Pony Club Rules?

[pricklyflower]

Sorry! Bloody phone!

I get snidey comments and dark looks. Not very professional from a DC! We won't join PC this year either because of it.

 

[tinap]

That's awful - no need for a dc to behave like that I would find another club - they're not all like that

 

[pricklyflower]

We live on an island so there are no others :-(

 

[tinap]

Oh that's a bugger xx

 

[Arabelle]

It really does vary from branch to branch, some are fine and reasonable. Sadly it just takes one vicious old bat who has the time to take over, fiercly impose every petty stricture in the rule book and built up a coven of harpies to ruin it for everyone There is a branch like that near me and pathetically some mums have developed a clique to try and overthrow the nasty dictator - these are adult women running a club supposedly for the benefit of children and their ponies! Pathetic.

 

[smiggy]

Had similar in mounted games Zones comp last year, son had perfectly normal jodphur boots and perfectly normal treads that we had used all season, at tack check some one randomly decided that the boot soles were too ridged and not allowed!
Their suggestion was that we removed the stirrup treads, now honestly with kids leaping on and off ponies, whats more likely to cause an issue, normal boots and treads or slippy stainless steel
luckily had spare pair of very very slightly different treads in the van that were deemed acceptable
Also nearly not allowed to do one competition as saddle was missing one girth guard

 

[TGM]

How can your ordinary average family ever hope to "compete" against a family which has the wherewithal and wish to spend five figure sums on ponies/horses for their child, so their child makes it into all the teams?

It can be done - we have never spent a five figure sum on a horse or pony and my daughter has regularly competed in teams and was in fact part of the winning Intermediate Dressage Team at the Pony Club Nationals this year. Yes, she has had to work her butt off and we have sacrificed many 'normal' things like holidays, new clothes etc.

But I have got to say that the training she has got through the Pony Club has been superb and much cheaper than we could have got it elsewhere and she wouldn't have achieved half of what she has without the educantion and support gained through the Pony Club.

Yes, like any organisation there are things that rankle and could be better, but I would hate any parent to be put off by this thread and their child miss out on the opportunities that my daughter has had.

 

[hunting mad]

I have mountain horse long boots that i wear for "outtings"
I have to wear these as i have a disability with my foot and ankle and these are the only boots i have been able to get on.
they are discriminating against someone with a disability

 

[jrp204]

Maybe we're lucky, my daughters have been members of the Four Burrow Hunt PC for the past 8 yrs and we have never found it cliquey or bitchy. It seems (particularly in the last couple of years) that the ones with the expensive ponies, mainly BS don't join anyway. There is never any pressure/competition to get onto teams either, my daughter has represented PC in area comps for the past 4 yrs, qualifying this year for the int. sj. There was definately no pressure for her to go to the champs, the DC is very aware of the costs involved and it is a 10hr drive to Draycott.
I do agree however that the rules can be extremely irritating, don't get me started on spur certificates! Daughter was hauled up at an area for having a metal studded browband, it was very subtle and not at all 'blingy' (as if) they did let us through eventually. If kids want to go xc in short sleeves, why shouldn't they, daughter has BE'd in short sleeves and at the pc ode had to go find another shirt.

 

[Rowreach]

scrunchie it really does depend on your branch. We went to a branch in the RoI for a while when our local one fell apart (a small scandal which PCHQ managed to sweep under a large carpet) and it was lovely, friendly and all about scruffy children on scruffy ponies having loads of fun - there was a picture in the Irish annual report which said it all - a rundown yard full of kids and ponies which was our summer camp - during which time the kids had a day of instruction with Ian Fearon chef d'equipe of the Irish juniors Because of the distances we were having to travel though, we went back to the branch in the north when it was resurrected.

If you are lucky you'll be in an area where you can pick and choose your branch and find one that suits you and your children. It's not all bad at branch level, and from my POV it helps my kids to socialise with others and means they are not constantly being taught by me I can't be a***d with the politics though

 

[Shazzababs]

When I was in the PC I got eliminated for having 3 different colours on my saddle cloth. It was grey with black binding and white piping.....

 

[legaldancer]

I posted earlier about the near accident i witnessed with the boot/tread combination.

I would like to say however, despite agreeing that there are some strange rules, Pony club has been great for us & I would thoroughly recommend it. I was in the same branch as my son is now & the DC is the same! We've met people from all over the county & have had some wonderful competing opportunities. PC camp is fantastic.

Just like a school, you will get some pushy parents, but most are just normal, pleasant people. Do remember that the people who run the branch are volunteers & give up a lot of their time even long after their children have left. It's not all about personal gain!

 

[peaceandquiet1]

IME some of the rules need revising. I am referring to mounted games where there is always a tack check. We tried a pony at a comp and it had a saddle with fixed stirrup bars so the leathers could not slip off. This saddle had passed multiple tack checks yet I thought it was the most dangerous piece of equipment-what if they child's foot caught in the (non-safety) stirrup iron?

 

[HeatherAnn]

I never got the chance to go to pony club as horses were never something my family were interested in, but at a riding school I used to work in, they had a pony club and it was great, all the kids were little stars. The difference with this pony club was that you use the school horses and ponies and you were assigned a horse that would suit you, there were a lot of horses on the school so the kids had a couple of ponies to choose from. I think there's always going to be one horrible person that ruins it for everyone.

