must become a CHA Program Member that is pre-approved by CHA. If your facility would like to become a new host site for CHA, please visit https://cha.horse/how-to-host-a-cha-clinic/

For questions, or if you have already been approved as a host site, please contact CHA at office@CHA.horse to receive your next steps.

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399.  To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

 

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Certified Horsemanship Association Launches a Brand New Interactive Website

(May 2020) Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has launched a brand new interactive website at https://cha.horse/.

“We are so excited about this new website that has great resources for all equestrians including educational horsemanship video shorts, webinars, full length streamable videos on a variety of equine topics, articles under our fun categories such as:  Pet Peeves Around the Barn and the Solutions to Solve Them, On the Rail, Tricks of the Trade, Incidentally Speaking and so much more,” says Christy Landwehr, CHA Chief Executive Officer.

CHA members have their own member login section where they can find deep discounts in the online store on CHA manuals, posters for the barn, DVDs, CHA wearables, CHA gifts for riders and much more!

If you are wanting to find an equine professional near you, be it an instructor or equine facility manager, this new site can help you do that. You can also find a barn, camp, lesson program, trail ride operation, college/university and more by just typing in your city and state or province. Please visit https://cha.horse/ today and enjoy!

 CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship streamable videos and DVDs, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, or to find a certified horseback riding instructor, equine facility manager or an accredited equine facility near you, please visit https://cha.horse/ or call 859-259-3399.

Certified Horsemanship Association Launches a Brand New Interactive Website Read More »

Tim Davis with Zero Egg Count – Test Before You Treat – The Right Way to Deworm Your Horse

(February 2020)  Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is excited to offer a webinar with Tim Davis from Zero Egg Count on Friday, March 27, 2020 at 11 a.m. PT, Noon MT, 1 p.m. CT and 2 p.m. ET. Those attending the webinar live will have an opportunity to ask questions. It will also be recorded for those who are unable to make it at the scheduled time.

The webinar is open for anyone to register. For CHA members the cost is only $20 and will count as one hour of continuing education. (CEUs) Those certified through CHA must earn 25 hours of CEUs every three years to keep their certification current. For those wishing to access the webinar, but are not CHA members, the cost is $40. You can register for the webinar here.

To view a complete list of horsemanship and equine business webinars available through CHA click here.

Zero Egg Count is an Equine Healthcare company offering diagnostic equine parasite test kits and laboratory services that provide information about your horse’s worm burden and the effectiveness of your deworming program. Zero Egg Count’s mission is to make fecal testing your horse easy and affordable. Zero Egg Count’s inexpensive mail-in equine parasite test kits use a non-invasive collection process that is quick and easy to follow. Each kit includes everything you need to collect and safely ship your horse’s fecal sample to Zero Egg Count’s laboratory. Zero Egg Count’s lab is staffed with professional laboratory technicians using the most accurate and sensitive fecal egg count testing methods recommended by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) for parasite testing.

Zero Egg Count Equine Parasite Test Kits provide vital information about your horse’s worm burden and the effectiveness of your deworming program. Zero Egg Count Parasite Test Kits are sold through e-commerce sites, catalogs, and retailers, and are available to trainers, barns, veterinarians and horse owners across the United States. The kits can be used on all horses regardless of age or breed. Each kit contains all the materials you need to test a single horse. Multi-packs and Barn Kits are also available for multiple testing environments. https://zeroeggcount.com/

Tim Davis, along with his wife, Diane, three dogs, and several barn cats, own and operate a boarding, training and retirement care facility for over 30 horses in the Midwest. One of their areas of focus has been successfully retraining “off-the-track Thoroughbreds” for new meaningful carriers. Close to a decade ago, Tim and Diane struggled to implement a comprehensive parasite control program and thought there had to be a better, less expensive, less confusing way to test and treat horses for parasites. So over the next few years, Zero Egg Count evolved. Tim and Diane’s current Test-Before-You-Treat Parasite Control Program has successfully lowered their herd’s average fecal egg count results over time. Zero Egg Count is Tim’s second venture into the world of laboratory testing. Tim previously founded and sold a successful microbiology testing business.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and video safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse.

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Tim Davis with Zero Egg Count – Test Before You Treat – The Right Way to Deworm Your Horse Read More »

CHA Seeking Equine Experts as Speakers for the 2020 CHA International Conference

(January 2020) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is seeking experts within the horse industry as speakers for the 2020 CHA International Conference. Part of CHA’s mission is providing quality continuing education within the horse industry, and the annual international conference is CHA’s ultimate learning opportunity. The 2020 CHA International Conference is scheduled for October 30 – November 1, 2020 at Texas A&M University in College Station, TX. Speakers at this event include riding instructors, horse trainers, barn managers, veterinarians, equine behaviorists, farriers, saddle fit specialists, equine association representatives, business consultants, and other equine professionals. Those wishing to attend the conference should Save the Dates.

If you would like to speak, CHA is now accepting speaker applications for classroom-style lectures, roundtable and panel discussions, hands-on horse demonstrations, and mounted riding sessions (using Parsons Mounted Cavalry school horses) with attendees who sign up on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sessions at the CHA International Conference are focused on safe, effective, and fun horsemanship.

CHA is all-breed and all-discipline organization. The audience at the CHA International Conference includes riding instructors, trail guides, barn managers, driving and vaulting coaches, horse owners, riders, and general horse enthusiasts. Attendees can sign up to ride well-trained school horses provided by the Texas A&M Parsons Mounted Cavalry. CHA members and non-members alike attend as the conference is open to the public with prior registration.

Those wishing to speak should contact CHA at 720-857-9550 or clandwehr@CHA.horse. The deadline is March 2, 2020. Those applying to speak will need to send a professional biography paragraph, a photo, and a session title and paragraph description, along with anything needed to fulfill your session.

More information about the CHA International Conference can be found here. Additional information will be added online throughout the year, including the full line-up of speakers and sessions.


CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit
www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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CHA Seeking Equine Experts as Speakers for the 2020 CHA International Conference Read More »

New Resources to CHA YouTube Video Collection

(January 2020)  Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has expanded its educational offerings on its YouTube channel again. These free resources are great for all ages and experience level to watch and expand their knowledge and while keeping a focus on safety. Viewers can watch all the videos, which cover a variety of topics and range from three to 15 minutes in length by clicking on the links below.

The newest additions cover the following topics:

Past topics covered include Sample Lesson: First Trot, Lengthening and Shortening Horse’s Strides, Truck and Trailer Safety Check, Showmanship Tips, How to Pony a Horse Safely, How to Fit a Rope Halter, and much more.

CHA encourages the horse industry and the public to use these free videos and to embed them on their websites for their clients. CHA’s videos are created with the goals of helping to spread the CHA’s mission of safe, effective, and fun horsemanship.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and Horsemanship Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse.

New Resources to CHA YouTube Video Collection Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Seeking Advertising Sales Representative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or clandwehr@CHA.horse

Certified Horsemanship Association Seeking
Advertising Sales Representative

(November 2019) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is seeking an Advertising Sales Representative. The Ad Sales Representative would report to the CHA Chief Executive Officer and is a part-time 1099 contracted position. The Ad Sales Representative would sell advertisements on behalf of CHA for a variety of projects, including The Instructor annual magazine, the CHA International Conference Program, the CHA monthly podcast, monthly CHA e-newsletters, horsemanship safety videos and more.

Applicants should have experience selling ads within the equine industry, have his or her own contacts within the industry and be willing to generate a leads list. Some leads will be provided. CHA is seeking a detail-oriented self-starter who will work remotely from a home office. The applicant must have their own working computer, Internet, phone, etc.

This position is a commission-only position with no base salary and is a 1099 contracted position. Commission ranges from 10% to 30% depending on if it is a new advertiser or repeat business. To apply for the position, please email a resume, cover letter, and references to Office@CHA.horse with “Ad Sales Job” in the subject line.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and Horsemanship Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse .

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Certified Horsemanship Association Seeking Advertising Sales Representative Read More »

Julie Goodnight CHA Webinar on Helping the Timid Rider Conquer Goals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: 720-857-9550 or office@CHA.horse

Julie Goodnight Doing a Certified Horsemanship Association Webinar on Helping the Timid Rider Conquer Goals

For Immediate Release –November 22, 2019 – Lexington, KY – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is excited to offer a webinar with Julie Goodnight on Wednesday, December 11 at 1 p.m. EST. During the webinar, Julie will be discussing how to help the timid rider conquer their horsemanship goals. Those attending the webinar live will have an opportunity to ask questions. It will also be recorded for those who are unable to make it at the scheduled time.

Julie is known for her popular TV series, Horse Master with Julie Goodnight, that aired on RFD-TV for eleven years. She is a spokesperson for CHA and holds the highest level of certification within the association – Master Clinic Instructor. Julie writes articles, conducts a monthly podcast, and still travels both domestically and abroad to teach horsemanship.

The webinar is open for anyone to register. For CHA members the cost is only $20 and will count as one hour of continuing education. (CEUs) Those certified through CHA must earn 25 hours of CEUs every three years to keep their certification current. For those wishing to access the webinar, but are not CHA members, the cost is $40. You can register for the webinar here.

To view a complete list of horsemanship and equine business webinars available through CHA click here.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and video safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse.

