am i a bit old to be doing BHS stage 1?

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blood_magik

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I'm in a bit of a slump career-wise. I hate my current job but, unfortunately, right now a job is a job.
anyways, I was thinking about doing my BHS stages with a view towards going into the horsey industry but Im thinking that I might end up looking a bit silly taking the stage 1 test with a group of 16 year olds :p
I really don't want to embarrass myself when it comes to the ridden test (i don't do mounting from the ground :rolleyes:)

has any1 done it recently? and what age were you, if you dont mind me asking!
 
I did mine in my late 20's, just for something to do really, I did one and 2 plus 3 SM all part time but then got a new job had just didn't get the time to do my 3 riding and as I was not working with horses thought it pretty pointless doing my PTT as I would never have got the teaching hours in for my AI. (do they still do that?) I just did my prep in my normal lessons on my own horses and just went for the odd lesson on a different horse when I had time. I knew most of the SM stuff, just brushed up the BHS way from books! I did join some of the student lessons when I had a day off (I was on livery at a BHS training and exam centre) and they were fine, I didn't feel out of place at all.
 
well im not old you see im only fourteen so you might not think i will help but because i am not yet sixteen but been with horses since i was five maybe younger i cant remember and ive had my own pony since i was seven and now have two but look after three i enquired about taking my bhs stages 1 and 2 and because i was younger but knew about the subjects for the stages my local riding yards said i could do it privately so i could get it done quicker than those that say, did not have much experience around horse...etc....

if you go to your local riding centre that do bhs stages and explain your situation im sure they could do something similar and let you do your exams on a one to one basis :)

hope i helped :D
 
wait just re read my comment wow i sound snobby and a horrible little teenager i did not mean to put old i meant older as in im not over sixteen. sorry if it came across wrong :(
 
I took Stages 1 and 2 when I was 17, back in the days when there was the YTS! Unfortunately I ran out of time to take Stage 3 and the teaching. Many years down the line (i'm now 41), I've considered recently retaking them to get a BHSAI. I wouldn't worry about the age gaps, so would say to you "go for it"!!!
 
naid pollyanna said:
wait just re read my comment wow i sound snobby and a horrible little teenager i did not mean to put old i meant older as in im not over sixteen. sorry if it came across wrong :(
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(don't know if smiley will work)

lol its fine - i got what you meant

my issue is that im so used to riding my own horse (id rather not ride that ride someone else :rolleyes:)
i'll have a word with the girl that does pony club at my yard - she might know how to go about it
 
blood_magik said:
a045.gif


(don't know if smiley will work)

lol its fine - i got what you meant

my issue is that im so used to riding my own horse (id rather not ride that ride someone else :rolleyes:)
i'll have a word with the girl that does pony club at my yard - she might know how to go about it
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i had that problem, my local yard only had the riding school plods and i had an extremely forward going whizzy and well slighty enthusiastic pony from the age of seven so i didnt really want to change back to that what they said to me was for all the yard management(mucking out, grooming, etc...)use their horses as it will be run over a longer period an dthe exam is not just a paper apparently and then any riding part of the exams i could bring my own horse to the yard to be assesed on tacking up and riding it was a few weeks back that i got told this but it was something along those lines, lol :) xx
 
i wish we'd had things like pony club where i grew up - i feel like i've missed out :(
i did a basic stable management course and the rest was just learning "on-the-job" when i got my first horse

but never mind.. my horse still has four legs, a head and a tail so i can't be doing too badly :p

Now i just have to find an instructor in my area
 
I took my 1 & 2 when I was 19....I did 1 exam at a college & the other at a RS, have to say the college exam was full of teenagers but the RS had a mixture of ages, I guess it depends where you take as to what age groups you will get in the same exam.

Good luck & your never too old :D
 
I did my Stage 1 at my local agricultural college as a night school course once a week when I was in my late 30's. I had a year's break then did my Stage 2 and then Stage 3 after another couple of years. There was a big range of ages in our group and we all learned lots from each other. I loved doing it as for two hours every week I could talk horse with like-minded people and gained lots of useful tips (not to mention a qualification) at the same time. Go for it!
 
ummmm do you feel old? lol go for it then stage 2 stage 3 - come on us oldies ( tongue in cheek as im 47 and walk rings round youngs uns at yard ) must fly the flag - seriously never to old to learn and keep learning and saying hey look what ive passed so go for it xxx
 
ok maybe I'm not that old :p -I just feel it compared to allthe young things running around my yard.
I need to do a bit of research first because it needs to fit in around work, jerry and my OH.
I hate working shifts - they always screw things up :(
 
Never actually got round to doing the exams (or at least don't think I did... now i'm wondering, I can't remember anything before I was 16!) but I DEFINITELY remember doing stable management training. I think I must have been about 13 I suppose, and one of the other ladies in the class I trained with was friends with my grandparents (i.e. similar age).

Go for it! :)
 
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