Sitting BHS exams without attending a course

[khadijah]

Hi All

Sorry for a daft question but just wondering if you can help..... as I would like to do the BHS horse owners exams but really am limited with funds, do you think I could just study myself and then sit the exams ? Perhaps if I just purchased as many BHS books as possible ?

I'm not able to do the BHS stages as riding is not possible so would really like to increase my knowledge on care and stable management and be nice to have a certificate to be proud of

So at moment looks like the horse owners certificates might be good choice
Any advice ?

Thanks in advance

 

[FairyBasslet]

Have you looked at the syllabus for BHS stage 1?
IMO it is basic stable management and anyone with a decent amount of experience should be able to pass without trouble.

Aside form that, you can just do the care sections if you feel your riding is not up to speed.

 

[amandap]

Not BHS but this is a good basic FREE online course on equine nutrition and gives a certificate of completion. Date to be announced and if you register they will inform you of the next start date. https://www.coursera.org/course/equinenutrition

 

[BronsonNutter]

I'm pretty sure you can just do the care sections for each BHS exam

I didn't attend a course for my stage 1 (and don't plan to for any of the others either...) and passed that with no problems, so it's not essential to do the courses. I have however worked as a groom, but that might have been a hindrance considering we didn't do certain things 'the BHS way!'

 

[ruth83]

It is perfectly possible if you put the work in. The issue will be finding an instructor who will let you sit the exam without the course as it is instructors who put the exams on.

 

[khadijah]

Thankyou ALL so much every answer has been so helpful

FairyBasslet great idea I should look more into that .. The problem I do have is the dress code as I wear baggy clothes due to religion as Im a muslim and I read i have to wear jods and jacket on the practical parts .... And they aint gonna make allowances for me are they lol !! A friend of mine with same clothing as me said she was going to do owners cert instead as it was just written exams

Amandap brill thankyou Ive heard about this iv registered now excellent thanks !

BronsonNutter great news this is what I was hoping someone would say !

Ruth83 excellent point I will speak to a couple of people who are RI but i dont know if they are BHS but at least they may offer some advice !

If i had lots of money id probably just do the stage 1 and turn up in my face veil just for a laugh ! NOT LOL !!!! Horsey people are sooo scary can you imagine LOL !!

 

[Littlelegs]

If you know the contents, its perfectly possible to do the stages without the course. Just make sure you can do things the bhs way, rather than just looking at the book & saying 'yeah I can do that'. I'm sure there must be a way round the dress code. Sikh men don't have to wear hats so I'm sure there are some allowances made. As long as its practical & safe then its worth asking about it. Couldn't you wear loose breeches a few times too big & a longer jacket that's looser on the waist? Or even a side saddle habit?

 

[whirlwind]

Bhs website has a list of all upcoming exams, you just book in there's no hassle with an instructor

 

[ruth83]

Bhs website has a list of all upcoming exams, you just book in there's no hassle with an instructor

This is true for the Stages exams but not for the Horse Owners Certificates which are organised, written and run by instructors as they are hobby qualifications rather than professional ones.

OP, if you want to do the Stages, speak to The BHS about options. It is acceptable to wear a pair of tidy cord trousers for the care section of the Stage 1, along with a shirt and v neck sweater. Would these be acceptable to your needs? They will work to accomodate you if they can, within the realms of acceptable H&S and standards.

Is there room within your religions requirements for excepted circumstances? I realise the olympics are rather different but, for example, ladies competing in the modern pentathlon wore full body swimsuits and were also able to wear a headscarf for riding but coupled with (I think) breeches etc?

 

[khadijah]

Thanks for the input and actually those are really good points about larger sized clothes and the possibility of allowances
I think their issue will be that they need to see my positioning perfectly and so its not just the health & safety id be up against

Great point about the side saddle habit I WANT ONE !! Soo lush

My best bet would be to just enquire and let them know ive really gotta keep my thighs/hips concealed ... Maybe if they can see my lower leg position that might be ok

Thanks for that point ruth83 I do think though that some muslim athletes do tend to compromise their religious obligations as theyve abandoned the true 'Hijab' as when a lady choses Hijab she has chosen to conceal her feminine beauty both physical and adornments from the eyes of unrelated men , but many tend to just think if the skin in covered then its ok but its so not its still forbidden as we can quite plainy see the shap of legs and chests and all that ! Interestingly the word Hijab means curtain/screen in Arabic so the scarf on head and jeans is not hijab in any way.

I did see a pic of a man and lady riding Morgans wearing like top hats and tailed coats and the lady was completely covered and she was astrde ! Brill there is hope you never know !

So I understad that the exams are assessed by bhs instructors so what about the venue .. What I mean is just say I could find an instructor and a correct venue could i say hire the venue so that its private i.e. women only ? I know it would cost a fortune probaby ! But that would be the best situation ... Am I dreaming ?? Lol !

 

[khadijah]

Sorry for spelling ive got no PC so on phone !! Really awkward !

 

[Rowreach]

So I understad that the exams are assessed by bhs instructors so what about the venue .. What I mean is just say I could find an instructor and a correct venue could i say hire the venue so that its private i.e. women only ? I know it would cost a fortune probaby ! But that would be the best situation ... Am I dreaming ?? Lol !

Generally instructors put on the Horse Owners' Certificate training with the exam at the end to make a bit of money, particularly over the winter months when lack of daylight and poor weather mean a classroom based course is much more pleasant for everyone! I tend to charge for the training but not for marking the exam papers, then those who want to can pay the BHS's moderation fee and get the certificate at the end of it.

The HOC is a written paper and doesn't involve any practical stable management, so there is no reason why you couldn't do a course and exam at the end of it and wear whatever you like - it would be more expensive to do a Care section of a BHS Stage exam, but if you want to do a practical exam then the HOC is not the one for you

 

[ruth83]

Wherabouts are you based? Maybe there is an instructor on here who could help you?

 

[khadijah]

Rowreach thanks so much youve nailed my question ! I def think the HOC is ideal and be great confidence builder

ruth im in south wales

Thanks fr all your help and advice

Cheers !

 

[galaxy]

Have you gone on the register of instructors and looked at which ones run the course in your area?

You may be lucky and find one just willing to do the exam....

 

[khadijah]

Thanku galaxy thats very good idea

I think as rowreach said it is only available as a course but thats a really good idea to check

 

[Rowreach]

I'm running an exam on Tuesday if you want to swim across

 

[khadijah]

LOL !!!!