Has anyone done BHS Stages 1 & 2?

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Anvil83

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May 1, 2007
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I was just wondering what it's like studying at a college for the BHS courses? E.g. what the timetable is like? Also what did you wear, sorry silly question :eek: It's just I have 2 pair of boots, 1 pair that I prefer for mucking out in & the other for riding, but will I have enough time to change into them for the riding part? I was told that we'd have to be quick tacking up our horse ready for the lesson so this comment has lead me to believe that there won't be enough time to change boots. Should I wear something that I can wear all day?
 
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I never had any official training for my Stage 1, I just prepared myself for it, which was fine. I did have a change of boots that I took, like you I like to wear yard boots most of the time. However, during the exam you don't really do much walking around, and don't even have to muck out a whole stable. So wearing long boots and hacking jacket throughout the exam was fine. Hope that answers your question, anything else you would like to know, let me know.
 
Im putting in for my stage one for november ish, absolutely pooing it. What sort of thing should i wear? The BHS website says hacking jacket or v neck jumper will be ok, but i dontwant to be the only one in a jumper or anything, need to blend in, not stand out!

Also, what is the exam like, i was told its done as a group? Any details form anyone are greatly appreciated :)
 
Marmite, I wore a hacking jacket, but took a jumper. In the end I just wore my jacket for the whole thing - probably something to do with my incredibly unflattering jods! All the people in my group wore jackets too.

For details of the exam day, if you look at my blog in my link, around March/April time, then there is a full run down there of what happened!:D
 
For turnout just think Pony Club or a showing class. Beige jods, long boots, gloves, shirt and tie, hacking jacket for riding, jumper for the stable management bit if you want. Thats what we were told by the centre that examiners like to see. Everyone dressed like that when I took them. There were some funny sights as a lot of people had borrowed gear for the exam, one of my friends couldn't breath in the 2 sizes too small hacking jacket she was wearing.

Stage One I think the riding was done in small groups but the stable management was individual. I think for questions they did groups i.e. on points of a horse went round the group pointing to different bits and asking us to name them.
 
Do what YOU have to do to make yourself and the environment around you safe! If you want to change, you change, if they cannot make an exam day go smoothly without rushing then they are not providing proper exam conditions! Rushing and being "quick" causes accidents.
 
In the exam we had a short break before riding enough time to change, the horses were already tacked up, we did the tacking up in the care part.
 
Anvil - sorry I can't comment on how things go on a college course but I'd imagine that you would have time to change your boots on a regular day - you have time to change on the day of the exam.

Marmite - for my exam I wore my long boots all day (as someone else said, you don't walk about much) and I wore my jumper for the stable management cos it's easier to move around - I wasn't the odd one out!
 
I just prepared myself for my stage 1 as well. we had lots of people sitting the exam that day so the whole thing was done in groups apart from the grooming, tail bandaging and rug removal/putting back on where we had a horse each to do it on. They do fire questions at you specifically though even if you're in a group. We didn't have to tack up our own horses for the ridden.

I wore my hacking jacket and long boots all day and was fine, there isn't really much walking to do as most yards have exercises and assesment areas set up around the yard already. Do remember to wear smart gloves for riding and bring a short crop with you, the ponies you will get are likely to be a little steady so when you take lead file you may need it. There are length restrictions though so make sure it is a crop!

You'll be absolutely fine, it's not difficult, just make sure you have memorised your feeding formula as they may ask you to provide a feed regime for a particular type of horse
 
Thanks everyone for your replies :)

Hi Marmite, I should be doing the BHS 1 exam in November too, all depends how I am doing as to whether I am ready to enter for this exam or not.

The college gets you to do the 2 stages in 1 year, is that possible for someone who's so new to horse care & riding?
 
It's definately possible to do Stage 1 and Stage 2 in a year. Riding school working pupil schemes aim to get you to BHSAI from scratch in a year!
 
I was advised to wear white shirt and black tie,cream jods ,tweed hacking jacket,and long black boots,gloves, hair in a net and riding hat.
alot of people turned up in a jumper and werent allowed to sit the riding exam so were borrowing hacking jackets of others who had them.
 
Anvil83 said:
Oh my gosh, BHSAI from scratch in 1 year!
Click to expand...

If you can already ride that's no big deal, just getting in teaching experience. If you were novicey but learn quickly (and have opportunity to get experience on all sorts of horses) it's also not really a big deal.
 
Did Stage 1 and 2 off my own bat.

Did get asked why I was doing Stage 2 by one of the instructors at the centre who knew me, he hadn't realised I hadn't done them and was used to seeing me compete at a way higher level.

Never got round to doing the 3 due to time constraints by the time I did have time my back wouldn't take the jumping. Could probably have got through the actual exam but the practice beforehand would have crippled me.
 
Would you get marked down for wearing a body protector during a stage 1 exam? Also, do you have to mount from the floor? I can't even get on a 14.2 pony from the floor so would have absoluately no hope on a horse!
 
Hi,
Usually the exams will be seperated into groups of candidates. There will be a time table showing you what section your group will be doing and at what time. You need your proper gear for the riding but are entitled to change for your practical exams you can change footwear and change your jacket for a sweatshirt or add a jacket if its cold (was freezing at my last exam!). There will usually be a few minutes between each section.
They will ask you questions as a group in your theory/oral. In your practical you will be asked questions in a group and also given a horse to work on and perform certain tasks. Just make sure you go through the syllabus before the exam and cover all topics when you study and you will be fine.
 
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