Promoting Excellence in Horsemanship

Our goal for this program is to ensure that the equestrian experience remains safe and enjoyable for all participants, horse and human, and to develop excellence in horsemanship.

Island Horse Council (IHC) administers coaching programs recognized by, and in partnership with, the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) and Equestrian Canada (EC).  The Equestrian Coaching Program includes the disciplines of English and Western, including training opportunities and competency based evaluation for certification.

IHC is honored to facilitate the NCCP Equestrian Coaching Program, providing ongoing educational opportunities for our members within the equestrian community. We recognize the value of having certified NCCP Instructors and Coaches that are engaged in professional development programs that reinforce the importance of lifelong learning and sharing within the coaching community.

Because there are many types of unregulated coaching certifications, there are many coaches and instructors who believe, and will tell you, they are certified. But how do you know they are indeed NCCP certified? We maintain a current coach/instructor directory and we will only promote NCCP certified and licensed coaches and instructors.

As an athlete or parent, we recommend working with an EC NCCP certified and licensed instructor or coach. We can help you find one.

If you are interested in becoming an EC NCCP coach or instructor, we can help you with that as well.

There is a difference between being NCCP certified and being EC licensed. In the Certification Process section, we help explain and breakdown the differences.

Types of Certification

Whether you are interested in coaching beginners or have a passion for the competitive world, there is a coaching stream suited to you. There are four streams of certification available to our members.

Instructor

A certified Instructor specializes in the instruction of children and adults learning to ride, establishing foundational riding skills with an eye on safety.

Competition Coach

A certified Competition Coach introduces riders to the competitive environment. More advanced skills in the development of a competitive training program, performance analysis and mental preparation for competition are required to become certified at this level.

Competition Coach Specialist (CCS)

A certified Competition Coach Specialist (CCS) has a discipline specialty and is developing riders competing at the provincial and national levels. These coaches have more in-depth knowledge of developing training plans for athletes and require a working knowledge of the Equestrian Canada competition rules for the level and discipline they’re teaching.

Although a CCS is trained specifically for one discipline area, they are expected to be conversant in all English or Western disciplines.

Available certifications for Competition Coach Specialist:

• Dressage
• Eventing
• Jumping
• General Performance
• Speed Events
• Reining

Contact the IHC Coaching team for help starting your Coach Certification Journey!