What is Pony Club?

Pony club is the leading junior equestrian organization in the world, and can be found in 31 countries.  In the United States. more than 600 individual clubs are spread throughout the country.  Membership totals some 13,000. "The purpose of Pony Club is to encourage young people to ride and to learn to enjoy all kinds of sports connected with horses and riding; to provide instruction in riding and horsemanship, and to instill into members the proper care of their animals; to promote the highest ideals of sportsmanship, citizenship and loyalty, thereby cultivating strength of character and self discipline".

Each local pony club is run by a District Commissioner and other elected officials.  Clubs involve entire families-members and mothers and fathers and more. (Pony club is a monument to volunteerism with some 3,000 dedicated and often passionate volunteers nationally).

Generally, Pony club members are ages 5-25.  There is no absolute minimum age, although a child must be old and mature enough to safely ride and participate in activities and competitions, and some clubs do set minimum membership ages.  The maximum age is absolute:  On December 31 following a Pony Clubber's 25th birthday, he or she becomes a graduate.  Often those graduates become volunteers whose knowledge enables them to provide sound instruction for the next generation of Pony Clubbers.

What is Pony Clubs Mission Statement?

The mission of The United Pony Clubs, Inc. (USPC) is to provide a program for youth which teaches riding, mounted sports, and the care of horses and ponies, thereby developing responsibility, moral judgement, leadership and self confidence.

What are Pony Clubs Guiding Beliefs? 

USPC"S GUIDING BELIEFS

-  USPC is an educational organization which progressively develops the well-rounded horse person

-  The well-rounded horse person is capable of riding safely and tactfully on the flat, over fences, and in the open.

-  Knowledgeable care of horses and ponies (horse management) is basic to the well rounded horse person.

-  USPC is committed to the well-being of the horse.

-  Fair and friendly competitions develop teamwork and sportsmanship.

-  Fun and friendship are part of Pony Club.

-  USPC requires parental and volunteer involvement and support

-  The local club is the core of the USPC 

Do you need a horse/pony?

No, you don't have to own a pony to join pony club.  However, to take full advantage of pony club activities, it is recommended that you have access to one.  This means if a member can borrow, or lease a pony and somehow get it to the mounted activities, the member can participate in all of our mounted activities, lessons, clinics, and competitions.

What is the role of the parent?

Pony Club is a volunteer organization and without the time and effort our parents contribute we would have no pony club.  Our pony club parents are the most significant volunteers and help with meetings, regional events, work parties and fund raisers.

Parents do not need to be knowledgeable horse people. 

What is a Rating?

Pony Club provides a nationally recognized rating system reflecting a members riding and horse management skills.  The local and regional pony clubs provide a structured curriculum of mounted and unmounted skill and knowledge based on this national rating system.  Ratings provide a progression for the mastery of these skills.  At rallies the ratings provide a framework by which our kids can compete against kids of similar abilities.  The lowest rating is D-1, and the highest rating is A.  The only rating level and test that can be skipped is D-1.  The rest of the rating levels must be mastered in sequence.  Ratings are achieved by performing specific tests against a prescribed stand of proficiency, both mounted and oral, before a recognized pony club examiner.  As the rating levels get higher, members are expected to develop the ability to critique their own riding and articulate a deep knowledge of riding and horse management.  Kids have the opportunity to go for their ratings twice a year.

The standards of proficiency for all the ratings are outlined in the pony club manuals, as well as the national web site.

The sequence of ratings is as follows:  D-1, D-2, D-3, C-1, C-2, C-3, B, HA, A 

What is a Rally?

A Pony Club rally is a competition where teams of Pony Clubbers compete against each other.  For many Pony Clubbers, competing in a rally is one of the best things about Pony Club.  Except for Quiz, rallies are mounted competitions, usually made up of teams of 3-5.  All of the team members ride in the competition except one, who acts as the stable manager, helping with all of the essential groundwork that must be done to support the mounted competitors.

On the day of the rally, parents are not allowed to interact with their children at all.  It is up to the team to pull together to take care of all the details and logistics.  This is wonderfully liberating for the parents and kids, and stimulates teamwork and leadership within the pony club teams.  In addition to the riding performance of the team members, the rally teams are also judged on horse management. 

A great deal of preparation goes into getting ready for a rally, not the least of which is attending mounted practice sessions.  A non-qualifying rally is a one time rally with no progressive competition for winners.  By contrast, winners at regional qualifying rallies have the opportunity to move on to the advanced competitions at Pony Club championships which are held in Lexington, Virginia for the eastern half of the United States.  Every three years is considered a festival year in which National Championships are held among Pony Clubbers from all over the country.  National Championships are held in Lexington, Kentucky. 

What is Horse Management? 

During the day of a Pony Club rally each team is required to set up a complete and organized stable (usually using an empty horse trailer) containing all the necessary gear.  Saddle racks, bridle racks, first aid, equipment, tack, etc. is all set up in the stable.  Everything must be labeled and in proper cleanliness, repair and condition.  Points are taken off for things like dirty tack and missing required items.

