Pony Club Instructors

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welshie1982

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Hello i was hoping you helpfull people could help me.
Are pony club instructors supposed to hold some kind of teaching qualification?
If not how does insurance stand when teaching children.
Thank you in advance.
 
No you do not have to be qualified to teach for the Pony Club

You are covered by the Pony Club insurance

from Jan 2014 however ALL instuctors will have to be CRB checked, first Aid Trained etc etc
 
What Galaxy says.

Our local branch uses unqualified instructors, and the standard is woeful. At the last rally we went to, I had to walk away after hearing what the instructor was saying to a particular child. I wouldn't mind if they were any good (after all you can get qualified instructors who aren't much cop either) but they don't seem to have any idea about safety, let alone teaching kids to ride.

I think some branches use unqualified people because they can pay them less. I'd rather pay a higher rally fee and have my son taught by someone who knows what they're doing.
 
Daughter has gone through Pony Club and had qualified and non qualified instructors and they have all been very good. Mind you I'd bet they wouldn't last long with the DC if they weren't up to scratch .
Our qualified are the younger instructors and the non slightly older but they have been in dealing/ competition yards and have a wealth of experience
 
I think your allowed to teach if you have your B test. But I think all of ours are qualified as they all teach privatley as well.

Our normal instructor is fab though so I cant complain but we did have a questionable one once but she was new and the rest of them are all fine from what I have seen. I would have thought it could be quite hard to teach though as you get a bunch of kids who can be varying levels on diffrent ponies and you have to teach them all with their parents watching and criticising the whole time. Until you have a group that been together a while it can be hard.
 
It can be a bit hit and miss.

They pay a little more for qualified instructors, but its not a huge amount.

Our pc can be a bit cliquey and they often leave good local instructors in lieu of their mates who are less qualified. Last year some of the younger groups were taught by older members - there is some sort of scheme for training instructors up from within..They didn't have their B test though. Sometimes the politics drives me mad (when I am standing on the sidelines watching and am an AI!) but I have decided its better to stay out of it! The kids have fun and learn, so that is the main thing!
 
Some people are fab riders but rubbish teachers. Some are fab trainers (I'd define as for higher level riders and more intensive sessions&frequency of sessions) but not as great for more novice riders. And others are great teachers of children,who I think need a different kind of person,who knows how to motivate&interact with kids carefully to promote confidence as well as progression (I know adults need this too but kids need it putting across differently). Good kiddies instructors are an excellent find and I wouldn't be bothered if they were qualified or not,provided they got results/happy kids.
 
to add....

the PC I teach for have 6/7 regular instructors (I'm an AI, so am qual). Only 1 is not qualified. She grew up through the same PC and now is a professional SJer.

Like outside PC, instructors by law do not have to be qualified and there are plenty of people out there that are GREAT intructors with no qualifications but oodles of comp experience that I'm sure we would all like a lesson from!
 
For the younger ones who've come through the PC, the B test and they often are sent to attend the PC Coaching courses (sister is in the process of being allowed to teach, and this is what she's doing). Think they have to be CRB checked as well.
 
Thank you all for replying. I have asked this question after watching some awful teaching by someone not qualified yesterday. 7yr old daughter came out of the lesson saying she was bored stiff. It really doesn't help though that our DC has only had experience with horses through her daughter and can not see a problem with the bad instructors.
 
welshie1982 said:
Thank you all for replying. I have asked this question after watching some awful teaching by someone not qualified yesterday. 7yr old daughter came out of the lesson saying she was bored stiff. It really doesn't help though that our DC has only had experience with horses through her daughter and can not see a problem with the bad instructors.
Click to expand...

I'd suggest you go back to the Rally Organiser with feedback.
 
This is one of the problems-for kids it has to be fun,fun,fun as well as 'educational' in a horsey kind of way;) My kids' instructor made a 'postbox' out of a cardboard box,tied it to manège fence & they rode round school(cones,squares on floor made out of poles,between
jump blocks etc) collecting envelopes,which they held under upper arms(stops those arms flapping!) and made their way back to postbox to 'post' envelopes. Any dropped envelopes& off you get to pick up,re-mount(littlest with help!) and set off again. They LOVED being horseback posties! Previously,with other instructors,they've endured the plod round in endless boring circuits&I've endured watching it and paying for the pleasure of us all being bored stiff and frustrated:(
 
I am also one for fun. I have spoken to DC and rally organiser but have not had much joy with neither. Perhaps this is why the club only has 20members. Oh the joys of pony club. I am seriously thinking of joining a better organnised one.
 
I watched a few when I had a young sharer for my pony, they were awful, and all the instructors were fairly dull. They were also all qualified. Does seem to be a bit pot luck.
 
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