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Julie Goodnight CHA Webinar on Helping the Timid Rider Conquer Goals Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Announces Cyber Monday Deals and Giving Tuesday

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: 720-857-9550 or office@CHA.horse

Certified Horsemanship Association Announces Cyber Monday Deals and Giving Tuesday

For Immediate Release –November 22, 2019 – Lexington, KY – In a season known for shopping and once-a-year deals, the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is thrilled to participate in the festivities by offering two incredible Cyber Monday deals.

Current CHA members will have the ability to take advantage of the two following deals:

  • CHA members can purchase one copy of The CHA Equine Professional Manual: The Art of Teaching Riding for only $27.95! Retail is $69.95.
  • CHA members can buy one copy of CHA Standards for Equestrian Programs for $15! Retail is $39.95

Not a member of CHA? Not a problem you can still take advantage of deals on both publications. Non-members can purchase one copy of The CHA Equine Professional Manual: The Art of Teaching Riding for $37.95 and one copy of CHA Standards for Equestrian Programs for $19.95. When placing your order be sure to put “Cyber Monday” in the comment box in order to receive the discounted rate.

Bookmark the CHA store, which can be found here, and mark your calendars for Monday, December 2, 2019 so you don’t miss out!

And please don’t forget that CHA is a 501(c)3 non-profit membership association. So if you are looking for a year-end tax write off, please think about CHA on Giving Tuesday, December 3, 2019 by clicking here to donate! Thank you for your support.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and video safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

 

Certified Horsemanship Association Announces Cyber Monday Deals and Giving Tuesday Read More »

2019 CHA International Conference Celebrates Horses and Safety

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: 720-857-9550 or office@CHA.horse

2019 CHA International Conference Celebrates Horses and Safety

For Immediate Release – October 31, 2019 – Lexington, KY – Without horses there would be no reason for the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) so it is only fitting that an outstanding horse be honored as the Stone CHA Horse of the Year. To commemorate such an outstanding honor the winning horse receives a Stone Horse model, replicated to match the honoree, created by Peter Stone Company and a hand painted oil painting from CHA member Julie Fischer from Colorado with bark from her camp as the frame.

Earning the title of 2019 Stone CHA Horse of the Year was Smut, a 33-year-old mare owned by Dream Catcher Sables in Spring, TX. Described by some of her riders as “she has always known to be careful and moves smoothly, listens well and never gets spooky. She is just a wonderful horse and richly deserves to be school horse of the year” and “She is a magnificent horse. She has won me two belt buckles in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Top Hands Horse Show.” She is named after a fungus that grows on corn in the Midwest that is the same color as she is!

Sanna Rolling, who runs Dream Catcher Stables, had this to say when asked about Smut being the award recipient, “To own a horse that touches so very many lives and at the age of 33 in semi-retirement is still herd boss is awesome. This is the second time we have had the CHA Horse of the Year (Smokey in 2008). With the vast number of CHA program members, I never thought we could win twice.”

The CHA Stone School Horse of the Year Program honors the best of the school horses who are part of CHA member programs. The longtime sponsor of the program, Stone Horses, creates “model horses for real horse people.” Each equine finalist receives a plaque from CHA and were also honored at the Awards Banquet. The top five finalists included:

  • Bambi from Clover Ten Thirty in Santa Rosa, CA
  • Ginger from Methow Valley Riding Unlimited in Winthrop, WA
  • King from Big Bear Horsemanship in Gettysburg, PA
  • Onyx from West Equestrian in Sand Springs, OK
  • Smut from Dream Catcher Stables in Spring, TX

Horses aren’t the only key to CHA and its mission though. Safety is top priority when it comes to every interaction with horses. Earning the 2019 Partner in Safety Award was Pegasus Farm in Hartville, OH. The program at Pegasus Farm has over 130 volunteers, 500 students, has been a CHA Program member since 1995, and an accredited site since 2012. To date they have held 17 CHA certifications including Standard English/Western, Equine Facility Manager, Instructors of Riders with Disabilities and Vaulting.

Nominators described the program at Pegasus Farm as “They are so professional and safety conscious. I enjoyed the facilities, horses and staff there. They provide a vast array of services for the special needs community” and “The staff, volunteers, students and horses made an exceptional impact, not only on my career as an instructor, but on my LIFE!”

For a complete list of past award winners, visit www.cha.horse/store/pages/50/Award_Winners.html. For more information about the next CHA International Conference, please visit www.CHA.horse/conference.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the equine industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs, webinars and video horsemanship safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

 

2019 CHA International Conference Celebrates Horses and Safety Read More »

Deserving Award Winners Honored at the 2019 CHA International Conference in New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: 720-857-9550 or office@CHA.horse

Deserving Award Winners Honored at the 2019 CHA International Conference in New York

For Immediate Release – October 30, 2019 – Lexington, KY – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) members, instructors, and speakers gathered in Houghton, New York October 24-27 to participate in the yearly CHA International Conference. During the three days attendees engaged in networking, expanded their knowledge over a variety of equine topics, and honored the highly anticipated award winners.

The first award recipient to be honored during Friday night’s banquet was the 2019 CHA Volunteer of the Year. The coveted award that recognizes the countless hours and dedication CHA volunteers spend changing lives through safe experiences with horses went to Aimee Edwards from Waco, Texas. Amy has been a member since 1996, was certified in 1997, became a standard English/Western Clinician in 2011 and an Equine Facilities Manager in 2017. Those nominating Aimee for this award described her as “a dedicated professional” and that “She runs a wonderful facility and is liked as well as respected by her staff.” Others went on to say, “This person goes above and beyond to help CHA not only as a host site coordinator, an instructor, and a clinician for us, but also putting our monthly eblast together and sending it out each month.”

CHA Certifiers are vital in order to continue growing the association and accomplishing our mission. The CHA Certifier of the Year Award is reserved for someone who has shown outstanding service to CHA by conducting meaningful certifications and influencing the careers of equine professionals over many years. This year’s award was given to Andrea Richardson from Brantford, Ontario. Andrea became a CHA member and certified instructor in 2004 and later became a certifier in 2006. Described as “a strong advocate for training staff and running safe programs” and “she is very invested in setting people up for success and encouraging confidence in certification participants” it is easy to see how she was chosen as the award recipient.

Often described as the life blood of the association, individual certified instructors undoubtedly play a key role in the success of the association and its mission. Earning the title of 2019 CHA Instructor of the Year was Celia Bunge from the Miami International Riding Club in Miami, Florida. Nominated by her students and recognized by her peers this year’s winner was described as fair, consistent, hard-working, and empathetic. Other descriptions included things such as, “what makes her stand out is her amazing ability to adapt to each rider’s needs, while processing the gift to read and anticipate each horse’s behavior” and “She loves the horse first and the sport second. She is a confidence builder in us all.”

After receiving her award Celia had this to say, “I would not have ever imagined that I could be the recipient of such extraordinary recognition.  I promise to keep on going, striving for excellence and safety in our sport.  Working hard to make horses a part of more and more people, because horses truly transform lives.  They have transformed our lives, and they have introduced us to so many amazing and good people like yourself, and to groups and organizations that exemplify what service to others really looks like.”

The CHA Distinguished Service Award is a lifetime achievement award for an individual who has gone above and beyond through the years promoting and upholding the mission of the association. Throughout the years the 2019 recipient, Susanne Valla from Mocksville, North Carolina, has worked tirelessly on a wide variety of CHA projects including serving on the board, committees, and in executive offices for many years. Described as a mentor for many new board members and clinic staff over the years her leadership abilities are undeniable. She also used her artistic talents to designs many of CHA’s manuals and our logo and is known for her knowledge of the association and its history.

Susanne, a CHA Life Member, has been involved with CHA since 1978. A past president of the board, she served on the board of directors through 2011. She has been a clinician since 2011 and has conducted 31 certifications as of this year.

For a complete list of past award winners, visit www.cha.horse/store/pages/50/Award_Winners.html. For more information about the next CHA International Conference, please visit www.CHA.horse/conference.

CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the equine industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs, webinars and video horsemanship safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

 

Deserving Award Winners Honored at the 2019 CHA International Conference in New York Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Welcomes New Board Members for 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: 859-259-3399 or office@CHA.horse

Certified Horsemanship Association Welcomes New Board Members for 2020

(For Immediate Release – October 29, 2019 – Lexington, KY) The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) welcomed four new board members at the 2019 CHA International Conference held at Houghton College near Buffalo, New York. Joining the CHA Board of Directors are Jessica Hersey, Kristin Jaworski, Katrina Lechlitner, and Amanda Reardon. Candidates for the board seats were introduced and voted on during the general membership meeting.

Jessica Hersey, from Gettysburg, PA, is a CHA Lifetime member and a Master Instructor/Assistant Certifier. Her skill set includes over 20 years of teaching and training in addition to prior board experience. She is the former Vice President and Board of Directors member for the Maine Cowboy Mounted Shooters, and Vice President/Outreach Officer of the Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization of New Hampshire. Involved in many different areas of the equine industry she has held memberships in the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association, Cowboy Sports Association, United Mounted Shooters, Mustang Heritage Foundation, FN Verlag, US Equestrian Federation, American Youth Horse Council, IHSA, state chapters, and regional clubs. Jessica has also earned two business degrees and is currently completing a Master of Education in Equestrian Education from William Woods University.

Kristin Jaworski, from Fort Worth, TX, is the Director of the Fort Worth Herd where she manages and directs the world’s only twice daily longhorn cattle drive. She grew up raising mules and horses in northern Arizona and later graduated with her Master’s Degree in Management and Leadership from Tarleton State University. Since 2002 she has expanded all aspects of The Herd, including educational programs, facility operations, and horsemanship to support the economy and raise awareness of western heritage.

