Stage 4 Senior Eventing Coach celebrates your development in coaching both horses and riders in the equestrian industry with considerable knowledge in care and management, riding and teaching. You may be a freelance coach or looking to develop as a trainer across any discipline.
This career certificate demonstrates your experience and skills to independently train and coach individuals and groups of riders, working with riders on their own horses or on centre horses, with sound practical business knowledge and the ability to take responsibility for an equestrian establishment or work as an effective freelance coach.
A Stage 4 Senior Eventing Coach, will showcase appropriate coaching styles to develop riders and train horses to British Dressage Elementary, British Showjumping Discovery and British Eventing 100. Alternatively, there are discipline specific options for dressage or show jumping only coaches.
The Stage 4 Senior Eventing Coach qualification is awarded upon achievement of:
Compulsory units:
- Unit 1: Stage 4 Senior Care
- Unit 2: Stage 4 Senior Management
- Unit 3: Stage 4 Senior Lunge
- Unit 7: Stage 4 Senior Coaching Eventing
Plus one of the following riding units:
- Unit 4: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Eventing, or,
- Unit 5: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Dressage, or,
- Unit 6: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Show Jumping
- Freelance coach
- Equestrian training centre coach
- Equestrian centre manager
- Dressage specific coach
- Jumping specific coach
UK assessments only
2019 assessment fees
For BHS Accredited Professionals: £731.50*
Non BHS Accredited Professionals: £975
Fees for overseas assessments, (including the Republic of Ireland), can be obtained by contacting the BHS Education Team.
*We are delighted to offer a 25% discount for assessment fees for any Accredited Professional. The price shown is with the discount applied.
This includes:
- BHS Stage 4 Senior Care assessment £225 (£169*)
- BHS Stage 4 Senior Management assessment £150 (£112.50*)
- BHS Stage 4 Senior Lunge assessment £75 (£56*)
- BHS Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training assessment (one of the optional units) £225 (£169*)
- BHS Stage 4 Senior Coaching Eventing assessment £300 (£225*)
- BHS Stage 4 Senior Eventing Coach Career Certificate
- Stage 4 Skills Record
Fees for overseas assessments, (including the Republic of Ireland), can be obtained by contacting the BHS Education Team.
2020 assessment fees
For BHS Accredited Professionals: £750.25*
Non BHS Accredited Professionals: £1000
Fees for overseas assessments, (including the Republic of Ireland), can be obtained by contacting the BHS Education Team.
*We are delighted to offer a 25% discount for assessment fees for any Accredited Professional. The price shown is with the discount applied.
This includes:
- BHS Stage 4 Senior Care assessment £225 (£169*)
- BHS Stage 4 Senior Management assessment £175 (£131.25*)
- BHS Stage 4 Senior Lunge assessment £75 (£56*)
- BHS Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training assessment (one of the optional units) £225 (£169*)
- BHS Stage 4 Senior Coaching Eventing assessment £300 (£225*)
- BHS Stage 4 Senior Eventing Coach Career Certificate
- Stage 4 Skills Record
Fees for overseas assessments, (including the Republic of Ireland), can be obtained by contacting the BHS Education Team.
- 18+ years
- Anyone looking to advance their coaching career to coach at higher levels in one of the world-leading equestrian coaching pathways
- Anyone looking to take a senior role or management role within an equestrian business
- Anyone aspiring to become a Stage 5 Performance Coach in Complete Horsemanship
We recognise those following a coaching career may wish to focus their riding and/or coaching in dressage or show jumping. We are pleased to be able to certify the Coach Pathway to those only taking show jumping or dressage units.
The Stage 4 Senior Dressage Coach is awarded upon achievement of:
Compulsory elements:
- Unit 1: Stage 4 Senior Care
- Unit 2: Stage 4 Senior Management
- Unit 3: Stage 4 Senior Lunge
- Unit 8: Stage 4 Senior Coaching Dressage
Plus one of the following optional units:
- Unit 4: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Eventing, or,
- Unit 5: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Dressage
The Stage 4 Senior Show Jumping Coach is awarded upon achievement of:
Compulsory elements:
- Unit 1: Stage 4 Senior Care
- Unit 2: Stage 4 Senior Management
- Unit 3: Stage 4 Senior Lunge
- Unit 9: Stage 4 Senior Coaching Show Jumping
Plus one of the following optional units:
- Unit 4: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Eventing, or,
- Unit 6: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Show Jumping
Can some units be taken on the same day?
Yes! We appreciate you are busy professionals and we have developed the assessment days so more than one unit can be completed on the same day. Usually, Unit 1: Stage 4 Senior Care and a Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training unit can be completed on the same day. Similarly, we will often run Unit 2: Stage 4 Senior Management and a Stage 4 Coaching unit on the same day.
Is the Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Eventing a combination of the Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Dressage unit and the Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Show Jumping unit?
