Do I have to own a horse or pony to belong to pony club?

   No, it is not a requirement. Pony club has many unmounted activities. In addition, many mounted activities, such as rallies, have non-riding team members whose job it is to help take care of the horses. Needless to say, everything about pony club is more fun and fulfilling if you have the use of a horse. This doesn't necessarily mean owning one. Many varieties of leasing arrangements can be found as well as other less formal arrangements.

Do I have to own a horse trailer to belong to pony club?

   No. As in the previous question, it is not a requirement to own a horse trailer but, because our mounted activities take place at various locations around Baltimore county and the state, it is certainly a convenience. Often other club members will have space in their trailers and are usually happy to give your horse a ride. This has to be planned well in advance and since the circumstances for each activity are different, it is not something you can count on happening every time you need it.

How much does it cost to belong to pony club?

   The combination of local and national club dues comes to $100 per year. Both Long Green Pony Club and the national club do fund raising to keep this cost as low as possible. LGPC also subsidizes the cost of lessons and coaching but individual members are responsible for the remainder. These costs, while very reasonable due to this subsidy, are still an expense to keep in mind. Also, pony club requires certain safety equipment such as helmets and protective vests. These generally must be bought new, as exact fit is crucial to maximize their protection. Some activities, such as rallies and ratings require specific clothing to be worn as well. Many of these items can be purchased used from the consignment racks in local tack shops. For new purchases, many tack shops offer a discount for pony club members. All this, of course, is in addition to the expense of owning, leasing or otherwise having the use of a horse or pony.

What do parents do in pony club?

   The short answer is "a lot". While many pony club activities, such as rallies, are designed to develop team cooperation and team self-reliance without parents' direct involvement (see "What is a rally?"), parents are actually involved in everything. Besides buying the necessary clothing and equipment, providing a mount (optional), and transporting the pony clubber and mount to meetings there are many other things that have to get done to make pony club work. Since pony club is a completely volunteer-run organization, if the parents don't do it, it won't get done. There is a direct relationship between the quality of members' pony club experience and the level of participation of the parents. A few of the possible things a parent can volunteer to do are:

• Painting and setting up stadium jumps
• Providing food and beverages at meetings or competitions
• Providing transportation for a field trip
• Providing horse/pony transportation to a rally
• Helping with fund-raising projects
• Chaperoning a team
• Fence-judging at a combined training competition
• Helping as a grounds person at your local meeting place
• Building cross-country fences
• Getting involved with a rally as a coach, chaperone, organizing secretary or fence judge
• Running unmounted meetings, or even mounted meetings; arranging for a speaker or instructor
• Acting as a rally "chairman" for a club activity

The secret of all this is that the more that parents are involved, the more fun pony club is for the parents as well as the pony clubbers.

What is a rally?

   Rallies are pony club competitions in such disciplines as Show Jumping, Dressage, Combined Training and Polocrosse, that are held on the local, regional, and national level. Pony clubbers compete as part of 4 or 5 member teams. One member of each team is a non-riding member whose job it is to help take care of the horses and equipment. Although rallies are structured as competitions, their real emphasis is on learning. The most important thing a pony clubber learns at a rally is that he or she can do it themselves - with the help and cooperation of their team members. Once the teams arrive at the rally site, the parents help unload the heavy stuff. Then the pony clubbers are on their own to set up their equipment, take care of their mounts and get to their assigned competitions on time. Parents, coaches, and D.C.'s are not allowed in the stable area (don't worry, there are adults assigned to supervise and make sure that everything is being done safely for both the pony clubbers and the mounts). In order to do well at the rally the pony clubbers must learn to be self-reliant while depending on and helping their team members. A rally is where a pony clubber puts into action what he or she has been working on the rest of the year in pony club and is really the essence of the pony club experience.

What are ratings?

   Ratings are a progression of gradually more advanced standards of demonstrated skills and knowledge about riding and horse care. The lower level ratings (D-1 through C-2) are administered within the local clubs. C-3 is a regional rating and the B, HA, and A ratings are handled at the national level. Every pony club member begins "unrated". They learn at their own pace and take the test for each rating when they are ready. Each rating includes riding tests (in the ring, in the open and jumping), stable management and oral testing. The following is a brief overview of each level:

D Rating

The "D" Rating is an introduction to the fun and challenge of riding, establishing a foundation of safety habits and knowledge of the daily care of a pony and tack. The D=1 through D-3 Pony Clubber learns to ride independently, with control, maintaining a secure position at the walk, trot, canter and over low fences.

C Rating

The "C" Pony Clubber is learning to become an active horseman, to care independently for a pony and tack and to understand the reasons for what he or she is doing. The C shows development towards a secure, independent seat, and increasing control and confidence in all phases of riding.

B Rating

The "B" Rating is for the active horseman and Pony club member who is interested in acquiring further knowledge and proficiency in all phases of riding and horse care. The "B" is able to ride experienced horses with confidence and control on the flat, over fences and in the open and should be able to ride and care for another person's experienced horse, maintaining proper mental and physical condition without undoing any of the horses education. The "B" understands and is able to explain the reasons for what he or she is doing and contributes to the education of younger members.

H-A Rating

The "H-A" covers horse management, teaching and training. The "H-A" has the knowledge, experience, and maturity to evaluate and care for a horse's needs efficiently and in a variety of circumstances, and to teach riding and horse care to others.

A Rating

The "A" is able to ride horses of various schooling levels with judgment, tact and effectiveness, to train young horses and retrain spoiled horses.

As a parent, I am concerned about the safety of my child in horse-related activities. What is the pony club approach to safety?

   Pony Club's first concern and part of it's mission is to teach and promote safety in horse-related activities. It is a membership requirement that Pony Clubbers wear a riding helmet meeting the ASTM/SEI standard when attending mounted meetings. The graduated "ratings" of pony club are designed to introduce riding activities only after the necessary skills have been demonstrated to perform them safely.