This award focuses on developing your skills and knowledge to be able to work on the yard and handle horses with confidence.
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
By completing this award you will find out:
- 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 find out 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
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.
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.
BHS MEMBERSHIP
You are required to join the BHS to participate in the Challenge Awards. Membership starts from as little as £3.66 a month for Silver membership, and we hope you will want to support our charity and enjoy the benefits that come with membership.
Find out more about BHS membership
