Anyone else failed BHS Stage 2 Riding?

[mbf938]

So I sat my BHS Stage 1 exam a couple of weeks ago. Passed all the horse care and knowledge and I already have my Ride and Road Safety certificate, but I failed the riding.

I have ridden for 18 years, am a working pupil for an international event rider who is also a BHSII who has been training me, have completed pony club C test as a teenager, completed a First Diploma in Horse Care with level 2 riding including jumping to 1m, compete BD and RC novice dressage with my ex racehorse and hoping to start BE soon, and I ride the horses on the yard from BE90 to 2*, including stallions.

My feedback was that I showed insufficient balance. I must admit I did find working in closed order difficult as I am used to open order and found it difficult to get the horses to respond to my half halts, but other than more work with no stirrups, I am a bit stumped. The first horse I rode was removed from the exam after he had a bucking fit (didn't like a hose coming up behind him) as the examiner deemed him unsuitable for stage 1, and the second horse I was given was lame in front (I was told she was just old when I queried this), but the third horse was fine albeit a bit stiff.

I've read a few posts about Stage 1 riding being very easy, so I was wondering what other people's thoughts are on this? I have rebooked to sit again in a couple of weeks time, and I am hoping to achieve my AI in the next 12 months.

Thanks

 

[milliepops]

have you been having lessons at a training centre at all, as well as the ones at work? I felt the stage 1/2 was more a case of learning how to ride for the exam, than learning how to ride. I trained at an exam centre for mine so most of the horses were familiar and we were well coached for the format.

 

[Imogen Rose]

You can clearly ride; that's not the problem. You need to learn how to pass the test; completely different kettle of fish! If you get someone who has been driving for 30 years they will likely fail a driving test even if they are an excellent driver; they just domt know how to tick the examiners boxes! So dont lose heart or confidence in yourself

 

[mbf938]

Yes, I did a week's intensive course at the centre where I took the exam. Rode 7 of the horses there in all paces, over poles and with no stirrups so all the requirements for the exam with other stage 1 candidates in closed order. I was told I was above standard after the course.

 

[mbf938]

Thank you - I think I need to get the horses out where I am and practice the exam format hehe! Determined to get there but equally don't want to ignore any faults in my position that may have crept in over the years (let's face it, a couple of falls can make anyone stiff!)

 

[milliepops]

can you discuss it with the instructors at the centre? They'd be best placed to help you out

 

[doodle]

Yes I failed. I was a bit miffed as I was the only one with my horse on the bit and the only one to get both horses clear jumping. I had been for an assessment at an exam centre who thought I was fine. I didn't get any feedback but think I probably failed as I wasn't very good in the no stirrups bit. I think I just didn't ride bhs correctly being more used to riding and competing my own horses

 

[mbf938]

My resit is at a different centre (the one I just took my test at doesn't have another exam this year and I am determined to sit Stage 2 in March 17!), but I have a BHSAI on my yard who trains exam students at a BHS centre so I will ask for some help from him

 

[teapot]

It's an easy exam to fail if you can ride well above the standard - outlines, half halts - not expected or indeed wanted at that level.

If I remember rightly for stage 1 (mine was a long time ago) it's the sort of exam where you're expected to turn away from the ride in closed order if you're getting too closer/worried about distances, rather than start asking for half halts. Stage 1 no stirrups is only walk and trot isn't it? I'd be booking myself a lunge lesson on the most stage 1 type horse possible.

Don't feel disheartened though, it's a system that needs to be learned, rather than assesses the real ability of the rider.

ETS: how was your position in the jump position and over poles? Were you in your light seat, or the BHS light seat? That's another element that catches people out.

 

[mbf938]

Thanks - yes, a lunge lesson is a great idea. I will book a couple of those. No feedback on my light seat/jump position so can only assume that was OK, but I will be practising and getting feedback on everything that stage 1 covers over the next couple of weeks to make sure I have got everything solid. Would be silly to correct one thing and fail on another d'oh!

