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Caring for your horse

Enhance your special relationship with horses. Understand the best way to keep them in a healthy condition by developing your grooming skills and knowledge of horse psychology.

  • Last reviewed: 19th July 2022
Caring For Your Horse Caring For Your Horse

Bronze Award
By completing this award, you will Learn:

Behaviour

  • I can describe the horse’s natural behaviours and instincts
  • I can describe a horse’s vision and how thismay affect his behaviour

Stable Care

  • I can list different types of bedding
  • I can skip out a stable and tidy the bed
  • I can clean and refill a water bucket or water drinker

Field Care

  • I can give reasons to support regular turnout
  • I can describe suitable fencing for field boundaries
  • I can carry out routine daily field checks

Rugs

  • I can identify and describe types of rug and their use
  • I can put on and take off a rug

Grooming

  • I can describe the benefits for grooming horses
  • I can explain the use of the items in a grooming kit
  • I can groom a horse
  • I can care for a horse after exercise
Silver Award
By completing this award, you will Learn:

Behaviour

  • I can identify and interpret body language and facial expressions
  • I can describe a horse’s behaviour that may indicate it is not safe to enter a stable

Stable Care

  • I can muck out a stable
  • I can stack a muck heap

Field Care

  • I can describe poisonous plants and trees
  • I know how to provide hay to field kept horses

Rugs

  • I can check the fit of a rug
  • I can explain why a rug should fit correctly

Grooming

  • I can groom a rugged horse
  • I can plait a mane over to encourage it to lie flat
  • I can wash a horse’s tail
  • I can trim a horse’s tail

How to get involved

Horse Explorers 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 Horse Explorers awards with their facilities and horses.  

You can achieve the Horse Explorers 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 Horse Explorers 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.

Riding awards

Introduction To Riding

Introduction to Riding

Last updated: 11th July 2022

Learning to ride is hugely rewarding as you find yourself able to control and guide your horse. We look forward to helping you take your first steps.
BHS Parbold Equestrian Centre 342

Riding fit

Last updated: 3rd July 2023

Learning to ride is hugely rewarding as you find yourself able to build a bond and relationship with your horse as you ride. We look forward to helping you take your first steps.
Riding Flat

Riding flat

Last updated: 19th July 2022

Working through this series of awards will develop your flatwork skills, improve your position and help you ride with confidence. Learning the basics of riding on the flat is essential to any riding discipline.
Riding Jump

Riding jump

Last updated: 11th July 2022

Learning to jump will add more variation to your riding and help to improve your fitness, balance and confidence.

Horse care awards

Introduction To Horse Care

Introduction to Horse Care

Last updated: 11th July 2022

This award focuses on building your knowledge of what horses need to help them stay healthy, comfortable and happy.
BHS SUMMERFIELD JUNE21 1179

Knowing your horse

Last updated: 18th July 2022

This award series focuses on building your understanding of basic horse anatomy, feeding needs and evaluating a horse’s health and condition. You can then use this knowledge to inform how you exercise and care for a horse.
Caring For Your Horse

Caring for your horse

Last updated: 19th July 2022

Through these awards, you will gain essential skills and knowledge around horse care, horse behaviour, stable and field care, using and fitting rugs, and grooming.
BHS Horse Explorers 082

Handling your horse

Last updated: 3rd July 2023

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.
Lungeing Your Horse

Lungeing your horse

Last updated: 18th July 2022

Lungeing will add variation to your horse’s exercise and is a great way to build a trusting relationship with your horse.