Prospectus About the courses. 2 How the courses operate. 4 Our Guarantee of Good Business Practice. 6 Syllabus - Long and Short Courses. 7 Please read and note the following Terms and Conditions: 10 How much will a course cost 11 Exam Information. 14 Excerpts from Study Packs 1 & 3 * * TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE * * *   About the courses Our aims: 2 Introduction. 2 Motto. 3 Qualifications available. 3   These courses are not for the ‘Text Book’ rider, they are for people who genuinely care about horses. Students from all over the world take these courses. Our aims: To provide informal, friendly advice to help people care for their horses and ponies in a healthy and more natural way. To provide horses in general with a better way of life. To provide value for money courses to those who ‘care’ for, and about horses. Introduction Courses in equine care and management have been running from Lingfield for over 12 years. The informal and friendly approach to learning is the reason for their popularity over the years. No rush / no hassle is the aim. It’s a little like belonging to a community of pen friends. Our web site has a students area in which you can leave messages & ask questions on the ‘forum’ and get help from each other with coursework & horses - it’s free. All students also have free tutor support. Our long courses have been professionally developed from lectures prepared for professional British Horse Society Stages students. The courses have expanded considerably over the years. In recent months a good deal more information has been included, making the Level 1 course especially extremely comprehensive. The long courses topics cover everything from basic care, behaviour & psychology, to fittening event horses, equine sciences, muscular and skeletal frame. Short courses Short courses covering various topics are available for just £98. Examples are “Equine Psychology & Behaviour” Series 1 & 2, and in Series 1: “Buying the Right Horse”, “Bits & Bitting-Tack & Tack Fitting”. Some short courses include a course CD containing relevant diagrams and other information. Exams and Certificates All courses offer a course completion certificate. Most offer the opportunity to sit BHS Horse Owner’s Certificates exams. The material in all the long courses is more comprehensive than the BHS syllabi. Pass rate is 100% to date. In UK students may sit these exams in their own home! Presentation We do not send the long course material to you in one large file - this would be like selling you a rather expensive book! Instead we send you Study Packs in bite sized chunks as and when you are ready for them. The course material is written in informal every day language rather than in text book fashion. People tell us this makes it much easier for them to take in and retain the information. Each student has a course tutor on whom they may call at any time for help and advice, or just for a chat. We try to be on first name terms with all our students and because our staffing levels are so low we generally get to know people quite well. It is not uncommon for instance for students to ring or email to tell us about their new horse or to ask how to overcome a particular riding problem. Students Most of our students are over 30 - but there are also quite a number in their early 20's, quite a few younger teenagers and many who are over 50 too! In our opinion, you are never too old to widen your knowledge or to retrain. Plenty of our students are aiming for a career change and use our courses as a stepping stone to gaining professional exams via a part time route. (You don’t have to go to college to gain professional qualifications!). Mature students use our courses alongside part time training at their local BHS or Assoc. of British Riding Schools stables for the ABRS professional INSTRUCTORS qualifications - or at a BHS yard for their Stages exams prior to Instructors qualifications. Livery yards The new Livery Yard Approvals system was introduced recently. A government Livery Yard Licence scheme (inc DIY) is being introduced in soon Owners and managers will be required to show proof of a sound knowledge base/qualification to gain a Licence. Motto Caring For Horses is our motto. We ‘care’ about horses and ponies and hope to impart this same ‘caring’ knowledge to others. We all realise that qualifications are important to some, we should also however, be aware that it is easy to lose sight of the actual issue which is the welfare of horses. Qualifications available Although all our courses are structured to enable people to move forward to gain the BHS Horse Owner’s Certificates, many use them to