Horseless Adventures

BHS Stage 4 Business Management Exam

Yesterday was my BHS stage 4 business management exam. I set my alarm for just before 7 am. This gave me time to get up and walk the dogs. Then I quickly read my notes. I had already ensured that my skills record and ID were ready for the exam. I nervously checked my email regularly as I was awaiting the briefing for the day. Which would include the debate subject. It would also cover the business and grassland management scenarios. When the email arrived I was able to collect my notes for the debate. I then discarded the rest to one side. The debate topic was ‘Should horses should have 24/7 turnout and only come in to work’.

I printed the scenarios and highlighted any relevant points that needed to be discussed during the exam. I then made bullet point using my notes.

I tried to make things as organized as possible. I don’t have such a good track record with technology. So this makes me feel quite anxious in case something goes wrong.. I had already set my alarm 9.50am ready to log on the team meeting before the 10am start. I was the first candidate to login. This enabled me to have a quick chat with the examiner and check my technology was working. It was also good as I hadn’t realized that I needed to give the examiner my BHS membership number.

The debate was like I expected from my training session except I expected candidate 1 to open the debate. I also expected candidate 4 to close the debate. However, the opening of the debate was open to anyone who wished to. This may not be how all examiners do it so just be prepared as it threw me out slightly. I had ignored the intro and conclusion in my notes while flicking through the topic notes as I though being candidate 2 I wouldn’t be asked.

Individual times also surprised me. I thought each candidate had 15 minutes in total. However, it was 15 minutes for each scenario plus 15 minutes for the viva so 45-minutes in total. At this point, I was pleased that I booked the whole day off work as the exam for all four candidates actually finished at 3 o’clock. Luckily being candidate number 2 I was finished by 1 o’clock.

I highlighted all relevant points in the scenarios. I went through the syllabus to ensure I could cover each area when discussing the scenarios. I felt this was a good plan. I had also made a quick note in the scenario any points next to the syllabus criteria as well.

I didn’t particularly work with the syllabus directly when doing the grassland scenario although it was close to hand. Instead, I worked in a logical manner. I considered what I would do over the next 12 months to improve land.

The viva included questions set by the BHS. These were all taken from the syllabus that had been have been signed off in the skills record. There was around five questions in total. I think the examiner was relieved when my time was up. I had plenty to say and the whole 45 minutes went pretty quickly. I speeded up my speech and almost listed bullet points for last 2 questions due to running out of time.

My part in the exam was now over and I was able to go relax. Overall, my experiences of the exam was good and the training I had received prepared me well. I just need to wait 10-15 working days for the results.

Working towards the BHS stage 5 Care and Welfare Section

So today 10th December 2024 I officially started working towards my stage 5 Care and Welfare Section. I completed my stage 4 care a long time ago. I have been out of the horse industry for the last 10 years and still do not work within it.

I liked this style of certificate. Or maybe it was just the feeling of getting it!

I need to recap the syllabus contents of the Stage 4 Senior Care section first. I have signed up to 2 different online courses that are covering topics from the stage 4 syllabus. I also have 10 other webinars focusing towards Stage 4 to go through in my own time.

The first lecture today was on competition tack. There is lots more scientific research on how it affects the comfort of the horse. Welfare is paramount, and there are also new designs and products. I was pleased that the majority of the lecture was purely revision and very little new information for me.

But looking towards to the stage 5 there is plenty of research to be done. Things I need to work on. Becoming more familiar with brands of saddle and bridles and associated cost. Also need to look up on the rule books to see what is legal and illegal in competitions. Looking at the anatomy of the head for the purpose of bridle fitting. plus more work on saddle fitting. I need to know the majority of different brands of saddles for example. Plus their new and second-hand value. Along with which type of horse they would likely fit and how to fit them.

That means I get to have a good look around tack shops. The added advantage is that I have no horse, so I won’t be tempted into buying anything. I can always do a wish list of the perfect tack I would like I suppose.

So why didn’t I do the stage 5 years ago?

When I completed my Stage 4 care, I was busy running a riding school and livery yard. Most of my time was taken up with teaching and managing the yard. The amount of work that I needed to do to achieve the then Stable managers exam was just too much. I still always hoped that I would find time to dedicate to studying it. As life progressed, circumstances changed. The yard was sold. I spent the next 5 years at university forging a different career.

