BHS Stage 1 Exam Question

jurious

jurious

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I've got my BHS stage 1 exam on Wednesday and I just wanted to ask anyone else who's done theirs recently if, during the grooming, tacking-up etc. section, when the horse is tied up in the stable and you need to go around the front of the horse do you leave the horse tied up and just duck under his head OR should you undo the quick-release knot every time you go in-front, OR even un-clip the horse from the headcollar and then re-clip up the horse again every time you go round his front?

None of the books seem to clarify this point and though I've just done a course, it's one of the things I totally forgot to make sure about. I've heard that one instructor at the college, where I've done my training, tells all their students to undo the quick-release knot every time they have to go in-front of the horse.

I'd hate to fail on a simple "safety" issue like this so any first-hand experience or tips would help. Thanks!
 
The examiner won't watch everything you do, so I'd just wait until they'd gone to watch other candidates! I hoyed rugs/tack on the same way as I do home!
I also forgot about leg straps, told the examiner I had oats not barley and that you should feed 25% of a horses body weight in forage.... *facepalm*
I still passed first time!
Honestly, they understand about exam nerves and will try to account for silly mistakes as long as you can show your reasonably confident and safe.
One top tip though, when the examiner is asking general questions to everyone in the oral part make sure that your clear and loud over the top of everyone else- my friend failed the oral part because she was answering questions so quietly that the examiner hadn't heard so she got asked really hard questions at the end!

Saying that at stage 2, they are much less kind, and I've failed the jumping and lunging bits twice now, although the second time I had been in a motorbike crash at 4.30 am to get to Gleneagles at 8.30, had 3 hours to sort myself out on the drive up and then realised that my boot was stuck on foot as my ankle and knee had come up like a balloon... Still did it as it was a waste of £150 odd and I might have passed... ahahaha
I wouldn't ever go the Scottish Equicomplex again though- horrible people, unsound horses and not good facilities.
 
Use common sense - that is not meant in an unpleasant way, Stage 1 is very much about common sense! Untying every time would take an awful lot of time. HOWEVER if the horse is nervous and threatening to pull back each time you go under their neck THEN you would need to untie. It is unlikely you will get a horse like this at Stage 1 level.

As has been said above, the examiners understand that you will be nervous and may not have been in any situation like the exam before. Generally, at Stage 1, if the examiner spots you doing something unsafe they will ask you about it in a way that is aimed at giving you the oppotunity to adjust your methods. I remember a conversation with an examiner who was frustrated that she had all but told a girl that it was unsafe to have the door wide open without the horse tied up...twice!! The girl hadn't taken the hint so the examiner had to assume this was her normal way of working and therefore she couldn't be succesful on the exam day in that section.
 
Sorry OP can't help on this one, simply because its no doubt a case of doing what the examiner wants (like a driving test, say) rather than what most of us would do on a day-to-day basis in this situation. We were taught at Pony Club (a long long time ago) that you should duck under the head under the horse's throat bit, but NOT where the rope goes, simply because if the horse were to pull back and you were near the rope, then you could be (worse case scenario) strangled and/or get tied up in it!!! Whereas if you duck under the head you'd be safer, but if you're going to go round the back then make sure you let the horse know you're going to do that, and then keep in close so if the horse DOES kick out, you're less likely to have the full impact whereas if you keep a bigger distance and the horse kicks out then, there will be much more power in the kick as it will have reached its fuller range. (Sorry, hope that makes sense!).

But, whatever, just wanted to wish good luck for the Big Day.

The only advice I can give is that you should just relax and be your normal self around the horse. Keep your movements slow & deliberate, and your body language should be soft yet assertive with the horse. If the horse moves into your "space" I would think it quite in order to gently move it back to where it was standing before.

I think if YOU are relaxed, in yourself, then the whole thing will just go tickety-boo and you'll pass with flying colours!

Good luck. Hope it goes OK.
 
Put your hand on the horses neck say 'excuse me please' or 'mind your nose sweetie coming through' it shows you are making the horse aware of your intentions, and you are aware it's a living animal, not just a prop.
 
fallenangel123 said:
Put your hand on the horses neck say 'excuse me please' or 'mind your nose sweetie coming through' it shows you are making the horse aware of your intentions, and you are aware it's a living animal, not just a prop.
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When i did mine i just kept ducking under, a girl in my group said she was told to unclip to start with but if you have to keep going back and forward then duck under when you have seen the horse isnt likely to do anything silly or be upset, give them a warning as others said when you go to duck under.
 
Thanks everyone - the tying up the horse bit actually didn't seem to be a problem at all. I've no idea whether I've passed or not, I just keep scrutinizing everything I did now and wondering if it was good enough. I know I could have done a few things better or answered questions better but hey-ho, that's exams for you I guess. Hope the results come soon.
 
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