help gain professional exams, widen their knowledge and invariably become a little more open to new ideas along the way. The new Series 1 & 2 Equine Psychology & Behaviour courses provide the theoretical knowledge underpinning natural horsemanship methods. Courses are sent by post or by email. Email is of course much faster. If you enrol online on a working day, you could start an email course today! You’ll see from comments here that these courses are used and enjoyed by people of all sorts of ages & abilities and by people with all sorts of aims. Many have gone on to gain professional BHS Stages qualifications and Teaching certificates, or the alternative ABRS Levels and Instructors certificates at riding/equestrian centres, or even degrees at college. Some are now teaching or employed in some way in the industry, whilst others are now running successful businesses. These vary from DIY Yards, to full blown Riding Schools and Holiday centres. In more ways than one the courses are a stepping stone. Plenty of our students just want to learn to care for their first horse. Others are not horse owners at all yet and just want to widen their knowledge. Many would have liked to have trained properly when they were younger, and only now are finding the time, or maybe they would finally like to achieve a Certificate to confirm they have reached a high standard in equine management. Apart from providing the professional students with the theory knowledge for their Stages or ABRS exams, our courses as mentioned earlier, provide two options for gaining certificates with us as follows:   o    On course completion we award Lingfield Certificates to students who successfully complete the course and final required Set Work/Assignment. This last assignment is set as though it were an exam, but without an invigilator to oversee you. It’s the option to take if not an exam person! This option and Lingfield Certificate is entirely free.   o    Instead of the Lingfield Certificate, at the end of a long course, you can if you wish, sit the BHS Horse Owner’s Certificates exams.   These are entirely optional and may be sat in your own home - no exam centre nerves! You do not have to own a horse to sit these exams, nor do you have to belong to the BHS. Short courses accrue LEC Credits towards entry to the BHS Level 1 exam too. To request a Lingfield Certificate as well admin fee = £12.50.   Long course Set Work (homework / assignments).   This is what we call the questions at the end of each Study Pack. If you wish to sit the BHS exam, you must send in the Set Work at the end of each of the last 4 Study Packs, but as you reach each stage in the course, the procedures are explained. There are usually about 8 questions. Answers will generally be found in the Study Pack itself. Sometimes we ask you to do some research - but this is invariably quite easy. Level 1 - Study Pack 4 and Short Course 4 have one short practical assignment (SC4 accrues 1 LEC Gold Credit) which must be undertaken with a local qualified instructor. This is quite easy to arrange. It is helpful for you to have a horse available for this - but not imperative. It is often possible to arrange for an instructor to come to your home to oversee this. [Top] How the courses operate Faculty. 4 You may enrol at any time. 5 Free Help. 5 What if I need extra help?. 5 How long is a course?. 5 LEC Credits. 5 Here is what you do: 5 Faculty Long Course Tutors : BHS Mrs Paula Clements                               Mrs. Fiona Dent Short Course Tutors : Hannah Haskew BSc Hons BHSAI          Mrs Nicky Morgan Bsc FdSc Researchers: all the above and K.Leatherbarrow                                     J.Howe Accounts & IT J Wisdom                                              J.Farmer   All BHS & long course tutors are members of the BHS Register of Instructors & IACE. Mrs. Dent is an NVQ Assessor. Short course tutors are mature & experienced with Eq Science degrees. We are Trade Members of the BHS & BETA (British Equestrian Trade Association) You may enrol at any time You work through the course at your own speed and in your own time. You can work quickly through subjects with which you are familiar, and take your time over other sections. There is no timetable to work to. If other commitments - family / horses / work etc. need your time, simply put the coursework away till life is more settled. There is no upper / lower age limit, we currently have students from 10 - 65. Students may be UK or overseas based, but must be English speaking (& writing) to a reasonable standard. If students have problems with writing or spelling we don’t mind at all. We are here to help!! Free Help Your