AT THE recent agm of BHS Scotland while we were introducing a prospective new range of ‘team clothing’ for Scotland’s registered riding instructors I found myself modelling a beautiful waterproof coat with REGISTERED INSTRUCTOR on the back.

And although I am a qualified and registered instructor I have not taught riding for years so it set me thinking about which special equestrian power I could teach?

In the 70s I used to invite family and friends to my ponies’ field, where in a crudely fashioned circus ring made out of small straw bales my friend Dorothy Church and I put on a display of vaulting on and off the ponies and jumping the circus seats. The circus involved all the farm animals and even the Border Terrier could ride a pony in those days! The highlight of the show was being able to canter on Zebedee and Rinty in opposite directions, bare back with just halter on and a live hen under each arm, I still wonder if the welfare infringement was towards the spectators, the ponies or the hens!

Oh the intrepid young - these days I am sort of scared to jump, but as Master specialises in jumping the New Year will see me taking a few lessons!

That is one of the beauties of horse riding one is never too old to learn and regular lessons keep our skills up to scratch and as riding is a risk sport it is so important to make sure your teacher has appropriate and quality assured qualifications. The BHS maintains the UK’s principal register of professionally qualified riding instructors. Those on the register have passed the necessary internationally recognised exams, hold a first aid certificate are au fait with child protection matters. They also keep their skills up to date by attending regular continuing professional training days. BHS Scotland runs those and for 2010 the subject includes indoor cross country, equine biomechanics and confident jumping.

Every year BHS Scotland recognises Scotland’s most popular riding instructor and a bit like the final of strictly or sports personality of the year the winner is chosen entirely by public vote. This year it was a surprised Shonagh Steven, former Scottish Young Instructor of the year, from Angus. On presenting the beautiful bespoke trophy our chairman Loraine Young said: ”We had so many votes for this award this year, but the votes for Shonagh kept on coming and coming, she was a runaway winner.” Making learning fun, that is the key!

The second award we presented at our agm was the beautiful Tarragon Trophy to ‘Equine Personality of the Year’ – Moulan a lovely palomino mare from Ladymire Equestrian Centre in Aberdeenshire was the worthy winner. Moulan has many jobs, besides her full time one as a riding school horse. She does riding for the disabled, paralympic dressage and competes – so ticks all the boxes of the personality award by bringing so much pleasure to so many people! Her owner Naomi Watson was so delighted, pointing out that when she got Moulan she was a hooligan, branded unbreakable at five years old! The Tarragon trophy was presented by Fiona Busby who owns the first winner; Tarragon, now retired, was her resilient Connemara dressage star. He was monkey as a youngster too; it is so funny in great horses how high jinks transmit to character in later life.

It time to make some equine New Year’s resolutions – as far as BHS is concerned the best one would be if every horse and pony in Scotland had one passport each and featured once on the National Equine Database and if every horse owner returned their passport to be rescinded on the death of their equine. Just think what the Scottish horse world would to with those accurate equine statistics, if we really knew how many horses and ponies were in Scotland it would be marvellous. And if every equine had one passport for the length of its life it would protect both horses and riders from crime and fraud. Now that is not a bad Christmas wish is it!?