unfair riding fails at Summerhouse today BHS 2

Just to set the record straight I am in fact an assessor for the BHS exams. We are no longer called examiners, a recent change which was part of the continued effort to bring the exam system up to date.

Exams up to BHSII are now award by EQL (Equestrian Qualifications GB Limited) and are accredited by Ofqual (Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator) and are on the National Qualifications Framework. Obviously to satisfy the conditions of this accreditation the exams syllabi and procedures have to be thoroughly checked and monitored by external bodies. To say the BHS is a law unto itself is simply not factual, one of the reasons for these changes was to ensure BHS exams were recognised as worthwhile qualifications.

Assessors are not allowed to assess (examine) at a centre where they work or to assess candidates they have trained.

If a candidate has failed the flatwork it is an insurance requirement that they are not allowed continue and to jump. Unfortunately there will always be some degree of subjectivity when looking at the riding section of an exam but the same could also be said for dressage judging.

There is definitely no blacklist operating, in fact when organising assessors for an exam, chief assessors are told to try and ensure assessors do not always do the same sections of exams so the riding assessor for one exam may be the practical or theory assessor next time round. The exam results are not available to anyone not assessing on that day so it is unlikely that the riding examiner next time will even be aware of a previous unsuccessful attempt.
 
I presume that the centres which train for these exams are BHS approved if they conduct exams there. This leads me to question the standard of the assessment of the training which people are paying for if the pass rate is so erratic. This would call the BHS into disripute if the standard of training is so poor that such a high percentage of candidates fail, another form of rip off. The other problem to my mind would be not teaching rididing, but teaching to the test.
 
I do think the BHS are trying very hard to catch up with current trends and qualifications are worth having. As with everything in life there will always be good and bad instructors.

The trouble with exams are a lot of candidates believe because they compete think they have it in the bag, ride as they would competing and therefore do not fill all the required elements of the BHS exam or over exceed on what is required to be shown on the day, or cannot explain why they are doing and what they aim to achieve. I have seen many that have worked hard for stable management but dont really listen as to what is required to be shown for ridden and hence fail on silly points "because they compete at x level".

A simple analogy is a racing car driver would not necessarily pass his driving test as different skills are required for different situations.

I got a borderline pass in my jumping Stage 3 and 4 because old habits die hard, I jumped affiliated and slipped back to bad habits that were within my comfort zone. In fact I think my assessor was very fair as he could have failed me on my 3.
 
I wouldn't touch BHS stages with a barge pole.

I went for a lesson at a BHS examining yard and was spoken to like a piece of dirt. Told my riding was awful, that I wouldn't be 'let loose' on one of their horses without hours and hours of one to one tuition. Eventually, feeling like absolute tripe, I asked if they thought my riding could ever be good enough for BHS stage 1? I was told 'maybe, but not if you ride like you're on a beach donkey like you have for the last hour" followed by laughing.

Insterestingly, I'd ridden for years prior to that, on eventing and hunt yards, RS etc. Had had my own ponies. And never had a confidence problem. An hour at a BHS training yard and my confidence was in tatters.

Even more interestingly, I plucked up the courage to see a different instructor at a different yard, and apart from me being out of practice the instructor said my riding was absolutely fine.

I mean, heck, shoot the woman if you like, but I was even employed as main groom on a yard after that experience (and no more lessons), by a BHSI, and *shock horror* allowed to ride her stallion and some youngsters.... she even let me loose with them!

THAT peeps, is the way forward. I wouldn't take BHS exams if, as someone said before, they paid me to.
 
Thanks for clearing up some of the issues Eventing Mum, it's useful and interesting to hear your side of the story. If examiners are not allowed to permit candidates to jump if they have failed the flat work section, then that's just how it is. I also agree that where there is possibility of failure then there is possibility of sour grapes. I have found my examiners to be extremely helpful and kind on the day.

However, I still don't think that it's acceptable to give someone an 'X' with no further comment or explanation, especially at the lower levels. If there are detailed and genuine reasons why a candidate has failed (and I'm sure there are) these should be passed on.

Furthermore, if the instructors at the training centre are genuinely surprised a candidate has failed, having watched the exam, something is going wrong. Most of these centres are BHS approved, so either the BHS approved instructor is wrong or the examiner is wrong. It is costing me getting on for £1000 to take my stage 3, for that I expect the standards of both to be extremely high!

