Instructor Pathway
A Clear Path for People Who Want to Teach
National Shooting Horse Association
How do I become a NaSHA Instructor?
What NaSHA Provides
NaSHA does not certify instructors, assign credentials, or require anyone to teach a specific method. Instructors are responsible for their own programs, decisions, and teaching approach.
NaSHA provides resources, not requirements.
There are two categories of instructor resources available:
Foundational Instructor Resources (Free)
NaSHA publishes a set of foundational tools that are openly available to support instruction within the shooting horse discipline. These resources focus on shared language, basic structure, and horse-first progression.
Foundational resources include:
Lesson Levels
Arena-Side Training Guides
Lesson planning and tracking tools
Introductory instructor references
These tools are designed to help instructors and riders organize training, evaluate readiness, and communicate clearly. They are flexible, non-prescriptive, and intended to be used as needed.
Professional Instructor Toolkit (Optional, Paid)
For instructors who want deeper teaching support and integrated materials, NaSHA also offers a Professional Instructor Toolkit.
The Professional Instructor Toolkit goes beyond individual downloads and focuses on application:
How to teach the material effectively
How to make readiness and progression decisions
How to protect horses as speed and complexity increase
How to communicate expectations clearly with riders and families
The toolkit includes yearly NaSHA membership, printed training manuals, instructor-specific guides, decision-making checklists, teaching context, and structured materials that bring the foundational resources together in one place.
Use as much or as little as is helpful. The toolkit is not a requirement, endorsement, or subscription to a single method — it is a professional resource for instructors who want additional structure and support.
Use of NaSHA Resources
All NaSHA materials are offered to support thoughtful, horse-first instruction. Instructors may use any portion of these resources, adapt them to their own programs, or choose not to use them at all.
The goal is clarity where it helps, flexibility where it’s needed, and better outcomes for horses and riders alike.
Teaching Foundations
How to structure lessons, communicate clearly, and maintain safety while developing shooting horses and riders.
Supported Instruction
Applying teaching skills in clinics, schools, and lessons while adapting to different horses, riders, and environments.
Performance Development
Helping riders and horses build speed, precision, and consistency under competitive conditions.
Leadership and Mentorship
Supporting other instructors, modeling best practices, and contributing to the growth of the shooting horse discipline.
Instructor Pathway FAQ's
We know, it's a new weird thing and you're wondering what the hay it's about...if we don't answer that below, reach out.
How do I become a NaSHA Instructor?
There is no formal certification or required process. Getting started is simple: join NaSHA, share a bit about your background and where you’re teaching, and use the available resources—such as the training manual and lesson frameworks—to support your instruction. Instructors who join and wish to can be listed on our website so riders can find and connect with them.
Who is the Instructor Pathway for?
The Instructor Pathway is designed for riders with horse training and shooting horse experience who want to teach—whether formally, informally, or within a club or small group. It’s especially helpful for riders who haven’t taught before but want a clear place to start.
Do I have to follow NaSHA's training manual or tools exactly?
Nope. The manual and tools are resources, not mandates. They provide a shared foundation while respecting individual experience, training styles, and professional judgment.
What's the goal of this? Why do you have an Instructor Pathway?
The goal is to encourage more capable, thoughtful riders to step into teaching roles over time, expand access to instruction, support shooting horse training the right way without itimidating potential competitors, and help grow the sport in a sustainable way.