Thursday, 19 February 2026
British Equestrian is set to host an online information day for the Level 4 Coaching Certificate 2026-2028 cohort on Tuesday 31 March 2026, 10:00 –12:00, with the application window opening up shortly after.
The Level 4 Coaching Certificate, delivered in partnership with British Rowing and the University of Stirling, is a bespoke programme developed specifically for both sports, and includes a Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) in Professional Practice in Sports Coaching.
It’s intended for high-performing coaches who have already completed the Level 3 Coaching Certificate, British Horse Society (BHS) Stage 4 or 5 in Complete Horsemanship, Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) Advanced Coach, or an equivalent qualification. The course will take two years to complete.
David Padgen, who oversees the Level 4 Coaching Certificate programme as part of his role as Relationships Officer at British Equestrian, commented, “I am delighted to be helping coaches understand more about this exciting program and to start the process of recruiting coaches for our next cohort on our Level 4 Coaching Certificate.”
Stephen Macdonald, Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching at the University of Stirling, continued, "From a university perspective, we are delighted to be working in partnership with British Equestrian and British Rowing to deliver the Postgraduate Diploma element of this innovative Level 4 programme. This is a great opportunity to be able to ask any questions that you may have about the PG Diploma component.”
Coaches who successfully complete the course will be awarded a postgraduate diploma from the University of Stirling. There is also an option to continue studies, to earn a Masters of Science (MSc) degree, in which a student loan can be applied or to cover costs.
For coaches interested in joining the next intake of the Level 4 Coaching Certificate, David Padgen will join Jane Booth, Stephen Macdonald and Loretta Williams for an online information session which will deliver further details about the course and its content, followed by the opportunity for attendees to ask questions. This session will take place on Tuesday 31 March, 10:00 – 12:00.
Register for the information session here. The closing date to register for the information session is Thursday 26 March, 12:00.
Following the information session, the application form for the Level 4 Coaching Certificate will be made available on the British Equestrian website. Applications for the programme are open from Tuesday 31 March 2026, 14:00 and close Monday 4 May, 23:59.
More information about the Level 4 Coaching Certificate is available here.
For all enquiries, please contact Dave Padgen: David.Padgen@bef.co.uk.