How's this for 'Job'sworth' ?

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brighteyes

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At a recent Pony Club competition, my child was refused permission to wear spurs by the person who issued his last spurs permission letter?
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(We have changed Branches and the new DC hasn't got round to issuing another letter)
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A case of 'rules is rules?' I think it was sour grapes, myself - didn't stop his team coming second though!
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Son has done PC for seven years and rides extremely well, in case you were wondering!
 
my daughter never did much pony club as i found it a bit clicky, sad really as i think you can learn a lot there as a child and have fun at the same time. we had bad experience over a tie once at a show
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. very petty IMAO not on my side though
 
That's just stupid, the Pony Club rules annoy me so much, they're so pedantic about everything.
I wasn't allowed a numnah that had my horse's name on it, I wasn't allowed a piece of ribbon on his browband, wasn't allowed this that and the other..
I like BE so much more, they don't do tack checks and I feel a lot more grown up at a BE event because people aren't constantly monitoring you. Plus I am allowed a numnah with my horses name on it-hurrah!
 
I have found pony club very petty, they have decided now my little dartmoor is not a suitable pony club pony even though he has taught jockey to walk, trot, canter and jump. He does a lovely dressage test and has just jumped three clear rounds at there first mini SJ show. I am fed up with them as they just seem to take a dislike to someone then make life difficult so I am glad I am out of it and will concentrate on showing and opens shows instead.
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Crikey! What sort of excuse did they give for that irrational decision?
 
They say he is a show pony not a pony club pony, I will admit he is beautiful and occaisionally a bit sharp but at least he is teaching her stickability. I think it is pony envy myself !!
 
It is a difficult situation though - if the person concerned HAD let your son compete with spurs, despite not having a current permission letter, then there might have been complaints from the other competitors who DID have to produce letters.

Sounds like your own DC is the one you should be moaning about if they have been tardy about doing you a new letter.
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Although some of the PC rules may seem rather pedantic (especially the one about coloured/decorated numnahs
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), you only have to look around some of the tack horrors to be seen at local shows to understand why the Pony Club are keen to ensure tack and equipment is fitted correctly and used properly.
 
my daughter went to a training session to go on the pony club teams. she took one of her ponies that had done BSJA but not with us as we were not ready. the instructor kept shouting SLOW DOWN. she was not even a fast pony so we put her back on the trailer and went home. i got the impression that the team was already chosen and they did not like newbies. very unfair on the children just because mums face don,t fit.
 
Since when has enforcing clearly written down rules become "jobsworth".. You admit that you did not have the neccessary letter from your new DC therefore you were not allowed to use spurs. Your fault not the person enforcing it. On the subject of Dartmoors at Pony Club. My daughter took 4 Dartmoors, including her stallion when in the top ride, to Pony Club in her 12 years of membership and and was included in teams with all of them.
 
With regards to the spurs question - I think people could accuse the person of favouratism if they let your son ride with spurs as they know him and issued his last letter especially if it was a team event.

This would not be fair on other people possibly in the same situation who did not know the person who would not let your son ride in spurs.

With regard to the other general pony club points I was in pony club over 20 years ago and was a member of two different branches and I think things do vary between branches so behaviour is not always representative of the pony club in general but of that particular DC.

The first branch I was at was very smart and strict and most people were rich with flash ponies and very competitive. The 2nd was more laid back and would accept anyone who was willing to learn and join in. It was more about fun and enjoying the ponies. Not all ponies are perfect school masters and they accepted that and grouped people accordingly.

The first branch I was at shipped in a borrowed pony for me for camp as what I had was deemed not suitable, the 2nd branch accepted me with what I had and gave me the tools to improve it.

The branch at the riding school where I livery accepts everyone those with ponies and without and the kids have a wonderful time but it is not a competitive branch it is more about teaching the children to care for the ponies and enjoy them.
 
my daughter had a little arab mare during her pony club days, and wore spurs just blunt ones as a reminder for the mare. The first time we turned up in our trailer and the pony came out the DC said "oh god its an arab". Never stood a chance after that so we left. Stuck up gits.
So if anyone from the Worcester Pony Club is reading this....you might like to know they went on to be RC champions in all disciplines, and she never hunted and never will due to the comments about her beloved mare.
 