 

[teapot]

Was there anything else on your results sheet? I thought under the new stage 1 you had to fail more than one element to fail the whole riding exam? Ie you can fail one compulsory, but not three say and still pass?

 

[mbf938]

The results sheet said balance, co-ordination of aids (I put my final horse into shoulder fore as I felt they were following the one in front too much and I was trying to get them to listen to me, so my fault as would have looked like they were crooked), and circles weren't accurate (again, I felt this at the time and was exam nerves on the day as in the training course they did say that the arena markers aren't helpful for 20 metre circles and I went on autopilot and forgot until afterwards!). So, the latter two I have (hopefully) learnt my lessons on, so I just need to make sure my balance is good enough on whatever type of horse I get. I suppose only riding one type of horse hasn't helped, as of course they are all different breeds and shapes in exams so will get some lunge lessons on stage 1 horses to improve this

 

[Chantelle R]

There was this examiner at the RDA who ......... for want of a better way to put it ........ was a bit of a numpty. She didn't take the candidate's disabilities into consideration. As a result, the most proficient rider in the exam failed. In truth, there is no way he should have failed as he rode beautify and did everything asked of him and his horse with ease. But there you go, that is examiners for you.

I think some examiners will 'mark down' for some things 'ie shoulder fore' when used for correction as, in their view, it would not have been required if distance had been kept in the first place. Another examiner, however, would have chatted to you about it and, provided they were satisfied that you could demonstrate you did it for a legitimate reason, would not have marked you down.

Don't be disheartened - examiners are only human after all ........ well ....... most of them anyway

 

[milliepops]

is it still the case that at Stage 1 you have to basically do it by their book, and at the higher levels you can give reasoning behind you decisions (which may not be in strict correlation with the BHS ideal)?

 

[teapot]

is it still the case that at Stage 1 you have to basically do it by their book, and at the higher levels you can give reasoning behind you decisions (which may not be in strict correlation with the BHS ideal)?

Certainly looking at the latest syllabus for Stage 1, there's no element of 'discussion post ride' mentioned.

 

[be positive]

Certainly looking at the latest syllabus for Stage 1, there's no element of 'discussion post ride' mentioned.

At stage 1 they will not have a discussion post ride as they would not expect the average candidate to have enough experience to comment on how a horse went, the OP obviously rides way above the level and may struggle to ride in the way expected, no half halts, certainly nothing like shoulder fore they are way beyond stage 1 level and sadly you will not get extra marks for being able to " ride" just think of your position and forget asking much of the horse as long as it trundles along with you looking pretty that will be fine.

 

[teapot]

At stage 1 they will not have a discussion post ride as they would not expect the average candidate to have enough experience to comment on how a horse went

I know - I was merely commenting in response to milliepop's question, given Chantelle R's post, as am fairly sure examiners don't chat post riding in the stage 1.

Mine was a very black and white 'go in ride, go home' type experience. It may well have got friendlier.

 

[Chantelle R]

I know - I was merely commenting in response to milliepop's question, given Chantelle R's post, as am fairly sure examiners don't chat post riding in the stage 1.

Admittedly I took my BHS exams years ago. But, there was an issue with lunging on my stage 2. I did pull the examiner to one side before doing that part, due to 'issue'. At the end of the exam day the examiner took me to one side and asked me some questions about lunging to see if I understood the theory at least . At the end of my grilling she said she'd pass me then told me to go away and practise.

