BHS Success for Blanaid and Perrine

Huge congratulations to two talented BHS Ireland members who received positive exam results this week!

Perrine Pilate has been training with our onsite BHSI Ross O’Hare and previously achieved her BHS Stage 2 exam. She has now also passed her British Horse Society Stage 2 Coach Exam making her a qualified horse riding instructor. Perrine is now looking forward to training towards the next level with Ross.

Team member Blanaid Sharpe, who learned to ride as a child in Dunbyrne Riding School and who previously achieved her Stage 2 exam, has how also passed her Stage 3 care exam which qualifies her as a professional groom. We are incredibly proud of Blanaid on her achievement.

If you are looking for training towards any of your BHS exams, pop us an email - dunbyrnestud@gmail.com

BHS (British Horse Society) Assessment Dates for 2023

All of the 2023 assessment dates for BHS exams can be found below.

Our onsite BHSI and BHS Assessor provides the following services for clients:

• BHS Care training stage 1-5

• BHS Lunge training stage 1-5

• BHS Coaching training stage 1-5

• BHS riding training for those who have their own horse (Stage 1-5)

• BHS Ride Safe for those who have their own horse (required for Stage two Assessments)

• Mock exams for care, coach and lunge sections

• Mock exams for riding on own horse

• Assessment sign off (required for all assessments from Stage 2)

Anyone wishing to take BHS assessments should firstly become a gold member of the BHS. More information can be found here- https://join.bhs.org.uk

BHS assessments can be taken by anyone - from horse owners who just want to improve their knowledge to professionals who with to obtain qualifications in coaching, riding and stable management. You can find more information on the development pathways here:

https://www.bhs.org.uk/careers-recreational-awards/professional-qualifications/

2023 assessment dates

• Stage 1 Care and Ride, Clonshire Equestrian Centre, 09/02/2023

• Stage 1 Care & Ride, Kildalton College, 21/02/2023

• Stage 1 Care & Ride, Brennanstown Riding School, 11/04/2023

• Stage 1 Care & Ride, Hitchmoughs Equestrian Centre, 24/04/2023

• Stage 1 Care & Ride, Brennanstown Riding School, 20/06/2023
  

• Stage 2 Care, lunge and Ride Kildalton College, 22/02/2023

• Stage 2 Care, lunge and Ride Brennanstown Riding School, 12/04/2023

• Stage 2 Care, lunge and Ride Clonshire Equestrian Centre, 09/05/2023

• Stage 2 Care, lunge and Ride Brennanstown Riding School, 21/06/2023

• Stage 2 Care, lunge and Ride Brennanstown Riding School, 05/09/2023

• Stage 2 Teach, Kildalton College, 29/03/2023

• Stage 2 Teach, Brennanstown Riding School, 14/04/2023

• Stage 2 Teach, Clonshire Equestrian Centre, 10/05/2023

• Stage 2 Teach, Brennanstown Riding School, 23/06/2023

• Stage 2 Teach, Brennanstown Riding School, 07/09/2023
  
  

• Stage 3 Care and Lunge only, Clonshire Equestrian Centre 10/02/2023

• Stage 3 Care Lunge and Ride, Kildalton College 28/03/2023

• Stage 3 Care Lunge and Ride, Brennanstown Riding School, 13/04/2023

• Stage 3 Care Lunge and Ride, Clonshire Equestrian Centre, 16/05/2023

• Stage 3 Care Lunge and Ride, Brennanstown Riding School, 22/06/2023

• Stage 3 Care Lunge and Ride, Brennanstown Riding School, 06/09/2023

• Stage 3 Teach, Clonshire Equestrian Centre, 30/05/2023

• Stage 3 Teach, Brennanstown Riding School, 08/09/2023
  
  

• Stage 4 Care, Lunge and Event Ride, Brennanstown Riding School, 10/10/2023

• Stage 4 Coach, Brennanstown Riding School, 11/10/2023

Looking for Livery? Ten reasons to join #teamdunbyrnestud

Are you looking for livery? Here are ten reasons to join #teamdunbyrnestud on livery today :

1. We offer huge courtyard stables with deep warm shavings beds providing the ultimate comfort for your horse

2. We supply top quality haylage and feed twice a day as part of our full stabled livery package

3. Horses are turned out daily in individual paddocks with secure fencing. Horses are still relaxed as they can see other horses beside them and this turnout is much safer than group turnout especially when horses and ponies are wearing a full set of shoes.

