# Riding and road safety exam advice



## darkmystic7 (17 February 2015)

*Hello all, I am not sure if this in the correct posting area so apologies if not, (still getting use to the forum). 
*
I have my riding and road safety exam in March and as a fairly new rider I am a little nervous. I have taken my bhs stage 1 exam which I was also nervous so I know it will probably go well, but I like to prepare. 

I am just reading the syllabus for it, and being a car driver for over 10 years I think I know everything, but do they ever drop surprise questions on you or is it just like a driving test but on a horse? I always like to be prepared and read up on everything but still worry. 

If anyone has taken this exam recently in the last 2 years could let me know how it went would be great. What kind of questions were asked, was the riding part hard? anything at all would be great. 

Do you think the exam was of any benefit to you?

Thank you


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## oldie48 (17 February 2015)

I took mine years ago following an unfortunate incident with a motorbike rally and it was very useful as it gave me the confidence to control difficult situations on the road when I've needed to.  Since then I've done some training and examining for the local pony club. You are doing some training for it? When I took it the only candidate who failed was the one who hadn't done the training. Basically if you  do what you are told on the training, you'll be fine. You also need to be on a very sensible horse that will stand at junctions etc and which you can mount from the wrong side easily (I guess they still ask you to do that) Make sure you check behind very regularly and make your "looking" very obvious, a  bit like when you check your mirrors on your driving test. Don't let a car driver wave you on eg when turning right (instant fail)and make sure you are correctly positioned on the road at all times eg on the lefthand side of the road when turning right, not like you would do in a car or on a bike. Good luck. Let us know how you get on.


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## View (17 February 2015)

Hi, did my R&RS last July.  Do the training, and use a horse supplied by your exam centre - then it will be correctly turned out for you with all 4 hi-vi bands or boots etc.

The theory test is fine - again, get the book and read it.  As said above, exaggerate turning to look behind - and do it more of them than you think you need to.  The hardest bit is the simulated road route, and even that's not hard, but it does all seem to come up very quickly.

On the day, wear light coloured jods and a top (no hood) and light coloured gloves, no need for a shirt and tie.  And as you have your stage 1 already, your riding is more than up to this.  It's mostly in walk with a couple of short trots.

By all means be able to mount from the offside, but it's not required on the test.  When they talk about an emergency dismount, they aren't meaning flinging yourself from the horse in a panic.  This test, like your Stage 1, is all about being safe and in control.  So our remount was done from the near side using a mounting block on the grounds that if you can't mount from the ground, you will lead until you find a tree stump, wall etc to use.


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## darkmystic7 (17 February 2015)

ahh okay no i can't mount off ground very well, im short lol 5t1 so has to be a big jump up haha! thanks for the tips. I am more nervous about not doing things right in the practical than anything, going around things to wide or not wide enough.


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## View (18 February 2015)

darkmystic7 said:



			. I am more nervous about not doing things right in the practical than anything, going around things to wide or not wide enough.
		
Click to expand...

Do the training offered by the exam centre, and you will be fine with this.  It's about safety all the way e.g. if you are going past a parked car, and riding a line that would allow the car door to open and a car to squeeze past you from behind, you would have been better off to be another foot out from the car and "own" the road as you are more at risk from a car squeezing past.

And I have virtually no hope of mounting from the floor these days, so you are not alone.


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## Happy Hunter (18 February 2015)

Do the training - I didnt have to mount from the ground that I can recall...

I was riding a horse who freakishly had a HUGE paddy at a lorry where he is normally fine.
I stayed calm  - Signaled clearly to all road users that I needed to turn around and trot back to a gap in the road and get out of the way in a gate way  - I cried but carried on - and PASSED!

It's all common sense really


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## Steorra (19 February 2015)

The theory part is very simple but do make sure you use the right language eg "stop and give way" rather than "wait".

For the simulated part of the practical test I strongly suggest doing a practice day at the test centre. It's so much easier when you already know where you are supposed to go and what the centre has used to represent different obstacles. I didn't do the 10 hours preparatory course though, just a training day.

Like Happy Hunter said, it's quite possible to pass even if things go a bit wrong, just act safely and try not to panic. The horse I was given for my test was very nappy but I passed and the examiner commented that I'd dealt with it sensibly. 

Good luck!


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## darkmystic7 (19 February 2015)

Thanks for the tips everyone.  I am not doing the 10 hours either just the Saturday training before my exam the next Saturday.  I am studying at home though.  I've been driving for 10 years starring at traffic lights and never noticed the sequence before until today when I thought Oo what if it's included lol I knew it for my driving test but we forget so much lol


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