At the end of the day, there will always be an element of personal opinion involved. Lets not forget that nerves also play a huge part and could cause someone you would normally consider to be well above the standard to fail.
 
There are the ABRS (ass. of british riding schools) qualifications, but I don't know if they are as internationally recognised as the BHS ones.

There are also all manner of NVQs, degrees etc. these days!
 
This is exactly why I think the exams are a load of BS! As I have seen a few who must have passed them - to become instructors - and have some pretty crappy riding. Lots of kicking, tugging and smacking!


My instructor is an ABRS instructor, and although he can be weird some times (but that is just him!) I rate him over the majority of BHS ones I have had. In the space of 4 months he took me from crying at the thought of jumping to doing a 3ft double downhill in the rain. And eventually persuaded me to tackle 4ft - which I did and will never do again haha.

I think that considering as someone has said, someone doing dressage squad failed then they do need a big overhaul. Not everyone who will reach is an excellent rider - some are fab on the ground, not in the saddle. But even though they need to have a basic level of riding , they need to either reasses what that is, or current instructors need to up their game.
This is what happens when they make a square box and everyone has to conform - - not everyone will be an exact fit, but they are still fit for purpose!
 
The way I look at it is, when you do say your maths O level at school having the correct answer is not enough you have to have the workings out to gain top marks, the same goes for BHS exams, just because you can ride it you need to explain why you are doing it, just because you can ride a dressage horse to x level does not mean you can explain the reasons you are doing it. You need to be able to explain why you are riding the horse the way you are and what you hope to achieve, not just show it. I know many top competition riders that can not teach as they cannot explain themselves, I know many people that are ok riders that as teacher excel in explaining themselves.

The same goes with teachers in schools you dont have to be the best to teach your subject, you have to be able to explain what you want to achieve and how to achieve it. You also need to be able to re think the way you teach each student and horse very quickly with different people and horses, use a slightly different method or different terminology depending on what you have in front of you at the time.

Not everyone rides a hot WB dressage horse and some dressage riders cannot get a tune out of a cob, the BHS looks at it for what stage you are at you should be able to achieve the same level out of both horses and explain why.

I am not just BHS instructor I am just renewing my BD trainer status (as let it expire for 5 years due to working abroad) and my BS.
 
I do understand the concern many people have with regard to exams and training, especially as the financial costs are so high.

The training of assessors is taken seriously and any complaints are investigated thoroughly. Assessors receive regular newsletters and are constantly reminded of our duty to candidates and our conduct as representatives of the BHS. Instances where there have been failures of assessors to maintain these standards are also relayed to us (without naming names, dates or specific exams) along with a strict warning to ensure this does not happen again. I think it is fair to say the BHS has been aware of the exam system not always having the best reputation in some circles and have strived very hard to change this whilst still maintaining an exam system that represents a high standard of attainment for those who pass. After all an exam that is too easy to pass will soon be deemed as worthless by prospective employers.

Trainers are a much harder area for the BHS to regulate. Approved centres will be inspected with unannounced annual visits and this will provide a snapshot view of that centre which will hopefully reflect normal day to day working there, however it would be impossible in terms of manpower and finance to thoroughly check the training of all levels of client these centres have within each of these visits. These visits also have to check horse welfare, tack and facility maintenance, health and safety procedure and paperwork to name but a few of the areas checked.

Trainers operating out with approved centres unfortunately do not have to be checked at all and there is no requirement for prospective candidates to be trained by a suitable person. Trainers on the BHS Register of Instructors will have attended biannual training days and hold current insurance, first aid and child protection qualifications but may or may not be experienced in preparing candidates for exams. Those who gained qualifications a long time ago may not be aware of the standards currently required in exams if they have not made a concerted effort to keep up to date, unfortunately nothing can be done in these cases, after all I’m sure many of us passed exams at school but years later would struggle to reach the standard required today.

As far as being treated like a piece of dirt at an approved centre – this is obviously totally unacceptable and I assume you voted with your feet itsme123, after all centres will only survive as long as they have clients. Once again the BHS is trying hard to move with the times and the introduction of the UKCC is an attempt to offer an additional qualifications focussing on coaching techniques and sports psychology which should raise the standard of trainers.

