BHS stage exams

[Noitsnotteatimeyet]

As dd is now 14, her riding school manager has suggested she takes the BHS stage 1 exam. Is it worthwhile doing these qualifications? The course is quite expensive and would mean she'd be at the stables every Saturday afternoon for two months as well as all day Sunday (she doesn't see that as an issue btw ).

Hi, Pony Cub tests as an alternative. The problem ny club B test is equal to Stage 2.
They are designed to turn you into a riding instructor, Stages 1-4 , then something like 100 hours at PTT, then you are a BHS III instructor (the lowest level.) I took Stages 1&2.as an adult mainly to give me some structure for my learning.
If she is intending to go into the equine field for work, it makes sense. If she just wants to learn a bit more about horses & riding, Pony Club might be better. If she doesn't have her own horse, she can go to a livery yard that has Pony Club Centre status & use school horses. (And can you not tell I am a veteran pony club mum!)

Stages 1-3 plus teaching qual give you the bhs assistant instructor. Add in stage 4 and the intermediate teaching cert and you get the intermediate instructor.

The stage exams are good if you want to work with horses. The PC tests I'm less familiar with.

Thanks - at the moment she wants to be an equine vet (but as she's only 14 I'm fully prepared for her to change her mind). They do pony club tests at the stables as well but it tends to be the younger riders taking them, the older helpers like dd all do the BHS stages.

Personally I think any qualification is good in the equine industry, it shows willingness to progress, dedication etc (mostly)
I would say though that slot of yard jobs rely on experience rather than quals although I think this may be changing (been out of the industry 10 or so years)
I did my stages 1,2 riding and road safety, btec ND in equine management and took (and failed) my PTT - I now work as a shca for the district nurses
I think it would set her up well as you learn some anatomy and movement etc
Can't hurt for her to look into it

If she wants to be a vet it's not necessary, but it's also good in her application for vets school to show she has a good basic knowledge of horse care and a recognised exam under her belt..