Kristin was introduced to CHA through The Herd program and is now a CHA Certified Instructor. When asked what she was looked forward to the most she said it was to be more involved in the association to inspire people and generate awareness and excitement for those who want to explore their dreams with horsemanship.

Katrina Lechlitner, from Reed City, MI, grew up very active in the American Quarter Horse Association and has been at SpringHill Camps as Ranch Director since 2005. She is a CHA Certified Instructor and has been involved in a 4-H Horse Leaders Group for the past 5 years. Katrina became certified when she joined SpringHill Camp and continues to use CHA as a resource, not only for herself, but SpringHill as an organization, local 4-H Extension, and others seeking a starting point.

Katrina had this to say about joining the CHA Board of Directors, “My desire to be involved on the board is because safe, positive experiences with horses is important to me and I continue to let that lead my decisions in my own career and the areas I volunteer. Secondly, I value education and creative presentation of information to students and leaders. The access to resources and continued education builds stronger programs. Lastly, I understand that building a base of individuals who will continue to represent CHA with the esteem that I have come to respect is important to move forward during the next 50 years!”

Amanda Reardon, from Lexington, KY, started her riding career over 20 years ago as a young pony clubber, advancing over the years to competitive riding with high school and college teams. At 18, she became a CHA Certified Horseback Riding Instructor. Amanda has worked as a teaching assistant for the University of Kentucky’s Equine Handling courses, taught lessons and camps at a Lexington lesson farm, and has spent time working in the Thoroughbred breeding industry. Earning a degree in Equine Science/Management and a minor in Agricultural Economics from the University of Kentucky she joined the Kentucky Horse Park staff immediately following graduation where she manages the Equine Education Department.

In her time at the Kentucky Horse Park Amanda has developed, planned, and executed four years of summer camps and teaches over 100 children every summer. She also started and runs the first riding lesson program at the Park. Amanda recently earned her CHA Master Level Certification and is moving forward with her education and practices to earn her CHA Clinician status. She envisions hosting clinics at the park once again, as they were held when she started her involvement with CHA in 2011.

Returning CHA Board members include: Hayley Eberle, Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association, Oklahoma City, OK; Teddy Franke, Camp Morrow, Pine Hollow, OR; Susan Garside, YMCA Camp Noah, Canal Fulton, OH; Beth Long, YMCA, Kentucky; Katie Reynolds, American Quarter Horse Association, Amarillo, TX; and James Rickner, Champ Chippewa, KS.

The CHA Executive Board consist of: President Tammi Gainer, Pegasus Farm and PATH International, Alliance, OH; President Elect Dr. Bob Coleman, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY; Vice President of New Initiatives Anne Brzezicki, Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, Murfreesboro, TN; Vice President of Regional Relations Jennifer Eaton, Interscholastic Equestrian Association, Groveland, MA; Secretary Elizabeth Duffy, Camp America, Eatonton, GA; Treasurer Terry Williams, Blanchester, OH; and Past President Beth Powers, YMCA and American Camp Association, Bellefontaine, OH.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

 

Certified Horsemanship Association Welcomes New Board Members for 2020 Read More »

Sponsorship Opportunities for CHA’s Popular Safety Short Videos

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or
clandwehr@CHA.horse

Certified Horsemanship Association Offers Sponsorship Opportunities for CHA’s Popular Safety Short Videos

(September 2019) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) offers a unique sponsorship advertising for companies wishing to reach horse enthusiasts who love to watch YouTube videos about horsemanship and horse care and management. CHA produces educational videos called CHA Safety Shorts on a range of equine-related topics, such as how to groom a horse, how to saddle a horse with an English or Western saddle, how to adjust a bit, reading horse behavior, how to hitch up a horse trailer, etc. Sponsors can be featured within these professionally produced instructional videos, which can then be featured on your company website or social media. To see an example of a sponsored video, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-g5wzk-W8o.

This year’s videos will include the following topics: hitching a horse up to drive, lunging a horse safely, the horse’s digestive tract, and simple lead changes. This year’s videos will be recorded on October 27. Therefore, all sponsors must book their sponsorship before that date.

For $500, sponsorship includes video production, talent, promotion, your product prominently featured in the video, and hosting on the CHA YouTube channel and on the CHA website under the Education tab. To see the full list of topics that have been produced by CHA over the years, please visit the CHA Safety Shorts Playlist on YouTube.

For more information on all of CHA’s advertising options, rates, and ad specifications, the CHA Media Kit can be found online at www.CHA.horse/advertise. To book your ad space, or for questions, please contact Christy Landwehr at clandwehr@CHA.horse.

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors, equine facility managers and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and free video Horsemanship Safety Shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit our online member database at www.CHA.horse

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CHA’s Horse Radio Show Positive Reinforcement, Successive Approximation, Leg Yielding, Side Passing, Along with Protequus LLC as Sponsor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or clandwehr@CHA.horse


Certified Horsemanship Association’s September Radio Show Will Discuss Positive Reinforcement and Successive Approximation and Leg Yielding and Side Passing, Along with Protequus LLC as Sponsor

(September 2019) – The Certified Horsemanship Association’s (CHA) September episode of Training Tuesdays on “Horses in the Morning” will again feature two speakers from the upcoming 2019 CHA International Conference—CHA Certified Instructors Marla Foreman and Val McCloskey. Both speakers will be presenting at the 2019 CHA International Conference, scheduled for October 24-27 at Houghton College in Houghton, New York. The topics to be covered will be on “Positive Reinforcement and Successive Approximation in Teaching” and “Leg Yielding and Side Passing.” The Horse Radio Network’s Glenn the Geek and CHA CEO Christy Landwehr will also speak with this episode’s sponsor, Protequus LLC, makers of Nightwatch halters, which are an equine distress and wellness monitor. The show will air September 17, 2019, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time and will also be available via digital download.

During the CHA conference, Foreman, will present “Using Positive Reinforcement/Successive Approximation in Teaching” on Friday, October 25, at 10:30 a.m. Foreman is a CHA Master Instructor, a United States Pony Club National Examiner, and is certified with the United States Eventing Association Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP). She is also a primary level TAG (teaching with acoustical guidance) teacher. For 20 years, she managed her own training stable in Washington state, where she taught riders of all levels and trained horses for clients, while also managing her own equine-only veterinary practice. Her specialties are dressage and eventing, but she has also competed in endurance and cow penning aboard horses she has trained. In 2000, she began studying behavior science and positive reinforcement training. She currently teaches clinics and works with clients and their horses on positive reinforcement in Massachusetts.

McCloskey will present “Leg Yielding and Side Passing” on Friday, October 25, at 3 p.m. She is a CHA Assistant Clinician and Master Instructor. As the owner of Whisper Wind Equestrian Centre and VLM Dressage and Sport Horses in Rome, NY, McCloskey trains and teaches clinics. She is a USDF Silver and Bronze medalist, which she achieved on horses she trained herself, and is working toward her USDF Gold medal. In addition, she is a USDF L Graduate with Distinction. Her specialty is in horse-and-rider biomechanics and showing people the hows and whys of how the rider’s body affects the horse.

Jeffrey R. Schab, Founder and CEO of Protequus, is an accomplished equestrian and biomedical engineer with 15 years of experience in human health care. He founded and operated one of the largest privately held medical marketing firms in the U.S. In 2013, after he suddenly lost one of his horses to colic, he was driven to make a difference for other horse owners. He assembled a team of passionate science and technology professionals to combat the problem of colic, which causes loss of life for more than 60,000 horses every year in the United States. The solution was the Nightwatch halter, a warning system using a smart halter that alerts caretakers to early signs of colic and distress by the horse, such as with foaling or being cast.

Anyone wanting to listen to past CHA “Horses in the Morning” episodes can find the archive on the CHA website.

More information about the CHA International Conference and the full schedule of events, presentations and speakers, can be found online.

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors, equine facility managers and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and free video Horsemanship Safety Shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit our online member database at www.CHA.horse

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CHA’s Horse Radio Show Positive Reinforcement, Successive Approximation, Leg Yielding, Side Passing, Along with Protequus LLC as Sponsor Read More »

Advertise to Riding Instructors, Equine Facility Managers, Camp Directors, and Other Professionals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: CHA Office
859-259-3399 or
office@CHA.horse

Companies Wanting to Advertise to Riding Instructors, Equine Facility Managers, Camp Directors, and Other Professionals Can Do So in the 2020 Certified Horsemanship Association Magazine; Book Your Ads Early

(September 2019) – To reach an audience of equine industry professionals who are in charge of purchases for riding lesson programs, equine facilities, horseback riding camps, and a whole host of equine businesses, advertising in a membership publication like the Certified Horsemanship Association’s (CHA) official magazine, The Instructor, makes perfect sense, and cents. CHA offers ads at a range of sizes for great rates, and readers are influencers within the horse industry as instructors, farm owners, camp directors, etc.

The majority of instructors teach more than 100 people in a group riding program environment. CHA instructors teach between 25 and 1,000 students per year, so the reach goes well beyond the CHA membership. CHA Certifications include English and Western instructors, college and university staff, seasonal equestrian staff, equine facility managers, vaulting coaches, day ride trail guides and overnight and wilderness guides, and driving instructors and those who drive horses. And as the largest certification program for horseback riding instructors in North America, CHA has more than 3,500 instructors and equine facilities, all who have between two and 250 horses on site. That is a wide swath of the horse industry to reach, and a lot of horses that need your horse products and services.

