BHS HELP PLZ!!!

plcgirl

Well i am currently taking a year out after school before heading off to college and i was thinking about taking my BHS Stage 1 exam next March!!...
I have my own 3 year old horse which i train myself at home, so i feel i have a good standard of riding, but have to brush up on some things like perfecting my transisitions and diagonals and i have a fair knowledge on the theory bt like the riding i will need to brush up on.

I was wondering does anyone think its possible to learn it all by march, if i get some help from my local riding school....as i have plenty of time to do it!!

Any advice will help:)

convert

If you get a good instructor and are willing to put in the work, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to improve your riding enough to pass the BHS Stage 1 exam in March.

Brushing up on your riding is very different to learning from scratch, so once you're willing to be very disciplined with your riding when at home (believe me, it's very different when working on something at home when there's nobody there to point out what you're doing wrong) then I shouldn't think it would be a problem. It's amazing how quickly you can improve certain aspects of your riding when you work on it and have somebody you can go to once a week to help you fine tune things.

Ave Sodalis

You said that your horse is three? Unless you are confident in your horse's abilities, I would suggest borrowing an older horse for the exam. I'm just saying this because I had a friend who had a four year old who messed about on the day of the exam due to his youth, and she ended up failing it trying to keep the horse under control.

You should be able to learn it all by March. As convert said, with a good instructor you should brush up on your riding skills by then.

extratime

Well you don't use your own horse for the exam anyway. Horses are supplied by the exam centre.

It should be easily possible to be ready by March. Good luck with it.

1c1a

Did it myself a few years back and bhs 1 is not too difficult, when I did it you could print what you would be examined on off the bhs website and don't worry you should be ready. Fas run a course where they will take you right through the ranks so might be worth having a look at that course. Best of luck, I didnt go any further than level 2 and am completely sickened I didnt finish it!!!

plcgirl

thanks a mill all!!...i spoke to my instructor today about it and she said that i can start taking extra lessons out there (lunge lessons and theory ones) just to get it all covered!!
i totally agree that its so easy to get bad habits if i ride by myself, bt i intend on putting 110% into it!!
just wondering if theres any specific points that examiners look for....and any thing i should be aware of!!
Oh ya...i wasnt intending on using my own horse but was just saying i have a good experience with using horses.....thanks everyone for the advice!!:)

Cherry Blossom

Stage one is really all about balance and safety, safety, safety. The most common things people fail on is getting too close to other horses, incorrect stirrup length and mounting believe it or not. Your riding is assessed in walk and trot with and without stirrups, in canter with stirrups, and some light seat work over ground poles. You'll ride 2 different horses in the exam. Keep your ears open is the best tip I can give for the riding and try to relax as much as possible, just treat it like a lesson!

The care side is basically following strict procedure, tie up the horse first thing you do when entering the stable and never have the horse loose at any stage when tacking up (keep one hand on it if not tied at any point, don't leave the head collar round its neck either. Takes a bit of practice on the care side doing a load of crap you wouldn't normally do, so it's best to contact one of the exam centers and ask if they can run through the care end of it a few times (they will charge you for this of course :rolleyes:) Another thing you can do is offer to work in exchange for instruction for the exam (most exam centres are happy to do this)

You'll also have to lead up a horse for examination in walk and trot so practice that as well.

The theory is pretty straight forward once you know what the topics are.

I'd recommend you get this book - Stage One Riding & Stable Management by Hazel Reed, everything you need to know is in it with all the safety procedures outlined in it.

The exams are booked up way in advance so if you haven't booked it, do so immediately, you'll have to register as a BHS member first if you aren't one already.

You can't use your own horse even if you wanted to, Stage 1 horses are all seasoned schoolies