Agree with your comments about the different Pony Clubs! My daughter's branch is VERY strict about turnout, but does have a huge range of children and ponies - ranging from those keeping a loan pony on a shoestring, to very wealthy families with expensive ponies and flash lorries. However, everybody is welcome and the DC makes a huge effort to know all the children and encourage them. I must say that personally we have not come across any 'cliqueyness' at all and my daughter has benefitted enormously from the regular and excellent tuition available.

The subject of 'unsuitable ponies' is a very difficult one. I know last year one girl was having serious problems with her pony who carted her and bucked her off. However, the organisers gave her tons of help with lungeing the pony to get rid off some excess energy and advising on bitting and other tactics so she could enjoy the rest of the week.

However, sometimes a pony can be seen to be eroding a little jockey's confidence, or alternatively posing a danger to the other ponies and riders, so sometimes something has to be said to the parents.
 
Pony Club branches obviuosly differ enormously - our is fab.

I think the OP is a little harsh, though - rules is rules and they have to be obeyed. I LIKE the Pony Club for being strict on turnout and rules. I don't like numnahs with names on, or fancy browbands etc - I DO like clean tack and clean ponies and hairnets and discipline, because it's attention to details like this that will differentiate a good horseman from a bad, slapdash, I can't be bothered to sweep the yard and tidy my grooming kit horseman. It's not just about the riding, although that needs some discipline too in my book, and the Pony Club provides oodles of good, cheap tuition to all members in my experience.

I'm not sure that children should wear spurs until they have the correct seat and a secure lower leg. IMO they are often used when children haven't actually learnt to use their legs - an easy way out. B test holders are all about 16 and don't need a letter. That seems about the right age to be starting to use spurs to refine response in my book.

Long live the Pony Club and the strict DC...!! Long live discipline and lack of bling...!!
 
mine have joined pony club again this year but the eldest one isnt even going to bother to try out for teams which she was on last year. she did the area comp and the next we knew about more competitions was when we read the results in the newsletter. basically its because he didnt cost 15 grand upwards and our lorry is 20 years old!
 
Actually there was a bit more to it than I actually stated, and it was peevishness, definitely! I couldn't have cared less, but it is typical of the dog in the manger attitude of some folks. Having represented that Branch for many years and being mjor contributors to team successes, they were looking for a reason to pull us up, definitely. Hell, I'd even lent the jobsworth's son a pony to jump when his was out of action and helped the tack checker out with sorting recalcitrant ponies - for no charge, just wanting to help.

I agree, rules are there to try and keep ponies and children safe and free from abuse but did feel they were making a point with this. Sore losers, really.
 
Oh, give the DC concerned a break. You should have chased your new DC and got the letter before the competition. Deep down I bet you know that and are kicking yourself for not getting something done about it before the competition.

The DC's have a thankless task, they drive miles and miles for the Pony Club and don't get a penny for it as far as I know, not to mention the time it takes up. Then they have to put up with stroppy parents and kids. Only yesterday our DC was told to eff off by a kid when asked to remove the tail bandage she had forgotten to take off before riding her pony at the rally. Not unreasonably she got sent out. Her mother was obviously a shining example to the child as mother didn't see why she had to pick up her child's pony's poo from the indoor school even though all the other parents had cleaned up after their kids ponies and had what can only be described as a tantrum about having to do it.

For the record, my land rover's 20 years old, the trailer's 11 years old and both ponies cost £2,000 each. My kids still get picked for the teams alongside the expensive ponies and the smart lorries. Not so much the face fitting as whether or not you're a nice person and prepared to muck in and help out in whatever way you can.
 
Nope, wrong, didn't kick up a fuss there. Just took off the offending pieces of kit and said no problem. And I spent four years on the committee, hosting training and blah, blah blah. So, not complaining about a poor harassed person as I've been there and helped out from dawn til dusk. I'm definitely not a taker. Just know what I would have done, had I been in her shoes
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.

And non of my ponies cost much either.
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Oh, OK I obviously didn't realise that. So please don't take my remarks personally. You sound like you're NOT one of those ghastly pony club mothers every branch seems to have a few of (I guess you know the type I mean...). In that case as you've changed branch it must be ex DC sour grapes then, and all those years you put in helping counted for nothing... I can see where you're coming from now. Better get that letter from your new DC ASAP!
 
So now you are saying, that because you have done favours for the old DC, you should have been given special treatment because you didn't have a spurs permission letter from the new one!!!! Why should one rule apply to everyone else, and a different one to your son!

