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  • Challenge Awards
  • Horse Care

Handling your horse

These awards focus on developing your skills and knowledge to be able to enjoy your time on the yard being conscious of your safety and that of others on the yard too.

  • Last reviewed: 28th July 2022
Handling Your Horse Handling Your Horse

You will gain confidence working around, handling and leading horses in various situations. You will be familiar tacking up with various items of tack and equipment whilst considering the comfort of your horse.

Bronze Award

You will find out about:
  • How to work safely on a yard
  • How your behaviour or actions could affect your horse
  • How to put a headcollar on and tie up your horse
  • How to lead your horse
  • How to clean your tack

Silver Award

You will learn about:
  • The fire and accident procedures in place at your yard
  • How to hold your horse for treatment and trot up for inspection
  • How to turn out and catch your horse in a field
  • How to check your tack fits comfortably
  • Why and how to use brushing boots and overreach boots

Gold Award

You will improve your confidence working on the yard and around horses and be able to adopt a calm and considerate approach to the tasks that you carry out.
You will learn about: 
  • How to carry out a risk assessment
  • Safety considerations and checks before travelling horses
  • Loading and unloading a horse
  • Different types of nosebands and martingales

Platinum Award

You will learn about:
  • When you may need to restrain a horse and how to do this
  • Families of bits
  • How to put on schooling bandages
  • Different types of boots
  • Studs

How to get involved

Challenge awards are open to anyone who would like to improve their horse knowledge or skills; you do not have to be a BHS member to take part.

If you have your own horse

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

If you do not own your own horse

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

Get in touch

If you want to learn more about the Challenge Awards or if you have any questions, please complete our enquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch with you shortly.

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