It takes a special person with a real big heart to become an instructor. To become a certified PATH instructor is no walk in the park. It takes up to a year to finish the grueling certification process. It begins with two written tests, 25 hours of shadowing and teaching under a certified instructor, and CPR/First Aid certification. Then off to a PATH approved training facility for a long weekend workshop. Instructors in training do more classwork, get assigned a class with riders and horses they have never worked with, and are graded on their ability to plan a lesson and instruct the class. They also have to ride a pattern test on a horse they have never ridden. The certification weekend costs over $1,000.00 once you have paid for the class fee of $800 and then add in travel and lodging expenses. After they have passed all these hurdles and are certified instructors, they take on their own lesson schedule at MVTH. Instructors have the responsibility of not only designing a lesson plan to fit each individual rider by matching riders with appropriate horses. They must ensure the safety of riders, horses, and volunteers. The commitment our instructors make is so very appreciated. A thank you is not enough. Our program could not be what it is without them.
Meet our instructors
Leigh Anne Statler - Leigh Anne has been with MVTH since 2006 and is the Lead Instructor for the program. When Leigh Anne is not here doing lessons or at home taking care of her two boys (Nate and Sammy) she is a teacher of children with special needs in the Perryville School District. Leigh Anne makes time to trail ride as often as she can and enjoys exploring new trails with friends. Helping build independence and confidence in our riders at MVTH is one of the biggest rewards Leigh Anne receives from being an instructor.
Tami Tyler - Tami has been with MVTH since 2010 and has been an instructor since 2011. Tami is a wife and mother to 3 boys and a
grandmother to 1 grandson. Tami has a wide variety of experience with working with horses from carriage driving, training, race track, dressage, cutting horses, and showing. Working as an instructor with the program
combines both of her passions - horses and kids.
Varina Luttrull - Varina has been recently certified as a therapeutic riding instructor in 2017! Varina is a parent of a rider in the program (most of you know Amelia) this makes MVTH very dear to Varina's heart. She probably spends more time than any of us knows trying to find ways to help this program continue moving forward and grow.