To achieve Unit 1: Stage 4 Senior Care you will need to demonstrate the practical skills and knowledge required to care for and manage a range of horses.
This unit will assess your considerable skills and experience looking for thorough knowledge within your discussions in addition to technical competence.
You will:
- Select, fit and evaluate a range of specialist tack
- Understand the principles of nutrition, fittening and horse physiology
- Demonstrate how to assess the conformation and health of horses
- Understand how to care for different groups of horses
- Understand the foaling process and the care of mares, foals and young stock
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.
Find an assessment near you and then contact the BHS Education Team to book.
Alternatively, you can download our booking form and send your payment via post.
Please ensure your form reaches us more than two weeks prior to the assessment date, so we can process your booking. The assessment will close for bookings two weeks prior to taking place.
We will always do our best to accommodate your preference for an assessment. However, the venue and date are not confirmed until payment is taken and you have received your written confirmation.
Re-sitting your assessment
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.
Of course, we will also answer any questions you may have and provide you with feedback at this stage.
- Minimum age of 18 years
- BHS Stage 3 Care or BHSQ/BHS equivalent
- BHS Gold member – Membership discounts apply for students who are training for or taking BHS qualifications
You will be assessed on the following learning outcomes:
- Be able to use specialist tack in a safe and efficient manner
- Understand nutritional requirements of horses
- Understand the management of competition horses
- Be able to maintain a horse's physical wellbeing
- Understand the care of horses
- Understand the care of mares and youngstock
- Understand the care of older horses
Download the qualification specification to review the learning outcomes in more detail.
- Approximately three-and-a-half-hour criteria-based assessment
UK assessments only
For BHS Accredited Professionals: £169*
Non BHS Accredited Professionals: £225
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.
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.
The Skills Record for Stage 4 will be introduced from 1 September 2019. Assessments after this date will require Skills Record sign off by the relevant Accredited Professional. Should you be unable to complete this Skills Record prior to your assessment, please contact the office on 02476 840508 and we will arrange an additional video/conference call assessment.
A copy of the Skills Record can be downloaded here.
Pre-assessment criteria and trainer endorsement for this assessment include:
- Ready for assessment form completed - compulsory
- LO2 Trainer Endorsement - compulsory
- LO3 Trainer Endorsement - compulsory
- LO5 Trainer Endorsement - compulsory
- LO6 Trainer Endorsement - compulsory
- LO7 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.
You are required to provide a signed Skills Record at your assessment in order to continue to the viva. If a signed Skills Record is not presented you will not be assessed via viva on any Trainer Endorsed learning outcome within the Stage 4 Senior Care unit.
From 1 January 2020 if you do not have your Skills Record signed, you will not be able to undertake any part of the assessment.
The Stage 4 Care section within the Skills Record must be signed off by a BHS Accredited Professional who holds the Stage 5 Care (Stable Manager's) or Centre Manager qualification (with a BHS Teach 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.
All applicants are encouraged to undertake practical training at a BHS Approved Centre or with a BHS Accredited Professional Coach to ensure you are ready for your assessment.
Find your nearest training centre for Stage 4 Care.
We recommend you read the Trainer Guidance available to download.