Intensive BHS course for adult

[lucygoosey]

Hiya folks
Riding has come to me later in life, unfortunately i didnt have the opportunity as a kiddo. Im 33 and have been riding at the local riding school for about two years. I have a break in my job coming up and was thinking of doing an intensive BHS stage 1+2 course which has been advertised in Ireland. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with such intensive, live in courses?
Worried about being the only oldie there and also being stuck on a yard as the riding classes are all scheduled for the morning?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Red-1]

I did an intensive AI course, it was 6 week then the exam. Such a course was tailored to me though, so not a 'course' as such and it was very intense.

I then three intensive courses for the stage 4. One for the stable management, one for the riding and finally one for the teaching. Again, it was simply for me and I ended up teaching the stage 3 pupils whilst being taught to teach. Incredibly intense, all of them. They were not cheap and the place I went no longer does riding school so would not be able to replicate, but it shows that a personal approach for a tailored course can happen.

I would not have had time out of my schedule to swan off on an organised course as they tended to be for months. It cost more that way, but was over and done. Of course, I already had real world experience, so was not starting from scratch.

If the course you have seen may not suit, why not contact the provider and see if a bespoke course for adult could be arranged?

 

[Glitter's fun]

Is this somewhere you know of or did you just pick it out because they were advertising this course?

Just thinking that's a long way to go when there are bound to be some excellent RSs nearer to you.

Could you maybe contact BHS & find if there are any approved places near enough to make a tailored course that you can commute to? You'd be saving a packet on travel and accommodation so could afford to be fussy with requirements.

 

[KatieDM]

Where abouts are you based? For example, Acrecliffe near Otley in West Yorkshire runs all the BHS courses and can offer a bit of tailoring if dates don’t work for you.

 

[KatieDM]

Where abouts are you based? For example, Acrecliffe near Otley in West Yorkshire runs all the BHS courses and can offer a bit of tailoring if dates don’t work for you.

Edited to add that they did this over the weekend so may have more coming up.

 

[Foxford]

I'm not sure how the intensive courses are working now with the skills record sign-offs. I would be interested to hear experiences of this. Technically you are supposed to get signed off a month before the assessment. I'm based in the north of England and with recent training experiences, I would recommend Ingestre.

Have you got the books? There's a lot of good information in there and I'd suggest reading it before the course, so you can concentrate on the practical elements once you get going.

 

[teapot]

Given you can now take your Stage 1 at any BHS approved riding school (no need to head to a centre), I’d be finding a decent RS and doing it that way! Or head to one of the bigger centres (Talland, Wellington, Ingestre).

The intensives come into their own at the higher levels, and I’d be wondering what you’d be paying for time/length of course wise, so ending up on the yard being a dogsbody is highly likely. The Stage 1 exam is aimed at those starting out in the industry- it’s the basic knowledge needed (ie how to tack up, how you fit a rug etc), and honestly if you find the right RS you could easily do that around regular lessons.

 

[lucygoosey]

Thank you all so much for your advice!
Its all still very new to me!

I bascially live between Belfast and London so that why Ireland in itself appealed to me. It is a tailored course from Clonshire Equestrian which is on the BHS list.

Its that i find riding 2x a week not enough- and unfortunately i cannot own a horse as i move around too much with work. I was hoping for a really intensive time riding and improving and learning so i am not stuck at a riding school and could maybe look into loaning etc, or make a career switch to horses.

 

[teapot]

Thank you all so much for your advice!
Its all still very new to me!

I bascially live between Belfast and London so that why Ireland in itself appealed to me. It is a tailored course from Clonshire Equestrian which is on the BHS list.

Its that i find riding 2x a week not enough- and unfortunately i cannot own a horse as i move around too much with work. I was hoping for a really intensive time riding and improving and learning so i am not stuck at a riding school and could maybe look into loaning etc, or make a career switch to horses.

Being extremely honest - a Stage 1 intensive won’t improve you that much because it’s a such a low level exam. Obviously don’t know what level you’re currently at, but you seem keen enough for me to know a Stage 1 course will bore you to tears.

Wellington (just outside Basingstoke) do a 12 week Stage 1 - 3 course. Now that would be worth doing as it’s a five/six day intensive with fantastic horses, facilities and coaches.

If you’re not wanting the exams, you’d be better off looking at non-exam based intensives at places like Talland if you’re looking to properly improve quickly. You don’t need the exams for ownership, and again unless you’re going for either the 4 or 5, no one is going to bat an eyelid.

 

[KatieDM]

If you’re not fussed about the exams, you could also look for riding schools that do ABRS courses/tests?

 

[rabatsa]

Howden Equestrian Centre do night classes for the care and knowledge sections of the exams. Maybe you could do something like this near you and then add in an intensive riding course for the ridden sections.

 

[honetpot]

Given you can now take your Stage 1 at any BHS approved riding school (no need to head to a centre), I’d be finding a decent RS and doing it that way! Or head to one of the bigger centres (Talland, Wellington, Ingestre).

The intensives come into their own at the higher levels, and I’d be wondering what you’d be paying for time/length of course wise, so ending up on the yard being a dogsbody is highly likely. The Stage 1 exam is aimed at those starting out in the industry- it’s the basic knowledge needed (ie how to tack up, how you fit a rug etc), and honestly if you find the right RS you could easily do that around regular lessons.

I would agree with this. My daughter went to Talland for a week as a teenager, and I asked them to push her not treat it as a holiday, and the oppotunity and feel it gave her is better than any BHS course in you average riding school.
I have been riding since a child, did a bit of training on a private yard as a teenager and in my thirties did a Stage 3 course just to see what gaps I had in my knowledge, I can not say it was a waste of time, it made me realise how flawed the BHS training was, most of the stuff they were teaching I knew from being good professional yard.
To learn quickly you need well trained horses to ride and someone who is invested in your progress, where ever you go. The other thing I have done in the past is have a group lesson with working pupils, you may be surprised that you are not as rusty as you thought.

 

[snowangel5]

I don't know where you are location is but i saw that Scottish equestrian hotel are currently doing BHS exams i know they do a exam for showjumping and one for horse loading but other than that no idea but good luck