My advice (for what it's worth) to any prospective candidates is to ensure your trainer is suitably experienced and competent to help you achieve the standard required for these exams. Ride a wide variety of horses in different situations and it certainly does no harm to be assessed by more than one trainer prior to applying to sit the exam. However do remember things can go wrong “on the day”, nerves can play a big part and influence your performance and if sadly you fail to come up to standard although disappointed try to learn from the experience. Anyone who does fail will be sent a written report highlighting areas of weakness so train further and come back more competent and gain a qualification to be proud of.
 
EM. One problem I possibly put my experience down to, I don't know if you'd agree, is that instructors at riding schools (i'm talking qualified ones, who would be training people for exams) do not have to be on the register of instructors as they are covered my the RS insurance and therefore may well not be up to date with what it takes to pass the exams or current training techniques.

May be something that should change?

The place I took mine had only just started training and running Stage 3 at the time. These places with poor exam pass rates will suffer from them. People will vote with their feet.
 
Eventing Mum, thanks for your useful and interesting replies! I'm considering doing my BHS exams (more for personal acheivement than as part of my career plan) so it is interesting to hear what is happening.

You have touched on an area that is a pet peeve of mine and that is the standards of instructors and being able to check the qualification and level of instructors and trainers, obviously if you are training for exams this is really important.

I personally think it is high time that all instructors were listed in someway on the register of instructors alongside their precise qualifications. At present many instructors teaching at riding schools and training centres are not listed and it is difficult to know whether this is simply because they are not required to as full time employees or because they are not actually qualified. In an upgrading of the register of instructors there could be additional information to help people track down instructors who have experience in preparing candidates for exams, in the same way that there is currently information about instructors who are also BD accredited coaches.

I think it is important that the public are able to check up on those holding themselves out as instructors and coaches and the more information the public are able to access the more they will be able to make informed choices. This will favour the instructors who take their professional development seriously and will encourage instructors to continue with BHS exams and qualifications.
 
galaxy23 said:
EM. One problem I possibly put my experience down to, I don't know if you'd agree, is that instructors at riding schools (i'm talking qualified ones, who would be training people for exams) do not have to be on the register of instructors as they are covered my the RS insurance and therefore may well not be up to date with what it takes to pass the exams or current training techniques.

May be something that should change?

The place I took mine had only just started training and running Stage 3 at the time. These places with poor exam pass rates will suffer from them. People will vote with their feet.
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Agree 100% it is so easy for a riding school (even a good one) to assign you an instructor who has lapsed in their training, or who is a trainee and you have no way of checking. When you are an experienced rider you can assess your instructor (in fact our old YM often asked our group what we think of new and/or trainee instructors for this reason) and then vote with your feet but this is very difficult for novices and children with non-horsey parents.

The BHS system would only be strengthened if it was easier to check the level of qualification of the person teaching you.
 
Expectantly the assessors ( who were actually referred to as examiners at the exam) will try and fight their corner and try to persuade us all the good old BHS way is the best, try telling the French, Germans and Dutch that, the ones ive spoken to think the BHS is crap.

With the amount of people feeling that the BHS is unfair and biased towards candidates (ie older ones who might darn well be a bit stiff) It needs to get its big head out the sand and sort itsalf out before it loses all credibility.

Riders these days dont want to be talked down to and made to feel inadequate by a bunch of old fashioned has beens with a power rush.

I am angry with the BHS because so many people have spoken to me about how their confidence was shattered by the BHS. How dare they do that to people.

Also why isnt there government funding for the BHS but there is for NVQ is it that they realise the BHS aint worth funding?
 
Surely if the BHS assesors decline to pass 75% of candidates put forward by a particular training establishment this should ring alarm bells. If the BHS is serious about raising it's standards any establishment which has such a poor pass rate, should be subject to greater scrutiny and in a similar manner to schools, social service departmets, etc. and should be put in 'special measures' until they attain a standard suitable to train and have their accreditation removed if they do not make the grade.
 
yorksG said:
Surely if the BHS assesors decline to pass 75% of candidates put forward by a particular training establishment this should ring alarm bells. If the BHS is serious about raising it's standards any establishment which has such a poor pass rate, should be subject to greater scrutiny and in a similar manner to schools, social service departmets, etc. and should be put in 'special measures' until they attain a standard suitable to train and have their accreditation removed if they do not make the grade.
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The centre holding the exam will have candidates coming from every where to take the exam, they will not of necessarily trained at that centre so the centre cant be blamed.

