BDS Education Leaflet.Working with Horses in Harness

MESSAGE FROM BDS AWARDS BOARD

BDS Education Programme
 

Introduction

From our inauguration in 1957, the BDS recognised the need to provide training in order to preserve and promote harness horse driving skills, knowledge, safety and horse welfare.   In 2005, we recognised the need to upgrade our qualifications from vocationally-related to nationally-accredited, and the development of the new Qualifications and Credits Framework (QCF) by the Department of Education was suitable for our needs.

The BDS currently offers both accredited and non-accredited courses and qualifications in harness horse driving.   All responsibilities for this programme are handled by the BDS Awards Board through the BDS Office.

Accredited qualifications have Pathways or routes which you choose to follow, depending upon what type of harness horse activity you want to pursue.   These are:-

 Pathway 1         mainstream or recreational carriage driving,

                                           Pathway 2         working with horses in agricultural and land-based activities and

Pathway 3         training horses to work in harness.                    

Qualifications are an endorsement of a person's ability to carry out tasks at the required level set out in the qualification, and have the underpinning knowledge and understanding associated with each task.   However, the qualification should not be seen as the sole purpose and 'end product' of the learning experience.   It is the training course which is the most important part of the learning process.   Assessment and qualification are designed to measure whether or not a person has benefitted from the training to a measurable level.

So who's visiting our site today ?

You may not be a BDS member but great if you are;  you may be a heavy horse enthusiast or a school or college learner thinking of achieving a new skill.   Whoever you are we would like to hear from you.

There's an Education Enquiry Form which you can download pdf version or the online version here and return it by post or email to the BDS Office.   We can then advise what's the best route for you and how to achieve it.

What qualifications are available ?         Find the summaries by clicking on all BDS Qualifications and clicking on the appropriate title

So who's your nearest BDS Training Provider?    Find out by clicking on BDS Training Provision.

What courses do the trainers provide ?     Find out by clicking on BDS Training Provision and scrolling down

Are you working with horses in agricultural or land-based activities ?   Check all BDS Qualifications as Pathway 2 is the route for you in each of the qualifications. 

Do you want to help a friend drive their own turnout for exercise, pleasure drives, in the show ring or at local club events ?  If so, would you be more confident if you achieved the BDS Level 2 Harness Horse Groom's Diploma.   Click on all BDS Qualifications and then the diploma title to find out more detail.

Would you like to increase your achievements and obtain the BDS Level 3 Harness Horse Driver's Diploma ?  Then click on all BDS Qualifications and then the diploma title to find out more detail.

Once you have chosen a qualification and pathway as well as located a training provider, you will need to register on the course by sending a Registration Form, together with the Registration Fee, to the BDS Office.   This will trigger the office generating a Unique Learning Number and the necessary workbook to be purchased etc.

When you are ready for Assessment, either you or your training provider will need to send us an Application for Assessment Form.   Details of BDS approved Training Providers and Training Courses may be found by clicking on BDS Training Provision and scrolling down.

How much does it Cost?
The BDS fees payable by candidates for BDS Assessments are here.

Don't forget we cannot help you unless you send us that initial Education Enquiry Form – do remember though the programme is still being developed so we are sorry we cannot answer by return.

Click here to see a Powerpoint presentation overview of the QCF model. Note: the slide show takes a minute or two to load, advance the slides by clicking the space bar or left mouse button.

Click here for details of BDS Training Committee and Awards Board  Membership and Remits. 

Duty of Care & Accident Preventionfor the BDS guidelines.

Tessa Styles            tel: 01473 892 001    e-mail: email@britishdrivingsociety.co.uk,  or
Stephanie Evans       tel: 01379 384612     e-mail: bdseducation@btinternet.com