My aim is to work towards the exam. I hope to achieve my goal by the time I’m 50 in 2027. They only hold 2 or 3 exams at this level a year. The earlier exam is less than 18 months away. The later one is just under 2 years. If it takes a little longer, that’s fine. If I fail well hopefully I’ve enjoyed the process. If I go about things correctly with right support then fingers crossed I won’t. Of course, I can keep trying. There’s no actual age limit on it or limits on amount of times I can sit it. Although at around £500 a time will be very costly.

So what happened to Remi?

Those that know me well understand that I’ve faced more than my share of unfortunate events. I’ve also experienced the loss of loved ones in recent years. 2024 had even more to give in this department. Not only losing a childhood friend and another friend both long before a normal life expectancy. I started the year losing my horse very suddenly from an illness. I was off work because it was the anniversary of my son’s death at that time. When those mysterious powers decided to give a little more crap to me.

So I arrived at the yard early morning as usual to find Remi had only passed one bowel motion. He looked reasonable in himself and this had not been the first time he had done this. Remi had an out of hours vet call maybe 18 months previously. There was also a close call on whether to call the vet at Somerford camp the previous year. Luckily, he was just kidding that time.

I have had a lot of experience with colicky horses over the years running a yard. I got him out and started to gently mobilize him in the school. Came back a little later and he still didn’t seem right. As soon as vets opened I called them and they were not on their way. He then decided a small poo which gave me me hope. Also I’m now thinking typical vet bill for nothing now.

Vet examined him and he had temperature of over 40 degrees. A small amount of stool was felt on examination. Medication was administered. There are no major concerns at this point. I chose to keep him home that day regularly moving him around school and monitoring him. The vet returned that night and we thought he was going in the right direction. He seemed to have picked up.

The next day he had taken a turn for the worse. I took him straight to the veterinary hospital.

He was investigated over the next few days, blood tests, multiple examinations, belly taps, scans. No clear diagnosis. He was placed in ICU and given multiple IV antibiotics and fluids. I visited, and he became worse. At one point, he looked like a horse with tetanus or a cow with staggers. He couldn’t get up properly. His calcium was out and this was corrected but still no improvement.

I decided that enough was enough. We will give a final try at changing the antibiotic overnight. If his condition worsens or shows no improvement, he was to be put to sleep.

The next morning that would be the case. The vets asked if an autopsy could be performed as they were baffled at what the issue was. This showed that he whole 18 metres of small intestine had died. They agreed that no surgery would have saved him. They only see this about once every 10 years.

My now rising 10 year old was no longer here. I was now left with some wonderful vets bills to pay and some decisions to make…

Summer Dressage

16 June 2024

So I decided to give the dressage a go on a little school horse called Wilma. I had not ridden her before bur decided this would not be a problem. I had been to the centre a few times previously and although I was unable to have regular lessons there I was trying to go every few weeks when they had availability.

Wilma was a sweet coloured and I had entered for the Intro along with the prelim test. We started to warm up and it was pretty clear that Wilma preferred a more conservative approach to life and thought conservation of energy was very important. I managed a couple of short canters in the warm up but just didn’t seem to be able to persuade her to offer any more.

We did the prelim which I was pleased as I felt we had done an accurate test albeit a little steady. I only had a short period of time between the first test and second and with how out of breath I was decided need to conserve as much energy as I could. I was undecided whether to withdraw from the prelim as I could not really manage to get her going very well and knew the canters were going to be a problem. I decided to try and give it my best, the first half of the test was accurate but unfortunately I was unable to achieve the canters required. I tried to persuade her and even backed it up with my whip but she was not having it. At this point I was seriously fatiguing and felt my position was all over in an attempt to get her to go. I decided at that point it was unfair on her expecting her to go when I was now so unbalanced so a few moves from the and I held my hand up and retired.

The judge left me some lovely remarks even on the prelim but I knew had made he right decision to retire. I was just a little cross with myself for not having more energy and better fitness. I did however get a nice 3rd in the intro.

Winter Weather

23rd Novmber 2024

Well this weekend should be the 3rd Winter Dressage Competition. Unfortunately the weather has other ideas and has decided that it will start the week with some pretty cold sub zero weather and today I have woken to a few inches of snow.

On the plus side this means being horseless I can stay inside and be nice and warm. No more layers and layers of winter clothes to go to the stables and muck ut and then strip off as I get warm. Leaving all said layers behind for when I next leave the use and forgetting where I have left them.

