Knowing your horse

By completing this award you will find out:

Identification

• I can describe horses using:
  a) colour
  b) face markings
  c) leg markings
  d) gender

Anatomy

• I can identify points of the horse
• I can identify parts of the foot

Health

• I can list signs of good and poor health
• I can carry out routine daily health checks
• I can recognise when and why a horse requires shoeing or
  trimming
• I can describe how to reduce the risk of disease on a yard

Feeding

• I can list the rules of feeding
• I can recognise hay and haylage
• I can describe methods to provide hay or haylage to a horse
• I can describe how to soak hay
• I can identify methods to provide water in the stable 

Fittening

• I can describe why a ridden horse should be fit
• I can describe signs that may indicate a horse is not fit

By completing this award you will find out:

Identification

• I can recognise common breeds of horses
• I can measure the height of horses

Anatomy

• I know the location of the:
  a) heart
  b) lungs
  c) kidneys
  d) stomach
  
• I can describe the function of the digestive system

Health

• I can list a horse’s basic welfare needs
• I know the normal parameters, at rest, for:
  a) respiration
  b) pulse
  c) temperature
• I can take a horse’s respiration rate, pulse andtemperature
• I know how to maintain a horse’s health to include:
  a) teeth
  b) worming
  c) biosecurity away from the yard
  d) basic wound management

Feeding

• I can identify common feeds
• I know how to prepare sugar beet
• I can prepare and give bucket feeds
• I can describe good quality feed and forage

Fittening

• I can give reasons for warming up and cooling down
• I know how to warm up and cool down a horse
• I can describe different types of work to improve the fitness of a horse

By completing this award you will find out:

Identification

• I can list the information recorded in a horse’s passport
• I can describe three methods for identifying horses

Anatomy

• I know the location of major bones
  a) scapula
  b) spine
  c) cannon
  d) femur
  e) humerus

Health

• I know the signs of colic
• I know the signs of lameness
• I can put on a pair of stable bandages
• I can describe the appearance of a horse that is:
  a) underweight
  b) overweight
  c) healthy weight
• I can weigh a horse
• I can describe biosecurity procedures on a yard

Feeding

• I can calculate the amount of forage to feed a horse for
  maintenance
• I can identify three ingredients that can be found in a mix or
  cube

Fitness

• I can outline the stages of a nine week fittening
  programme
• I can list some factors that may vary a fitness programme

By completing this award you will find out:

• I know how many teeth an adult horse has
• I can name three types of teeth
• I can demonstrate how to look at a horse’s teeth
• I can name the bones in the lower leg
• I can describe the function of the flexor and extensor tendons
• I can name and describe the signs of five common illnesses
• I can list the six essential nutrients
• I can list the three work levels
• I can explain what interval training is and give an example of how to use it

Courses are delivered by an Accredited Professional Coach. Your coach can come to your livery yard or British Riding Club grounds. 

Find a BHS Accredited Professional

Or you’re not sure if they would be suitable, don’t worry. There are BHS Approved Riding Centres throughout the UK that deliver challenge awards with their facilities and horses.  

You can achieve the challenge awards at your local Approved Centre where they will match you to a horse to ensure your lessons are suitable to your experience. 

Find a BHS Approved Centre