BHS Stage Three Ride

[HappyHackerK8]

Has anyone got any hints/tips about that the format is of the new stage 3 ride assessment? Think I’m going to give it a go - but hate the nervous and element of the unknown! I’m going to have some coaching but just wanted to put the feelers out here and to see if I think I want to progress first

 

[teapot]

Just posting to remind myself to reply properly later

 

[olop]

I did the old stage 3 (in 2005!) didn’t realise they had changed them. I just treated it like a lesson where I was being scored if that helps but no idea on the format. I took mine at Pulborough college we did a flat session in the indoor and then had a break before we were taken out in the open to jump some XC fences and SJ fences.

 

[Rowreach]

Ten minute video covering the dressage and jump ride assessments.

 

[HappyHackerK8]

I did the old stage 3 (in 2005!) didn’t realise they had changed them. I just treated it like a lesson where I was being scored if that helps but no idea on the format. I took mine at Pulborough college we did a flat session in the indoor and then had a break before we were taken out in the open to jump some XC fences and SJ fences.

Im not sure if it has changed much at all - they have just split out the sections a bit more and got rid of AI II I for 3, 4,5 and separated the coaching elements too! I understand it’s less like a lesson and more of an observation now - where you have to feedback on how horse is going etc

 

[HappyHackerK8]

Ten minute video covering the dressage and jump ride assessments.

Thank you - I watched this and it’s quite helpful. I was wondering if I need to think about a plan of riding or if I’ll be asked to perform certain task as with the stage two?? Any ideas? I think I’ll plan a couple of 20m sessions to be on the safe side…

 

[Rowreach]

Thank you - I watched this and it’s quite helpful. I was wondering if I need to think about a plan of riding or if I’ll be asked to perform certain task as with the stage two?? Any ideas? I think I’ll plan a couple of 20m sessions to be on the safe side…

They will want you to be able to adapt to the horse you are on and use school exercises to suit and improve the horse, and be able to explain why you are using them, how effective they were, what you would do going forward with the horse if you rode it again. And relate it all to the Scales of Training. So have a think about various exercises you can incorporate rather than a set plan, bearing in mind that the most important thing is that your horse is going forward before you do anything else. Practise being able to articulate what you are feeling from the horse and how and why you are working it a certain way, so you are used to doing this before the assessment.

 

[teapot]

Thank you - I watched this and it’s quite helpful. I was wondering if I need to think about a plan of riding or if I’ll be asked to perform certain task as with the stage two?? Any ideas? I think I’ll plan a couple of 20m sessions to be on the safe side…

Take these videos with a pinch of salt as I know some of those riders were definitely either above or below the standard (having ridden with them).

Flat wise - two horses, walk, trot and canter on both, no stirrups in trot and canter usually on your first horse. Second horse I was a given a specific brief to work it forwards and improve using basic lateral work. Debrief after was which horse did you prefer, and then got asked to talk the one I liked least. What was I feeling, which side was more supple/straighter etc, what would I do more of if I had longer, using scales of training, would this horse be suitable for a novice BD etc etc etc. You must show a logical progression in your warm up and work. Make sure you take note of the horse's conformation etc.

Jump wise - warm the horse up in all three paces, including a forward jumping canter (so many people fail on this alone!) the show jumping starts as a cross pole, then straight, then over an oxer. They've done away with the grid! Then onto a course you've already walked. Debrief about how the horse went, how you rode the course, how you dealt with any issues. You may be asked how you'd develop that horse going forward etc. If you're safe enough, you'll swap horses and head straight onto the xc fences, in a similar format to the show jumping.

Remember as the flat and jump are now separate exams, you can fail the flat and still be allowed to jump!

Pick your exam centre wisely - I only ever did my flat, but walked and watched the jump section and the course was not 90cms, it was around 1m all the way, rather than just the two fences, and some exam centres have better jump horses than they do flat horses, and vice versa.

You'll need to be signed off by a Stage 4 coach to actually take the exam so would recommend getting some training in, maybe even at the centre where you're hoping to take the exam. Enjoy - I loved the whole thing about my three exam, but maybe that was the pub lunch afterwards

 

[HappyHackerK8]

They will want you to be able to adapt to the horse you are on and use school exercises to suit and improve the horse, and be able to explain why you are using them, how effective they were, what you would do going forward with the horse if you rode it again. And relate it all to the Scales of Training. So have a think about various exercises you can incorporate rather than a set plan, bearing in mind that the most important thing is that your horse is going forward before you do anything else. Practise being able to articulate what you are feeling from the horse and how and why you are working it a certain way, so you are used to doing this before the assessment.

This is super helpful!!! Thank you

 

[HappyHackerK8]

Take these videos with a pinch of salt as I know some of those riders were definitely either above or below the standard (having ridden with them).

Flat wise - two horses, walk, trot and canter on both, no stirrups in trot and canter usually on your first horse. Second horse I was a given a specific brief to work it forwards and improve using basic lateral work. Debrief after was which horse did you prefer, and then got asked to talk the one I liked least. What was I feeling, which side was more supple/straighter etc, what would I do more of if I had longer, using scales of training, would this horse be suitable for a novice BD etc etc etc. You must show a logical progression in your warm up and work. Make sure you take note of the horse's conformation etc.

Jump wise - warm the horse up in all three paces, including a forward jumping canter (so many people fail on this alone!) the show jumping starts as a cross pole, then straight, then over an oxer. They've done away with the grid! Then onto a course you've already walked. Debrief about how the horse went, how you rode the course, how you dealt with any issues. You may be asked how you'd develop that horse going forward etc. If you're safe enough, you'll swap horses and head straight onto the xc fences, in a similar format to the show jumping.

Remember as the flat and jump are now separate exams, you can fail the flat and still be allowed to jump!

Pick your exam centre wisely - I only ever did my flat, but walked and watched the jump section and the course was not 90cms, it was around 1m all the way, rather than just the two fences, and some exam centres have better jump horses than they do flat horses, and vice versa.

You'll need to be signed off by a Stage 4 coach to actually take the exam so would recommend getting some training in, maybe even at the centre where you're hoping to take the exam. Enjoy - I loved the whole thing about my three exam, but maybe that was the pub lunch afterwards

Fab advice - I’ve got a stage 5 coach and having loads of training - but she was the old system so just wanted some advice on the actual day itself as she is putting me through my riding paces! Wish I’d done this years ago when I was younger, but, we move lol

 

[EventingMum]

Also look into the BHS career transition fund to get help towards the costs of training.

 

[HappyHackerK8]

Also look into the BHS career transition fund to get help towards the costs of training.

I’ve got this and I have applied for the new grant as I qualify at my riding school

 

[smurf]

So mine was a long time ago. First horse I rode I was really really nervous. I was without stirrups, it bucked and decked me! I was convinced I had failed so treated the rest of the day like a practice run before I went home to rebook a resit.
When I was doing my ride and lead I looked miserable, the examiner said something like 'cheer up'. and I grumbled that I had already failed as first horse decked me. He looked at his sheet, checked no one was listening and said 'you can still rescue this' !
So I carried on with the day and passed.
At the end he said I was so nervous at the start I was never going to pass. Once I had fallen off I relaxed and they saw a different rider.
Point of my ramble is ....remember it's only an exam, don't get so stressed you forget to ride, breath, and show that you are at the required standard.