personal tutor is available for help and advice by telephone, email or letter at any time throughout your long or short course totally free of charge. If for some reason, your tutor is unable to take your call or mail, they usually respond within 24 hours. You have as much or as little contact with your tutor as you wish. Every Long course Study Pack however, contains an answer guidance sheet (AGS) on the questions in the previous Pack, so it is easy to gauge your own progress as you work through the course. What if I need extra help? Full Tutor Support (FTS) is available if you need help with reading and writing. Your tutor will check answers from each Pack. These are returned with feedback. The answer guidance sheet (AGS) on the long courses means that few require this extra help though. How long is a course? Level 1 Long course 7 Study Packs, 28 hours of lecture material. Studying time 28 -200 hours (it depends on you!) Some people aim to work on one Study Pack a month. Level 2 has 7, 3 & 4 have 10. Sit the optional BHS exam on completing a long course Short Courses Provide approximately 4-5 hours of lecture material. 25 - 35 hrs study time. LEC Credits Lingfield Equine Courses (LEC) Credits may be accrued by completing these short courses. We are introducing more courses during forthcoming months. It is expected that 15 LEC Credits will be required to apply for entry to the BHS Horse Owner’s Certificates Level 1 exam. Any LEC Credits awarded for short courses are only useable with BHS Horse Owner's Certificates exams when the exam is taken with us. Here is what you do: Pay online by credit or debit card with Paypal or Nochex and start your course within 1- 4 days, OR, send in your enrolment form with all the course fee and within 4 -10 days you will receive your first Study Pack in the post. Postal Course? There’s no need to wait in for the postman, no signature required. Email students : To set up an email long course please ensure that your first and last name is showing in the From: display box on your email - first name followed by last name. Please e-mail us directly from your pc at the time of sending the enrolment form. Email courses are often up & running within 2 hours of payment. When you have time, you simply sit down and read the course notes, making your own notes if you wish. We expect students to start their own file in which to keep their own handwritten/typewritten notes and any information they have researched too. When you are ready, you request your next Long Course Study Pack or send in the Short Course assignment. That’s all there is to it ! [Top] Our Guarantee of Good Business Practice Professional accountability. 6 Reputation and Experience. 6 Funding and Grants: 6 Courses by email 6 Testimonials. 6 Professional accountability Lingfield Correspondence is a learning provider offered by Learndirect England, Learndirect Scotland and with Scottish University for Industry (SUfI). We are also Trade Members of the British Horse Society (BHS) and the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA). We agree to abide by the code of conduct for the above mentioned organisations. Our course tutors, as members of the BHS Register of Instructors, adhere strictly to the code of conduct for Instructors. Reputation and Experience We have a good reputation and a long term relationship with our partner organisations, being established since 1994. We have been providing correspondence courses for 12 years and have taught over 1000 students in that time, from Wittering to Dubai. Funding and Grants: There are various places you can try Local Employment Office. Citizens Advice Bureau Also ask the Citizens Advice Bureau about funding via local charitable groups. Business groups Check the Chamber of Commerce, Training & Enterprise Council, Learndirect or Business groups & www.lifelonglearning.co.uk might suggest a source of funding. Career Development Loans are available: For information pack contact 0800 585 505 8am - 10pm or www.lifelonglearning.dfes.gov.uk/cdl Courses by email Please email lingfieldcourses@horse-care.co.uk Students must contact us direct by email before we can set up their enrolment. Your email address or the displayed name should show your first and last name in that order. To change your display name please see our web site forum. Testimonials Here are some of the comments we have received from our students: Jenny Barthwaite Notts. Jenny is a long term owner and aims to set up her own Livery Yard soon. “Without formal qualifications I decided that I would benefit from achieving something which would identify to my livery clients that I had gained a thorough grounding