Pony Club OCD

Tnavas said:
Shivvy - you bring back wonderful memories

Muck heap squared :)

Beds must be neat and banked, bang the pitchfork on the top to compact & level and then the prong test :)

Hair in a hairnet - kids I teach at pony club look at me like I'm nuts - I CANNOT bear seeing hair flying around, net or at least plait it. :)

Boots polished :)

Jodphur boots on kids on ponies - :eek:
why do they have to have long boots - they learn to ride much better in jodphur boots

Tack cleaned after every ride and numnah washed - I never use a numnah so at least I don't have that to do but tack is cleaned after every ride :)

Saddle soap in holes pushed through with a nail or matchstick :)

Hooves oiled before leaving the yard :)

Take pride in your appearence - it shows respect to your horse :D

When you muck out put the muck in the barrow so it doesn't leave a trail all the way to the muck heap. This drives me insane - can't people see that they make themselves even more work to do when they then have to sweep a heavily messed up yard. :eek:

Straps in keepers and runners :)

Bling in any form has me cringing :eek:

Spurs must align with the seam on the boot - most people wear them far too low.

Spurs on children on jodphur boots :eek:

Clean bridles 'dressed' throat latch crossed over the front and collecting the reins at the back - a whole row of bridles like this has me glowing :D

Girth off saddle completly and hung up :)

Stirrups run up the outside of the leathers so if dirty they don't mess up the leather. Then run them up correctly after cleaning. :)

Folding rugs in half before putting on horse :)

Tackroom dusted and cleaned and swept daily. :D

I find that many of the things I was taught at Pony Club and by my ex cavelry officer riding instructor actually save me time and money. :D
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I never went to Pony Club but my daughter did and she obviously trained me well :rolleyes::D
 
Along with all the other habits mentioned (I remember it all well, happy days), mine is yard sweeping. To me a yard has to be spotless, all that moaning at me as a kid at camp must have rubbed off. I hate seeing bitty, messy yards, makes me wonder what other standards are slipping behind the scenes. Unfair probably - just the way the PC brought me up.
 
All the above. Plus plaits must be stitched and not banded, horse cannot leave its stable with shavings in its mane or tail and haynets should be tied to twine rather that straight to the ring.
 
I'm yard obsessive too and will pick up even a wisp of hay. And I lightly brush away shavings and hay from horse and pick out feet before turn out which others cant understand , but I can't stand to see the hoof shaped pieces of poop and mud on other yards when feet aren't done and it comes off as they walk onto yard.:eek:
 
First yard I worked at, I was 14 and was allowed to leave school to train full time at a professional yard - THAT wouldn't happen nowadays (it was 40 years ago.......), the rule for stables was: 1 poo OK: 2 poos, BAD; 3 poos, you're fired!
 
I didn't do PC either, but my dad was a stickler and I worked as a working pupil to do my AI and was well trained by a good instructor.

Wheelbarrows were a luxury, we relied on muck sacks that were carried on our backs. Yard was swept twice daily.

Tack was cleaned after use and spare equipment regularly done too. Metal parts were polished.

Tapping out metal curry combs when grooming we had to have a pile of dust a certain height every day.

Muck heap was built correctly and trampled daily.

Bran mashes had to be the perfect consistency.

Boots/hairnet/schooling or jumping whip/gloves were compulsory for lessons, which were all ridden without stirrups bar the last 15 minutes.

Beds were deep and well banked, no clean allowed on the muck heap.

Feed/water buckets scrubbed daily.

Wisps were made and used.

Rugs were used with blankets with properly folded back corners and a roller.

Plaits were stitched in place, as were bandages.

Tools stored tidily and hosepipe always coiled.

Feed room had to swept immaculately after every time feeds were made.

I once saw a child wear rubber long boots that spur supports rubbed huge welts on the pony's side. :(
 
Ooh! Ooh! Yes, I remember muck sacks, can still make a killer whisp, carried and scrubbed out OAK buckets (which were very old fashioned even then) and rode more miles without stirrups than I can remember. At one place I worked the horses were led to water 3 times a day, AND WERE FINE with this routine (which is the way horses were kept for hundreds of years, after all). I stress that my horses all have automatic waterers now.....
 
Mine was equestrian centre induced :cool:

Hair tied up n in a hairnet.

White shirt. Tie. Blue V necked jumper. Beige jodhs. Long black boots. Gloves. Spotless horse.

Each horse strapped for upto an hour a day (gawd were we fit lol).
 
Straps in keepers - Check.
Clean, level banks, sweep out the little diddy bits left over from mucking out, prong test to check its fine.
I'm sure the reason I can't ride in long boots now is cos I had it drummed into me as a child that it was wrong to do so.

Buckets scrubbed, bits scrubbed every time they're used.
neat muck heap.

Twisted up bridle.

Skipping out every time I see a poo.

Not too fussed about manes and tails being brushed all the time though, as long as they have no straw/shavings clinging on.

I feel very old fashioned too at 29!
 
Shivvy said:
No restriction to just pc types here as we all have had a first instructor who drummed the habits into us all:eek:

I did have a colour coded sponge system for various parts of horses.
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Oh yes colour coded sponges! Pink one for the eyes/nose, blue one for the dock!.

I didnt go to PC, I grew up via the 'weekend riding school helper' route before my 1st pony, and that was a good grounding for any ponyless, pomymad kid!.
 
I can't blame Pony Club, but some of my OCD habits...

Tools have to be stacked neatly in rows
Wheelbarrow has to be swept clean and stood on end after use
Bed has to be mega-neat with even, tidy banks
All corners swept completely clean

If you could see the state of my house, it looks like a whirlwind has been through. But around the stables, everything has to be just-so :D

Oh, and muckheaps... has to be forked up and I get really narked at seeing people just tip and dump, leaving a long, low mess.
 
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Yes I'm with you all on the neat hosepipes, must have clean brushes and curry combs and can't stand to see a slimy water bucket . If I wouldn't want it myself I don't do it too my horses.

It is such a shame that the weekend helper vigil (hanging round your local yard until an exasperated yard owner took pity on you and gave you a job to do and a ride) has been impacted so badly by h&s and child protection issues. It was such an innocent time but it's understandable why yo's have to be careful nowadays.

On my first yard we had a straw sack and wo betide you if a single wisp of straw hit the yard. I loved this yard as it appealed to my OCD habits other liveries hated it but the yard looked a million dollars as did the horses due to the excellent level of care by yo.

Thanks all I'm loving your OCD reflections and I might even have some new habits now:D
 
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