Stage 1 Exam- Advice

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elr468

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Hey, My friend and I are finally about to book our Stage 1 exam for the 2nd Nov at Gleneagles In Perthshire. Were having some lessons a centre near us before hand. But I was thinking -should we need to go down in the next couple of weeks to have a look around and maybe get a lesson there too?

Basically do people who have done the exam think it will be okay to just take the exam without having been there before or do you think we will need a look around to familiarise ourselves for the stable management part of the exam and to make it easier on the day?
Any other advice for stage 1 will be gratefully received!
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I had a few lessons at the place I did the exam beforehand. It just helped me get my bearings as I'm very shy and not knowing where I was going or where anything was would have been majorly stressful for me!

That's the only reason I'd have a look around, you don't necessarily need to have lessons, just a quick look around to get your bearings I'd say. They get all the equipment out so you don't need to go looking around for the tack room or anything, you're basically either riding in the arena or in the stable blocks, that's about it

Other advice- take a deep breath and relax, it's not nearly as stressful as you expect and the examiners tend to be very helpful and friendly.

Good luck
 
I did mine last week!
I went the weekend before and had a poke around but didnt have a lesson in case i had a bad horse then came across it again in my exam but tbh at stage 1 all the horses we were given were docile anyway!

Read any books you can get your hands on and agree with Josiesmith's advice above the day was much more enjoyable than i imagined and even had a bit of banter with the examiners!

Good luck keep us updated!
 
Thanks for that both of you- It would def be a good idea to have a look then- however the centre is a good 2 hrs away from me, so I will try to get there early on the day and look around then, hopefully that will be enough. I always imagine it to be really formal and tense but a few people have said its really not like that and everyone is friendly which is good to hear!
thanks, hopefully I will manage to pass
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Yeah I think going a bit earlier is a good idea, gives a chance for the nerves to settle before everyone arrives.

The examiners expect you to be nervous and mine were good at prompting when I had a mind block!
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Let us know how you do
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good luck - hope you can stay nice and relaxed and try to enjoy it as best you can! i really enjoyed the ptt exam most but i remember stage 1 being ok too. lol - and the examiners are nice too - in my stage 2 i was so nervous i started to put the set of clippers together totally wrong - luckily i realised and blurted out - "oh silly me my nerves have made me do them all wrong - this is how they're meant to go" as i quickly changed them turning a deep shade of puce as i worked!!!!
 
Good luck!
I have booked my stage 1 at Moulton college on dec 4th.
I am 37 & it's been a long time since I took an exam so I am quite nervous.
let us know how you get on.
I think I might book a lesson or 2 at the college just to know where I am going.
Am I likely to be the oldest there?
 
Okay cool- I dont really know anyone from Hayfield- I just go to the shop! Im booking it tomorrow so hopefully there will be space left.. I diddnt really think about that..
oh i recognise the burger van from loanhead from your pic lol.

kpup- my friend who recently took her exam said there were alot of ladies there not just teenagers so you might not be the oldest!
 
I didnt go to the centre for my stage 1 or 2. Just relax as said above and think about your answers. The examiners said at both venues they aren't there to catch you out. They said they are looking for you to give them confidence that if you worked on their yard they would be happy to leave you with the tasks assigned.

For my stage 3 I will go to the centre for a few lessons beforehand. Also the head lad at where I'm taking the exam is my instuctors buddy, so Im hoping to get a couple of sessions with him.
 
Just out of interest- what is everyones reason for taking the BHS exams? To be and instructor or for other reasons?
Im not sure exactly which equine field I want to work in yet, but I am doing stage one now so I can hopefully get into the HNC in Equine Studies at Oatridge College next year.
 
I did mine mainly because I like studying. I work full time and we have 2 horses. I have done and advanced level NVQ and a HNC in business and finance in my spare time. Then I though I would learn more about the horseys and get a qualification.

In the current climate you don't know what you are going to end up doing, so it all helps. Lets put it this way - Im never working 9 till 5 in an office again if this job disappears.
 
I had a half an hour lesson the day before at the place i took mine, it did help that i knew where things were but tbh they pretty much take you to where you need to be anyway so i did not think it made that much of a difference.

I took mine just to keep my options open, i don't want to be a RI but if i need extra money or something happens i will have the qualification to teach.
Also alot of employers in other areas look for people with BHS exams

Good Luck!
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Best advice for stage 1 is to keep calm, and don't panic if you say something stupid (I was insisting a skewbald horse was piebald, for instance) as they know that you will come out with things you clearly do actually know the correct answer for because of nerves. Also, safety, safety, safety - make sure you always have the horse securely tied etc. take hay and water out of the stable when working in there with horse, and never leave saddles hanging on the stable door (a big pet hate, apparently!) - think about everything you do to make sure you're doing it the BHS Way (eg using different arm to brush different sides of horse!)

Definitely get up to the exam centre super early on the day, so you've time to relax and look around. I think you're prob right about not having a lesson in case you have a last minute bad experience with one of their school horses that makes you more nervous before the exam.

Good luck!!
 
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