British Dressage Coaching Certificate
The British Dressage Coaching Certificate is a recognised qualification which is accredited by 1st4sport and provides a stamp of quality coaching across all sports around the UK.
What's involved in the BDCC?
The courses are made up of four day workshops for Level 2 and seven day workshops for the Level 3 where you'll have an assigned Coach Educator throughout the entire course who will deliver the programme content and act as mentor throughout. There are four levels, with all sports requiring the same coaching skills at each level.
Level 1: run in collaboration with The Pony Club, this certificate gives the you the skills and knowledge to begin delivering coaching sessions under supervision. Suitable for those who have no prior coaching knowledge. By competing this qualification you meet the pre-requisite/competency requirement for the BDCC Level 2.
British Dressage Level 2 and Level 3 Coaching Certificates:
Level 2: a dressage specific qualification that teaches you how to be a safe coach who can prepare for, deliver and review a progressive series of sessions. You will be assessed coaching up to Elementary for Level 2.
Level 3: learn how to be a fully autonomous (independent) coach who is a role model at Regional level. This qualification will enable you to plan, deliver, analyse and review annual programmes of rider development. You will be assessed coaching up to Advanced Medium for Level 3.
Level 4: this provides you with a Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) in Professional Practice in Sport Coaching and is designed to support and credit learning within the workplace. If you're interested then visit the BEF Website for more information.
What are the benefits of a dressage specific qualification?
- The coaching certificates have raised the profile of equestrian coaching by establishing best practice coaching standards.
- It's a nationally recognised framework of qualifications for coach education developed by the UK’s most successful sports.
- The successful completion of a BDCC dressage specific qualification demonstrates that you have the technical knowledge and practical ability to coach riders to the level of the qualification gained.
- We recognise the knowledge and hard work that goes into completing a BDCC qualification and strive to continue to support our coaches and develop their careers after the courses. We, therefore, have a requirement that any regional training up to Elementary must be taken by either a Recognised or Accredited coach, and any Medium or Advanced Medium training can only be taken by an Accredited coach.
Course Dates and Applications
Applications for our 2024 BDCC courses are now full and have closed. To express your interest for the 2025 BDCC courses please email officials@britishdressage.co.uk
To submit an application, just complete the correct application form below and return it to officials@britishdressage.co.uk before the close of applications. British Dressage reserves the right to close course applications if they are filled. Courses are allocated on a first come, first served basis to those meeting all eligibility criteria at the point of application. Application is not a guarantee of acceptance.
Any ineligible applicants will be sign posted to opportunities to support their development to prepare them for future applications. Any applicants meeting all eligibility but not securing a place due to capacity will be offered priority booking in 2025. Any applicants not eligible on initial application and subsequently added to the expression of interest list for future opportunities, will still be required to fully meet eligibility at the point of application for future courses. Addition to the expression list is not a guarantee of acceptance.
British Dressage Coaching Certificate Level 2
Achievement of the qualification is through attendance on a course of training and assessment. The assessment specification requires learners to:
- Complete a series of assessed tasks contained within their learner portfolio, provided by 1st4Sport.
- Plan, deliver and evaluate a minimum of six coaching sessions in dressage. Four of the six sessions must be linked and progressive, and working with the same individual or group of participants in order to monitor and review any progress made. The additional sessions will ideally be planned for a different participant type to the linked and progressive sessions e.g. adults/youths/children/para. One of the additional sessions could be at a mock competition.
- Demonstrate their ability to coach session(s) in two practical coaching assessments, split into one group session of 45 minutes and one individual session of 30 mins which could be at a mock competition (either in their workplace or in a simulated environment). Observed sessions may be taken from the six planned sessions.
The learner portfolio and the practical demonstrations are inclusive of all assessment criteria. Successful completion will result in the achievement of the qualification.
Requirements
- Full (competing) or Full (non competing) British Dressage Membership
- At least 17 years old (please note we cannot certificate this qualification until the candidate is 18)
- Have a current recognised first aid certificate that was conducted in-person
- Have a current recognised safeguarding certificate
- Have public liability insurance
- Candidates must have 2 riders at Novice/Elementary Level who they coach on a regular basis, this is essential as the course will require completed case studies and portfolio tasks based on riders at this level.
Qualification and Competency Requirements
- UKCC/PCCC Level 1 or UKCC Level 2 (generic or other MB)
- BHS Stage 3 Coach (Previously a BHS Assistant Instructor/BHSAI) or BHS Stage 4 Senior Coach (Previously a BHS Intermediate Instructor/BHSII or BHS ITT)
- The Association of British Riding Schools Stable Management Test 7 & ABRS Equitation Test No.6
- The Pony Club B Test
- Riding for the Disabled Coach Exam
Other experience or learning not evidenced by the above qualifications will be considered on a case by case basis.
British Dressage Coaching Certificate Level 3
Achievement of the qualification is normally through attendance on a course of training and assessment. The assessment specification requires learners to:
- Complete a series of assessed tasks contained within the learner portfolio, provided by 1st4sport.
- Plan a seasonal coaching programme. The coaching programme must be focused on one rider.
- Plan, deliver and evaluate an aspect of a seasonal coaching programme covering a minimum of an 8-week period where a minimum of 8 sessions are planned, delivered and evaluated.
- Demonstrate their ability to coach dressage session(s) in practical coaching assessments [coaching for a minimum of 90 minutes, through the observation of one 45 minute session and one 45 minute simulated competition]. Observations will take place with riders in an assessment situation which closely simulates a private clinic and mock competition. Where observations are conducted in a simulated environment, these must be in addition to the 8 that must be delivered in the coach’s normal coaching environment.
The learner portfolio and the practical demonstrations are inclusive of all assessment criteria. Successful completion will result in the achievement of the qualification.
Requirements
General Pre Requisites
- Full (competing) or Full (non competing) British Dressage Membership
- At least 17 years old (please note we cannot certificate this qualification until the candidate is 18)
- Have a current recognised first aid certificate that was conducted in-person
- Have a current recognised safeguarding certificate
- Have public liability insurance
- Applicants must be able to provide two riders to use for the portfolio: Rider 1 must be competing at Advanced Medium or above gaining scores at 60% or above. Rider 2 can be competing at Medium or above gaining 60% or above. Rider 2 may be an event rider of the equivalent level.
Qualification and competency requirements
- Holds a British Dressage Level 2 in Coaching or a UKCC Level 3 Generic qualification
- Holds a BHS Stage 5 Performance Coach (previously BHSI)
- BHS Fellow
Level 2 & 3 Workshops
For Level 2 there are three full day practical and two half-day online workshops approximately a month apart, followed by a final assessment. For Level 3 there are five full day practical and two online workshops approximately one month apart, followed by a final assessment.
The workshops are a mixture of theory based virtual classroom sessions where the information needed for the portfolio will be covered, and practical coaching sessions where the coaching skills will be covered. Advice on the technical skills will also be given in the practical sessions but technical competence at the level cannot be taught in the limited time, so applicants must be competent and confident in the technical skills before applying.
Candidates will also need to be prepared to work on their own between workshops, this includes completing the portfolio tasks and could be watching other coaches and making sure they get as much coaching practise as possible.