4. Our yard owners live onsite so our opening hours are flexible. We never restrict our liveries with set hours so if you need to head off early morning somewhere or are running late from work there is no need to worry.

5. We have a huge livery arena (this is dedicated to liveries and is entirely separate from the onsite riding school). The size of our arena allows liveries to ride when our coaches are running lessons so there is no need to plan your riding around someone else’s lessons or arena bookings.

6. BHS and HSI qualified coaches onsite providing training at competitive rates

7. We are less than thirty minutes from JAG / Redhills / Greenogue / Emerald and just ten minutes from Coilog so Leinster competition venues are close by.

8. We have a heated rug room with storage for liveries. This is ideal on cold or damp days as you can hang up your rug while you ride so its nice and warm when it goes back on your horse.

9. We have a 4.5 furlong all weather sand gallops which is exclusively for our liveries to use. This leads on to our onsite wooded hacking trails and is ideal for hacking, fittening work, eventing preparation or even just a break from the arena.

10. We are lucky to have a lovely bunch of existing clients who are positive and enthusiastic. We enjoy taking part as a group in competing on and offsite and in social activities. Our liveries take part in a wealth of disciplines from eventing to dressage.

To arrange a yard visit and enquire about joining our team - please email dunbyrnestud@gmail.com

BHS Ridden Exams - What does it take to pass?

In May this year our two British Horse Society Accredited Coaches, Ross and Lorna attended the two day BHS Conference in Cavan. One of the many talks presented was by Alex Copeland and Tim Downes and centred around how candidates are assessed for ridden examinations and what is required to pass.

The pair explained that the pass criteria varies through the exam structure.

• At Stage 1 level, all marks (100%) are available for the riding and 70% is required for a pass to be achieved.

• At Stage 2 level, 80% of the marks are available for the riding and 20% for the oral section. 70% overall is required to pass

• At Stage 3 level 70% of the marks are available for riding and 30% for the oral section. 70% overall is required to pass.

• At Stage 4 level, 60% of marks are available for the riding section and 40% for the oral section. 70% overall is required to pass. This means that a candidate cannot pass on their riding alone - they must be able to evaluate and talk.

• At Stage 5 50% of marks are available for riding and 50% for the oral section. This underlines that the qualification is not just about being able to ride - candidates must be able to evaluate an animals way of going, to explain what they are feeling and have done and to understand how to progress

Alex and Tim also explained that assessors will assess whether a candidate is lacking in skills or if they have skills which are developed in the wrong way. It is more of a concern to see incorrect training and habits (for example a rider thinking they should pull the head in and giving incorrect aids) than to see embryonic skills needing development.

The differences between Stage 1 and Stage 2 riding exams were clarified by the team:

• The team clarified that at Stage one candidates are required to walk and trot without stirrups where as at Stage two they must also canter.

• In stage one the light seat is introduced where as in Stage 2 candidates must jump

• In Stage 2 assessors must gauge how well balanced is the rider and are they effective enough to ride a horse forward to a fence. Sabrina Jones explained that the new skills record which must be signed off by a professional accredited coach before a candidate can attempt their Stage 2 exam has meant that far less candidates are being stopped before the jumping phase.

The team explained that at all levels people make mistakes but assessors are not looking to fail anyone on a small mistake. In fact the team will question to identify if the candidate understands the background of why something should be done a certain way - for example where a candidate has their stirrup twisted the wrong way the assessor will question to ascertain if the candidate understands the correct way and why.