in the theory of horse care. I aim to adapt my own course notes to train my staff and perhaps offer NVQ & eventually Stages training too” Dawn Figg, Hatfield Horse Owner for over 20 yrs. Dawn had completed Level 1 before joining the Lingfield Courses. Having successfully achieved BHS Levels 2 & 3. Dawn then gained her BHS Stages. “I found the Level 2 course very interesting and informative. The course materials are abreast with current developments and include relevant references to alternative treatments and further in depth reading. A lot of previous instruction I have received has been limited strictly to the prescribed manner of doing things without giving consideration to owners or horses as individuals. I also particularly like the tone of the advice in placing the interests of the horse first, before the needs of competition or one-upmanship. The advice on considering many varied approaches on their merits, and finding the safest and most suitable for each individual case was also heartening and more enlightened than I have come across elsewhere” Wendy Jellings, Walsall Wendy had a thoroughbred on loan for 1 yr at the time of taking our first course and had owned a native pony for just 6 months. “Since beginning the course I have become much more confident. I let everyone else get on with it because I now know I am doing things right ! I’m looking forward to completing Level 1 & will then feel ready to tackle Level 2.”  Wendy is currently doing just that. Sarah Gilliver. East Grinstead Sarah took courses 1 - 3 & went on to do a Degree Course at Agricultural College. “I thoroughly enjoyed the courses and would highly recommend them to anyone. I had the practical experience, but not the theoretical underpinning. This certainly did assist towards my degree in Equine Studies and I still refer to my notes now” Bev Howie, Bradford Bev is not a horse owner but is a weekly rider at a riding school. “I am enjoying this course and learning a great deal. I always look forward to receiving my next Pack. I aim to take the exam and definitely would like to do the next Level.” Jane Scott, Doncaster, S.Yorkshire. “ I am very pleased with the content of the Level 1 course and find it very useful even though I took the BHS Horse Owner’s Certificates Level 1 at evening classes in Spring 2005”   [Top] Syllabus - Long and Short Courses SHORT COURSES. 7 Long Course. 7 Horse Owners Certificate Level 1 (HC 1) 7 Horse Owners Certificate Level 2 (HC 2) 9 Horse Owners Certificate Level 3 (HC 3) 9 Horse Owners Certificate Level 4 (HC 4) 10   We recommend that people take Level 1 and follow up with Level 2. This ensures they gain up to date and sufficiently in-depth knowledge. You may be knowledgeable on many of the topics in Level 1. Not everyone however, has the time to read every new book and magazine article, nor to research any recent developments and modern approaches to equine care and  management, or various modern treatments. SHORT COURSES SHORT COURSES see here. Introductory prices: email £98. £120 postal. 25 - 35 hrs Study Time. Course No SC3 Equine Psychology & Behaviour Series 1 available now Course No SC2 Buying the Right Horse includes CD with photographic guide on CD available 2006 Course No SC4 Bits, Bitting, Tack & Saddle Fitting available 2006 Running Your Own Livery Yard   Available soon SC Series 2 Equine Psychology & Behaviour available 2006 Long Course Horse Owners Certificate Level 1 (HC 1) Novice to Elementary - 150 - 200 Hrs of Study A small amount of very basic research* is required at this level. HC 1 is considered the most comprehensive course of its’ type available - if any student can show us a more comprehensive course of this type at entry level, we are prepared to refund the full course fee. Psychology and Behaviour. General care relating to stress Care and Requirements of the stabled horse. Modern bedding materials their use Importance of Routine in connection with management of a yard & stabled horse. Safety in stable, yard and in general when handling, riding and caring for equines. Health and Safety. Points of the Horse* Breeds and Types* Colours and Markings* Buying a new horse/pony - aimed at average rider buying first or second horse/pony. Passports for horses. Livery Yards. Approved Livery Yards. Livery Yard guidance and sample contracts. Reasons for shoeing & regular farrier visits. Problems caused by irregular attention to feet Grooming - Reasons and principles. Strapping and quartering Health of the horse. Signs of Health and Ill Health. When to call the vet.  