“As a riding instructor, horse trainer, college equestrian program director and horse show judge for many decades, I realize that equine and equestrian products need to fit the needs of the user,” said Jo-Anne Young, Assistant Professor of Equestrian Studies at Houghton College in New York. “Bottom line: you need quality in materials and workmanship to get good, enduring value. That is what I look for in products I use, and that is how I train my students and clients to shop.”

The Instructor is published every spring. It is a full-color publication that includes CHA news and updates, informative and engaging features, and the CHA Annual Report. More than 4,500 issues are distributed to all CHA members and available at the CHA International Conference and other trade shows and events attended by CHA representatives. Ad spaces range from 1/6th-page ads to full-page ads. Now is the time to book ad space in CHA’s official publication, and don’t forget to ask about premium placement on the inside front cover, inside back cover, and on the back cover, because those spots are first-come, first-served.

In addition, those who advertise in both The Instructor magazine and the 2020 CHA International Conference Program will receive 20% off on a conference program ad of any size. The program, which is printed in black and white, will be published for attendees of the 2020 CHA International Conference, which will be held in October 30-November 1, 2020 at Texas A&M University in College Station, TX.

Book your ad space in the full color The Instructor magazine by mid-February 2020! Ad materials are due by the end of February. In addition to CHA’s amazingly low rates, CHA Individual and Program members receive discounts on advertising as part of their membership.

For more information on all options, rates, and ad specifications, the CHA Media Kit can be found online at www.CHA.horse/advertise. To book your ad space, or for questions, please contact the CHA office at office@CHA.horse and put CHA magazine ad in the subject line.

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies riding instructors, equine facility managers and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and free video Horsemanship Safety Shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit our online member database at www.CHA.horse

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Tips on How to Get Youth Involved with Horses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or clandwehr@CHA.horse


Tips on How to Get Youth Involved with Horses
from the Certified Horsemanship Association

(August 2019) – Kids and horses are a magical combination. Seeing the joy that washes over a child’s face while he or she rides for the first time is truly inspiring. If you are a parent, grandparent, or other guardian looking for ways for a special young person in your life to get into riding, rest assured that there are plenty of options. The Certified Horsemanship Association has a primer on the best ways for youth to become involved with horses.

The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) offers options through its members, who are riding instructors, driving instructors, instructors for riders with disabilities, vaulting coaches, trail guides, equestrian facility staff, or camp staff. If you want to try lessons for the child in your life, CHA’s certified experts are a great option. It’s important to understand the credentials of anyone you work with, do thorough research, and make a careful decision, to ensure your child gets off to the right start and has a positive and safe experience. In a past blog post, CHA explored why it’s important to find a certified horseback riding instructor.

To look for CHA certified instructors in your area, along with accredited CHA facilities, that offer riding opportunities, you can search the free online database at CHA.horse. Once you have a list of options in your area, CHA offers more information on how to choose a riding instructor or you can listen to CHA’s interview of two experts on the subject on an episode of the CHA’s Training Tuesdays podcast on “Horses in the Morning.”

In addition to lessons, many children have their first experience with horses at a camp. To find a CHA Accredited Facility, visit CHA.horse and type in “camp” into the search field. To read more about finding a camp with horses, check out the following blog posts: “Attending a Camp with Horseback Riding” and “How to Find the Best Horse Camp.”

In addition to CHA instructors and camps, there are additional options in the equine industry for youth to get involved. Some of the most well-known ones are mentioned below.

The purpose of Time To Ride is to sustain and grow the equine industry by creating the next generation of knowledgeable, dedicated horse enthusiasts and owners while also teaching children valuable life lessons. Time to Ride accomplishes this by introducing school-age children to horseback riding and horse care in a safe, professional, welcoming environment. Time To Ride is a program of the American Horse Council Marketing Alliance. For more information, visit TimeToRide.org. CHA is an educational partner with Time to Ride.

The Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) is offered for kids in grades 4th through 12th, and participants do not need to own a horse. Riders of various levels compete on IEA teams in hunt seat and Western disciplines throughout the school year for individual and team points and accolades. IEA teams are offered through public and private schools and through participating barns. There are more than 11,000 members competing in hundreds of events across the United States. For more information, visit www.RideIEA.org. CHA is an educational alliance partner with IEA.

4-H is the Cooperative Extension System’s youth development program with 110 U.S. land-grand universities involved, which helps to make it the largest youth development organization. More than six million kids are involved between the ages of 8 and 18 in more than 3,000 counties across the United States. Every state, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and 50 other countries have local offices. The equine curriculum includes “horseless” activities along with riding and horsemanship. To look into joining or volunteering with 4-H, or to learn more, visit www.4-H.org. CHA provides discounts on its educational materials to 4H leaders.

The National FFA Organization, mostly known as FFA, or the Future Farmers of America, involves teaching youth about livestock, including horses, and agricultural topics, although it is not just for those who want to be farmers. Students participate in classroom and laboratory instruction, supervised agricultural programs, and student leadership opportunities within the organization. And for those who start FFA as a child and want to continue, there is the Collegiate FFA, programs for adults, and the opportunity to volunteer as an adult. FFA allows participants to connect with a mentor, win awards, and participate on horse judging and horsemanship teams. FFA has local school-level chapters, which are connected to your state’s association underneath the national organization. To learn more, visit www.ffa.org. CHA provides discounts to FFA members on its educational horsemanship materials.

One organization helps youth and youth leaders in the equine industry regardless of breed or discipline affiliation. The American Youth Horse Council (AYHC) serves as a national information center with ongoing training opportunities for youth and people looking to teach kids about horses. AYHC also strives to provide opportunities for youth leaders to network among adults in the industry. It also produces high-quality educational resources for kids. AYHC grants help youth to attend equine activities in the U.S. For more information, visit www.ayhc.com. AYHC and CHA work together on many projects to help kids connect with horses.

The United States Pony Clubs (USPC) provides horsemanship and horse care instruction. Its core values include horsemanship, organized teamwork, and respect for horse and self through horsemanship, service, and education. Participants can now stay within the organization until they are 25 if they meet requirements. There are Pony Clubs in many countries worldwide, and the U.S.’s organization was originally an offshoot of the British Pony Club. USPC offers mounted and unmounted meetings, clinics, rallies, certifications, exchanges, and other special opportunities. Membership is through local a Pony Club or a riding center recognized by the USPC to administer the Pony Club program. Many riding centers can provide a horse for a child to use for Pony Club activities if the child does not own one. To learn more, visit www.ponyclub.org. CHA and USPC attend each other conferences providing education to each other’s members.

In addition to these organizations, there are also youth organizations within most horse breed and discipline organizations. These organizations offer a variety of activities, leadership opportunities, ways for children to be mentored, events and conferences, and even all-youth championship horse shows. CHA partners with AQHA, APHA, ApHC, and AHA.

Many organizations offer contests and youth awards through their youth associations or through the parent organization. Some awards are not just for riding achievements; many are given to those who exemplify sportsmanship, volunteerism, leadership, commitment, dedication, and other similar traits that adults are trying to teach to the next generation. Several youth awards offered by breed and discipline organizations include scholarships and grants.

So whether you own a horse or not, there are a variety of options for youth. To learn about even more opportunities, please read the original blog post that CHA published on this topic.

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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“Horses in the Morning,” Sponsored by Troxel, Upcoming 2019 CHA International Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or clandwehr@CHA.horse


Certified Horsemanship Association’s August Training Tuesday on
“Horses in the Morning,” Sponsored by Troxel, Features Presenters
at the Upcoming 2019 CHA International Conference

(July 2019) – The Certified Horsemanship Association’s (CHA) August episode of Training Tuesdays on “Horses in the Morning” will feature several of the speakers slated for the upcoming 2019 CHA International Conference, scheduled for October 24-27 at Houghton College in Houghton, New York. CHA CEO Christy Landwehr and Glenn the Geek will interview CHA Clinician Julie Goodnight, Harness Horse Youth Foundation Executive Director Ellen Taylor, and Lisa Diersen, founder of the EQUUS Film Festival. Each speaker will showcase what they will be presenting at the conference. It’s a great way to get a preview before this much-anticipated event. In addition, Troxel Helmets, one of CHA’s partners, will sponsor the episode. The show will air August 20, 2019, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time and will also be available via digital download at https://cha.horse/education#horse-radio-show.

During the conference, Goodnight will present “How to Bring Out the Best in Your Horses and Riders” on Friday, October 25, at 9 a.m. and “Collection: Promoting Self-Carriage” on Friday at noon. Goodnight is best known as producer and host of the popular TV show, “Horse Master,” which aired weekly on RFD-TV for 11 years. Her clear and humorous teaching style, enlightening insights on horses, and her live horse-training demonstrations inspire and educate horse owners all over the world. Goodnight’s techniques are grounded in natural horsemanship, classical riding, and a deep understanding of horse behavior. She travels the globe teaching riders, training horses, and entertaining audiences at major horse events. She also offers online education, training videos, tack, and training tools at JulieGoodnight.com.

Taylor will be present “Lines, Not Reins—A Primer on Harness, Driving, and Racing” on Saturday, October 26, at 1:30 p.m. Taylor’s roots are deeply planted in Standardbreds and harness racing with a grandfather and both parents having held trainers’ and drivers’ licenses. Growing up, she was heavily involved in the family training and breeding operation, where she served as caretaker and night watchman and assisted with administrative responsibilities. In addition, Taylor has been involved with the charitable Harness Horse Youth Foundation since she was 16 and has served as executive director for the past 29 years.