The exam structures are designed to future proof riders because following process and technique means riders will go on to ride at a higher level.

Information provided around Stage 3 and 4 riding exams gave the following insights:

• At Stage 4 level it was clarified that the assessors will have sat up on the horses that candidates will ride beforehand and that at this level candidates may ride horses “long and low”. in fact at Stage 3 and 4 assessors don’t want to see people candidates riding immediately in a dressage test outline and do not wish to see riders riding movements without understanding why a movement is or is not beneficial to the horse.

• At stage 3 and 4 level the candidates need to be able to influence the horse so balance is key as is a basic understanding that the horse out of balance users their head and neck to balance. Riders with bad balance pulling a horse on the bit is an issue as the horse cannot work correctly. Assessors see too many riders riding backwards thinking they must ride a horse in a frame - they want to see that the rider is balanced and can ride forward into an outline.

• At Stage 4 the horse should lift frame and go into the elementary balance with the withers up.

• A lot of riders at Stage 3 and 4 level say ‘I am going to use transitions to improve the horse’ but it is important to remember that only good transitions improve the horse, bad ones don’t!

• Riders at Stage 3 and 4 level should read the horse they are riding and should be surprised and comment if a thoroughbred is lazy rather than or a cob is sharp off the aids. Candidates should understand the makeup of the horse, what it typically goes like and should comment if it is not true to type. As Tim said ‘if a 30 year old Land Rover drives like a Ferrari - you would be surprised and would comment on it’

• At Stage 3 and 4 correct candidates are starting to influence the horse. At Stage 3 the odd support aid in the rein is understood. At Stage 3 the intention should be to ride forward with independent aids - at Stage 4 candidates should be doing this. The biggest issue seen by assessors is candidates intentionally riding the horse backwards. Intention is key - the rider must show that they intend to ride a horse forwards into the contact in balance even if they have not yet achieved it.

• At Stage 3 a candidate can be unsuccessful in their flatwork exam but if they are workmanlike and sufficiently balanced they can go on to pass their jumping exam as they have been seen jumping at Stage 2 and have been signed off for Stage 3 jumping.

• At Stage 4 under the new format there will be a specific dressage assessment -candidates will ride one horse that is at elementary level, one that is not yet there yet and one that they ride over trot and canter poles. In showjumping candidates will ride three horses - one to do with riding over a course, one to ride related distances and one to show how they develop flatwork into jumping using poles.

• At Stage 4 the rider needs to be training the horse and candidates need to take responsibility for the how the horse is going when solving problems. When discussing fixing issues self reflection is important and candidates need to say not just what they will do to the horse but also what they will change in their riding

• A sign off for Stage 4 wont be mandatory until next year.

• At Stage 5 there wont be a sign off book instead candidates will complete a training and cpd log which they will bring with them and discuss.

At Dunbyrne Equestrian we have our own onsite BHS Assessor and BHSI Ross O’Hare. If you are working towards your BHS riding exams and need some training, sign off for exams or a mock assessment please get in touch - dunbyrnestud@gmail.com

No Fair Weather Riders at Dunbyrne's St. Patricks Weekend Show

At Dunbyrne Equestrian we are a family run riding school and livery yard based at the foot of the hill of Allen. We held our St Patricks weekend show on Saturday the 16th March and were delighted with the high level of turnout in spite of very wet weather.

Our riding school clients enjoyed the show on board our Dunbyrne Equestrian horses and ponies while our livery clients joined in on their own mounts. Eight show jumping classes took place allowing riders to showcase their skills over fences. This event was an ideal opportunity for our AIRE approved riding school clients to show what they had learned from onsite BHS qualified instructors Tara Hyland and Kia Anglin. Over sixty riders took part many of whom looked very festive in St. Patrick’s day themed dress.

The assisted cross poles class allowed younger and less experienced riders their first taste of competition assisted by experienced leaders. The cross poles class gave riders a chance to have a solo run over fences while the 40-50cm class challenged riders with a course of twelve fences including a double, a turnback and a dogs leg. Riders stepped up to the mark with many impressive clear rounds in each class and a lucky dip decided who took home the coveted Dunbyrne trophies.