However you are right when you say these centres who send candidates on the exam that theyve trained and they still fail should be scrutinised.

Some centres are using unqualified instructors to train BHS candidates.

However many candidates book an exam then go to the centre and say "sort me out" but not giving the centre enough time to train them correctly.
 
Galaxy23 – yes I agree there is a possibility that riding school instructors may not be on the Register of Instructors or current in terms of the requirements of exams.

Katt – the Register of Instructors is available on the BHS website and each person listed on it has details of their qualifications shown. However it is the choice of each instructor to decide whether they wish to be registered and fulfil the conditions required to enable them to be listed, obviously this requires them to pay a fee (reduced for those working solely at an approved centre and covered under the centre’s insurance).

In both these instances I’m sure a reputable instructor or centre would have no hesitation in confirming the qualifications and experience of their staff. I don’t think it would be frowned upon to ask – I for one would certainly not be offended after all you are paying for a service provided and wish to spend your money wisely!

Those training for exams can look to Where to Train Centres. These establishments undergo an additional, more rigorous inspection. This makes sure that their instructors can train students to the standard that the centre is recognised for, and that horses at the centre are trained to a suitable standard for the work required of candidates at that level. Instructors at Where to Train establishments must be registered and are required to stay up to date with current standards by attending seminars and conferences. They must also be qualified to the level above that to which the centre is approved to train

Yaddowshad – talking down to people is not the way many BHS assessors or instructors behave and it is indeed unfortunate you have encountered this but please don’t tar us all with the same brush. That is a bit like saying all doctors/lawyers or any other group of professional people are rude – we are all individuals with our own personalities – I would bet we all had some teachers at school we got on with and felt could teach better than others – that is human nature. I certainly like to think I try to build a good rapport with my pupils and they go away from lessons happy regardless of their level of ability. However there does seem to be an increasing trend towards people not being able to take criticism in any form, constructive or otherwise and I struggle to see how such individuals can move forward, learn and improve. I would go further and suggest the people you have spoken to have not had their confidence shattered by the BHS but by individuals who happen to have BHS qualifications. It is unfortunate that you have such a negative view of the BHS but fortunately not everyone shares this view point and the system does have many supporters. The image you paint of old fashioned has beens is certainly not applicable to many people I have encountered and I hope not to myself, however do bear in mind gaining experience and competence takes time so many worthwhile instructors may be the wrong side of 21!

yorksG - there is no requirement for candidates to be trained by an instructor/trainer with particular qualifications or at a particular centre. The assessors will not have any knowledge of who trained the candidates they are assessing either so there will certainly be no bias towards or against candidates from a particular trainer or centre. The Where to Train Centres are certainly an attempt by the BHS to ensure suitable training is available to those looking for it.
 
yorksG said:
Surely if the BHS assesors decline to pass 75% of candidates put forward by a particular training establishment this should ring alarm bells. If the BHS is serious about raising it's standards any establishment which has such a poor pass rate, should be subject to greater scrutiny and in a similar manner to schools, social service departmets, etc. and should be put in 'special measures' until they attain a standard suitable to train and have their accreditation removed if they do not make the grade.
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I think the problem is that you don't have to be put forward by a training establishment. You can't really compare the BHS exams to a school, it is more like the driving test, in that anyone can apply (providing they have passed the previous stage) and can do the exam wherever they choose.

So a driving test centre may have a particularly high failure rate and that may indicate a problem, like the examiner in Nottingham who was investigated years ago for failing 100% of all young men taking their test for the first time :eek: but equally it may also be an issue outside their control, like having a disproportionately high number of candidates who haven't had professional training, or for whom english isn't a first language or who have literacy problems or whatever.

The exam centre doesn't actually know who is going to be sitting the exam on the day, they just get numbers and height/weight so they can assign horses. That is what the YO of the exam centre I have my lessons at told me when I spoke to her about it. They cannot say to someone that they aren't ready to take the exam as the candidates simply send their form and money to the BHS.
 
Weezy said:
This is the reason why I think BHS stages are not worth the paper they are written on, sorry if that offends anyone! The whole BHS needs an overhaul.
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hear hear.
Many years ago a friend failed her Stage 1. She'd recently medalled at the Junior Europeans... truly unbelievable. iirc she was the only one who was failed, and the only one out of the lot of them who could actually ride!