Outside the context of rallies, horse management refers to the general care of horses.  There is a lot to know and the discipline of horse management is just as important, if not more important, as learning to ride.  We must have healthy and happy ponies in order to ride!  Just as it is with riding, mastering horse management is a life-long goal.

We want our kids to know how to take care of their horses responsibly and safely.

Do you need a horse trailer?

Generally, yes.  It is sometimes possible to arrange to share a trailer with another family for a competition, but it's up to each individual family to secure its own transportation.  Pony club doesn't provide this service. 

What type of tack and riding apparel do we need? 

USPC ia committed to safety.  It is a membership requirement that Pony Clubbers wear a riding helmet meeting the ASTM/SEI standard and they must be dated within the last five years when attending mounted meetings.  Parents should be prepared to purchase this item and minimum basic riding equipment such as jodphurs, boots, etc.  English style tack is used at all pony club events.  Tack is expected to be in good condition, clean and appropriate for the event members are participating in.

 What is the Pony Club Pledge?

PONY CLUB PLEDGE

" As a member of the United States Pony Club, I stand for the best in sportsmanship, as well as horsemanship.  I shall compete for the enjoyment of the game well played and take winning and losing in stride, remembering that without good manners and good temper, sport loses cause for being.  I shall endeavor to maintain the best traditions of the ancient and noble skill of horsemanship, always treating my horse with the consideration due a partner.  I shall strive at all times to uphold ideals of the Pony Club and my country".

What is the Pony Club Motto?

" A Happy Child on a Happy Horse". 

What are the three Rs of Pony Club?

The three R's of Pony Club were established twenty-five years ago and have been followed since. Reading, Riding and Responsibility.

Reading is essential to obtain the knowledge required to properly care for and teach our horses and ponies.  Much of the pain inflicted upon our four legged friends is inflicted through ignorance, it is our duty to attempt to remedy this situation through our program.  I believe that we are succeeding. 

Riding safely and skillfully means that our members will have a Foundation of confidence and ability so as to be able to pursue a healthful sport throughout their lives.  Pony Club offers a range of activities so that nearly every member, regardless of his or her mounts skills, will be able to participate and make a start at this foundation.

Responsibility is a natural result of having complete care of a living creature and learning to care for it properly.  Consequences of acts are faithfully reflected by either a nicker of recognition or by the pinning back of ears.  The competitions offered develop sportsmanship and maturity.  All of these characteristics, once established, carry over into other areas of life.

What style of riding does Pony Club teach?

Pony Club teaches English riding using the Balanced Seat.

This kind of riding is based on a modified dressage seat and includes riding on the flat (ring riding), jumping, and riding in the open (trail riding and cross country jumping).

This differs from the forward seat (used in Hunter equitation) and saddle seat (used with gaited horses). While riding on the flat, the balanced seat riders position is upright with shoulder, hip and heel forming a straight vertical line.

Emphasis on the balanced seat combined with the activities and competitions develops skills in a broad range of riding disciplines-dressage, jumping and combined training(eventing).  Not coincidentally, these three equestrian sports compete at the Olympic level. 

Programs are offered at the local and regional club level in dressage, cross-country, show jumping, mounted games, tetrathlon, quiz, vaulting, foxhunting and polocrosse. 

What is unique about Pony Club?

There are several things that make pony club unique.  (1) Horse management is of primary importance, (2) team competition, (3) parent-free assistance at competitions and (4) riding in the open.

Pony Club encourages kids to master learning how to ride and how to take care of their pony.  What's unique about the riding part is that pony club kids learn to ride in the open from the earliest age.  We are not confined to the ring.

Learning how to take care of your pony or horse is called "Horse Management".  This is an integral part of our program, and very unique to pony club.  There is a lot to know.  Pony Club's reputation for producing competent horse managers is widely recognized around the world.  From training regimes, to longeing, to nutrition, to bandaging and tack care, our kids know how to properly take care of a barnful of horses.

Everything comes together at Rallies, this is the Pony Club form of competition.  It turns a traditionally independent endeavor into a team competition, with the emphasis on team.  Having the chance to blend your riding and horse management skills as a team, without any parents help, is what rallies are all about.
 

How much does Pony Club cost?

National dues are $85/year for a new member and $75/year for a renewing member.  These are paid at the Annual Membership Meeting in October each year for renewing members.

Regional dues are $15/year per member. 

Regional one day rallies can cost $25-55/ competitor.  If the region sponsors an overnight rally, there will be further costs associated with it.   

The cost of mounted meetings vary depending on the instructor who is hired. In the past we have paid approximately $175/member per season.   The cost of a rating depends on the rater who is hired.  The club does not contribute money to these mounted meetings and ratings.  The instructor/rater fees are paid for by the individual member. 

Unmounted meetings are free.

For those parents of members who wish to be sponsors (have a vote in the running of the cub), the sponsor dues are $10.00/ year per sponsor.  These are paid at the Annual October meeting.

What type of riding activities does Pony Club offer? 

Riding activities include combined training or eventing (dressage, stadium jumping, cross country) games, show jumping, dressage (as single activity), vaulting (horseback gymnastics, polocrosse (combination of polo and lacrosse), foxhunting and tetrathlon (riding, running, swimming and shooting).