The sixty centimetre class was the first to include timing against the clock for the second half of the track to determine results. It proved to be very exciting as riders fought to beat the fastest time cheered on by spectators. Just three riders managed a double clear with impressive times. Top of the class was local rider Jessica McBride. Jessica has ridden in Dunbyrne riding school for many years and she and DBS Magic really were magic as they stopped the clock at 48.99 seconds to win the class. Second and third place went to fellow riding school riders Sophia Manning who competed with DBS Merrylegs and Ellie Moore who competed with DBS Rolo.

The seventy, eighty and ninety centimetre classes allowed the more experienced riders and the DBS Tailblazers to showcase their skills. Tailblazers is a weekly coaching academy run at Dunbyrne by BHS & HSI coach Lorna O’Hare to teach competition skills to under eighteens with their own horse or pony. In the seventy centimetre class riding school member Thomas Cruise really was top gun as he took on the course and rode a double clear at his first show on board Jumanji. This class was won by DBS Tailblazer Sive Murphy and her pony Cooper (Whats It All About). Sive gave a display of jumping against the clock with some very tight turns to cross the finish in 38.64 seconds. The eighty centimetre class was very kindly sponsored by John Davitt director of local construction business Davtech (www.davtech.ie) . It was only fitting that John’s daughters did him proud in this class. Niamh Davitt and Clonmore Bailey stopped the clock at 34.08 delivering the fastest clear round of the day! Second place went to her sister Sinead Davitt on board Killelton Starlight.

An eighty centimetre pairs relay class in which riders competed against the clock jumping six fences each provided great entertainment for spectators. Just two pairs completed the track with clear rounds. The fastest of these proved to be Sive Murphy and Caoimhe Sullivan who flew around on board their ponies Cooper and Judy to win the class less than a second ahead of Caitlin Harrington and Tabitha Walsh in second place. The final class of the day was the ninety centimetre class which was sponsored by Horseware and well supported. The course took it’s toll and just two of the nine riders who competed managed to complete it without any faults. Sinead Davitt had a foot perfect round in a very good time of 36.83 to claim first place with her mare Killelton Starlight. Zara Logan was delighted to finish with a clear round and take second place in this class at her first show on board her pony Prince.

Dunbyrne Equestrian would like to thank all who attended and supported this show, Michelle Davitt for managing entries, Helena Coffey for giving up a day to scribe, John Davitt (Davtech) and Horseware for sponsorship, Ross O’Hare for course building and judging and yard manager Kia Anglin and her team for running such an enjoyable day.

BHS Assessments, Mock Exams and Training

As part of the new British Horse Society structure, candidates who wish to take exams can choose to do so across several pathways (coach, rider, groom) or to focus on the pathway mist relevant to them. Candidates looking to take exams with the BHS next year in Ireland must first be signed off as being at the standard to do so by a qualified BHS Instructor. 

Find out more about the BHS pathways here: https://pathways.bhs.org.uk/career-pathways/

To study for and take BHS exams, you do not have to work with horses full time, or even at all. You can choose between studying as a full time student in a college, at an approved equestrian centre, as part of a part time group or even by yourself in your own time. 

Dunbyrne Equestrian is home of Ross O'Hare, BHSI and BHS assessor. Ross provides the following services at Dunbyrne Equestrian, Kilmeague, Co. Kildare. These services can cover Ride Safe and the BHS Equine Excellence Career Pathways Level 1-5 in grooming, riding and coaching. Pupils can train with Ross using either their own horse or one provided by the equestrian centre. 

• Part time BHS courses for groups
• Tailored one to one BHS training for individuals 
• Mock exams for groups or individuals
• Assessments for groups or individuals and sign off for application for exams
• Full time student positions 

To enquire about any of these services please contact Ross at 086-2222440 / 087-9244385