Carry out routine care and monitor the health and well-being of horses — BHS Qualifications Occupational Qualification Animal Care & Veterinary Revision

    This element covers the essential daily husbandry tasks for equines, including grooming, feeding, and mucking out, while integrating health monitoring prac

    Topic Synopsis

    This element covers the essential daily husbandry tasks for equines, including grooming, feeding, and mucking out, while integrating health monitoring practices such as observing vital signs, recognising signs of illness, and maintaining accurate records. It emphasises the application of health and safety legislation to ensure the welfare of both horses and handlers in a professional yard environment.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid

    Examiner Marking Points

    Carry out routine care and monitor the health and well-being of horses

    BHS QUALIFICATIONS
    vocational

    This element covers the essential daily husbandry tasks for equines, including grooming, feeding, and mucking out, while integrating health monitoring practices such as observing vital signs, recognising signs of illness, and maintaining accurate records. It emphasises the application of health and safety legislation to ensure the welfare of both horses and handlers in a professional yard environment.

    5
    Learning Outcomes
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    Assessment Guidance
    4
    Key Skills
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    Key Terms
    5
    Assessment Criteria

    Assessment criteria

    BHSQ Level 2 Diploma in Work Based Horse Care

    Topic Overview

    The BHSQ Level 2 Diploma in Work Based Horse Care is a vocational qualification designed for individuals working or volunteering in the horse care industry. It covers essential practical skills and knowledge required for daily care of horses in a professional setting, such as livery yards, riding schools, or private stables. The diploma focuses on safe working practices, horse handling, feeding, grooming, and stable management, ensuring students can competently support the welfare of horses under supervision.

    This qualification is part of the wider Animal Care & Veterinary sector and is recognised by employers as evidence of foundational competence. It aligns with the British Horse Society (BHS) standards and provides a pathway to higher-level qualifications, such as the BHS Stage 2 or 3. By completing this diploma, students demonstrate they can apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios, making them valuable assets in equine businesses.

    The diploma is assessed through a combination of practical observations, written assignments, and professional discussions. It emphasises health and safety, biosecurity, and ethical horse care, preparing students for responsible roles in the equine industry. Mastery of these skills not only benefits the horses but also enhances employability and career progression in animal care.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Routine stable management: daily mucking out, bedding types (straw, shavings, rubber mats), and maintaining a clean, safe environment to prevent respiratory issues and injuries.
    • →Correct feeding practices: understanding forage-to-concentrate ratios, feeding according to workload, and recognising signs of poor nutrition (e.g., weight loss, dull coat).
    • →Safe horse handling: leading, tying up, and turning out using appropriate equipment (headcollar, lead rope) and techniques to minimise risk of injury to both horse and handler.
    • →Basic health monitoring: checking temperature, pulse, and respiration (TPR), identifying signs of colic, lameness, or injury, and knowing when to report to a supervisor or vet.
    • →Grooming and hoof care: daily grooming routines to maintain coat health and detect skin issues, plus picking out feet and recognising signs of thrush or abscesses.

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • Demonstrate safe and effective grooming techniques for horses in different conditions.
    • Carry out daily health checks, including temperature, pulse, and respiration (TPR) monitoring.
    • Identify and report deviations from normal health parameters in horses.
    • Apply health and safety legislation to routine yard tasks to minimise risks.
    • Maintain accurate welfare and husbandry records in accordance with yard protocols.

    Assessment Criteria

    Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

    • Award credit for correctly demonstrating the full health check procedure, including TPR and observation of demeanor.
    • Credit given for following safe lifting techniques when handling heavy equipment or feed bags.
    • Evidence of appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during mucking out.
    • Ability to identify common signs of colic, lameness, or skin conditions and take appropriate action.
    • Accurate completion of daily care records with clear, legible entries.

    Assessment Guidance

    Guidance for achieving higher grades

    • 💡In practical assessments, verbalise your actions, especially when checking health parameters, to demonstrate understanding.
    • 💡Always reference the relevant health and safety regulations (e.g., PUWER, COSHH) when explaining safe working practices.
    • 💡When recording findings, note any abnormalities and the actions taken, showing a clear chain of reporting.
    • 💡Prepare for scenario-based questions on how to respond to an injured or sick horse, including isolation procedures.
    • 💡In practical assessments, always narrate your actions to the assessor. For example, when grooming, explain why you are using a particular brush (e.g., 'I'm using a dandy brush to remove mud, starting from the neck to avoid startling the horse'). This shows understanding, not just rote performance.
    • 💡For written assignments, use specific examples from your work placement. Instead of saying 'I feed the horse', describe the type of feed, quantity, and how you adjusted it based on the horse's workload or condition. This demonstrates application of knowledge.
    • 💡Memorise the normal ranges for TPR (temperature 37.5–38.5°C, pulse 28–40 bpm, respiration 8–16 breaths per minute) and practice taking them on different horses. Examiners often ask you to interpret abnormal readings, so know what to do if they are outside normal range.

    Common Mistakes

    Common errors to avoid in your coursework

    • Students often overlook subtle signs of discomfort such as reduced appetite or changes in manure consistency.
    • Forgetting to check water supply and cleanliness daily, which can lead to colic.
    • Inadequate hand hygiene between handling different horses, increasing risk of disease spread.
    • Assuming that a horse standing quietly is always healthy, missing signs of depression or pain.
    • Misconception: Horses can be fed haylage just like hay. Correction: Haylage has higher moisture content and can spoil quickly if not stored correctly; it must be fed within a few days of opening and is not suitable for all horses (e.g., those prone to laminitis).
    • Misconception: A clean stable means the horse is healthy. Correction: A clean stable reduces disease risk, but horses can still develop respiratory issues from dust in hay or bedding; soaking hay or using dust-extracted bedding is often necessary.
    • Misconception: Tying a horse up short prevents it from moving and is safer. Correction: Tying too short can cause panic and injury; the lead rope should allow the horse to lower its head comfortably but not get a leg over.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •Basic understanding of horse behaviour and body language, such as recognising signs of aggression or fear (e.g., pinned ears, swishing tail).
    • •Familiarity with common stable equipment and their uses (e.g., haynets, water buckets, grooming kits).
    • •Awareness of health and safety principles in an animal care environment, including manual handling and infection control.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    • Daily Horse Husbandry
    • Health Monitoring and Observation
    • Health and Safety Compliance
    • Record Keeping and Reporting
    • Welfare and Ethical Care

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