First Aid. Know  the Norm. Minor injuries and ailments - modern products for injuries* Feeding and Watering - Rules. Types of Feed and their uses Feeding for Light Work, Manufacturers advertising leaflets* Hay, Haylage, Horsehage etc - use and storage Care of the horse at grass. Fields and Paddocks suitable for horses and ponies Worming - modern Approaches. 3 Year Worming programme Tack & tack fitting - nosebands/martingales etc. Rugs and rugging - fitting of rugs Bits & Bitting basics. Types and reasons for use. Importance of fit. Care of tack. Problems cause by ill fitting tack. Saddles & saddle fitting*. Practical: 30 minute Tack Session required. (This is not a test) Road Safety* courtesy Preparation for riding on roads. Towing Trailers. Returning from a ride - Care of the hot horse - modern approaches   * these topics require a small amount of research. Some topics are also covered in the Manual of Horsemanship. Those aiming for the professional Stage 1 exam will benefit greatly from using the Hazel Reed book. The Practical Tack Session: This is part of the BHS syllabus for Horse Owner’s Certs Level 1. We follow the BHS syllabus very strictly for exam students, thus ensuring exam papers are acceptable to the BHS. You must find a local BHS qualified instructor to oversee the practical session. Any course being run without this qualified supervision would not be according to the syllabus and leaves the exam or Certificate awarded open to withdrawal. Detailed information and paperwork/form for signature by the instructor will be sent with your Study Pack 4. When you reach this stage, we can provide names of instructors if you have had difficulty finding one. Overseas Students must also undertake this with a similarly qualified instructor. International Instructors Qualification Level 1 is equivalent to BHSAI.   Level 1 is NOT aimed purely at the novice. We recommend students work progressively through Levels 1 & 2 which will enable them to gain sufficient knowledge to care properly for any horse or pony in their charge. It is ideal for parents aiming to purchase a pony for their child. Horse Owners Certificate Level 2 (HC 2) Elementary to Advanced. Omits any elementary topics covered in Level 1 - 150 - 250 hrs study time Some research skills are required at this level Psychology further to Level 1 Farriers and Registration. Shoeing Structure of the foot and lower leg. Effects of hard ground, heavy going and careless riding Treating minor wounds. Common injuries and ailments further to Level 1. Bandages and boots for protection. Grassland Management. Maintenance of pasture. Grasses*. Making Hay on small parcels of land. Worms and Worming in brief. Watering and Feeding further to Level 1. Feed Charts and Weights. Guides* to Light, Moderate, Medium, Hard and Fast work Feeding for Light/Medium Work. Teeth - brief information only. Bits & Bitting, Tack & Care of Saddlery. First aid & Rider apparel - all further to Level 1. Bedding in relation to dust and allergies - COPD Importance of Daily Routine when caring for horses Guide to running a small stable/livery yard. Daily, weekly, periodical and annual treatments, tasks and maintenance jobs Insurance for horse & rider Highway and Country Code Etiquette for : Indoor and Outdoor Schools and for Parking Horse Boxes and Trailers. Horse Owners Certificate Level 3 (HC 3) Advanced/Professional This is really a top up course for those who have already taken Levels 1 & 2. Entry Requirements here. Not ideal as a stand alone course Good research skills are required at this level. Sick Nursing and Isolation Procedures. Respiratory problems. Ailments and Injuries - further to Level 1 & 2. Vices - stress is covered in Levels 1 & 2 Roughing off and Bringing up from grass. Fittening & maintenance of same for various disciplines. Clipping, Trimming, Plaiting. Presentation Correct Tack and Dress. Competition Horse - Feeding Preparation & Equipment for travel - further to Levels 1 & 2. Care of Transport. Legal Requirements for Transport & Towing* Stable & Yard Construction. Muck Heaps. Planning. Environments. Costs* involved when keeping horses at home, livery etc. BHS & Riding Clubs. We expect Level 3 students to be up to date, competent and experienced in equine management to a standard well beyond that of the average pleasure rider. Horse Owners Certificate Level 4 (HC 4) Level 4 is currently on hold awaiting updates. It follows the BHS Horse Owner’s Certificates syllabus - but in a little more depth. Please obtain syllabus from BHS. Applicants must send us, copies of H O Certificates 2 & 3, name & address of relevant instructors who ran course/exams to our office at the time of enrolment. [Top] Please read and note the following Terms and Conditions: Refunds and Cancellations: 10 Delivery of the course. 