I can tell you how long ago it was - it was when the BHS had just introduced the lunging practical on stage 2. It came in on the 1st June (I think?) and our exam was on the 6th June (?) - or, something like that

In any event, our instructor had not realised that actual lunging was involved in the exam, she thought it was still only the theory - sigh! So, we never got to practise under instruction and, as I didn't have my own pony to practise on at the time, it came as a bit of a shock come exam time

 

[honetpot]

My thoughts are,why bother?
My friend has ridden for over 50 years, taught in a large riding school and is one of the best teachers of children I know but had no qualifications. In her job she was paid to do her BHS stages, one of the other candidates rode for a show jumper rode really well and was someone you would want to employ, but of course failed. Some of the ones that passed who obviously trained on the examining yard passed although not really that competent, but they ticked the boxes. My friend passed but she had to put her brain into idle mode, so at nearly 60 she passed.
I do not really know what the Stages are for, I started doing Stage 3 just to see how much I didn't know and did a rider assessment, what they showed me was most of the theory you can learn from a book and the ridden, and most of the stable management seemed to pay little attention, if any to the latest scientific knowledge, in nutrition, biomechanics, etc
If you really want to do it I would spend a couple of weeks on the yard where you are taking the exam, at least you will get to know the horses and get exam technique tips.

 

[BlackRider]

I too was well above standard for stage 1, and nearly failed the riding section. They said they only passed me because of the work I did without stirrups.

For me, I'd gone from riding horses I could work in an outline to a dead to leg / mouth riding school horse, which was a shock to the system. Bizarrely it was also the centre that I rode out, but when I spoke to my instructor afterwards she said, we'd never put you on anything like that as you wouldn't learn anything...

 

[case895]

I failed on jumping and lunging. I think they were being over cautious on the jumping as they knew I was recovering from spinal fractures. For the lunging, the horse was buggering about, so I put it on a small circle to make it listen to me. The examiners disagreed.

 

[scats]

From what I remember from my stage 2, they gave us a chance to discuss our reasons afterwards. They certainly did after the jumping anyway. I first got a very whizzy little 14.2h who flew around like he was out hunting- great fun! My second jump was on a 16.3hh lazy cob type who barely managed a canter. That was hard work. The examiner asked me at the end why I had opted to not ride fully into the corners with the second one, and I explained that giving the horse too long an approach caused him to fall onto his forehand and break from canter, which I had realised over the first couple of fences so I adjusted my approaches based on this. They were fine with this and I passed.

Not sure about stage 1 though, I honestly can't remember that exam very much.

 

[View]

I sat Stage 1 at the end of 2014, and while I wouldn't say there was a discussion after the riding unit, the assessor certainly asked me some questions about both horses that I had ridden. Which horse did I prefer and why, had either horse lost balance/rhythm and if so when and why, what did I do about it?

However, OP, please don't rely on what we are saying here. You need to find a current assessor and have a session with them. The Stage 1 and 2 exams have been overhauled very recently (confirmed by both BHS Education office and a Chief Assessor), so how they are marking and providing feedback may well have changed.

The Assessor for Stage 2 Riding stated he wasn't examining us, it was the horses and how they responded to us that would tell him all he needed to know. There was a building site close by with some noises that upset one of the horses I rode, so I spent 20 minutes quietly singing to him (well it forced me to breathe calmly and relax). It did help to settle him, and the Assessor remarked that it was nice to see someone respond sympathetically to the horse in what is a stressful situation (the exam).

 

[mbf938]

Hi all just to let you all know, I passed my resit :-D so now on to Stage 2 (after a visit to the chiropractor...)! Thanks

 

[catembi]

Oh, well done you! Congrats on sticking at it!

T x

 

[Vodkagirly]

Well done, onwards and upwards

 

[laura_nash]

Well done!

I failed my stage 2 first time on the jumping and the lunging. The lunging was pure nerves / stupidity, they had done something to the tack (loosened the girth or something, I can't remember what) to make sure I checked it and I didn't. For the jumping I was used to riding big horses (in those days) and got a tiny whizzy thing that I couldn't ride one side of, we got round but it wasn't pretty!

 

[honetpot]

Congratulations!

 

[View]

Well done. For your Stage 2, you need to be confident that your riding, both flat and jump, and lungeing are comfortably above the standard required - because when those exam nerves hit, it does take you back a step.

Good luck, and keep us posted.