And don't even get me started on some of the things I've seen FBHSs do with/to horses... I know some are exceptional horsemen and -women, but some really aren't. :( :( :(
 
EventingMum said:
Galaxy23 – yes I agree there is a possibility that riding school instructors may not be on the Register of Instructors or current in terms of the requirements of exams.

Katt – the Register of Instructors is available on the BHS website and each person listed on it has details of their qualifications shown. However it is the choice of each instructor to decide whether they wish to be registered and fulfil the conditions required to enable them to be listed, obviously this requires them to pay a fee (reduced for those working solely at an approved centre and covered under the centre’s insurance). In my mind the problem is that it is optional. Personally I think that it should be compulsory to have an entry if you are undertaking any paid teaching, but this could be a limited listing and there could be improved listings including contact details etc for those who wish to pay. I think it is important to be able to check independantly.

In both these instances I’m sure a reputable instructor or centre would have no hesitation in confirming the qualifications and experience of their staff. I don’t think it would be frowned upon to ask – I for one would certainly not be offended after all you are paying for a service provided and wish to spend your money wisely! Ah but how do you know that the person you are dealing with is honest and reputable if you can't check up on them??

Those training for exams can look to Where to Train Centres. These establishments undergo an additional, more rigorous inspection. This makes sure that their instructors can train students to the standard that the centre is recognised for, and that horses at the centre are trained to a suitable standard for the work required of candidates at that level. Instructors at Where to Train establishments must be registered and are required to stay up to date with current standards by attending seminars and conferences. They must also be qualified to the level above that to which the centre is approved to train Where to train centres may still assign client's an unqualified or trainee instructor for a lesson, in fact it is probably more likely because they have students requiring practice. That is fine but it would assist client's to be able to independantly check the qualification of their instructor.

Yaddowshad – talking down to people is not the way many BHS assessors or instructors behave and it is indeed unfortunate you have encountered this but please don’t tar us all with the same brush. That is a bit like saying all doctors/lawyers or any other group of professional people are rude – we are all individuals with our own personalities – I would bet we all had some teachers at school we got on with and felt could teach better than others – that is human nature. I certainly like to think I try to build a good rapport with my pupils and they go away from lessons happy regardless of their level of ability. However there does seem to be an increasing trend towards people not being able to take criticism in any form, constructive or otherwise and I struggle to see how such individuals can move forward, learn and improve. I would go further and suggest the people you have spoken to have not had their confidence shattered by the BHS but by individuals who happen to have BHS qualifications. It is unfortunate that you have such a negative view of the BHS but fortunately not everyone shares this view point and the system does have many supporters. The image you paint of old fashioned has beens is certainly not applicable to many people I have encountered and I hope not to myself, however do bear in mind gaining experience and competence takes time so many worthwhile instructors may be the wrong side of 21! Agree 100%

yorksG - there is no requirement for candidates to be trained by an instructor/trainer with particular qualifications or at a particular centre. The assessors will not have any knowledge of who trained the candidates they are assessing either so there will certainly be no bias towards or against candidates from a particular trainer or centre. The Where to Train Centres are certainly an attempt by the BHS to ensure suitable training is available to those looking for it.That is my understanding too
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Thanks again for an informative post!

But I remain of the view that there needs to be a way of checking up on qualifications. I'm a lawyer, and if we hold a current practising certificate we will be listed (no option) on either the register of solicitors on the SRA website or on the register of legal executives on the ILEX website. If you are not on either you are committing an offence to call yourself a solicitor or legal executive. I use this tool regularly because a surprising number of "professionals" are deliberately vague or misleading about their level of qualification, the good thing is that it gives concrete proof of whether the person is qualified or not. It would be even more useful if it included trainees, so as to differentiate them from people who are simply unqualified.
 
yaddowshad said:
the ones ive spoken to think the BHS is crap.
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With the amount of people feeling that the BHS is unfair and biased towards candidates (ie older ones who might darn well be a bit stiff) It needs to get its big head out the sand and sort itsalf out before it loses all credibility.
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Riders these days dont want to be talked down to and made to feel inadequate by a bunch of old fashioned has beens with a power rush.
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I have no experience of the BHS exam system, so cannot comment upon its failings and attributes. However, I can say that if you want people to take your grievances with the system seriously, you need to learn how to present your case in a professional and unemotional manner! The language used above definitely doesn't do that!!
 
