Trail Guide Certification Clinic

For trail guides dealing with rides ranging from short rides to wilderness packing. Trail Guide Certification Clinics are similar in format and content to the Standard Clinic, but involve two nights at a base camp and three nights on the trail and includes camping skills, environmental issues and trail ethics. Minimum age for assistants is 16; minimum age for guides is 18; certification may be earned at seven levels. Level of certification is the sole discretion of the Trail Clinic Staff and is determined by skills and knowledge demonstrated during the clinic.
ASSISTANT GUIDE: qualified to assist on trail rides under the direction and supervision of a certified trail guide.
TRAIL GUIDE: qualified to conduct trail rides not exceeding one full day in duration, including securing horses away from the base stable, as might be needed for breaks.
OVERNIGHT GUIDE: qualified to take riders on overnight campouts on the program’s property, with support from the host facility (does not necessarily use packhorses).
PACKING GUIDE: qualified to manage horses and people for longer periods and in camping situations in non-wilderness areas, including simple horse packing and the double diamond hitch.
WILDERNESS GUIDE: qualified to manage a riding program and organize and conduct extended pack trips into back country wilderness areas, able to use a variety of packing equipment and tie a variety of hitches.
TRAIL ASSISTANT CLINIC INSTRUCTOR: minimum age of 21, prerequisite of Wilderness Guide certification, must be recommended to become a trail clinician by a CHA Trail Clinician and apply to CHA for TACI certification.
TRAIL CLINIC INSTRUCTOR: minimum age 25; qualified to conduct CHA trail certification clinics and certify trail guides with assistance from another CHA Trail Clinician. To become certified as a TCI, the guide must first attain TACI certification and then assist at a certain number of CHA clinics to qualify as a CHA Trail Clinic Instructor.