BHS Stages - just for the fun of them?

[MerryMaxmas]

Is anyone doing the BHS Stages just for their own interest rather than actually looking to qualify? I passed Stage 1 and 2 when I was 18, I'm now 55 (I'll let you do the math! ??) and have been out of the horse world for quite a few years. I posted a couple of weeks ago about online learning/YouTube channels, while looking at them I came across the BHS Complete Horsemanship books and workbooks (the workbooks weren't even a thing when I took my Stages!) and decided it would be fun to delve back into it and see what has changed, so I've just ordered the Complete Horsemanship Vol. 1 and the workbook to go with it ? It is purely for my own interest and as I am not actually involved with horses in anyway other than from my armchair so won't be "hands on" at all, but want to test my knowledge again after all these years ??

 

[rabatsa]

I went through the stages and took the exams, just for self interest. I completed stage 4 before losing momentum and did not bother with the expense of stage 5 stable management. The day job was milking goats.

 

[MerryMaxmas]

I went through the stages and took the exams, just for self interest. I completed stage 4 before losing momentum and did not bother with the expense of stage 5 stable management. The day job was milking goats.

Oh milking goats sounds fun ? I'm not planning on taking the exams, just testing my own knowledge after all these years.

 

[Petmurf]

I’ve done a few of them just for the learning as I’d never owned a horse before, I had no intention of doing the exams.

 

[J&S]

To be honest I absolutely couldn't find any fun in the BHS exams when I did them as an older person (60 ish). I was climbing the RDA Instructor ladder and getting to what was then A I skipped quite a lot of RDA rigmarole. I think the system has changed now and you can do it in modules, rather than Riding/Theory in complete sections.
Good luck if you go for it.

 

[teapot]

Imho the workbooks aren't that great - remember seeing the Stage 2 one at work and we literally binned it.

I was working on the business side of the industry, not teaching, and got myself up to training for parts of my Stage 4 and 5 respectively, so do understand the wanting to do it for 'fun' side.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Didnt find much fun in it either tbh

 

[Gloi]

I did 1 & 2 in my youth to accompany my friend as she had to take them on the way to getting her AI. From that experience I never was interested in doing any more.

 

[oldie48]

As I came to horses very late in life the PC that my little daughter joined allowed me to attend the B test Stable Management classes. So I made a donation to the club and sat with the kids in a cold barn and followed the syllbus with them. Not exactly BHS but it was really useful and I learned such a lot. I was nearly 50. I also passed the riding and road safety test and went on to train PC members and then examined. You are never too old to learn!

 

[honetpot]

I did a Stage 3 course when the kids were at school, just to find out if I knew as much as I thought I did. Its twenty years ago, it was relatively cheap, and basically if you read the book and parroted it back you fitted and would pass, no room to think for your self, and no evidenced based learning, I could do it, but there wasn't a lot of point. A huge no for me was it was a college, and no one started work until 9!

 

[superpony]

I work full time as a teacher but I have done up to my Stage 4. I have done a bit of freelance teaching but the cost to be on the register is now too expensive for how much teaching I actually have time to do. I still enjoy teaching at a few PC camps etc. However, I mainly did it just for the learning opportunities and absolutely loved it!

 

[Red-1]

I did my AI in 1985, and had no intention of doing any more. I was working in the industry but didn't need any more qualifications, but a colleague rather strangely told me that his stage 2 was worth more than my AI because I took it so long ago.

I thought that I could hardly take it again, so did the full II, just so I could be reassured that I was up to date. Took 1 week residential course for each of the 3 parts (riding stage 4, stable management stage 4 and Int teaching), rode some SJers for a pro, volunteered to teach a bit at the local riding training place and was in!

 

[MerryMaxmas]

I’ve done a few of them just for the learning as I’d never owned a horse before, I had no intention of doing the exams.

I definitely won't be taking the exams, just want to refresh and update my previous knowledge.

