BHS Gold Membership: thinking of letting renewal lapse

[rextherobber]

I'm a longtime BHS member and a pet horse/happy hacker. As a happy hacker, I appreciate the organisation's work esp in fields of access, road safety. Like all big charities, the majority of the groundwork is done by volunteers, with a paid professional central staff in a central HQ with a CEO/CIO (same as RSPB, RNLI, etc). I also appreciate knowing I've got a good level of public liability insurance and access to legal advice if needed. (As a cyclist I have same with a national cycling organisation). If there's an aspect of BHS which you're not happy with, write to the Trustees and raise it, write to your local committee. Better still, join your local committee. Change is always more easily done from within an organisation rather than outside of it.

A few posters have said the magazine is too skewed towards BHS training and elite riders....the latest issue came through my door yesterday and I disagree. There is plenty in there for those of us who aren't doing BHS exams and who aren't elite athletes...

2 pages on access/bridleway news/statistics
1 page about research into social licence, BHS volunteer awarded MBE and an obituary to a bridleway volunteer
1 page on changing non-horsey public's attitude towards horses/horseriders
3 page interview with Piggy French on her training philosophy
4 pages calling for BHS Trustee nominations
2 pages on how riders should respond to emergency vehicles when hacking
3 pages on how riders should deal with cattle when hacking
2 pages of report from a coach on recent BHS coaching convention
2 pages on regaining lost confidence as a rider
1 page interview with world reining champion
2 pages on saddle fit
2 pages on menopause issues inc peri menopause
2 pages on pilates for riders
3 pages on forwardplanning for how you keep your horse as climate changes
2 pages on strangles
2 pages on dental issues
2 pages on grass track paddock systems
3 pages on horse heart health
3 pages on horse balanced diet (not sponsored by an advertiser)
6 pages featuring 3 lessons (2 polework, 1 jumping) with young horses
1 page promoting CPD
1 page of recipes and nature (ie non horsey)
1 page of readers letters
1 page of rider road safety issues
1 page of quiz
1 cover page
1 editorial page

Rest of pages are adverts, which are essential to pay for the cost of producing the magazine.

All in all, a fascinating read and I think the most interesting BHS magazine I've ever received to date. Plenty to read through and read again.

Thanks for this, I haven't bothered to open mine, I will now!

 

[Fjord]

Just got my renewal through, membership for both husband and me is £191. It seems an awful lot of money. I dont use it for anything other than the third party liability insurance, I dont ride any more so really just want to be covered in case the horses cause an accident.

What other options do people recommend?

 

[94lunagem]

What other options do people recommend?

I have a standalone public liability policy for each horse (two) with KBIS. I pay something like £46 a year each which I wonder if is because I’m an existing customer. A quick check of their website says cover starts at £56.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Just got my renewal through, membership for both husband and me is £191. It seems an awful lot of money. I dont use it for anything other than the third party liability insurance, I dont ride any more so really just want to be covered in case the horses cause an accident.

What other options do people recommend?

If the horses are in shared ownership, you only need one membership

 

[Traks]

I tried to cancel mine but basically I’ve inadvertently signed up for a whole year so am a bit stuck with mine!

 

[brighteyes]

I’m going to look at WHW. Been a BHS Gold Member for ever.

 

[Fjord]

If the horses are in shared ownership, you only need one membership

I do need my husband to be covered if he is handling them and something happens though. We sometimes walk them out together and often does does them on his own, so I thought he needed cover as well.

 

[maya2008]

I do need my husband to be covered if he is handling them and something happens though. We sometimes walk them out together and often does does them on his own, so I thought he needed cover as well.

That’s why we have the whole family covered. Husband walks out young ones for me, kids hack out alone. I’m not in control or even present at that point so my membership won’t cover them. Works out to about £30 per month for all of us for 12 ponies. WHW, Harry Hall etc wouldn’t work for us as we own more than their limit.