How to hire a riding instructor

How to hire a riding instructor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step riding instructor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a riding instructor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new riding instructor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the riding instructor you need to hire. Certain riding instructor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect riding instructor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents riding instructor salaries for various positions.

   Type of Riding Instructor	Description	Hourly rate
   Riding Instructor		$10-23
   Dance Teacher	Dance Teachers are responsible for leading dance classes to teach individuals or groups of people various dancing techniques. Dance Teachers are required to help their students improve their dancing skills by participating in amateur or professional dance competitions or performing in social events such as high school reunions... Show more	$15-34
   Martial Arts Instructor	A martial arts instructor helps people understand the philosophy and history of their chosen martial art and teaches them the skills needed to take part safely. They train students in combat techniques, mostly for recreation or for self-defense... Show more	$11-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPR
   • Emergency Situations
   • Group Lessons
   • Private Lessons
   • RAN
   • Summer Camps
   • Medical Care
   • PowerPoint
   • Lesson Program
   • Girls Ages
   • Leadership
   • Girl Scouts

   Responsibilities:

   • Demonstrate responsibility managing and maintaining boats and equipment.
   • Cover the fundamental concepts of chemistry and biology including cell biology, metabolism, microbiology, genetics, evolution and histology.
   • Instruct adults in a variety of topics including; emotional psychology, biological psychology, anatomy and physiology, motivational psychology ...

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your riding instructor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A riding instructor salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, riding instructors' average salary in iowa is 54% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level riding instructors earn 54% less than senior-level riding instructors.
   • Certifications. A riding instructor with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a riding instructor's salary.

   Average riding instructor salary

   $15.86hourly

   $32,988 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level riding instructor salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a riding instructor job description

   A job description for a riding instructor role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a riding instructor job description:

   Riding instructor job description example

   + QUALIFICATIONS
   
   + Required: PATH Certified Instructor
   
   + Required: Adult and Child CPR Certification
   
   + Required: First Aid Certification
   
   + Required: High School Diploma
   
   + Preferred: One year experience in the field of equine-assisted activities.
   
   + Preferred: One year experience teaching horseback riding skills to able bodied riders.
   
   + JOB SUMMARY
   
   + Instructs equine-assisted sessions and un-mounted program activities in a safe, professional manner. Develops rider goals and weekly objectives and documents weekly progress for each rider. Submits written evaluation on each participant at the end of each semester. Adheres to Manes & Motions policies and PATH standards at all times. Attends and participates in staff meetings, program functions and trainings. Represents the program in a positive and professional manner at all times. Communicates needs or changes in regards to participants, horses, volunteers and equipment with appropriate staff.
   
   + PHYSICAL DEMANDS
   
   + Stand or walk 80-100% of each shift.
   
   + Sit 0-20% of each shift.
   
   + Able to jog alongside a horse for short distances if acting as a side-walker for a rider.
   
   + Transfer participant from mounting ramp/block to horse and from horse to the ground/ramp in order to mount/dismount each rider.
   
   + Perform physical skills including lifting, reaching, bending, twisting, kneeling, squatting and pushing/pulling up to 90% of each shift.
   
   + Grasp with both hands on frequent basis to handle equipment and assist participants and volunteers.
   
   + Lift and carry up to 50 pounds on an occasional basis.
   
   + Fine manipulation is required for writing and computer usage.
   
   + Maintain strength and endurance as related to the physical demands of the work environment.
   
   + COGNITIVE DEMANDS
   
   + Job requires a high level of communication skill including expression of abstract/complex ideas, use of negotiation, active listening and an ability to dialogue with multiple parties.
   
   + Job requires independent problem identification, problem solving techniques, and adaptability. Abstract reasoning and quick decision making is required. A high degree of selective attention, discernment, perception and concentration is necessary.
   
   + Job requires a working knowledge of the disabilities served.
   
   + Job requires ability to adjust and prioritize schedule to adapt to events as needed.
   
   + Job requires basic writing proficiency needed for written reports including accident/incident reports, weekly goals, objectives, and progress notes and the ability to express self clearly.
   
   + ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
   
   + Adheres to regulations, policies, standards of practice and procedure for safety, infection control maintenance and PATH standards.
   
   + Effectively implements first aid measures, using appropriate equipment.
   
   + Communicates participant, horse, facility and equipment issues, problems to Facility Coordinator or designee.
   
   + Communicates volunteer issues, problems to the volunteer coordinator or designee.
   
   + Develops and implements an IRP for each participant according to their individual goals and abilities.
   
   + Documents weekly progress of each participant and submits a written summary of such progress at the end of each semester.
   
   + Provides on-going education and safety awareness to volunteers.
   
   + Participates in developing weekly themes and the daily ring set-up/breakdown for each theme.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find riding instructors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your riding instructor job on Zippia to find and recruit riding instructor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit riding instructors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new riding instructor

   Once you've found the riding instructor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new riding instructor. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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