Are you or have you ever been a BHS member? Why – or why not?

[Nickijem]

Ah but Boolavogue - remember that you get what you pay for. As I stated in my post, I went through a real ordeal trying to claim on the pl insurance through the BHS. Both my friend's horse and mine got out of their field and damaged a third party's property. My friend was insured with the NFU who paid up within weeks whereas my claim took 6 months and a lot of phone calls, emails and a lot of grief from the owners of the damaged property.
I acknowledge that the BHS do a lot of good work but I wouldn't join for the insurance benefit.

 

[Purple_Alien]

I was a member briefly, whilst I attempted the exams... I had passed the Equine NVQ's at level 1 and 2, so wrongly assumed I could easily transfer the knowledge and work my way through the stages. How wrong was I.

I took the riding and road safety part first - passed with flying colours, and was even given compliments on the day by the examiner. I then sat my stage I. The riding part was a little awkward as there was building work going on next to the school, a few little niggles, but nothing major. When the results came in I'd passed the "Care" but failed the riding on a couple of points. Ok, lets try again. Did a stage II training day with a BHS Instructor at a BHS Exam centre two weeks before the re-sit stage I riding, she gave me positive feedback and said I was easily at stage II level. Did the re-sit, and failed again!! Comments on the exam report stated I had concerning issues mounting second horse from the ground - yes I did it was huge and I am short, so I asked to use the mounting block and patiently waited my turn. Apparently I was anxious and took too long to mount!! I also apparently showed a lack of knowledge of what walk and trot was... ???? I just didn't bother appealing or trying again.

A couple of years later when I had my 1/2 share horse I made enquries about rejoining to get the Insurance, and was told this would be invalid for any horses except those I owned fully, as any exchange of money negated the insurance. (My giving the original owner any money toward upkeep, etc) I have been insured with Petplan ever since

 

[hannah12]

I am, mainly for the exams as they're compulsory at college!

 

[nich]

My riding club requires the 3rd party insurance for us to get permission to ride on private land, so I have gold membership. That was why I joined, but I now remain a member because of the work they do for access, lobbying and such like.

 

[chestnut cob]

I am a Gold member ATM. Had 2 horses last year so I decided against having public liability insurance on both of their insurance policies, and took out Gold BHS membership instead. Now I'm down to one horse I doubt I will renew the BHS membership, and will just add P/L insurance onto the pony's policy once the BHS cover runs out.

 

[BHS_official]

It's great to hear a number of people citing the work we do as motivation to become or remain members

chestnut cob - what would persuade you to stay as a member?

 

[Ranyhyn]

Just to follow up your reply to my post, it didn't actually lower my premium per month by more than what your BHS gold membership costs a month. So was not worth it for me.

 

[gina2201]

I have been in the past but not currently.

I was when I had my own horse for the PL insurance, and also when I didn't have my own horse but rode others plus for when I took exams. I stopped being a member when I took a break from horses however in the not so distant future myself and my partner will be horse owners again so will most likely join for the PL insurance.

 

[EventingMum]

I have been a member for many years and on the whole I'm very positive about the BHS. I'm involved in exams and riding and road safety, both as a trainer and assessor, own an approved centre and am on my regional committee.

Th BHS has changed beyond recognition in recent years, it's not perfect but it's striving hard to "move with the times" and is much more open to discussion than ever before. There does seem to be a bit of a tendency to blame the BHS for all the ills of the equine world whilst forgetting that it is a charity which is subject to funding issues and has no legal standing as such so can only lobby for welfare, passport and licensing reforms.

As far a teaching standards are concerned an exam day is only a snapshot and once the day is over it's impossible to monitor what an individual does. To argue otherwise is akin to blaming the Driving Standards Agency for all the bad drivers seen daily on the roads.

I will however echo Janet George's dismay at the recent redundancies announced, I was especially sad to hear of the departure of Margaret Linnington-Payne who I felt was a wonderful ambassador for the society, who truly strove to make training and qualifications relevant to the industry and above all was helpful and approachable.

