What's covered in the unit?
Horses may be young, green or sharp and you will be expected to analyse the Training Scale 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
- Understand how to train horses for dressage from Intro to Elementary
- Be able to prepare for, ride and assess horses to develop their way of going, including:
- Inexperienced dressage horses
- Trained dressage horses in a double bridle
- Horses used to train others
Unit 5: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Dressage is designed for riders who want to focus on dressage and is included in the Dressage Pathway. We are pleased to also offer show jumping or complete/eventing routes for riders and coaches.
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
- 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 horses used for training others with a view to developing their way of going
To review the learning outcomes in more detail: download the qualification specification.
Please note, on the assessment criteria document, learning outcomes 4, 7 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) 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
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 Dressage section within the Skills Record must be signed off by a BHS Accredited Professional who holds the Performance Ride (Eventing or Dressage) 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.
