Lets hear your...

Cavblacks

Cavblacks

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...riding and road saftey text experiences
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Following on from post that I passed Stage 1 I have now booked R+RS and would be very interested to hear all of your experiences - good and bad!
 
Thanks!! Nope had to cancel the order in the end the courier co messed it up so many times then I sent my OH to pick it up and still no joy so I'll be going on a road trip soon to buy one without delivery hassle!! Ah cool, Im booked in on the 31st somewhere in Leicester so im off out at lunch to buy a highway code!
 
um, mine was really uneventful. bored to tears springs to mind - but still, a good job done i guess!
i dont imagine any adult could possibly have trouble with it to be honest, its just common sense IMO
 
When I did it I also did training and was told you have to look behind you every six seconds (and make it an obvious look, not just a quick glance). If you meet obstacles such as people doing roadwork you have to ask them if they would please stop for a minute so you can ride your horse past. You also have to know how to do an emergency dismount (can't remember exactly but think it was cross stirrups over then leap off).

There are also 10 written questions at the beginning, all based on the highway code including knowing your road signs (including more obscure ones), I know this catches a few people out. You have to get 8 out of 10 correct to move onto the next stage.
 
They failed our entire yard.
Apparently we hadn't been looking around enough (all of us) because none of us said anything when one of the testers raised a hand... Well, we did all see her but she when turning around but she never asked us if we did notice it... Apparently we are also all dangerous to go out on the road, which I find extremely funny seeing that the yard is in London and we all regularly ride around very busy roads and there has never been an incident.
One of the testers even commented how dangerous it was that I wasn't looking around enough blablabla - When I said I ride a motorbike everyday and surely know how to look around and judge traffic she just said she is surprised I was still alive and that she wouldn't want to insure my life. Needless to say, I took great offence to that. (I have been riding horses for 32 years and motorbikes for 18 years ... I have never had a road related accident!)
However, the yard hadn't done an "official" R&R course for some time. The BHS weren't particularly happy about that it would appear but the yard manager wouldn't budge.
Eventually, we (the liveries) got an external instructor in who I think did a marvellous job. However, we still all failed and are dangerous. I am really sorry she got caught in the middle of this.
 
Dopeonarope - Oh my gosh! Cant beleive you're experience! I shall learn from it! Where is your yard? Just im in London too so always interested to hear where others ride!

Paintedlucky- Would you say it was worth doing the training? I havent booked any was hoping an hour with my instructor might suffice but reading all the above maybe i do need some!
 
Cavblacks, I do think it is worth doing some training, even if only an hour with someone who knows exactly what the exam involves as the BHS examiners are very picky, they like things to be done a certain way (eg the looking behind every six seconds thing), and if you don't do things their way they will fail you
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(Speaking from experience as someone who has failed several BHS exams due to silly/petty (IMO) reasons!)

In my first R&RS exam I got given a very spooky horse who proceeded to be terrified of just about very obstacle we met on the 'pretend' road. Unfortunately I then fell to pieces, convinced I would fail and so stopped doing what I was supposed to be doing (looking behind, thanking people etc), so I failed! The second time they put me on a nice safe sensible horse and as I now knew what they were looking for I managed to pass.
 
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