 

[1416tracyrob]

Yes i was once! It was until 2001 and the whole Foot and Mouth explosion. My Sweet Itch Mare got stuck on a piece of land that had an order on not to move anything. This area was the worst hotspot in the country and horses couldnt even be moved off land. Her sweet itch got so bad i couldnt get near her and she was rubbing flesh off. Charities couldnt help me as i wasnt 'neglecting' her. I couldnt catch her and if cornered she would run right through or over you rather than be touched. So, as i was a desperate single parent/mature student at the time and also a BHS Gold member i thought i would turn to the BHS - i thought i could rely on help and advice. Thier advice to me was to have her shot!!!!!
Thus i am no longer a member and NEVER will be! Needless to say i eventually found some people to help and my mare is still with me.

 

[millreef]

Just had and failed my stage 2 jumping - don't think I'll do anymore exams.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

The British Horse Society is changing. We’re one of the UK’s biggest equestrian charities – but we know that there’s plenty more we need to do, and we will do it.

We’ve got 75,000 members taking advantage of a range of great benefits with us, and who help us do everything we can for horses and those who love them. But we know that there are many more of you out there who aren’t with us – so let’s talk about what more you want to see us doing for you and your horses.

If you’ve been a member before but aren’t currently, what’s kept you from coming back? Did you join just to take exams? Were finances simply too stretched? Maybe it was the very unfortunate loss of a horse, or another reason to leave the equine world for a while.

If you’ve never been a member, why not? We want to make sure everyone connected with horses knows exactly how much we’re doing – so if you’re not sure, we’re especially keen to hear.

So fire away – we’re all ears!

I joined in the 70's for when I did my BHS exam. Then I don't know when but let it slide.

Now I am again for the gold insurance

 

[martlin]

I've never been a member, I have looked into it some time ago, but couldn't see how it could give me any benefit, as the PL won't cover me as I ride for a living.

 

[Zebedee]

Just had and failed my stage 2 jumping - don't think I'll do anymore exams.

At least you were allowed to have a go.......a friend of mine who was a BS national champion at 1.20 & 1.40m wasn't allowed to go forwards from the flatwork to the jumping as she was deemed by the examiners to be 'unsafe' !
(This was after a mornings riding where she was the only candidate to be able to get one of the horses provided by the exam centre to canter correctly on the left lead). She is a beautifully balanced & sympathetic rider who teaches, breaks, schools & rides for a living. She has a list of satisfied clients as long as your arm & has now gone down the UK coaching route as she wanted a formal teaching qualification.

I'm a gold member & have the greatest of admiration for much of the work that the BHS undertakes, but when you hear about some of the exam failures it is a bit cringe making.

Another friend recently failed her 'I' on a couple of very minor points. She will however have to resit the whole exam again. As she works with horses it took a long time to save to take the exam in the first place. She has no issue with why she failed (although they were two very minor rather petty points) but she does object to a system which is going to fleece her for the full amount for a total resit instead of being able to just redo those parts that were considered below par.

 

[Triskar]

Yes, and have been for years. Keep the membership for the insurance, as we have to prove that we have third party insurance to ride in the woods owned by the Duchy. And I did use their legal advice when someone dumped a pony on us. Unfortunately the Herefordshire area doesn't put much on, although I did go to a vet lecture at one of the annual meetings once. The committee was a bit cliquey, and I think that one of the problems is that unless you are independently wealthy, or retired, you don't have the time to put in to serve, because they are all named positions with an actual job for a year, and if you are working full time to keep horses (again a full time job!), you can't commit to the amount of time required.

 

[Shazzababs]

Yes, Gold Member, joined to take my exams in the early 90's and stayed for the insurance, Le Trec and Hunter Trials.

 

[[105549]]

Just for a the PL peace of mind as a back up, very good price for a junior rider!

 

[AmyMay]

I too am a gold member. I'm glad to think that my small payment goes some way towards helping those animals whose welfare is at risk and who are helped by the BHS.

 

[foraday]

I was a gold member and trade member once upon a time.

Costs firstly stopped me renewing especially when a friend of mine tried to claim on her gold membership insurance after badly breaking her leg and was told she was only covered if she LOST the leg and even then would only get £10,000 for the loss of her leg!

