BHS stage 1

SuseP

SuseP

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Morning all.
I'm doing my stage 1 next week (which I'd be pretty embarrassed to fail considering how long I've been an owner etc.). Does anyone have any tips on bad habits that will result in avoidable fails, for instance? I'm not riding, just doing the horse are sections...

Thank you!
 
SuseP said:
Morning all.
I'm doing my stage 1 next week (which I'd be pretty embarrassed to fail considering how long I've been an owner etc.). Does anyone have any tips on bad habits that will result in avoidable fails, for instance? I'm not riding, just doing the horse are sections...

Thank you!
Click to expand...

It's all about safety, safety, safety at this level. The only clients I've had fail Stage 1 are the ones who have been a bit casual in their approach. Be really, obviously conscious of safe handling techniques, and make sure you've read the BHS Manual of Horsemanship from cover to cover so that you are conversant with the BHS way of doing things.
 
If it doesn't take you half an hour to do anything then your not doing it the way they want you too :D hehe Take everything slowly and think before you do anything, be aware of whats going on around you. I did mine a couple of years ago and its very easy! Spend a couple of days before doing things round the yard the way you 'should' do it- it will take you ages but gets you back in practice a bit! Good Luck :)
 
Agree with others, remember all the safety stuff like wearing your hat fastened at all times & tying horses up etc. And make sure you read the book & do everything the bhs way.
 
(a) do a full risk assessment, including checking the yard for stones you could potentially kick and break a toenail with.

(b) don your high vis and hard hat (preferably one with a flashing beacon on the top) you must be visable to all living things on the yard at all times!

(c) make sure all horses you come into contact with are cross tied, hobbled, and gagged. there must be no risks of bites, kicks, or tail swishes to face.

(d) make sure under your high vis you are dressed as though you are doing Grand Prix dressage. Totally perfect attire for skipping out stalls and talking about grooming brushes.

(e) Try to talk over EVERYONE at the start of your question time, examiner will quickly get bored of you, tell you to shut up, and you won't have to answer any of the harder questions.

(f) Look miserable and like you are certainly not enjoying said exam. do not be cheery or smiley, examiners will pick on you.

(g) remember - you DO NOT EVER use a hairbrush on a horses...errr...hair. These are weapons of mass destruction and your horse will end up bald and dead. FACT.

(h) Rugs must be folded into a tiny little square and placed softly onto horses back whilst you sing a lullaby to calm their nerves of these suffocationg, horse eating pieces of material.

(i) (this one is from personal experience) Don't decide to dye the front of your hair pink the night before out of sheers nerves and boredom, it will run all the way down your face and you will get withering looks from Hitler- I mean, the examiners.

Think you can guess my opinion of these exams ;)
 
HAHA! lOVE THAT PP!!

I did my stage one a few years ago, with a 8? week course at the college proceeding it, basically learning "THE BHS WAY"... think how you drive for your driving test vs everyday driving- really exaggerated mirrror checks etc.

All bar one of the group who did the college course passed, several of the people who just did the exam with us failed for silly things that were not the bhs way of doing them but you would see things done in a similar fashion in every yard up and down the country daily!

I am drumming up the courage and having lessons with a view to do the course for the stage two in September.
 
Very funny!

Yes LL was just going to say that. You have to tie up safely and for some reason skip the stable out before you do anything with the horse.
Then when you untie it, bring it back to the front of the stable before releasing it.

Cant remember if u lunge in stage 1......if you do, don't deck the horse.

Someone in my stage 2 chased the (very quiet riding school) horse away on a VERY tight circle, screamed 'TTTTT-ROT!!!!!' and cracked the whip like a ringmaster. Horse plopped itself, tried to shoot forwards and promptly face-planted on the floor.
It was fine afterwards, but the funniest thing ever was watching this girl ranting afterwards 'if they fail me for that there'll be hell on, I'm used to lunging horses with good balance!'

Ohhhh I miss exams! :D
 
Wear glove for leading but NOT for grooming.
Smile!
I had a lady who tried to make me doubt everything I did, but if you know you're right stick to your answer.
 
Jenni_ said:
(a) do a full risk assessment, including checking the yard for stones you could potentially kick and break a toenail with.

(b) don your high vis and hard hat (preferably one with a flashing beacon on the top) you must be visable to all living things on the yard at all times!

(c) make sure all horses you come into contact with are cross tied, hobbled, and gagged. there must be no risks of bites, kicks, or tail swishes to face.

(d) make sure under your high vis you are dressed as though you are doing Grand Prix dressage. Totally perfect attire for skipping out stalls and talking about grooming brushes.

(e) Try to talk over EVERYONE at the start of your question time, examiner will quickly get bored of you, tell you to shut up, and you won't have to answer any of the harder questions.

(f) Look miserable and like you are certainly not enjoying said exam. do not be cheery or smiley, examiners will pick on you.

(g) remember - you DO NOT EVER use a hairbrush on a horses...errr...hair. These are weapons of mass destruction and your horse will end up bald and dead. FACT.

(h) Rugs must be folded into a tiny little square and placed softly onto horses back whilst you sing a lullaby to calm their nerves of these suffocationg, horse eating pieces of material.

(i) (this one is from personal experience) Don't decide to dye the front of your hair pink the night before out of sheers nerves and boredom, it will run all the way down your face and you will get withering looks from Hitler- I mean, the examiners.

Think you can guess my opinion of these exams ;)
Click to expand...


So true :D

Remember to breathe, and think before answering/doing anything!
 
does one still have to wear shirt, tie and hacking jacket for ones BHS exams? that's the only thing i can remember from mine, feeling like a trussed up turkey and wishing i could throttle the examiner with my tie:D
 
One thing I remember being told before doing my stage 1 (admittedly quite a few years ago) was that before doing anything with a horse in the stable was to remove any poos with the skip bucket.

Good luck !
 
When I did mine one girl passed and never took her gloves off, but it's best to;)
If you walk behind the horse give loads of space and always tie up before doing anything and yes read the manual.
 
patterdale said:
Very funny!

Yes LL was just going to say that. You have to tie up safely and for some reason skip the stable out before you do anything with the horse.
Then when you untie it, bring it back to the front of the stable before releasing it.

Cant remember if u lunge in stage 1......if you do, don't deck the horse.

Someone in my stage 2 chased the (very quiet riding school) horse away on a VERY tight circle, screamed 'TTTTT-ROT!!!!!' and cracked the whip like a ringmaster. Horse plopped itself, tried to shoot forwards and promptly face-planted on the floor.
It was fine afterwards, but the funniest thing ever was watching this girl ranting afterwards 'if they fail me for that there'll be hell on, I'm used to lunging horses with good balance!'

Ohhhh I miss exams! :D
Click to expand...

Pmsl, poor beastie, :eek::eek:i dont think you lunge in stage 1, but it was a few years ago i did mine and the syllabus changed somewhat recently
I remember some poor girl saying how she'd harrow the grass in the wet to wash all the worms out :eek::D
 
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