 

[MerryMaxmas]

As I came to horses very late in life the PC that my little daughter joined allowed me to attend the B test Stable Management classes. So I made a donation to the club and sat with the kids in a cold barn and followed the syllbus with them. Not exactly BHS but it was really useful and I learned such a lot. I was nearly 50. I also passed the riding and road safety test and went on to train PC members and then examined. You are never too old to learn!

That's great! No definitely never too late to learn, I have no intention of taking the exams, just wanting to refresh and learn more ?

 

[MerryMaxmas]

I work full time as a teacher but I have done up to my Stage 4. I have done a bit of freelance teaching but the cost to be on the register is now too expensive for how much teaching I actually have time to do. I still enjoy teaching at a few PC camps etc. However, I mainly did it just for the learning opportunities and absolutely loved it!

I won't be taking the exams, just want to refresh and update my previous knowledge having been out of the horse world for so long, looking forward to learning again ?

 

[MerryMaxmas]

I did my AI in 1985, and had no intention of doing any more. I was working in the industry but didn't need any more qualifications, but a colleague rather strangely told me that his stage 2 was worth more than my AI because I took it so long ago.

I thought that I could hardly take it again, so did the full II, just so I could be reassured that I was up to date. Took 1 week residential course for each of the 3 parts (riding stage 4, stable management stage 4 and Int teaching), rode some SJers for a pro, volunteered to teach a bit at the local riding training place and was in!

I took my Stages 1 and 2 in the late 1980's and remember how much studying I did for them, it will be interesting to see how they've changed over the years.

 

[Red-1]

I won't be taking the exams, just want to refresh and update my previous knowledge having been out of the horse world for so long, looking forward to learning again ?

If you have the money, why not take them? If you don't pressure yourself, they are a lovely day out with other horses and horse people. As a more mature person, you can step back a bit and really people watch.

When you aren't pressured to pass, the examiners are actually rather nice people - on the day at least!

 

[scats]

I oddly enjoyed my exams. The only one I didn’t like was the PTT, I found that day quite stressful, but the stages were actually quite fun days. I found all the examiners (bar one), lovely and they really tried to help people get the right answers if it was clear nerves were getting the better of them.

 

[View]

I did mine for fun, and discovered that I enjoy teaching/coaching lower level riders, or getting people through a confidence blip. I too found the PTT stressful, but it being the first full day on my feet after a broken ankle, not surprising. My examiners were lovely about that and made sure I was off my feet at every opportunity.

Funniest bit was when we were setting out poles at various stride lengths, working in pairs, when the examiner was telling my partner to listen to me and think about the big hint I had given him ("she said a 16hh CANTERING in"), "CANTERING not trotting"). Sadly, he failed on the day for a huge safety failure in his group lesson.

I honestly feel that those of us with a bit more life experience under our belts do better on these days than the youngsters.

 

[MerryMaxmas]

If you have the money, why not take them? If you don't pressure yourself, they are a lovely day out with other horses and horse people. As a more mature person, you can step back a bit and really people watch.

When you aren't pressured to pass, the examiners are actually rather nice people - on the day at least!

There are, unfortunately, a few reasons I don't plan to take the exams, the main one being that I am not around horses at all at the moment which is partly due to finances and partly that I have Long Covid (since March 2020 ) which has put paid to me doing a lot of the things I love ? But, who knows, maybe if my health improves over the next couple of years and I can get involved with horses again, maybe it's something to aim for ??

 

[rabatsa]

Oh milking goats sounds fun ? I'm not planning on taking the exams, just testing my own knowledge after all these years.

Milking goats every weekend and bank holiday for a living is not exactly fun. When I started we were milking 900 goats, when I finished ten years later, it was 4,000 goats, four days a week.

I enjoyed the learning to take the exams, I had done my pony club tests when younger but this was different. I also was friendly with a BHS training centre and I got set on taking the working pupils one day a week for stable management lessons. In return I got to join in their riding sessions to get my riding up to scratch.