The BHS need to URGENTLY review what is is going to be in the future.

The BHSAI is sadly lacking having seen the standard that is out there and there is NO WAY of checking whose BHSAI is real or not. So an urgent directory of everyone that is qualified needs to appear pronto. And please remind the BHSAI's that they should then become a BHSI!!!!

Your so called Inspection of yards is totally hopeless! There is supposedly a 'gold standard' yard near me and with the muck heap over growing, turnout limited and then the owner changes their mind, electrics never ever had an inspection, no PAT testing, no health and safety, no welfare for the horse-yard owner was going to tie up a horse to the railings due to a falling out with the horse owner, no disabled facilities, the kitchen is dire, no policies and procedures, no regard to the welfare act, no regard to the 2004 Passport Act and yet up goes the sign BHS 2013 Gold standard ha ha ha! They are dished out like smarties and to the wrong people!

You need to decide what you are either welfare or education because sadly at both there are massive failings. So choose one and be great at one! Not poor at both.

I would never employ a BHSAI rather getting someone with an equine degree first.

I doubt anything will be done as no way will the right people be employed to sort it out from within!

 

[Rowreach]

Yesterday I recommended BHS Gold membership to a client - she rang the office just after 3pm only to get a message saying the office was now closed until next Tuesday morning. That's a good way to impress potential new members!

 

[Princeofspies]

Have been a Silver member for many years, even though no longer ride. A way of supporting a worthwhile organisation.

 

[soulfull]

I joined for the first time last year. I felt the pl seemed good value with added benefits of the welfare.
My renewal has just come thro and after seeing a couple having problems claiming on pl I am now wondering whether to bother

 

[BHS_official]

Princeofspies, thank you very much for your ongoing support.

soulfull, it's worth noting that those who haven't had a positive experience claiming on the insurance are very much in a minority. The insurance offered as a Gold membership benefit is provided by SEIB, an award-winning specialist organisation with an excellent reputation, who are also used by many on HHO for their own horses' and transport insurance.

We're delighted and grateful for the fact that our welfare work was part of the reason you chose to join us, and we hope you stay to enjoy the numerous other benefits we offer and to support our work in this way.

 

[Tayto]

I am a gold member. I like to support such a wonderful charity and often visit the website to refresh my memory on subjects using the handy leaflets

 

[neelie OAP]

I have been a gold member yes but to be really honest I see no point whatsoever in carrying on just to keep them in jobs, as really what do they actually do for the horse world, be honest, really very little, its the area committee's who are all volunteers who do all the work , as for the welfare, they gave up having the welfare centre long ago, as for the insurance offered, yes it all seems great, but only 3rd party I believe, but most people have their horses insured anyway so would be already covered !

 

[AmyMay]

I have been a gold member yes but to be really honest I see no point whatsoever in carrying on just to keep them in jobs, as really what do they actually do for the horse world, be honest, really very little, its the area committee's who are all volunteers who do all the work !:

They do a lot for welfare Neelie, if nothing else.

 

[neelie OAP]

They do a lot for welfare Neelie, if nothing else.

Yes the area committee welfare officers who are all volunteers do help and advise in welfare cases, but without having a welfare centre that can take horses in any more, there isn't really to much they can actually do now unfortunatley apart from advise !

 

[Angua2]

I joined initially so that I got the 3rd party cover, I then did some exams and now benefit from the reduced entries for the occasional trec. It lapsed for a while and now I can do the DD thing it is far easier.... I don't forget to renew

 

[ZoeF]

I joined last year for the first time to benefit from the insurance cover as I was riding for someone else. I've let it lapse this year as I now have my own loan horse and the insurance cover isnt comprehensive enough for the owner which is fair enough. Although it was nice getting the magazines through the year I felt I got little more out of the membership and information on activities in my area was hard to find if at all. Maybe its just quiet out here

 

[YardGeek]

I'm a Gold Member purely for the insurance although I am planning on starting my Stages this year.
I very rarely visit the website but do flick through the magazine.