What's covered in the unit?
Horses may be young, green or sharp and you will be expected to analyse the scales of training and provide in-depth explanations, analysis and solutions on training horses.
This unit will assess your knowledge and practical experience in understanding a horse’s performance, your ability to discuss both good and bad performance and suggest schooling methods for improvement.
On completion of the unit, you will:
- Understand the training of horses from birth to riding away and further to competition at Elementary level
- Understand how to train horses to show jump to 1.10m and novice horse trials
- Be able to prepare for, ride and assess horses to develop their way of going, including:
- Inexperienced horses
- Trained horses up to Elementary level to develop their way of going
- Trained horses over a course of show jumps up to 1.10 metres/3 feet 7 inches
- Trained horses over a cross country course up to 1 metre/3 feet 3 inches
Unit 4: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Eventing includes riding all phases of eventing; dressage, show jumping and cross country. We are pleased to offer dressage or show jumping only routes for those that are discipline specific riders and/or coaches.
- Unit 5: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Dressage will develop your flatwork and support a career as a dressage rider and trainer
- Unit 6: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Show Jumping will develop your jump work and support a career within show jumping
What will you be assessed on?
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- Understand the training of young horses
- Be able to ride safely
- Understand how to progress the training of a dressage horse
- Understand how to progress the training of a show jumping horse
- Be able to ride a trained horse in a double bridle with a view to developing its way of going
- Be able to ride an inexperienced dressage horse with a view to developing its way of going
- Be able to ride an experienced horse over show jumps up to 1.10m (3ft 7ins) with a view to developing its way of going
- Be able to ride a horse cross country over fences up to 1m (3ft 3ins) with a view to developing its way of going
To review the learning outcomes in more detail: download the qualification specification.
Please note, on the assessment criteria document, learning outcomes 3, 5, 6, and 8 are not applicable for this unit.
How will you be assessed?
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Up to a four-hour criteria-based assessment.
Entry requirements
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- A minimum age of 18 years
- BHS Stage 3 Ride (Dressage and Jumping) or BHSQ/BHS equivalent
- BHS Gold membership – Membership discounts apply for learners who are training for or taking BHS qualifications
- International students should be either International Full or International E-Members.
Re-sitting your assessment
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If you have been unsuccessful on your first assessment, we encourage you to call us to book a re-sit. Your feedback sheet will detail which learning outcomes you will need to resit. If you are unsuccessful in a ‘viva’ on the assessment day you will be required to retake the relevant learning outcome in its entirety with a BHS assessor. This can be via a video call.
Skills record
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Supporting you at every stage, your Skills Record allows you to record your achievements and progression through your career, with pre-assessment sign off criteria and trainer endorsements required for career pathways.
Pre-assessment criteria and trainer endorsement for this assessment include:
- Ready for assessment form completed - compulsory
- LO1 Trainer Endorsement - compulsory
- LO3 Trainer Endorsement - compulsory
- LO4 Trainer Endorsement - compulsory
Stage 4 Trainer Endorsement (via Skills Record)
You are asked to complete a Skills Record where your trainer confirms, for a range of learning outcomes listed above, you have achieved the standards required for the unit (Trainer Endorsement). The sign off of these learning outcomes is quality assured by the assessor through professional discussion (viva) with you on the assessment day.
Your Skills Record must be signed off by the relevant Accredited Professional to complete your assessment. If you do not have your Skills Record signed, you will not be able to undertake any part of the assessment.
The Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Eventing section within the Skills Record must be signed off by a BHS Accredited Professional who holds the Performance Ride (Eventing or Show Jumping) or Senior Equitation qualification with a BHS coaching or Ride Leader award who has undertaken BHS Stage 4 Trainer training. Please check with your trainer and if they need further support ask them to call the BHS on 02476 840508.
Awarding body
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BHS Qualifications (BHSQ) is an awarding organisation recognised and regulated by the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England, SQA Accreditation in Scotland, Qualifications Wales (QW) and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland. BHSQ works in partnership with a variety of organisations to develop and award qualifications for the equestrian industry. This ensures BHSQ qualifications are fit for purpose for the sector.
As the awarding organisation, BHSQ is responsible for the processes through which learners seek and obtain certification for their achievements. BHSQ is responsible for verifying that assessment practice in approved centres is conducted systematically, effectively, securely and to national standards specified within the qualification.
The British Horse Society (BHS) is approved as a centre to deliver qualifications regulated by BHSQ. BHSQ and the BHS developed these qualifications in line with feedback received from extensive industry consultation.
Learners taking BHSQ Level 4 qualifications will either be seeking employment at management level or will already be employed in the industry with a desire to progress their career by advancing their skill and knowledge. It is essential that these qualifications meet the needs of employers and learners. To satisfy these requirements, the qualifications have been developed in collaboration with employers, colleges, coaches, students, and expert groups.