 

[teapot]

If you have the money, why not take them? If you don't pressure yourself, they are a lovely day out with other horses and horse people. As a more mature person, you can step back a bit and really people watch.

When you aren't pressured to pass, the examiners are actually rather nice people - on the day at least!

I'd agree with this - you meet all sorts of people

In terms of access, if it's a heath issue putting you off, the BHS does offer reasonable adjustments!

 

[MerryMaxmas]

Milking goats every weekend and bank holiday for a living is not exactly fun. When I started we were milking 900 goats, when I finished ten years later, it was 4,000 goats, four days a week.

I enjoyed the learning to take the exams, I had done my pony club tests when younger but this was different. I also was friendly with a BHS training centre and I got set on taking the working pupils one day a week for stable management lessons. In return I got to join in their riding sessions to get my riding up to scratch.

4000 goats! ? wow that's impressive

 

[LEC]

I took my UKCC2 just to see if I could. I actually found it really interesting but haven’t really taught since. I was just interested in the process and seeing if I could.

 

[MerryMaxmas]

I'd agree with this - you meet all sorts of people

In terms of access, if it's a heath issue putting you off, the BHS does offer reasonable adjustments!

I took Stages 1 & 2 back in the 1980's, I'm guessing the exams are done the same now as they were then? So still hands on, showing how to tack up, handle a horse, put an exercise bandage on, etc as well as answer questions?

 

[teapot]

I took Stages 1 & 2 back in the 1980's, I'm guessing the exams are done the same now as they were then? So still hands on, showing how to tack up, handle a horse, put an exercise bandage on, etc as well as answer questions?

They certainly are, but they’re broken down by section and genuinely a lot more human.

I was sent off to get a cup of tea & some cake half way through my Stage 3 Care for example! I did my bitting section sat down. Just how it was done at that centre. By reasonable adjustments, they’d be more than willing to allow more time, split the exam into parts etc

The biggest change, and one that I think is a/could be a bit of a barrier for some, is having to be signed off physically by someone of the level above. So if you wanted to take your 3 Care, you’d need be signed off by someone with their Stage 4 Care who’s on the Approved Professional Coach (APC) register.

You receive have a hard copy Skills Record outlining the bits that have to be signed off for when you book the exam (or can buy in advance - I have a electronic copy if you want a look?) That said, I have a feeling there may even be a reasonable adjustment for that which could be done online?

 

[View]

They certainly are, but they’re broken down by section and genuinely a lot more human ….

By reasonable adjustments, they’d be more than willing to allow more time, split the exam into parts etc

Yes, although the new system hadn’t come in by the time I sat my PTT, i had the choice of cracking on with the exam the day after my cast hopefully came off, or withdrawing and not being able to get a date within six months.

Despite not officially having reasonable adjustments, the assessors had me off my feet as much as possible and even put up the jumps for me in my group jump lesson, just getting me to check I was happy with them and check for safety myself.

I think there is much more looking for candidates to meet the required standard rather than them looking for reasons to fail candidates.

 

[MerryMaxmas]

They certainly are, but they’re broken down by section and genuinely a lot more human.

I was sent off to get a cup of tea & some cake half way through my Stage 3 Care for example! I did my bitting section sat down. Just how it was done at that centre. By reasonable adjustments, they’d be more than willing to allow more time, split the exam into parts etc

The biggest change, and one that I think is a/could be a bit of a barrier for some, is having to be signed off physically by someone of the level above. So if you wanted to take your 3 Care, you’d need be signed off by someone with their Stage 4 Care who’s on the Approved Professional Coach (APC) register.

You receive have a hard copy Skills Record outlining the bits that have to be signed off for when you book the exam (or can buy in advance - I have a electronic copy if you want a look?) That said, I have a feeling there may even be a reasonable adjustment for that which could be done online?

I'm physically a long way off being able to cope with it just yet, but it's good to know that if/when my health improves allowances are made for any health issues - it's definitely something for me to aim for ?