BHS stage 1

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gwniver

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I am planning on taking BHS stage 1 soon and I was wondering how others study and if anyone had any tips .....what books should I buy ??
 
I'm just doing the care, but exam booked for October. I've bought the BHS Stage 1 workbook and info book to read through. My OH has his Stage 4 and his Aunt is a BHS examiner so I'm getting help from them, not really on the content, but on the way to answer the questions / BHS way to do the hands on stuff.
 
The BHS do a recommended reading list.

The Hazel Reed books are thorough. You may also find the BHS DVD useful

Nothing is a substitute for practical practice!!
 
The BHS workbooks are good. I didn't really do any training for it but I did have a mini session with my trainer (he does a lot of work with the BHS stuff) mainly on getting tips on what the examiners are looking for and how they want you to do things!

Good luck :0)
 
Hazel Reed books are great but also having a good instructor and experience of riding different ponies so that you are confident to ride any you are given during the exam.
 
Hazel Reed books again.

Read and know the syllabus inside out. And when you're asked to put a tail bandage on (for example), make sure you know where to stand, and the BHS way of application. Same way for rugging - don't just lob it over, quarter it. You'll be better off speaking to a BHS instructor who teaches at stage one level (care and riding) to teach you all the little bits. I did mine as part of a group, which was handy for the riding part when you do the majority as a ride, then circle away to join the rear of the ride.
 
Get your history book out to see how tack, rugs and feeds were done in the 1940s. There are all 3 from my Stage 1 that I still have never seem in the real world.
 
I did a few lectures and lessons to practise riding school horses and read the stage 1 bhs pack (about £40) from bhs website, everything you need to know is in those x
 
tescoexpress said:
Get your history book out to see how tack, rugs and feeds were done in the 1940s. There are all 3 from my Stage 1 that I still have never seem in the real world.
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Well I'm led to believe that there were a damn site less obese, laminitic horses in the 40s. And an awful lot less welfare cases. So maybe that isn't such a bad thing.

The BHS are currently canvassing opinion on another thread. If you would like to submit an opinion on the exams system perhaps you could try there rather than putting off someone who already has their exam booked?

OP - the 'BHS way' that you will hear people talking about is, for the most part (and I am not trying to say that the system is faultless, no system is) the way you would do things with a horse you have never met before and have no prior knowledge of. The safest way possible - which you may then go on to adapt in real life and industry as you work with familiar horses and get into a routine.
 
I am also studying for my stage 1 exam and am trying to set up a local study group. I live south Manchester/ Cheshire area. Would also be open to Skype study sessions or similar. :)

Am planning on taking stage 2 after stage 1 so sessions for that would also be good.

Rae
 
ruth83 said:
Well I'm led to believe that there were a damn site less obese, laminitic horses in the 40s. And an awful lot less welfare cases. So maybe that isn't such a bad thing.
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I was not alive then, so cannot comment on whether there were fewer (not less) cases. What I do know is that an exam when we had to identify single feeds, "strap" a horse, know how to make a bran mash and put on a rug held on with a surcingle all whilst dressed like I am competing at a county show bares no relation to anything I did before or since with a horse.
 
tescoexpress said:
I was not alive then, so cannot comment on whether there were fewer (not less) cases. What I do know is that an exam when we had to identify single feeds, "strap" a horse, know how to make a bran mash and put on a rug held on with a surcingle all whilst dressed like I am competing at a county show bares no relation to anything I did before or since with a horse.
Click to expand...

I know of many yards who still feed straights, and who use blankets under rugs which are secured with a surcingle. Indeed many of the competition yards I have worked at used travel rugs with surcingles. Strapping is certainly still used in showing circles and a bran mash was recommended to me by a vet only last week for an unwell horse.
 
I agree with Ruth, all those things are useful skills. When I did my stages 1-3 last year I was surprised how up to date it was (mostly). The examiners were very open to different points of view, they do seem to be trying to update it all now. Studying for my stages helped eliminate a few bad habits, I still do most things the way I did them for my exams. As for the dress code, you do have to wear a shirt and tie but I wore a black jumper for my stage 3. It said in the rules that it was ok to do so and I was more comfy in it. You can also wear dark jods if you prefer, and trousers for the care sections.
 
I agree, many yards still feed straights, especially larger ones where it becomes more cost efficient. I have also been on a yard that still used surcingles in the last 10 years. I think the thing with the BHS stages is that they are perhaps trying to make people aware of things other than what they normally come across, but might still be used by some yards.

I agree with talking to an instructor who has experience of teaching about it, as they will know the sort of things an examiner might pick up on.
 
I took my stage 1 a few months ago. I want to do more teaching, and feel this is the way forward. I found that they weren't as set in their ways as people think, and that a lot of it is commone sense. As long as you can explain why you do something a certain way in terms of safety they are open to different ideas. I have found doing some training to be quite interesting, especially the lunging as I definatly have bad habits there! I found the DVD very useful, and have just ordered the one for my 2 as I take that in just under a month. I would say that an instructor who does stages training is very useful, and maybe even a lesson at the centre you are taking it at.
 
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