How to Apply for a BHS Exam

From The Talland International School of Equitation

To apply for any BHS examinations awarded by EQL, you will need to be a BHS (Gold) member. If you are not current member, you can apply for this at the same time that you apply for your examination but please allow time for the processing of your BHS membership first as this can take up to 4 weeks.

It is not a mandatory requirement that you attend a specific training course before your examination. However, we strongly recommend that you at least have an assessment with a qualified BHS instructor so that you are aware of your current standard of riding/stable management skills. It would also be a very sensible idea to undertake some sort of tuition/training towards your examination to give you the very best chance of passing however the format/length, etc of this training is up to you. Many BHS approved centres run courses towards BHS examinations throughout the year, it would be worthwhile contacting some in your area to find out what they are currently running, the duration and cost, etc.

To apply for a BHS examination, you must complete an official Application Form available from the Examinations Office or by downloading from the website (see below). Please ensure you complete the form fully as we are unable to process applications that do not contain sufficient information and these will have to be returned to you, causing a delay in the processing of your application. You will be asked for 4 choices of your chosen exam date and centre, this is required in case your first choice centre/date is full so please give as many choices as possible. The Exam Dates/Centre List is available from the Examinations Office at Stoneleigh or from the website.

Once you have completed the application form, this should be returned to the Examinations Office at Stoneleigh, along with the relevant examinations fee (fees are laid out in the Exam Dates/Centre List). Applications forms can be posted or faxed through to Stoneleigh if using a credit/debit card to pay for the examination. If you wish to book an examination, you may telephone the office to discuss availability and book over the phone (subject to necessary pre-requisites, please have your BHS Membership number and credit/debit card details ready).

Please be aware that bookings for examinations CLOSE 4 weeks prior to the date of examination therefore we may not be able to accept any applications after this period.

Examinations fill very quickly and we strongly recommend that candidates apply some 3 – 4 months in advance to give themselves the best chance of obtaining the date/centre of their choice.

Please refer to the ‘Terms and Conditions of Booking’ (copy available form the Examinations Office or the Website) regarding postponement/cancellations of exams as administration charges are applicable.

Application Forms are available to download in PDF format below using Acrobat Reader. Simply print off the form, fill it in and post it to the Examinations Office, EQL, Stoneleigh Deer Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2XZ. If you would like to speak to someone in the examinations department please telephone 08701 202244.

If a candidate wishes an injury or disability to be taken into account by the Assessors, they should complete the Reasonable Adjustment questionnaire, which is sent out with all confirmation letters and return along with a medical certificate or official report, confirming their injury or disability. These documents must be received by the Examinations Office, at least three weeks before the intended examination date. If a candidate is unable to submit a medical certificate in time, they should contact the Exams Office immediately. We regret that Assessors are unable to accept medical certificates if presented to them on the day of the examination.