Katt said:
Thanks again for an informative post!

But I remain of the view that there needs to be a way of checking up on qualifications. I'm a lawyer, and if we hold a current practising certificate we will be listed (no option) on either the register of solicitors on the SRA website or on the register of legal executives on the ILEX website. If you are not on either you are committing an offence to call yourself a solicitor or legal executive. I use this tool regularly because a surprising number of "professionals" are deliberately vague or misleading about their level of qualification, the good thing is that it gives concrete proof of whether the person is qualified or not. It would be even more useful if it included trainees, so as to differentiate them from people who are simply unqualified.
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Absolutely agree, as a member of yet a nother profession (social work) where it is an offence to call oneself a 'social worker' if not qualified and who MUST be on the register to practice (our register does say if you are a student or not) I feel the same should be done by the BHS. It may also be worthwhile them insisting on a minimum number of sessions at an accredited training session prior to taking the exam, as part of the overall assessment process.
 
I agree with posters above who say the whole system needs an overhaul, personally I wouldn't consider training with someone because "they have their AI" for me proven results & experience is way more important. IMO the BHS teach people to pass exams not to ride well with feel or any common sense in horse management.

My recent experiences: A qualified AI unable to poultice her horses foot. A qualified AI who on a non riding school horse, ie a real horse that needs riding properly, unable to perform even a basic dressage test or show jumping round. Sorry but the list goes on & on.

IME BHS instructors are old fashioned & patronising, concentrating always on the negative. For me, accredited coaches with competition experience every time. Apologies to all the good BHS instructors out there, I just haven't found you.
 
Katt – I can see your point of view, unfortunately I think it would be very hard for the BHS to keep track of everyone who has passed their exams and even harder to “police” as unlike your profession there is no legislation in place to enforce a requirement to be listed if you are undertaking paid teaching work. As regards unqualified instructors in riding schools, my insurance company (NFU) requires that all lessons on my yard are supervised by someone with the minimum age of 20 and qualification of BHSAI, whether or not other establishments have the same restriction or adhere to it I don’t know. As regards honesty, I suppose the only way is to ask to see the actual certificates and then presumably a birth certificate or passport to verify who they are – not a realistic solution I accept but surely this sort of problem can arise in many other situations and individuals have to use their own judgement to some extent to satisfy themselves of the integrity of those they are dealing with.
 
I think your own instructors CAN become complacent and therefore expect you to pass.

I passed my stage two, and was one of three out of the whole group. Every one else failed. Yes, many of them weren't great riders but this is a stage 2!!

The horses were not fantastic, many of the candidates were external. In the first part of the flat work, I saw someone else riding a horse and kept thinking 'please god don't let me get that one' it was quite a poor TB mare, looked thoroughly underfed and peed off. I got her for my next ride. The other rider didn;t manage to get her to canter, and I think one of the reasons I passed was that I thought 'I am not failing this for the sake of not getting the poor creature to canter' By god did I have to ride it though, and give her a smack (I apologised to her for that.....)

Also a lot of the people that failed didn;t ride regularly as in daily. Weekend riders and people doing part time college, no horses of their own and not working with horses - I think this really comes across to the examiners.

I did quite a few things 'wrong' but it was plain that at the time I was sole groom to 12 large dressage horses!

And I was the ONLY one who knew how to hold a frong leg to take a shoe off (ie between knees) everyone else was holding with one hand and wielding tools with the other!
 
kizzywiz said:
IME BHS instructors are old fashioned & patronising, concentrating always on the negative. For me, accredited coaches with competition experience every time.
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You can be both :eek: one of my ex instructors is both a BHSI and a BD coach, with competition experience both BD and BE :p she was excellent and I only stopped having lessons with her because she stopped teaching at the yard I ride at. She was neither old fashioned or patronising.

Over the years I've been taught by a variety of instructors with variable levels of experience and qualification and there are good and bad of all types. I think it is well worth seeking out instructors who take their profession seriously enough to have the comitment to go beyond BHSAI though. AIs can be very variable.

Thinking of all of them, I've had at least two instructors who I know to be unqualified, a couple who went the pony club route, a few who have been training, numerous AIs, a few BHSIs, a BHS young instructor of the year runner up, and have had the opportunity to have a lesson with a FBHS a handful of times too.