As a sufferer of raynauds disease I am pleased not to have to be out in the cold longer than is needed. For those that suffer you have my full empathy, for those that don’t the condition affects your blood vessels usually in hands and feet and can make your fingers go white in the cold. It can be very painful when they start to warm up. Unfortunately it is not a case of putting more layers on this does not cure the problem.

I will use these times to still do horse related activities but will read articles and books to further my knowledge and education.

I may even decide to try and get fitter!

2nd Winter Dressage Competition

3rd November 2024

So it’s now time for the second competition in the series. I have entered the Prelim again. This time it is P1 which nicely has a little more trot between the canters for me to regain my composure. But to make up for it does have an odd movement I have rarely done, coming across the diagonal to X then going down the centre line. I ha tried to practice this in a couple of lessons while working in open order but unfortunately didn’t work out as kept almost colliding with others. Not to worry we have the warm up on the day.

On the day I was feeling a little bit nervous especially after having done well on the previous competition. I arrived on my own, my usual support was coming until a bit later today. I had continued to ride Wilson in a couple of lessons prior to this competition including the previous day.

What I discovered was that horses being horses Wilson was to show a slightly different side of himself today, coupled with the fact he had also just been clipped out since I last rode meant he was a bit less settled than normal. This surprised me slightly and I was also beginning to regret my decision of not getting there early, in fact I’d left myself a bit short of time and now realised that I needed more time to settle him.

After having a moment in the collecting ring where I felt it was all going wrong and getting too much, I gave myself a pep talk and reminded myself of my goals. Remember where to go and finish the test.

Well we certainly had a little more impulsion that was lacking in previous test unfortunately this meant delayed rider actions meaning our accuracy lost a couple of marks. Needless to say we finished the test in one piece and no points for error on course. Wilson happily got to pay n the field after which was nice for him.

My result was a surprising 2nd place again out of a good class size and good competition. My friend videoed the test and it did look good despite how it felt to me and I think that’s a lesson to all. Replaying the video and reflecting n it can tell us a lot in regards what we felt was happening and the reality.

I have decided same aims for next time but I will up the challenge slightly and give the Novice a go as well. Definitely putting a note that I need some time between the tests to recover though!

1st Winter Dressage Competition

19th October 2024

One of the yards I ride at and have lessons are having a winter dressage competition series. This is open to everyone and advertised the local riders but had the advantage that they would also hire horses to their riding school clients. This is a winner, another thing I can do without owning my own.

So I looked at the schedule and noted that I could either do the Intro- walk and trot or Prelim or Novice which both have canter in. Unfortunately if doing a canter test I would not be able to do the Intro tests. In the odd time, ok once that I have entered an Intro I do feel a little bad, not that I am a great rider but I feel that I should be at least doing the Prelim tests and the Intro is there for real novice horse or riders. So enter I entered P2, I did consider for a brief moment entering the Novice test as well but decided was no where fit enough to do that. After looking at the test that was a wise decision there was about half a dozen strides between the canters and what seemed like a lot of canter.

Anyone who does dressage that less than 5 minutes to do a test doesn’t seem much but you soon discover how fit you are.

So my aim- make it to the end of the test hopefully breathing and remember where to go. Previously had them called but wanted to do them on my own.

I was given Wilson, who I had ridden in lessons on 3 previous occasions in lessons. He was a super star. We did a wonderful test, I accomplished my aims and remembered where I was going. I was also breathing at the end and did not give up half way through the canters. I was pleased when I came out and done what I had set out to achieve.

To my amazement I got first place, I certainly did not expect this, it was a good size class with some lovely horse and rider combinations

I am now looking forward to the next competition. My aims will be the same to remember the test and not run out of steam.

Who needs a horse to have fun!

I’m excited to start my blogging journey. After losing my horse to a sudden illness earlier in February 2024. I decided to have a break from owning a horse but still carry on enjoying horses as a hobby. This blog will include what I have been up to, how I have embraced life without owning a horse and have still been able to to get great enjoyment from horses and continue to expand my horse knowledge and skills.

Whether anyone reads it, I am unsure, but I have created it as a personal log of events. I do hope that if anyone takes the time to look it becomes clear that if you are also in a position of not being a horse owner anymore you can still get plenty of enjoyment from them and perhaps even more than when you did own when you did own one.

Remi at Somerford camp 2023