BHS stage 4

[RachelEvent]

I have, probably stupidly, decided to take my BHS stage 4 this summer - at the end of August.

Since it's generally intended to be a professional level exam, I'm a little bit concerned that the fact I ride once or twice a week and no longer compete isn't exactly the best preparation! My instructors where I train, when I was last there for a 'fun' week in november, suggested that I take the exam, but I'm concerned that I just don't have enough time around horses to appear the professional and experienced horseperson that the exam expects...

To those of you who have taken or train people to this level - I'd love to hear more about the exam, standards expected, your experiences etc. It is all most appreciated!

[eml]

The care part is fairly easy. (not much harder than Stage 3 as long as you have real hands on practice particularly in the breeding section)

The main issue with the riding is to really get in enough practice on a wide variety of horses (not easy as real Stage 4 horses are thin on the ground) and choose the centre carefully. They do vary very much in type of horses and standards of challenge particularly in the XC.

[RachelEvent]

Unfortunately I've no knowledge at all on the breeding front. The veterinary section can also be a worry since i've had the fortune of owning a particularly healthy horse! I read as much material as I can get my hands on, and fortunately seem to have a very good memory for factual information. I'm more than happy to reel off plenty - found stage 3 care a whizz, so hopefully this won't be too much more to add.

I will take the test at the centre where I have trained - it's well known to be a good centre, and their horses are all well schooled. My worry in the riding is in the showjumping phase - it's most definitely my weak spot. I get to go to my RS every few months and have a jump, where the stage 3/4 level horses are plentiful - but my couple of dabbles with riding anywhere else have been futile so far - it always shocks me how few schools can provide just ONE horse who could say do a flying change with correct aids and pop round a 3'3 course.

XC isn't too much of a worry - I have evented at Novice and know there won't be any questions of that level on this XC course.

Am now wondering If I should try to find somewhere else for a long weekend of training, just so as to get to sit on a few different horses?

I am exercising and schooling one horse who is a true S4 horse on the flat at the moment - he is actually quite a test for me - mentally very sharp and requires a new exercise every thirty seconds, else he starts spooking at this and that with boredom!

It's still not the same as being out there competing every weekend, and I can't help feeling a bit worried about this... and the total lack of opportunity to be doing this...

I guess in one respect, failing wouldn't be such a bad thing, since If I do pass, I've no idea what kind of goal I could even aim for next :o eml.. where is there to go after Stg4 for someone who doesn't have the time to do any teaching??

[eml]

Stable managers ..really interesting to work for even though I messed up the exam...silly at about £250 a go :o

[lj81]

hi, good luck for the exam, where are you taking it? i passed this exam a couple of years ago at huntely (riding) and berriewood (care) and my advice for the care was study the Examinations Handbook questions, they used this heavily for the questions. For the rest, use your common sense. be good and practical with your skills, tacking up for competition and bandaging. know your stuff on conformation, its a big part. fitness and nutrition can be quite technical. read your books, get some training, you'll be fine. for the riding, i didn't get any tricky horses. they were capable with quirks that could be worked on. i didn't do anything fancy-dancy for the flatwork, just assessed the horses, worked along the lines of the scales of training, did a little lateral, the time FLIES. the jumping was straightforward, warm up over a fence, jump a round (course had a distance including a "half stride" and a dog leg), and then off round the xc. lunging was straightforward.
you have a achieved a certain level by this exam and the examiners treat you with respect, be confident about what you would do, but be receptive rather than strongly argue against others ideas (as long as they aren't clearly dangerous!). many roads lead to rome. i think attitude counts for a lot. be professional and passionate about the work and the horses, this comes across and counts i'm sure.
i would recommend trying to get extra riding in a few weeks before your exam, just to be fit enough. go for a training day or two. i went to huntley for a couple of mornings and was really helpful (even tho i had to set off at 5am to get there for 9.30am!!)

[RachelEvent]

hi lj81,

thanks for the advice - it's good to know that you didn't find it too much of a struggle :)

I too am training (and taking) the exam at huntley, even though it's a 3 hour drive. I did a weeks training there before my stage 3 (took at hartpury though) and found it fantastic, have done a weeks training since, and managed to fit in the odd lesson. Will have another two weeks intensive before I sit the exam! Hopefully enough for carole and jude to sort me out...

My concern is more in the SJ than anything else - out of interest, how full-up was the course in height, and how many fences?

[eml]

Oh is Carol Broad still at Huntley?

[RachelEvent]

oh yes, carole is still there, terrifying generations of students ;)

actually, I find her absolutely lovely, so long as you are making an effort in lessons. I have seen her lose her rag, but it was well justified. Mum has lessons with her too. We both prefer lessons with Carole to any of the well-known establishments in the area...

Jude is a great teacher also, and Suzie is doing a fantastic job teaching my boyfriend too. What initially stunned me about the place is that carole and jude both happily let able students ride their own dressage horses in lessons - not as a special treat, but as a matter of course...

the trouble is that it is 3 hours away down the M4. Now if only they'd relocate to essex, I'd be very happy.

[lj81]

Hi,

No no no, I'm 3 hours in the opposite direction so that would make them 6 hours from me!

Anyways, the show jumping. I took the exam in April and the show jumping was in the outdoor arena. There was probably around 9 fences. Made up from a blue/white plastic jump set with lots of fillers which a lot of the horses had a good luck at and there was a fair few stops. One of the girls had a tape measure and measured 2 of the fences at above the height at the time we walked it (2 at 3.9), I don't know if they got dropped, but the show jumps are definitely well up to height with a good few at max because the XC is so straight forward.
The examiners I had at Huntley were lovely btw.

[teach1]

this is a very useful thread - thanks guys. Im hoping to take my stage four this year also, but struggling to find some training in my area. I've just looked up a stage four care standard setting day at bishop in the next couple of weeks which I think will be worth going to. But what I'd really like to do is to spend some time at different yards to be able to work a variety of different horses. On our yard we have two novice eventers and an advanced dressage horse, but I need to ride more different horses at these levels.

Can anyone help?

[eml]

You do have to travel!

We are lucky that we have two centres about 1 hour away with real Stage 4 horses. I can only think of about 10 in the UK worth going to at this or higher levels, none of which anywhere near Lincolnshire.

Pm me if you want to know which we have tried!

[BBHRI]

I am going to train for the STAGE 4 in Ingestre Stables, Staffordshire in may for 16 weeks. I am also doing the exam there in September. Does anyone know what the training is like up to STAGE 4 level there I have heard mixed reports.

BrendanBerginHRI@gmail.com

[eml]

It is our favourite! There are a big variety of horses and they go out competing regularly. The teaching is great. They provide a lot of horses for the 'I' exam

[BBHRI]

Thanks for that "elm" have had a few worrying reports but that puts me more at ease!!!

[R-D]

Am also planning on doing Stage 4 this year, was going to go up to gleneagles as the timing of it all is hectic as have young family. Am competing 1.05 BSJA, riding novice dressage tests (competing) BUT DO NOT DO XC!!!! Ha, ha. SO am going to dust off the back protector and go for some clinics on my own horse to get me going again.

The care section bothers me a bit on the breeding side but as you all advise if I read up and maybe spend a bit of time with people who are in the know I'll be OK??? Assurance required!!!!!!