I can honestly say I found two of them patronising, one of those was non-qualified, and the other trained with and worked for an olympic rider and I haven't a clue what her qualifications were.
 
Totally agree with what TGM just said. EventingMum's posts seem the most balanced and mature ones on this thread - which is ironic for all the criticism aimed at the BHS assessors!

I failed my stage 2 first time round, and although I was a good little rider, I was 17 and immature - twenty four years later I look back and think that I probably came across as immature and that possibly contributed towards my fail. Also I was not given enough proper preparation by my instructor at the time (She herself recognised this, and handed mye over to a BHS centre once a week for some "fine tuning") You have to remember that these are professional exams, and you are meant to be a professional. It just doesn't wash to say you were to shy to answer questions (you weren't ready then) or too stiff due to your age...

As for those folk saying " I regularly jump 1.10 BSJA, so I ought to pass - a large portion of competitors nowadays only get round because mummy and daddy have bought them expensive ponies/horses that do it all for them. Quite a lot of affilated competitors don't look good. Its not about what height you jump, but how you do it! Obviously some people slip through the net, and you wonder why they fail, but many are obvious. Quite a lot of people suffer from stage fright - me included. Personally I think thats my problem, not the BHS's! Nowadays there are so many people who have grown up riding lovely ponies and horses, who then go onto swanky equestrian centres with lovely facilities and can't actually ride that well when they are put on a normal horse. Equine degree students are often worse. Many of them can write wonderful essays, but have never worked on a yard in their lives, and graduate as "experts" in their field. There was a letter from Pammy Hutton or Lucinda Green in last week's horse and hound on this subject that was very interesting. Saying there aren't many practical riders that have learnt the hard way in working pupil positions, and that its a shame.
 
EventingMum said:
Katt – I can see your point of view, unfortunately I think it would be very hard for the BHS to keep track of everyone who has passed their exams and even harder to “police” as unlike your profession there is no legislation in place to enforce a requirement to be listed if you are undertaking paid teaching work. As regards unqualified instructors in riding schools, my insurance company (NFU) requires that all lessons on my yard are supervised by someone with the minimum age of 20 and qualification of BHSAI, whether or not other establishments have the same restriction or adhere to it I don’t know. As regards honesty, I suppose the only way is to ask to see the actual certificates and then presumably a birth certificate or passport to verify who they are – not a realistic solution I accept but surely this sort of problem can arise in many other situations and individuals have to use their own judgement to some extent to satisfy themselves of the integrity of those they are dealing with.
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It should be entirely manageable.

We aren't required to be on the register by law. It is an offence to claim to be a solicitor when you aren't but that has nothing to do with the register.

Basically the SRA/ILEX like the BHS are responsible for issuing the qualification, once you have recieved the qualification you go on the register. Each year you have to renew your membership obtain a fresh practicing certificate and undertake continuing professional development. When you do this you are renewed on the register. If you don't you have lapsed and are recorded as such. If you obtain additional qualifications these are added as required.

There is no reason why something similar couldn't be put in place by the BHS. I certainly think it is important for the itegrety of the profession.
 
I also think that a lot of the problem is that people are taught by AI's Assistant Instructors, the fact that they are assistants is often forgotten. Too many AI's are encouraged to believe themselves competent to teach without ANY supervision. Again other professions are not only expected to have continuing professional development, but to also having regular and continuing supervision, to ensure that their practise remains competent. From what I have seen many AI's reach this qualification and then set up without further supervision.
 
I've got no experience of the actual BHS exam because I declined to take it in the end due to having been undermined week in week out by the training I received at a BHS approved centre. It was, and remains, a well known equine/agricultural college in the North of England but the trainer was abysmal and reduced my confidence to tatters. I am not a great rider but I was only doing my Stage 1 and I kept getting told off for having a contact and riding in an outline :confused: I was told that, at my level of riding, I should have long, loose reins so that I did not 'touch' the horse's mouth.

The instructor singled out one person from the group for special criticism each week and that person was usually reduced to tears. Very humiliating when we were all young adults or older :( When it was my week to be picked on, I refused to cry, and starting laughing instead which seemed to piss off the instructor but made me feel better :D I was still flummoxed though and, when she shouted loudly at me as I was dismounting, I completely forgot to bend my knees on landing and tumbled on my back like some sort of beetle. I still laughed so that she didn't think she'd 'won' :o

Wonder how many other people she's managed to put off riding?
 
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