Diersen will represent the EQUUS Film Festival on Wednesday night, October 23, starting at 7 p.m. for “A Night at the Movies” during which three movies will be shown for attendees. Diersen founded the EQUUS Film Festival as the first film festival oriented around equestrian-themed content from all over the world. She was also the producer and a writer on one of the films being shown, “A Pony and His Boy: The Story of Berry & Josh.” She is an lifelong equestrian who has ridden since she could sit in a saddle and who appreciates all types of equestrian disciplines. As founder and director of the festival, her mission is to show the world how horses can bring everyone together regardless of race, age, gender, abilities, or disabilities. She is passionate about the education and enlightenment of others to the wonderful world of horses and everything they can do to enrich our lives.

Troxel Brand Manager Jenny Beverage will join the show again with more information about helmet usage. Troxel was the first to develop a light-weight vented ASTM-approved equestrian helmet, and it is the only physician-developed line of equestrian helmets on the market. Troxel offers helmets and accessories to riders of all kinds, including English, Western, and trail. For more information, please visit www.troxelhelmets.com.

To listen to past CHA “Horses in the Morning” episodes, please visit https://cha.horse/education#horse-radio-show.

For more information about the CHA International Conference and the full schedule of events, presentations and speakers, please visit https://cha.horse/international-conference/.

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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CHA Certified Instructors Share How Their CHA Certification Has Impacted Their Career and Their Lives

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or clandwehr@CHA.horse


CHA Certified Instructors Share How Their
CHA Certification Has Impacted Their Career and Their Lives

(July 2019) – Certified Horsemanship Association Certified Instructors are passionate about their work, their students, and about CHA. Because of this, several CHA Certified Instructors share how their CHA Certification has changed their career and their lives for the better.

When Dale Rudin of Un-Natural Horsemanship in Santa Fe, Tennessee, attended her first CHA International Conference, she says she knew she had found her tribe. This CHA Certified English and Western riding instructor who grounds her program in natural equine behavior shares that it is an honor and a gift to be a member. “It was like coming home to a place where everyone already knew me, because they thought the same way I did about teaching and horses,” she says. “That is especially precious to me because I often follow the beat of a vastly different drum than the majority of trainers and instructors I encounter.

“Coming across someone like-minded is rare enough, but finding an entire organization—CHA was like hitting the jackpot!” she shares. “I felt welcomed and supported by this group of people who ceaselessly strive to do their best for people who want to have a safe and fulfilling equestrian experience and the horses who make that happen. CHA inspires me to be a better instructor and horse person.”

CHA Assistant Clinician Amanda Love, an instructor in animal science at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, and the head coach of the women’s equestrian team there says her CHA Certification has given her another tremendous outlet for education to share with her students. “Our students come from many different riding backgrounds and have professional equine goals that span the spectrum of the horse industry, but CHA is a language that speaks to all horse people,” continues Love. “The videos, publications, manuals, and continuing education encourages equine students to be lifelong learners in the horse industry while maintaining the core values of safe, effective, and fun experiences with horses.”

As owner of CKR Training Stables in Yorba Linda, California, Cheryl Rohnke Kronsberg, a CHA Master Instructor with more than 35 years of experience of teaching riders and training horses, thought she would attend a CHA Certification Clinic and that would be it. “I’d have a piece of paper that said I was okie-dokie and I’d be on my way,” says Rohnke-Kronsberg. “Yet, as fantastic as the clinic itself was, I never realized that the best was yet to come. Once I had my certification, I met lots of other certified instructors. They became my friends, mentors, and associates. I have become acquainted with wonderful instructors from all over the world. We have exchanged information and ideas. We have helped each other with training and teaching issues. We have passed along helpful hints and sad stories. Their input has been extremely valuable to me, my staff, clients, and horses.”

Because of her certification, Rohnke-Kronsberg has been asked to speak at local and international events and to write articles. She credits CHA with improving her skills as a barn manager, horse owner, trainer and instructor.

She also never expected to become part of something that was not only helpful to her as an instructor and equine business owner, but as a person. “I have learned that I am respected by my peers and that my opinion matters to people,” she adds. “That has increased my self-esteem immeasurably. I have new confidence in myself and my abilities that extends far beyond the barn, arena, and show pen.”

CHA Clinician and Past President Tara Gamble of TG Horsemanship in British Columbia, Canada, says her CHA certification has allowed her to pursue her passion and turn it into a career. “From this I am a professional with a successful program and facility,” she says. “The resources and opportunities CHA has available for instructors is limitless.”

To learn more about CHA’s certifications and various other programs and educational materials, please visit www.CHA.horse. If you are a CHA Certified Instructor and would like to share “What Your CHA Certification Has Done for You,” please add your story in the comments of our original blog post on the topic at https://cha.horse/cha-certified-instructors-share-what-their-cha-certification-has-done-for-them/.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Get to Know the Partners of the Certified Horsemanship Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or clandwehr@CHA.horse


Get to Know the Partners of the Certified Horsemanship Association

(June 2019) – The Certified Horsemanship Association believes in unification of the horse industry and less fragmentation and reinventing of the wheel. So with that mindset, CHA is proud to have created two levels of sponsorship, Corporate and Educational Alliance, and both levels play key roles in helping CHA with its mission of promoting excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry and helping the partner in return with their business plan. CHA would like to express its appreciation to the various organizations who are serving in partnership to help CHA members change lives through safe experiences with horses.

Corporate Sponsors
Active Interest Media (AIM) is one of the world’s largest enthusiast media companies, and it produces consumer and trade events, websites, magazines, films, and TV shows. The Equine Network serves as the horse industry branch with magazines that include Dressage Today, EquiManagement, EQUUS, Horse & Rider, Practical Horseman, Stable Management, The Team Roping Journal, and websites, such as Equine.com, Equisearch, American Cowboy Digital, A Home for Every Horse, and Hope in the Saddle. In addition, the Ariat World Series of Team Roping, which is the richest team roping event in the world, and USRider Equestrian Motor Plan fall under the AIM brand. For more information, visit www.aimmedia.com/equine-network.

Equisure provides specialty insurance coverage for both horse owners and equine professionals, such as riding instructor/trainer insurance, horse mortality and major medical, horse club insurance, horse show/special event insurance, personal excess insurance, and more. Riding instructors and equine facility managers find insurance coverage a great way to prepare for the unexpected. For more information, visit www.equisure-inc.com.

With more than 4 million of their helmets in the equestrian market, Troxel is a leading provider of ASTM/SEI certified equestrian helmets. Troxel focus has been on providing products with innovative design and being the only physician-developed equestrian helmet line. Troxel was the first company to offer helmets for trail and Western riders, and the company supports all equestrian disciplines with helmets and accessories designed for both English and Western riders. For more information, visit www.troxelhelmets.com.

Educational Alliance Partners
The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) promotes, preserves, and provides meaningful experiences with the American Paint Horse breed. Registrations have exceeded 1 million American Paints. APHA sanctions horse shows and races and holds several world championship events. APHA’s recognition programs reflect its membership’s wide range of interests with the American Paint. APHA also provides educational materials and collects official breed data, such as performance records, progeny records, honor rolls, show results, etc. For more information, visit www.apha.com.

The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) is the world’s largest equine breed registry and membership organization with more than 5 million registered American Quarter Horses and more than 250,000 members. AQHA is dedicated to recording and preserving the American Quarter Horse breed and encouraging ownership and participation with American Quarter Horses. It also processes approved show and race results, catalogs performances, and produces data on the breed. AQHA’s various championships feature barrel racing, pole bending, roping, western pleasure, jumping, halter, reining, cutting, and more. For more information, visit www.aqha.com.

The Appaloosa Horse Club of America (ApHC) is the international breed registry for Appaloosa horses. Members benefit from services that encourage Appaloosa ownership and participation with their horses, especially in ApHC’s regional, national, and international network of clubs and associations. Many of the 118 regional clubs offer local shows, pleasure rides, and year-end awards. For more information, visit www.appaloosa.com.

The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) is the official breed registry of the Arabian horse in the United States and Canada, and it has more than 1 million registered Arabian, Half-Arabian, and Anglo-Arabian horses. This organization brings together like-minded Arabian horse enthusiasts and provides a focal point for breeding and ownership programs and recreational and competitive activities. With almost 350 events and competitions across 18 geographical regions and its five national events, members can earn around $1 million in annual prize money. For more information, visit www.arabianhorses.org.

The mission of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) is to introduce students in private and public middle and secondary schools to equestrian sports. With more than 13,500 members in 42 states, IEA supports the disciplines of hunt seat, western, and dressage. IEA’s guidance for the creation of school- and/or barn-associated equestrian programs and organized student competitions has helped expand exposure to equestrian sports to those who may not own a horse. For more information, visit www.rideiea.org.

The North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC) is the premier competitive trail riding organization in six regions across North America. NATRC sanctions long distance competitive trail rides and clinics for riders of all equine breeds and disciplines. There is an emphasis on safety, sportsmanship, education, and trail horse care through qualified evaluation of horse and rider by veterinarians and horsemanship judges. Events provide fun for the whole family and build horse-and-rider partnerships, provide comradery among participants, and educate riders about horse care. For more information, visit www.natrc.org.

The Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) promotes equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) for individuals with special needs. With 4,800 certified instructors and equine specialists, 873 member centers, and almost 8,000 members around the world helping close to 69,000 individuals, PATH Intl. is making the difference in those with physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges to find independence thanks to horses. Additional activities provided by centers include hippotherapy, equine-facilitated mental health, driving, interactive vaulting, competition, ground work, and stable management. For more information, visit www.pathintl.org.

The Right Horse Initiative is a collective of equine industry and welfare professionals and advocates working together to improve the lives of horses in transition. People looking to adopt a horse, share their story about a previous horse in transition, or become an advocate can all benefit from The Right Horse, which is hoping to increase equine adoption numbers nationwide. The organization also hopes to support horses in transition by reframing the conversation around equine adoption. For more information, visit www.therighthorse.org.

Time to Ride is dedicated to introducing people to horses through its Time to Ride Challenge and its latest initiative that introduces people to horses through a series of lessons at Time to Ride Program Facilities. Created by the American Horse Council’s Marketing Alliance, the goal is to sustain and grow the horse industry by creating the next generation of knowledgeable and dedicated horse enthusiasts and owners. The organization’s main objective is to connect parents and children with local barns, riding centers, and non-profit organizations. For more information, visit www.timetoride.org.

Companies wishing to reach the CHA audience can do so in a number of ways: as a Corporate Sponsor or an Educational Alliance Sponsor, as an event sponsor or vendor (e.g., at the CHA International Conference or a Regional Conference), or as an advertiser in CHA’s print publications, e-newsletter, radio show, or through CHA’s sponsored educational videos.

For those wishing to become a Corporate Sponsor or an Educational Alliance Sponsor, please contact clandwehr@CHA.horse. For more information on becoming a CHA International Conference Sponsor or for a vendor booth, please visit https://cha-ahse.netlou-secure.com/product_images/uploaded_files/0519-conf-sponsorshipsbooths.pdf. For more information on advertising, please visit CHA.horse/advertise or contact SarahConrad@CHA.horse.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Get to Know the Partners of the Certified Horsemanship Association Read More »

“Horses in the Morning”, Teddy Franke and Terry Williams “Working Through Mounted Issues; Troxel Continues Sponsorship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or
clandwehr@CHA.horse

CHA’s May Training Tuesdays on “Horses in the Morning” to Feature Teddy Franke and Terry Williams on “Working Through Mounted Issues; Troxel Continues Sponsorship

(May 2019) – Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) “Horses in the Morning” radio show hosts, CHA CEO Christy Landwehr and Glenn the Geek, will interview CHA Board Members and Clinicians Teddy Franke and Terry Williams live on May’s Training Tuesdays episode. The topic will be “Working Through Mounted Issues.” In addition, Troxel Helmets, one of CHA’s newest partners, will sponsor again. The show will air May 21, 2019, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time and will also be available via digital download at https://cha.horse/education#horse-radio-show.

Franke, of Pine Hollow, OR, brings a lot of experience into his new position on the CHA Board of Directors. He is a CHA Clinician and a Master Instructor in English/Western, in addition to being certified as an IRD Instructor, an Equine Facilities Manager ACI, and a Packing Guide ACI. Franke serves on the CHA Membership and Marketing Committee. When he’s not busy managing the horse program at Camp Morrow, he also operates Franke Equine, a horsemanship and farriery business. Franke has helped lead horse programs in three states, been the regional director for CHA Regions 1 and 11, served on the board of the American Youth Horse Council, and is an ASHA judge.

Williams of Blanchester, OH, serves as CHA Treasurer, as chair of the Research and Development Committee and the Finance Committee, and as a member of the Nominations Committee. She is a Clinician, Certified Master Instructor, an EFM Clinic Instructor, an Overnight Guide, and a CHA Site Visitor. She was honored in 2015 with the CHA Volunteer of the Year award and in 2011 with the CHA Clinic Instructor of the Year award. Her hard work as the editor-in-chief of CHA’s The Equine Professional Manual: The Art of Teaching Riding paid off when the manual was honored in the American Horse Publication’s Equine Media Awards in the Equine-Related Nonfiction Book Category. She has also been a regional director and has managed dozens of clinics over the years. She is a graduate of Otterbein College’s Equine Science and Stable Management Program.

Troxel Brand Manager, Jenny Beverage, will join the show again with plenty of useful information about helmet usage. Troxel was the first to develop a light-weight vented ASTM-approved equestrian helmet, and it is the only physician-developed line of equestrian helmets on the market. Troxel offers helmets and accessories to riders of all kinds, including English, Western, and Trail. For more information, please visit www.troxelhelmets.com.

CHA has been a part of “Horses in the Morning” radio show since 2014 and has interviewed a variety of experts on safety and horsemanship topics. To listen to past CHA “Horses in the Morning” episodes, please visit https://cha.horse/education#horse-radio-show.

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit
www.CHA.horse.

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“Horses in the Morning”, Teddy Franke and Terry Williams “Working Through Mounted Issues; Troxel Continues Sponsorship Read More »

Experts Offer 11 Tips on Developing an Equestrian Camp Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: CHA

859-259-3399 or office@CHA.horse

Certified Horsemanship Association Experts Offer 11 Tips
on Developing an Equestrian Camp Program

(May 2019) – Two Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Certified Instructors and equestrian camp experts share tips with professionals wishing to start a camp program. Teddy Franke, a CHA Master Instructor and Clinician, currently manages Morrow Ranch Camp in Wamic, Oregon. Corinne Lettau, a CHA Level 4 English and Level 2 Western Certified Instructor, owns Denver Equestrians, LLC in Littleton. In addition to the following tips from Lettau and Franke, CHA has multiple programs and certifications that can help camp managers develop and run their programs.

1. Always use safe horses. CHA has a variety of educational materials, including its CHA Standards for Equestrian Programs, its CHA Composite Horsemanship Manual, and The Equine Professional Manual: The Art of Teaching Riding, along with articles published in The Instructor magazine and the blog post, “Finding a Great Lesson Horse: What to Look for and Consider Before You Shop.” Any of these resources can help educate professionals find a safe horse and develop a safe facility, since safety is paramount for campers. Camp managers will need to determine if their current horses should be used in a camp program or if they need to purchase or lease new horses and what qualities a camp horse should have.

2. Use CHA Certified Instructors. One of CHA’s first blog posts looked into “Why You Should Find a Certified Riding Instructor,” many of the reason also apply to why a certified instructor should be employed for a camp program. CHA riding instructors have been thoroughly tested at a certification clinic to ensure they can teach safely, effectively, and while providing a fun lesson. CHA certified instructors are tested on five important areas needed for a good instructor: safety, horsemanship knowledge and ability, teaching techniques, group control, and responsibility and professionalism. In addition, having instructors with a certification shows the professionalism of your camp program and that you value hiring knowledgeable staff.

3. Develop organized lesson plans. Camp instructors and managers can learn how to develop quality lesson plans through CHA’s continuing education opportunities. Sessions at the CHA International Conference, Regional Conferences and at a Certification Clinic often showcase how to plan lessons and organize lesson plans.

4. Develop fun games and horse-related educational activities for the kids. The key to this is to make sure the activities are safe, and since a camp is already using safe horses and has a CHA instructor, then this is a good start. It’s just a matter of letting creativity fly.

5. Provide an outline for the parents so they know what to expect. Good communication is always important between staff, parents, and campers.

6. Develop leaders. One great way to empower staff and to help them succeed is to send staff to CHA skills workshops, regional conferences, the CHA International Conference, and other continuing education events within the horse industry. This allows staff to learn the latest in horsemanship, horse care, horse training, riding, and teaching students.

7. Follow standards. CHA provides a set of industry standards for group riding programs. The standards provide the solid foundation for instructors and for your facility. If not CHA, find an organization that clearly defines your operational practices. This will help you ensure that your program is up to par. For all of CHA’s standards, read the “CHA Standards for Equestrian Programs” manual.

For all 11 tips, and a list of questions that camp managers can use to evaluate their needs and determine what needs to be done before those first campers arrive, please visit the complete blog post at https://cha.horse/11-tips-from-the-experts-on-developing-an-equestrian-camp-program/.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit
www.CHA.horse.

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Experts Offer 11 Tips on Developing an Equestrian Camp Program Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Offering Numerous Certifications in North America is in Need of Qualified Host Sites

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or
office@CHA.horse

Certified Horsemanship Association Offering Numerous
Certifications in North America is in Need of Qualified Host Sites

(April 2019) – Anyone who wants to further their career by earning a Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Certification is encouraged to check out the CHA Certification Schedule online at https://cha.horse/cha-certifications/. CHA Certifications are intensive multi-day events in which attendees learn and demonstrate their skills so they can be certified at one of CHA’s various certification types and levels. They are currently available for the Standard Instructor in English and/or Western disciplines, Equine Facilities Management (EFM), Instructors of Riders with Disabilities (IRD), and as a Trail Guide or Day Ride Trail Guide. There are also opportunities to host Driving and Vaulting Certifications. Join more than 30,000 experts who have been certified by the largest certifying organization in North America! Through the certification of professionals who can provide safe, effective, and fun experiences with horses, CHA changes lives through safe experiences with horses.

Certification offers many benefits to the instructor, including showing the industry and potential customers that the instructor has the skills and knowledge to teach riders or to run an equine facility according to strict industry standards set by an independent third party. In addition, certification demonstrates professionalism, dedication, and a commitment to horsemanship instruction and/or equine facility management. Certified individuals have demonstrated their focus on the safety and well-being of all participants in equestrian pursuits, humans and horses alike.

