BHS examinations - info please.

cob&onion

cob&onion

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I have been toying with the idea of becoming a riding instructor, i would like to go for teaching adult riders from scratch. I have been onto the BHS web site and researched training centres nearby, fees and training days and examinations.
Am hoping to start next spring.
Can i go straight for my stage 1 or do i need to have the horse owners certificate first? also i am very capable around horses having been riding and owned horses all my life (now 30) plus having 3 of my own and working at a livery yard. I am a more than capable rider and rode my fair share of most types from fizzy to laid back plods :)
Do you need to attend all the training sessions for all the stages? or can you choose?
Anyone have any helpful info/books to read, what to expect on training/examination days etc would be great, thanks :)
 
BHS website will tell you everything you need to know to take exams. How you train is up to you. It is hard and expensive if you train as a normal full fee paying adult and not a student/WP/apprentice. You need to find a top centre and they are not so easy to find.

I retrained and took my exams from (2000) age 30 onwards. Got BHSAI in 2005, bought our equestrian centre in 2007, passed Stage 4 in 2008 and now one unit short of the BHSII. It has been very costly and honestly, not sure it was beneficial to our business, but good for my own personal development.

I was lucky to have had a good PC basis to my riding and competed to affiliated eventing but only Novice - but i helped.

Good Luck - you will need to be determined to get through it. Hope it is worthwhile.
 
For stages 1 and 2, with your experience you should be able to do them just fine without going on an expensive training course. Just download the syllabuses from t'internet and buy some books if you really want to make sure you are doing everything "The BHS Way" (I always do because I am a nerd!) The BHS bookshop is good for window shopping, then try www.abebooks.co.uk to get them second hand and cheaper! I would suggest maybe having a couple of lessons at the centre you choose to take your exam in before hand so you get to know it/the horses a little.
Also bear in mind that you have to take your riding and road safety before you can do stage 2 riding (grrr!)
While the exams may not be that beneficial if you just want to focus on yard ownership/management, they are an excellent way of measuring your own development, as said above. Also, if you want to work anywhere decent as an instructor they will expect you to be BHS qualified so it is def worth while!

Good luck! I really need to get myself in gear and take some more! :D
 
JollyTall said:
For stages 1 and 2, with your experience you should be able to do them just fine without going on an expensive training course. Just download the syllabuses from t'internet and buy some books if you really want to make sure you are doing everything "The BHS Way" (I always do because I am a nerd!) The BHS bookshop is good for window shopping, then try www.abebooks.co.uk to get them second hand and cheaper! I would suggest maybe having a couple of lessons at the centre you choose to take your exam in before hand so you get to know it/the horses a little.
Also bear in mind that you have to take your riding and road safety before you can do stage 2 riding (grrr!)
While the exams may not be that beneficial if you just want to focus on yard ownership/management, they are an excellent way of measuring your own development, as said above. Also, if you want to work anywhere decent as an instructor they will expect you to be BHS qualified so it is def worth while!

Good luck! I really need to get myself in gear and take some more! :D
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Thanks some good tips here :)
Will look into them books, and the lessons sound like a good idea. The centre i am looking at for doing the training/exams seem very professional and well run.

Anyone else?
 
cob&onion said:
Thanks some good tips here :)
Will look into them books, and the lessons sound like a good idea. The centre i am looking at for doing the training/exams seem very professional and well run.

Anyone else?
Click to expand...

Where abouts are you? Also I would just like to double point out the thing about downloading the syllabus and doing things "The BHS Way". I'm sorry for repeating myself I just wanted to emphasise, they are VERY big on tradition and old fashioned ways hehe!
 
JollyTall said:
Where abouts are you? Also I would just like to double point out the thing about downloading the syllabus and doing things "The BHS Way". I'm sorry for repeating myself I just wanted to emphasise, they are VERY big on tradition and old fashioned ways hehe!
Click to expand...


Shropshire :)

This is the centre thats close to me........

http://www.berriewood.co.uk/

Regarding the companion books - do they need to be bang up to date? can only seem to find ones from the year 2000?
 
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