The British Horse Society (BHS for short) is a long-standing charity that was founded in 1947 and has become one of the largest and most influential charities in the UK for animal welfare.

The BHS are a membership-based charity with currently over 115,000 members with an aim to protect and promote the interest of all equines and those that care about them. The BHS as an entire organisation fall under 4 key core foundations:

• Education
• Welfare
• Access 
• Safety

Over the last 70 years, the BHS without a doubt has demonstrably made a huge difference to horses lives and continue to do so daily with the ongoing support of their members.

Education is one of the key tools the BHS provides to its members to ensure the welfare and safety of our horses. Many welfare problems arise not due to a lack of willingness or caring, but due to a lack of education and knowledge.

What are BHS Exams?

The BHS provides its members with a series of progressive training and qualifications in both horse knowledge, care and riding. These professional qualifications are both theory and practical based and many equestrian employers lookout for these qualifications in prospective job candidates.

The BHS has developed a progressive Career Pathway so it is easy to see which direction you are heading in with some options to go down specific routes such as dressage or show jumping in some of the more advanced levels.

As a visual guide, the structure and levels of the BHS exams look as follows:

Who are BHS Exams for?

BHS exams are open to a wide variety of people. If you have an interest in horses, are willing to learn, happy to become a BHS member and are over the age of 14 years old then studying with the BHS could be for you.

The exams are a combination of practical and physical examinations however you don’t necessarily need to be a rider to reap the rewards. The knowledge and care sections can be taken individually and awarded as a qualification in their own right. 

The BHS aims to promote equity, diversity and equality of opportunity within their assessment process and therefore reasonable adjustments can also be made to allow the opportunity of assessment for the widest range of applicants possible.

BHS exams are particularly suitable for the following candidates:

• New Horse Owners
• Existing Owners looking for a refresher course
• College and University students
• Those looking to pursue an equine career
• Pony Clubbers looking to expand their knowledge
• Non-Horsey parents
• Those looking to boost their confidence around horses
• Personal Achievement
• Those with a general interest in horse

The BHS exams are suitable, for a wide range of people and cater to most levels. You can clearly see how the BHS is rated to be one of the best internationally recognised equestrian qualification in the world.

Why should you do BHS Exams?

There is always so much to learn when it comes to horses and you can be sure taking the BHS exam route will provide you with all the knowledge you need to ensure the welfare of your horse is to the highest standard. Whether you are a newbie to the horse world or an experienced eventer there is a level to suit everyone.

Some of the key subjects you should expect to cover in your BHS exams are as follows:

• Horse Management
• Psychology
• Anatomy
• Health
• Grooming
• Feeding and Watering
• Tack
• Rugs
• Shoeing
• Bedding
• Grassland Management
• Safety and Accident Procedure
• Lunging (optional)
• Riding on the flat (optional)
• Riding Over Fences (optional)
• Becoming an equestrian coach

Choosing to take BHS exams will ensure you have a good all-round knowledge of horsemanship and can provide the very best welfare for any horses in your care.