10 Qualifications. 10 Study breaks. 11 Course content 11 Agreement 11 Refunds and Cancellations: Should you decide after receiving your first Study Pack or Short Course, that you do not wish to continue with the course, we will refund your fee less any on-line charges - or we will refund the balance of the fee if you paid by cheque, both less an administration charge of £10 for setting up the enrolment. We will refund the amount stated without quibble on receipt of written cancellation together with the undamaged Short Course or course Pack within 14 days of the posting date, 10 days for Short Courses. The same procedures apply to cancellation of email courses. Return by post, the hard copy of the email to which the course/Pack was attached within 14 days of it being sent to you or 10 days for Short Courses. (Copyright is still binding after cancellation). If your bank returns (bounces) any cheque, we allow 2 weeks for a replacement to be sent to us. Delivery of the course Study Packs cannot be sent in bulk. They will be sent only on receipt of individual requests per pack. We expect students to work through the course in the prescribed manner and therefore require a gap of a minimum of 10 days between a student receiving one pack and posting/emailing the request for the next. Study Packs and any course material is only available as part of a complete course. They are not available on an individual basis - expect for replacements in exceptional circumstances. A complete Level 1 or 2 long course will not be sent in less than 3 months, Level 3 & 4, five months. Request procedures are set out above. Qualifications If wishing to sit the BHS exams at the end of each of these long courses, the required Set Work must be completed as per the course procedures in own handwriting - alternative arrangements may be made in special circumstances - please ring to talk to us personally about this. Please don’t worry if your spelling and grammar aren’t that good - neither are ours! Apart from the BHS fee of £14, exam fees are not refundable. Exam fees are not due until later in your long course. Short Courses accrue 1-3 LEC Credits towards entry to the BHS exam. 11 LEC Credits and 4 gold LEC Credits must be achieved. Study breaks If after two years, course completion is not accomplished, and/or if we receive no contact from a student for a period of 18 months, enrolment on Lingfield Correspondence Courses will be deemed to have been terminated by the student. There is a charge of £38 for re-instating the enrolment after 2 yrs. However, it is easy enough to drop us a note, within that timescale, to let us know that life is a bit busy right now but you are still keen to continue eventually. Course content Information given in the courses or in connection with the courses, should be accepted as educated views and opinions, not as absolute truths. Agreement Students enrolling on any course with us are deemed to have accepted, and agree to abide by, the procedures, criteria, requests and details as laid out in the Enrolment form, Prospectus, Study Packs and any other related documentation provided by Lingfield Correspondence or associated course providers. On enrolment, students accept that all procedures, criteria etc. cost of exam, course fees, tutor support and postage etc., may alter without notice. [Top] How much will a course cost Long Courses – Horse Owners Certificate. 11 Short Courses. 11 Options. 11 How to Pay. 12 Tutor Support 12 Shared Courses. 12 Overseas students. 12 Email Courses. 12 Entry Requirements. 12 Short Courses. 13 *Circumstances outside the above?. 13 Recommended Long Course Book List 13   Course Number Course Name Course Fee (UK Post) Course Fee (Email) Long Courses – Horse Owners Certificate HC 1 Lingfield - Level 1 £204 (3 x 68) £150 HC 2 Lingfield - Level 2 £210 (3 x 70) £165 HC 3 Lingfield - Level 3 £225 (3 x 75) £204 HC 4 Lingfield - Level 4 On hold On hold Short Courses SC 1       SC 2 Buying the Right Horse Coming soon Coming soon SC 3 Equine Psychology & Behaviour Series 1 £120 £98 SC 4 Bits, Bitting, Tack & Saddle Fitting Coming soon Coming soon   Running Your Own Livery Yard Coming soon Coming soon   Equine Psychology & Behaviour Series 2 Coming soon Coming soon Options FTS Full Tutor Support £46 n/a Family Shared Family Course £40 £40                     How to Pay Online Credit or debit card with Paypal or Nochex. see web site Forum ‘How the Courses Work’ topic. By Post We accept Postal Orders, Cheques & Bankers Drafts Please make cheques payable to PClements. This is the title of the working account for the equine courses. Insert card number & students name on reverse - omitting this might delay your course by 10 days. Instalments: Long Courses only: you may pay cheques in 3 x monthly instalments Send all cheques with the form. Tutor Support All students benefit from free tutor support at any time by phone, post or email. Full Tutor Support (FTS) is available for those who struggle with reading coursework and doing homework. Full Tutor Support is available on Level 1 and 2 only Shared Courses Available for two family members with the same last name and living at the same address. One must pay the full fee. Both are eligible to sit the BHS exam with Lingfield Correspondence. We have a several couples as well as parent and child teams working through our courses in this manner.  Overseas students Cheques and drafts must be in £sterling and must include all bank charges. If you pay online we will pay the charges. See the enrolment form or the web site for cost of postage. (Obviously, there is no extra charge for email students). Overseas BHS Exams are held only at offices of The British Council – see here. Email Courses The same courses but sent by compressed email attachment. Quicker and easier, than waiting for the post, for many of our students. Entry Requirements We strongly recommend that you work through the levels. The Lingfield Level 1 course is extremely comprehensive and contains much that is not available in other Level 1 courses. For Level 3, we would expect you to have your certificates (including full name and address of instructor and examiner) when you enrol. You must be able to send us copies of certificates by email or post if and when requested to do so. Long Courses Level 1 A willingness to learn Age : 10 – 105 A reasonable grasp of the English language for reading and writing. There is no need for you to have perfect spelling and grammer, but an enthusiasm to learn about and to care for horses is recommended! Level 2 As for Level 1 (above) Applicants should have currently or very recently undertaken theory training from a recognised provider. Level 3 As for Level 2 (above) Either a BHS Horse Owners Certificate Level 2 or a Level 2 Lingfield Certificate. Pony ClubB/ Stage 2/ Progressive Riding Test 5 or Weekly Rider Test 5 if available. Level 4 As for Level 3 (above) Either a BHS Horse Owners Certificate Level 3 or a Level 3 Lingfield Certificate. N.B. Level 4 is currently on hold. Short Courses Series 1 A willingness to learn Age : 14 – 105 A reasonable grasp of the English language for reading and writing. There is no need for you to have perfect spelling and grammer, but an enthusiasm to learn about and to care for horses is recommended! Series 2 Completion of the first short course in the same subject. Short Courses Short Courses cover specific topics. They comprise 25 to 35 hours of study time. Running Your Own Livery Yard - available soon - check the web site regularly. SC3 Equine Psychology & Behaviour Available NOW. SC2 Buying the Right Horse including a photographic and film clip guide on conformation via CD. SC4 Bits, Bitting, Tack & Fitting Coming soon More courses will be available throughout the coming year. Check the web site for information. *Circumstances outside the above? Ring the office.  We may be able to help. Recommended Long Course Book List Start with these The Manual of Horsemanship £14.99 - mail order from the Pony Club 024.7669-8300 Riding & Roadcraft Manual £5.99 Recommended for our courses & for anyone who rides on roads. The BHS Guide to Grassland Management for Horse & Pony Owners £5.99 - Useful for Level 1 & 2. Get these others later If you feel you need them. The Veterinary Care of the Horse by Devereaux & Morrison - Gives good clear information. Riding & Stable Management Stage 1 by Hazel Reed - ideal for Stages exams. Lingfield Wall Charts: Ailments ‘Lumps and Bumps’ & ‘Points of the Horse’ UK £6.00 for 2 inc p&p EU £8.00 Outside EU £10     The short course book list comes with the course. [Top] Exam Information When can I take the BHS exam?. 14 What is the BHS exam like?. 14 Where do I sit the Exam?. 14 Exam Fees and appointment of invigilator. 