All of the Senior Ride for Training units are individual and separate assessments. The combination of Unit 5: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Dressage plus Unit 6: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Show Jumping will not achieve Unit 4: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Eventing. The Dressage and Show Jumping Ride for Training units have been developed to assess specific skills required for those disciplines, and there are some Learning Outcomes in these units that are not assessed within the Eventing Ride unit. Similarly, there are Learning Outcomes in the Eventing Ride unit that are not assessed within the Dressage Ride or Show Jumping Ride units.
Can I sit more than one Ride unit on the same day?
As each of the Ride unit assessments are 4 hours long and require a specific group of horses and facilities at the assessment centre, it is only possible to sit one Ride unit on one day. It will be clearly listed on the assessment dates which Ride unit is taking place on that day, however, if you are unsure you can confirm this with our Education Team at the time of booking your assessment. To confirm, it is not a requirement to complete more than one Ride unit to achieve a Coach qualification.
What units do I need to complete in order to gain the BHS Stage 4 Senior Coach?
There are three different career certificates for the Stage 4 Senior Coach, depending on the discipline options you choose for the Coach qualification.
The Stage 4 Senior Eventing Coach qualification is awarded upon achievement of:
Compulsory elements:
- Unit 1: Stage 4 Senior Care
- Unit 2: Stage 4 Senior Management
- Unit 3: Stage 4 Senior Lunge
- Unit 7: Stage 4 Senior Coaching Eventing
Plus one of the following optional units:
- Unit 4: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Eventing, or,
- Unit 5: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Dressage, or,
- Unit 6: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Show Jumping
The Stage 4 Senior Dressage Coach is awarded upon achievement of:
Compulsory elements:
- Unit 1: Stage 4 Senior Care
- Unit 2: Stage 4 Senior Management
- Unit 3: Stage 4 Senior Lunge
- Unit 8: Stage 4 Senior Coaching Dressage
Plus one of the following optional units:
- Unit 4: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Eventing, or,
- Unit 5: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Dressage
The Stage 4 Senior Show Jumping Coach is awarded upon achievement of:
Compulsory elements:
- Unit 1: Stage 4 Senior Care
- Unit 2: Stage 4 Senior Management
- Unit 3: Stage 4 Senior Lunge
- Unit 9: Stage 4 Senior Coaching Show Jumping
Plus one of the following optional units:
- Unit 4: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Eventing, or,
- Unit 6: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Show Jumping
Does the Ride unit I choose to complete determine which Coaching option I can then complete?
No, you can combine units as you see fit for your skills set and ambitions. However, a Stage 4 Senior Coach certificate will only be issued for the combinations listed above.
Does the Coaching unit I choose to complete determine which Ride option I can then complete?
No, you can combine units as you see fit for your skills set and ambitions. However, a Stage 4 Senior Coach certificate will only be issued for the combinations listed above.
Can I complete the units in any order?
Yes! If you are working towards the Stage 4 Senior Coach career certificate you can complete the Stage 4 units in any order.
Which career pathway is Stage 4 Lunge unit included?
The Stage 4 Lunge unit is included in two career pathways:
- Stage 4 Senior Coach in Complete Horsemanship Pathway
- Stage 4 Senior Rider Pathway
We have made the decision, following consultation with industry experts and employers, that from Stage 4 and above, the lungeing sits more appropriately with the Ride units. As you progress your riding to Stage 4 and above, you begin to influence and train the horse and will have more responsibility in the workplace to work with younger horses and fit competition horses. Lungeing would become a pivotal exercise in the training and development of competition horses, so the decision was made to include the Lunge unit within the Rider Pathway.
This does mean the Lunge is removed from the Groom Pathway from Stage 4 and above.
I have already started my Stage 4 qualification before April 2019, what are my options?
If you have started any part of any Stage 4 qualification, and you sat your first assessment before 1 April 2019, you will be required to complete the qualification/s you are currently registered for. As we have revised the Stage 4 suite of qualifications considerably, we cannot offer any mapping of units or learning outcomes from a previous Stage 4 qualification to allow you to 'top up' and complete the equivalent Stage 4 Care, Management or Lunge unit in the new format. We will hold resit only days, to allow candidates that need to complete the opportunity to do so. These dates will be clearly listed on our assessment dates page, or contact the Education Team.
If you have achieved the EQL Level 4 Certificate in Riding Horses on the Flat you can top up this unit with Learning Outcome 9 in Unit 4: Stage 4 Senior Ride for Training Dressage. This will allow you to achieve the Stage 4 Senior Dressage Coach upon completion of the care, lunge, management and coaching units.
Will there be a Skills Record requirement for Stage 4?
Yes, we will introduce a Skills Record for all Stage 4 awards from 1 September 2019. If you sit a Stage 4 assessment before this date, you will not be required to complete a Skills Record. You can view and download a copy of the Stage 4 Skills Record here.
When will the Dressage and Show Jumping routes be available for the Ride and Coaching units?
The dressage options are available for both coaching and riding units. The show jumping coaching and riding units will be available from Spring 2020.