Calling all PONY CLUB RIDERS

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SouthWestWhippet

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Hi,

I'm teaching at my local pony club tonight for the first time. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time and I'm anxious to make a good impression. I will be teaching XC.

Now I'm a reasonably experienced instructor, trained at various riding schools and now also do freelance work. BHSAI and I particularly like teaching children and jumping.

However, I didn't do pony club as a child and have not attended any pony club rallies. So I just wondered if you kind people would be able to give me any ideas of what riders would expect in the content of a lesson, particularly as this compares to a standard riding school lesson.

For example if I was teaching an unknown group of riders XC in a riding school, I would start by walking them round whilest I had a chat to each one about ability/experience etc. Then do some trot work as a ride followed by a bit of individual cantering. (canter to the back usually unless they are fairly experienced) After this would do some pole work as a ride and then progress to jumping fences individually. If time, I would hope that they would be able to each jump a small/short course by the end. Obviously within this I would be looking at each rider and trying to help them as an individual to progress and improve.

does this sound about right for pony club?
Many thanks, I'm sure I'm worrying too much but I've been called in at short notice to help out and I'm anxious to do well so they will want me back!
 
I have been in your shoes! I'm now quite involved in PC and loving it.

Do you know what age of rider you will be teaching?

When you arrive find the ralley organiser. She should give you a good description of the riders capaibilties and what standard they are.

I always have them stand in a line at the start, check tack and double check their ability and what height they jump and experience.

Then I would warm them up. Have a look at their positions and horses way of going. Then it kind of depends on on the height of jumps around you and what sort of hieghts the riders are used to jumping....

Have fun, if you are they will!
 
What galaxy23 said really.

But to add that don't forget its an XC lesson and not a show jumping one.

Even if they are relatively inexperienced you can still get them doing skinnies, and riding lines with 'trees' (cones) in, or alternate fences to pick from. Also up out of their saddles in a forward seat.

Had a really good PC indoor XC lesson once which was bascally a grid with a wide fence, skinny fence and then 2 wide fences side by side, with a couple of cones inbetween each fence. Basically as you approached each fence the instructor would yell which side of the cones you had to jump and for the last bit which fence.

You can start off with an easy route in trot and then make it harder as needed to challenge, approach in canter, turning between fences, taking fences at an agle, missing out the skinny (v.hard on a good horse that has 'learnt' the grid) etc. Even with fences really small it can be made challenging for all. I believe the instructors eventually took stirrups away from those finding it easy!

I remember that it really got me and the horse concentrating and focusing on the approach and stearing in between the fences. Used it home with lots of different horses since.
 
You will probably find that, when teaching at a rally of kids on their own ponies as opposed to riding school kids, they will be braver and more experienced riders. Obviously depending on what level/age you get (often newer/stand in instuctors get lower level abilities!). So you won't have to do as much polework as you think...

At our local pc, you always have to take a register and money, then check tack. We also give marks for turnout.

Our pc field has some xc jumps dotted around, and the show arenas are set up. For a xc lesson I would start with a rustic cross pole, then a WH fence, then move onto some easier and low XC fences, and progress as much as is safe for the ride to bigger and more difficult fences. Don't spend too long on flatwork and poles or you will have no time to do the actual xc that you're meant to be doing... Also keep them interacting during the lesson - what is the fence called, how should they ride it discussions etc..

Enjoy yourself. I love teaching pony club.
 
If its any help this was my last xc at PC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L343g7o2d-Q
The riders and horses that were able to jump biger more complicated fences did and those that wernt were given an alternative. We are lucky that we have a flat work session before we jump so the instructors get a better idea of the riders. But on my first time xc the instructor had not seen me jump before and the pony had never been xc so we only did the tiny stuff.
 
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thank you so much, some great ideas here. Good point about not doing too much pole work, I was thinking there was a lot to fit in so will keep it fairly brief and crack on to the actually jumping. The idea with the cones is excellent as well, will definitely borrow that for the future.

I am really looking forward to it!
 
When my daughter was at Juniour Camp the XC consisted of "jumping" little logs, sploshing through a water jump - avoiding the jump and weaving in and out of trees. She thought it was fabulous!
The kids will soon tell you if they are bored or not challenged i am sure!
 
Thanks so much everyone, I had a wonderful time and I'm pretty sure the children did too. The parents seemed pleased at any rate and I've been asked back to do a three-day rally at the end of August.

I had a really good group, all very competant and keen but with a couple of things to work on - they took me round the XC course showing me what they wanted to jump and we invented little courses at all the obstacles. It was fab.

thanks for the advice, it was much appriciated.
xx
 
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