Surely, if the old DC HAD let you off, she/he would have been accused of the terrible 'cliqueyness' that is said to pervade Pony Clubs!!
 
No probs.
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I just felt a bit sad that after all the years she has known him and his skills (which are undisputed and he works jolly hard to maintain them) it was a bit pointed that she would ask for proof he was 'still' capable of riding with spurs. I could have immediately armed him with a schooling whip, but chose to gracefully (until this post!) accept my neglect and carry on. Had it been me asking them, I would have apologized for having to have proof, but they were completely snotty about it and seemed gleeful that I was letterless. That did hurt!
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My bit about helping was to say that I'm not one of those who turns up and leaves without a thought for the back-breaking work a few committee members do for the benefit of many. Nor did I ever self-serve (another major bug of mine) If you have kids in an organisation for which you work, nobody should be able to guess they are yours by the perks or promotion they get).

Another matter entirely would be the day to day events where totally unskilled children turn up with bits in their ponies mouths that would make your hair stand on end...... and are left unchallenged. That truly saddens me
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TGM - no I don't expect favours and never have. I'll shut up now.
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I have never competed at another pony club event after I entered the open section of a ODE on my gorgeous welsh sec c, true to type she has a flowing mane & feathers, the steward then gleefully told me that I was unable to compete as she was unplaited, apparently it is clearly stated in the rule book, as I have never been a member of the pony club, thank God!, I pointed out that I would therefore not have a rule book, he ordered me back to my trailer to plait the long flowing mane, I then asked for a refund of my entry fee, as couldn't plait the mane, & had no stuff to do it with, dressage judge then got out of her car, & told the steward that it was not a rule at all, & that my turn out was immaculate. Did my test, went into the lead!! Then they announced that as it was hot, no need to wear jackets to sj, arrived at the ring, then they told me I had to wear long sleeves, as clearly a thin cotton sleeve will give loads of protection, right??!! Went back for jacket, jumped clear, arrived at XC, you guessed it, couldn't wear a royal blue saddle cloth!!! At this point, being totally p*** off, withdrew, went home & to my joy have never, ever returned!!
 
Well I can see where you are coming from, even though, apart from this one time we have never fallen foul of the 'no coloured numnahs etc.,' rules and always ridden within our limits.

It is a unique and laudible organisation but occasionally gets bogged down with trivial rules and overlooks glaringly obvious inhumanities and safety issues. I think the plaiting rule is more for turnout than safety unless the mane is so long it interferes with the reins.

Many DC's think the pedantic side to be tiresome, but it is intended to get everyone on a level playing field as regards tack and turnout - no facing off with all the latest brand and sparkle. To a degree it improves the overall look. The long-sleeve rule is also a bit mad - and I would love to know how a thin cotton sleeve would offer much extra protection. Still, we always wear long sleeves if it pleases them.......

The best anomaly is Pony Club allowing kids to remount TWICE after falls in the ring.
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The BSJA eliminate you if one foot touches the floor and you have to leave the ring unmounted.

Pony Club is what you make of it and we have many happy memories thanks to a mostly happy band. In fact it's showjump training again on Tuesday evening
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I think Pony Clubs differ a lot. I know in my area that all branches were labelled! One was the snobby club where it was definately who you knew which got you anywhere for example. I joined the club which was the best for not being like that. You got on a team if you were good enough basically.

Did the person give you a reason as to why they didnt allow spur permission?
 
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Pony Club branches obviuosly differ enormously - our is fab.

I think the OP is a little harsh, though - rules is rules and they have to be obeyed. I LIKE the Pony Club for being strict on turnout and rules. I don't like numnahs with names on, or fancy browbands etc - I DO like clean tack and clean ponies and hairnets and discipline, because it's attention to details like this that will differentiate a good horseman from a bad, slapdash, I can't be bothered to sweep the yard and tidy my grooming kit horseman. It's not just about the riding, although that needs some discipline too in my book, and the Pony Club provides oodles of good, cheap tuition to all members in my experience.

I'm not sure that children should wear spurs until they have the correct seat and a secure lower leg. IMO they are often used when children haven't actually learnt to use their legs - an easy way out. B test holders are all about 16 and don't need a letter. That seems about the right age to be starting to use spurs to refine response in my book.

Long live the Pony Club and the strict DC...!! Long live discipline and lack of bling...!!

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Here here
 
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