14     - the written BHS exams are entirely optional as are the course completion ‘on trust’ Lingfield home exams. BHS exams are supervised, The BHS exams offered, are for the BHS Horse Owner’s Certificates. You apply for entry and pay the exam fee towards the end of the long course and on achieving sufficient LEC Credits from Short Courses.. When can I take the BHS exam? Long Courses When you have sent in the Set Work from the final three or four Study Packs, you are eligible to sit the exam. Short Courses Successful assignment completion will accrue either 1-2 LEC Credits towards entry to the BHS HOC Level 1 exam. Exam entry requires 15 LEC Credits, 4 of which must be gold LEC Credits. LEC Credits are only valid for exams taken with Lingfield Correspondence. LEC Course Completion Certificates are available for all successful students. What is the BHS exam like? All Levels are of 90 minute duration and are run in the same manner as a national school or college examination. They are all theory - there is no practical section. They have 30 short questions and 4 long questions which must be answered within the allotted time. The long questions require essay answers which must be an absolute minimum of half an A4 page in length. No books or diagrams etc. are available during the exam. Where do I sit the Exam?   The BHS have allowed us to set up these exams for our students in their own homes providing the exams are overseen by a suitable invigilator. We generally appoint invigilators via professional educational facilities, they will bring the exam paper to your home and oversee your exam. It is against guidelines to send the exam paper directly to the student. Students cannot, under the above guidelines, use their own invigilator, nor should you attempt to find, or provide us with a contact for invigilation. Any such attempt may leave the examination open to disqualification. You should notify the BHS if any instructor or organisation is holding a course or exam in any way other than under the above conditions.   Overseas Exams Students may only sit these exams if The British Council has an office in their country of residence, and only if that office provides exam facilities for distance learning students. Ask your nearest office personally via www.britishcouncil.org.uk. All fees & courier charges for this service, must be paid by the student.  Exam Fees and appointment of invigilator. Exam entry form and fees are due on gaining sufficient LEC Credits for Short Courses or reaching Study Pack 5 (or 8 in Levels 3 & 4). At this stage we start searching for a local invigilator for you. The BHS charge £15.50 (inc p & p) for each exam sent in by us. We ask for a non returnable fee of £28.50 (£39.50 for Level 3 & 4) to locate an invigilator, set up the exam, mark the paper and send it off with the relevant paperwork and fee to the BHS. This all means therefore, that our BHS inclusive exam fee is £45.00 each for Levels 1 & 2 and £55ea for Levels 3 & 4. You pay the invigilator direct on the day of the exam. Fees are in the region of £15 - £30. Please note these exams are for BHS Horse Owner’s Certificates, they are not the Stages exams, nor are they any part of the Stages exam, none of which can be gained by post from any source whatsoever. They do not count towards the Stages exams.   Our strict adherence to procedures means that at no time has any Lingfield student had their BHS Certificate or exam pass withdrawn. Your BHS certificate with us is a worthwhile achievement. [Top] Excerpts from Study Packs 1 & 3 Level 1 MINOR AILMENTS There are two popularly held misapprehensions regarding COLIC. The first is that the horse must not be allowed to roll as this will cause a twisted gut. The second is, the treatment for colic is to force the horse to walk around. CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF: Colic does not cause a twisted gut. The twist in the gut is very likely the cause of the colic. (The above is attributed to Veterinary contributor to Horse & Hound - Colin Vogel MRCFS) Horses with colic should NOT necessarily be forced to walk around Horses with colic should NOT be forced to get up if lying down Horses with colic should not be prevented from rolling Only force them up if they are rolling violently and therefore in danger of injuring themselves. ..........( if you are in pain from stomach ache)..... how would you feel if someone took you firmly by the hand and forced you to walk around and around the garden!! If however, they are rolling violently it means they are in a great amount of pain. You must therefore call the vet immediately.   PSYCHOLOGY - The Horses Mind. ...........Horses learn by association. They learn to react in a certain manner because: a) Something UNPLEASANT happened.........in a similar situation. b) Something PLEASANT happened......in a similar situation. ........ They ASSOCIATE a ... situation with something pleasant or unpleasant .... Their wild INSTINCT reminds them.   Take each of those first letters underlined above UPAI or ‘you pay’. In other words, you pay for what you do, or what has happened to your horse! If it was unpleasant you probably won’t like his/her reaction, it was pleasant you will be rewarded by her/his reaction.