The instructor’s willingness to dedicate their time and money to the CHA certification process indicates that they are a serious professional. CHA certified instructors must demonstrate a high level of professional competence and adhere to continuing education requirements set forth by CHA to maintain their certification. In addition, many insurance companies recognize certification and will give discounts.

At this time, English/Western Certifications are available in the following 19 states and three Canadian provinces: Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington state, and Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario, Canada.

Those wishing to receive their IRD certification can do so in Arizona, Iowa, Ohio, and Oklahoma, while those wishing to be certified as a trail guide or day ride trail guide can attend certifications in Colorado, Georgia, and Oregon. In addition, those wishing to become a certified equine facilities manager can attend certifications in Colorado, Texas, and Washington.

Each certification includes workshops and hands-on demonstrations in five areas: safety, horsemanship knowledge and ability, teaching techniques, group control, and professionalism and ethics. Two CHA Certification Instructors evaluate each attendee, who must also pass written tests and competently demonstrate their skills as an instructor during the event to receive their certification. The cost of the certification also includes the attendee’s membership in CHA, fees for the event, and all educational materials. Each host site will specify which meals are included and if a lodging option is available with the final price.

To see the complete schedule, please visit http://www.chainstructors.com/clinics. Please note that CHA adds host sites to this schedule on an ongoing basis. For more information on attending a CHA Certification, please visit https://cha.horse/join-cha-2/.

For anyone wishing to host a CHA Certification, the organization is taking applications to host in the fall of 2019 and beyond. Host sites must become a CHA Program Member that is pre-approved by CHA. If your facility would like to become a new host site for CHA, please visit https://cha.horse/how-to-host-a-cha-clinic-2/.

For questions, or if you have already been approved as a host site, please contact CHA at office@CHA.horse to receive your Materials Order Form and Certification Request Form.

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit
www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Offering Numerous Certifications in North America is in Need of Qualified Host Sites Read More »

Troxel Becomes Alliance Partner of the Certified Horsemanship Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or
clandwehr@CHA.horse

Troxel Becomes Alliance Partner of the Certified Horsemanship Association and Sponsors CHA’s March Training Tuesdays on “Horses in the Morning”

(March 2019) – The 2019 Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has added Troxel as a CHA Alliance Partner. Troxel is a leading provider of ASTM/SEI certified equestrian helmets. With more than four million helmets in the equestrian market, Troxel’s safety record is second to none. With both Troxel and CHA’s commitment to safety, this partnership is a perfect fit for both organizations.

Troxel will also sponsor the March episode of CHA’s Training Tuesdays on the “Horses in the Morning” Radio Show. CHA CEO Christy Landwehr and Horse Radio Network founder Glenn the Geek will interview CHA instructors Anne Brzezicki and Keli Wakeley about grooming tips and tricks during the live radio show on March 18, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. In addition, Troxel’s Brand Manager, Jenny Beverage, will join to discuss what riders should look for when purchasing an equestrian helmet and when a rider should replace their helmet. To listen live or to catch the recorded show, visit https://cha.horse/education#horse-radio-show.

Beverage, of Union, OR, grew up in the saddle and found her “Why” in life after seeing the spot where a family acquaintance died from a head injury while riding her horse to a trail head. She has been with Troxel Helmets for more than 15 years helping to develop helmets that riders want to wear. Troxel was the first to develop a light-weight vented ASTM-approved equestrian helmet, and it is the only physician-developed line of equestrian helmets on the market. Troxel offers helmets and accessories to riders of all kinds, including English, Western, and trail. For more information, please visit www.troxelhelmets.com.

Brzezicki of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is CHA’s Vice President of New Initiatives, a CHA Master Instructor, and a CHA Assistant Clinic Instructor. She is the former Director of the Equestrian Program at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and former coach of MTSU’s Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) equestrian team. She was honored as the 2015 CHA Instructor of the Year, 2003 IHSA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, and was the 2004 IHSA Regional Coach of the Year.

Wakeley is a CHA Certified Instructor who offers instruction and training specializing in showmanship, hunter under saddle, hunt seat equitation, competitive trail, and western pleasure horsemanship and showmanship through her business KW Performance Horses in the Gainesville, Florida area. She has competed at events affiliated with the American Quarter Horse Association, American Paint Horse Association, and the Appaloosa Horse Club. She is also the Equestrian Director at Keystone Camp and Conference Center in Starke, Florida.

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit
www.CHA.horse.

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Troxel Becomes Alliance Partner of the Certified Horsemanship Association Read More »

Employment Opportunities in the Horse Industry through the CHA Job Opportunities Board

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or
clandwehr@CHA.horse

 

Employment Opportunities Available to the Horse Industry through the
Certified Horsemanship Association Job Opportunities Board

(March 2019) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is providing a valuable service to those wishing to work in the equine industry through its online job opportunities board. Would you like to teach riding lessons in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, or Maine? Or be the director of a riding academy in the Adirondacks? Would you like to be a summer camp riding instructor or an equestrian program manager in North Carolina, a therapeutic riding instructor in Texas, a summer wrangler in Washington state, or a program specialist in Wisconsin? These positions and more are online on the CHA Job Opportunities Board.

If you are looking to hire, one of CHA’s member benefits is the ability to add job postings online for free on the board. This benefit is especially helpful for Business/Program Members seeking to hire additional staff. CHA Program/Business Members can also run job openings in the CHA e-newsletter at a discounted rate of $50 (normal rate is $100), while individual members can run up to 25 words for free. CHA members can submit a job posting to office@CHA.horse with the subject line “CHA Website – Job Posting Request.”

For more information on more benefits of CHA membership, please visit here. For questions, please contact CHA’s headquarters in Lexington, KY, at 859-259-3399 or office@CHA.horse.


CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, the Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit
CHA.horse.

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Employment Opportunities in the Horse Industry through the CHA Job Opportunities Board Read More »

CHA Seeking Equine Experts to Speak at their 2019 International Conference in October in New York State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: CHA Office

720-857-9550 or office@CHA.horse

Certified Horsemanship Association Seeking Equine Experts for Speakers for the 2019 CHA International Conference in October in New York State

(February 2019) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is seeking experts within the horse industry as speakers for the 2019 CHA International Conference. Part of CHA’s mission is providing quality continuing education within the horse industry, and the annual international conference is CHA’s ultimate learning opportunity. The 2019 CHA International Conference is scheduled for October 24-27, at Houghton College near Buffalo, New York. Speakers at this event include riding instructors, horse trainers, barn managers, veterinarians, equine behaviorists, farriers, saddle fit specialists, equine association representatives, business consultants, and other equine professionals. Those wishing to attend the conference should Save the Dates.

If you would like to speak, CHA is now accepting speaker applications for classroom-style lectures, roundtable and panel discussions, hands-on horse demonstrations, and mounted riding sessions (using Houghton College’s school horses) with attendees who sign up on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sessions at the CHA International Conference are focused on safe, effective, and fun horsemanship.

CHA is all-breed and all-discipline organization. The audience at the CHA International Conference includes riding instructors, trail guides, barn managers, driving and vaulting coaches, horse owners, riders, and general horse enthusiasts. Attendees can sign up to ride well-trained school horses provided by Houghton College. CHA members and non-members alike attend as the conference is open to the public with prior registration.

Those wishing to speak should contact CHA at 720-857-9550 or clandwehr@CHA.horse. The deadline is March 18, 2019. Those applying to speak will need to send a professional biography paragraph, a photo, and a session title and paragraph description, along with anything needed to fulfill your session.

More information about the CHA International Conference can be found at https://cha.horse/international-conference. Additional information will be added online throughout the year, including the full line-up of speakers and sessions.


CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit
www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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CHA Seeking Equine Experts to Speak at their 2019 International Conference in October in New York State Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Offers Educational Opportunities with Skills Workshops

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: CHA Office

720-857-9550 or office@CHA.horse

Certified Horsemanship Association Offers Educational Opportunities with Skills Workshops

(February 2019) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is excited to announce several opportunities for learning and continuing education with several Skills Workshops offered on its calendar. CHA Skills Workshops are single-day or multi-day events covering any topic covered in any of the CHA Certification Programs or how to teach any topic covered in any CHA Certification Program.

The CHA Region 9 Equine Facility Managers (EFM) Skills Workshop, “Building Safer Equine Activity Programs through Equine Facility Manager Certification,” will be taught by CHA CEO Christy Landwehr and CHA EFM Clinician Jill Montgomery. This workshop is designed to show the process that CHA uses in evaluating the skills necessary to gain CHA EFM Certification and to practice the skills tested in each of the four levels evaluated at CHA EFM Certification Clinics.

There will be a tour of the host facility, the Dumb Friend’s League Harmony Equine Center in Franktown, Colorado. This state of the art facility is dedicated to re-homing unwanted horses and is part of CHA’s pilot program with The Right Horse to give horses another career as lesson horses with CHA instructors. “We’re really excited to be able to do this workshop at this particular facility that is so impactful for our region,” said Montgomery.

This April 6th workshop is geared toward stable owners and staff, riding instructors interested in becoming CHA Certified Equine Facility Managers, and individuals who want to make their operations safer and more effective. The cost for non-members is $135 (which includes CHA membership for a year) and $75 for CHA members. Proceeds will go to benefit CHA Region 9 travel funds. The program qualifies for eight continuing education units (CEUs). Contact Jill Montgomery at jill.montgomery@yahoo.com for more information.

