BHSI exam

[vickiejohn]

Hi all,
Am just about to take the plunge and start my training for the BHSI exam....does anybody have any recommended reading lists/books/articles they could think of that will help me on this long slog!!!
Have had a look on the BHS website,but all the books there seem to stop at the Intermediate and Stage 4 exams...

Any recommendations would be greatly received...

Thanks in advance....

 

[Foxford]

Have you read any of dr gerd heuschmanns books? I'm just got the reading list for the stage 3 and there's one of his on there as supplementary reading. I found his books fascinating (disclaimer: I have studied and taught anatomy so the more technical the better for me!). Good luck with the exam.

 

[ruth83]

Whereabouts are you based? Are you doing the Riding/Teaching or the Stable Managers?

I have just completed the teaching (last month), did the Stable Managers a couple of years back and am looking at the riding now!

It is a MASSIVELY practical exam (all 3 sections) but obviously books are a good starting point! A rule book for all 3 main disciplines is a must have for all of the sections - you need to be conversant with all the requirements/tack rules for these disciplines at the levels stated in the syllabus (Adv Med dressage, Foxhunter SJ, Intermediate HT).

Many of the Stage 4 recommended books are still relevant - especially things like the equine nutrition bible and veterinary notes for horse owners.

 

[charlie76]

I've got all of it bar the riding, have sat the riding though. Once I am on the iPad I will give a full account

 

[charlie76]

Ok, so here goes. This may get long. I'll start by saying that this exam is not something you can do from books. There are no specific books for the level.

Stable managers. You are either in pairs or own your own. To start with I was given a horse to assess for suitability to purchase for a riding school. You are expected to check the horse from top to bottom, notice any issues and assess the horse when trotted up in hand. It is up to you to tell the handler what to do. You also have to age each horse.

I had to do a lecture on conformtion using the horse in front of me, again in depth and from top to bottom.

I had to look at another horse, talk about its condition.

There was a lot on breeding, esp ai, and very in depth , down to needing to know the ideal temp of the cervix when performing ai.

Fitness and feeding advanced dressage horses, four star event horses and endurance horses at golden horse shoe level.

In depth knowledge of vet supplies inc pom
talk about unusual tack, what and why you might use it.

You have to give a 15 min lecture on one of three subjects inc preparing hand outs, power point etc.

Lots on running a yard as a business, book keeping, insurance, licensing, documents you need to have. Laws, regulations. Tax. Paye

It was pretty intense. You need to speak from experience.

Senior coaching. I found this pretty easy as I like teaching.
You teach a flat lesson to advanced medium, the riders are good! You must work on the rider not just the horse.
You also teach a jump lesson to foxhunter level.
You give a commentary as if judging on another persons flat lesson, not on the instructor but on the horses way of going and of the riders influence.
You are also questioned on the horses jumping technique.
You have theory where you need to know a lot about training students, course walking, schooling and training riders, problem solving, competition levels, young horse classes,
You need to have a training method and believe in it.

Senior equitation
exhausting!
You walk the sj and cc course first thing. There are no set courses and you have helpers to change jumps and distances as you request.
Firstly you all ride together but have an examiner each. You are given a brief that you need to assess the horse on the flat and over fence to see if its suitable. You should age each horse and check shoes. Tack, confirmation. You then discuss your findings with the examiner.
Next you sj or xc,
Show jumping you assess the horse over single fences and link some together and discuss with the examiner what probs it has and the level. It could compete at, you are also asked about heights. Distances, types of fences.
Xc.. you are given a few minutes to warm up then as before school over individual fences then jump a short course. You will be asked about eventING levels, speeds, types of fences. Heights, problems. What other fences you would try over.
Assess what level the horse could event at if at all.

Flat. You ride two horses up to advanced level, one OS usually a schoolmaster and the other a bit more green. You assess the level and improve each horse. You will be asked about the level they could compete at and what sort of scores they would get and why.

Lunging, you may get a very green young horse!, they are usually not easy to lunge. You have s choice of equipment.

Hope that helps.