Montgomery of Pueblo West, Colorado, is CEO of JRAM Enterprises, Inc., which provides equine business consulting. She is also a CHA Certified Instructor at Level 3 in English and Western, a CHA Certified Equine Facility Manager Clinician, a Site Visitor, a director for Region 9, and a past board member. Montgomery won the 2017 CHA Volunteer of the Year Award and the 2017 Van Ness Award from the American Horse Council.

CHA has two Instructors of Riders with Disabilities (IRD) Skills Workshops this year that will be taught by Debbie Holmes. These two clinics will cover mounts and dismounts, matching up the horse and rider, adapting riding elements to a therapeutic rider, risk management, teaching techniques and lesson plans, and saddle fit. These workshops may be of interest to any CHA IRD instructor, or anyone who has volunteered at a therapeutic riding program or who wants more information on the CHA IRD program. Participants can earn six CEUs.

The first IRD workshop will be April 27 at Horses with Heart in Chino Valley, Arizona. The cost for non-members is $160 (which includes CHA membership for a year), while the cost for CHA members is $100. Contact Debbie Holmes at debbie.holmes@charter.net. The second IRD workshop will be on October 9 at Wesley Woods-Barnum Equestrian Center in Indianola, Iowa. The cost for non-members is $175, while the cost for CHA members is $115. Contact Laura Huttler at horses@wesleywoodsiowa.org.

Holmes is a CHA Master and Clinic Instructor in Western, English, and Jumping; a CHA Master IRD Instructor and Clinician; the current Oregon State Representative; a PATH Registered Instructor, Equine Specialist, and Mentor; and she has completed the Level One American Hippotherapy Association training. She is the program director and founder of White Dove Therapeutic Riding Center in Grants Pass, Oregon. Previously, she was a therapeutic instructor with Horses with Heart and at Arizona State University.

In addition to these clinics, please keep an eye on the online CHA clinics calendar at https://cha.horse/cha-certifications/#skills-workshops for the addition of more CHA Skills Workshops for 2019. For further information on becoming a CHA Host Site or to learn more about skills clinics, please visit https://cha.horse/cha-certifications/#skills.


CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit
www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Certified Horsemanship Association Offers Educational Opportunities with Skills Workshops Read More »

Horse Enthusiasts Can Find Educational Opportunities through CHA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or
clandwehr@CHA.horse

Horse Enthusiasts Can Find Educational Opportunities at
Certified Horsemanship Association Regional Conferences
and at the 2019 CHA International Conference in October

(February 2019) – The 2019 Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) CHA Regional Conferences is constantly being added to throughout the year as new Regional Conferences are announced by their respective CHA host region. In addition, information about the CHA International Conference is released throughout the year. If you like horses, these conferences offer great opportunities to learn more about horsemanship through the largest certifying body in North America. They are open to all.

Each CHA Conference offers continuing education, networking opportunities, and the chance to make social and business connections within the horse industry. Some conferences even offer hands-on mounted sessions taught by top instructors. Speakers include expert instructors, clinicians, veterinarians, farriers, and other equine industry professionals. Participants are free to attend only those topics they are most interested in.

The 2019 CHA International Conference is scheduled for October 24-27, at Houghton College near Buffalo, New York. Houghton College has offered the use of its well-trained school horses for mounted sessions. In addition, classroom-style presentations with top experts within the horse industry will offer attendees the chance to take notes on a variety of topics involving horses. Since this event is in Region 5, there will be no Region 5 Conference. More information about the CHA International Conference will be released throughout the year and can be found at https://cha.horse/international-conference.

Several regional conferences are coming up soon, so now is the time to make plans to attend and to get registered. Attendees do not have to be from the specific host region to attend at that location.

CHA’s Region 1 (British Columbia, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Alberta) will host its conference February 28-March 3 at Miracle Ranch in Port Orchard, Washington, which is about an hour from Seattle. This four-day conference has a jam-paced schedule on topics such as feeding, grooming to massage, dressage in riding lessons, working equitation, herd management, camping, farriery, evaluating a therapeutic horse prospect, lesson planning, social media marketing, bandaging and vital signs, risk reduction, and so much more. There are numerous options for networking, a silent auction, and social events. The cost is $220, which includes the program, meals, and overnight accommodations. For those commuters who only wish to pay for the program and meals, the cost is $185. Day rates are also available. For more information, visit https://www.charegion1.com/events.

CHA’s Region 9 (Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming) will host a free virtual conference on March 13 at 6pm Mountain Time with a talk on how to use CHA in your horse programming and from an equine attorney on the difference between staff and contracted employees. For more information, please contact the CHA office for the link to the webinar and the recording afterwards at office@CHA.horse

CHA’s Region 4 (Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia) will host its conference March 14-15 at Marmon Valley Farms in Zanesfield, Ohio. Mounted classes include: playing polo, driving a team of horses, turn backs and rollbacks, orienteering on horseback, introduction to jumping, and building confidence and horsemanship skills by working your horse in hand through showmanship and obstacle training. Lectures include: developing an equestrian business plan, putting safety first, what to expect at a CHA Certification Clinic, and more is set to be announced. The cost is only $75 by check or money order and $80 if paying by credit card. Housing options include local hotels or bunk housing at Marmon Valley Farm, which would include breakfast on Friday. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2406189249391667.

CHA’s Region 7 (North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and Alabama) already held their conference on January 19 at Girl Scouts Carolinas Peak to Piedmont in Sophia, North Carolina. For next year’s event, stay tuned to the CHA Regional Conferences calendar at CHA Regional Conferences.

Future regional conferences will be added to the schedule throughout 2019. More information can be found at CHA Regional Conferences. In addition, skills clinics and certification clinics are added throughout the year at https://cha.horse/cha-certifications/#skills-workshops.

To get notification as events are added, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit
www.CHA-ahse.org or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse.

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Horse Enthusiasts Can Find Educational Opportunities through CHA Read More »

Administrative Assistant Position Available at the Certified Horsemanship Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Terri Weaver – Membership Services Director

859-259-3399 or tweaver@CHA.horse


Administrative Assistant Position Available
at the Certified Horsemanship Association

(August 2019) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is seeking an Administrative Assistant. This position, which reports to the Membership Services Director, is a non-exempt, part-time (25-30 hours/week) position. The Administrative Assistant will help CHA staff in the day-to-day operations of the CHA corporate office in the areas of membership and program services. The position is an office position in the CHA corporate office in Lexington, Kentucky.

Job responsibilities include:

  • Providing outstanding customer service to all CHA members
  • Answering and directing phone and email inquiries as needed
  • Maintaining office order and cleanliness
  • Shipping items to trade shows, clinics, conferences, etc.
  • Data-entry, word processing, and filing as needed
  • Ensuring clinics are properly listed on the CHA website, packets are properly assembled for distribution, and incoming clinics are properly reported and filed
  • Assisting in revising all CHA paperwork as needed
  • Collecting dues and contacting members as needed
  • Maintaining office supply inventory and office equipment as needed
  • Processing orders, shipments, and mailings in a timely manner
  • Insuring professional appearance of all shipped material
  • Performing any other tasks as requested by the Membership Services Director

The Administrative Assistant must have skills and experience in the following areas: clerical work, filing, shipping, and maintaining inventory, and be able to provide professional customer service. Verbal and written communication skills are a must. The Administrative Assistant is expected to be customer service-oriented in attitude and appearance.

This position requires lifting of objects up to 40 pounds and may include travel to the annual CHA International Conference and/or CHA board meetings.

The Certified Horsemanship Association is a non-profit membership association that provides services and educational materials and products for riding instructors, equine facility managers, camp staff, universities with equestrian programs, and others. CHA offers a variety of certifications for equine professionals and accredits equine facilities.

To apply for the position, please email a resume, cover letter, and references to office@CHAInstructors.com with “Administrative Assistant Job” in the subject line.

To keep up-to-date on all news from CHA, please sign up for the CHA monthly email newsletter at www.CHA.horse.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

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Administrative Assistant Position Available at the Certified Horsemanship Association Read More »

Certified Horsemanship Association Seeking Advertising Sales Representative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information and Photos

Contact: Christy Landwehr
720-857-9550 or clandwehr@CHA.horse

Certified Horsemanship Association Seeking
Advertising Sales Representative

(November 2019) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is seeking an Advertising Sales Representative. The Ad Sales Representative would report to the CHA Chief Executive Officer and is a part-time 1099 contracted position. The Ad Sales Representative would sell advertisements on behalf of CHA for a variety of projects, including The Instructor annual magazine, the CHA International Conference Program, the CHA monthly podcast, monthly CHA e-newsletters, horsemanship safety videos and more.

Applicants should have experience selling ads within the equine industry, have his or her own contacts within the industry and be willing to generate a leads list. Some leads will be provided. CHA is seeking a detail-oriented self-starter who will work remotely from a home office. The applicant must have their own working computer, Internet, phone, etc.

This position is a commission-only position with no base salary and is a 1099 contracted position. Commission ranges from 10% to 30% depending on if it is a new advertiser or repeat business. To apply for the position, please email a resume, cover letter, and references to Office@CHA.horse with “Ad Sales Job” in the subject line.

CHA Instructors Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and Horsemanship Safety shorts, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse .

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Certified Horsemanship Association Seeking Advertising Sales Representative Read More »