 

[frustrated]

Yes the pony club has strange rules, yes the clubs are a law unto themselfs, yes some kids/families have tons of money, some familys have non.
I've always found that most people are supportive, lessons/oppotunities etc afforable.
We are not well off, we live in a semi and have one car (10 year old Disco) we have three ponies keep on grass livery. We don't have holidays or days out really, but the pony club has allowed my children to compete at a level that they could never have dreamed of.
We hae been to the national championships in teams and as individuals, my childrens confidance has grown ten fold.
They are people with in our pony club that have a lot of money and have paid huge amounts for extremely good ponies, i would like to defend them, they are on the whole well spoken, smiley even when they have lost or they pony have gone lame.
The ones that have achieved very well within the pony club on the whole have done so because of hard graft and determination, some times im amazed at the effort that has been put in.
We have international riders that have silver spoons in ther mouths in eventing, dressage and showjumping money has helped but its not the whole story.
I was always told that good riders make good horses it something that we should all remember when the green eyed monster of jeolously is around.

 

[tinap]

^^^^^ Here here!!

 

[TGM]

^^^^^ Here here!!

Ditto!

 

[monte1]

Ref joining pony club, I would have to agree with TGM they do vary from region to region and you will always get a few arrogant people who have - " all the gear but no idea" but we are lucky to have a wonderful pony club branch who have great instructors and a very supportive and enthusiastic DC. (she even came to main camp this year and camped out for most of the week to take photos and get involved) my daughter loves going and has attended several mini camps and this year for the first time main camp and had a brilliant time- I can't imagine anyone being shouted at for rinsing out their feed buckets- poor child...... maybe for not doing it though ..LOL.

We, like many of you are not rich, we scrimp and save and buy our tack secondhand from ebay etc have an old but well looked after trailer and did not have the perfect pony, far from it and my daughter was a pretty nervous rider, constantly falling off and had to work very hard with her beloved rescue centre loan pony from the age of 8 till about 12, but ,she stuck in there went to the rallies, did the work and turned him into a super little chap and did it while many other parents and children were getting through two or three different ponies in the same time. when she finally outgrew him last autumn we loaned and then bought a very nice pony who did not cost the earth but was a lot of money for us! she still has to work with her. but, what she leaned with her first pony has set her in good stead, she is now very confident, (sometimes to much so!) has an independent seat and knows how to treat her pony fairly and has been lucky enough to compete at many places she would never have dreamed of without pony club, like Hickstead and the Mini champs and had a blast!
our pony club actively support all it's members especially the younger minis and often send two or three teams to events so that everyone gets involved and our club still manages to do very well and get in the ribbons most of the time - so they must be doing something right!

please dont be put off , I am sure your child will have a great time, the parents all seem to enjoy it as well and I have made some great friends and so has my daughter

 

[Gingerwitch]

Hey - we have 4 pony clubs in my local area and its only the one that is so up its own bum its untrue. Do you know if you want to move a pony club - unless is due to a house move you cannot compete in the new pony clubs teams for a year.

I honestly would never want anyone to be put off from going to pc - but just a warning that at some of them you need to be of a certain kind - either rich beyond your wildess dreams, so tallented you could get a pot bellied pig round hickstead, or a yes man (well lady), or just have a knack of keeping yourself to yourself.

Now another pc by us is FANTASTIC - you rock up and before the ramp is down, you have a wine glass in your hand - and a comfy chair being pulled up for you - now thats my kind of pony club.

 

[TheoryX1]

The pony club in general tends to be run by a load of people who's children have no tallant or affinity for horses and whom try and buy their way into the ribbons. If theri odious little precious cant make the team on his/her own volitaion then they tend to use mummy dearests infulence..

Am in agreement that some PC rules are daft and old fashioned. However, as a PC branch secretary and a PC mother I do disagree with that comment totally. Our PC branch is by no means perfect, but I can assure you that the kids who go to Area most definitely do have talent and affinity with their horses. As a branch we do regularily qualify either a team, or a couple of individuals for the national champs - the kids that go there certainly do have talent. I have never seen anybody try to buy their way into the ribbons, and in fact if they tried that with our DC then they would have to be extremely brave indeed.

PC is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, it is like any organisation - imperfect, I would not wish to have to work at a senior level in it, no way. However, my daughter has had several years of fun going to residential camp, latterly Easter camp, which is aimed at the older ones, she's qualified for the nationals 3 years running and actually was on the winning open dressage team last year, and was on the team that came 3rd the year before and also went on our open eventing team last year. She has learned loads, made friends, as have I.

As they say, one mans meat is another mans poision. Most of our top riders went to PC as children, so it can be all that bad.

 

[Rowreach]

As I said above, at branch level it depends on the branch, but the OP was posting about PC rules and I have first hand experience of these, of trying to communicate with those running the PC at central level, and of the way volunteers whom the PC describe as "the backbone of the PC" are treated when push comes to shove. If my experiences are largely negative, then that is what I will post about. Doesn't make me jealous of anyone

 

[dafthoss]

I think the key point here is to read the rules before you compete so that if you do get your tack checked you know you will pass, the rule do say that random tack checks may happen.

To the poster who doesn't want to let their child join pony club (sorry I'm on my phone it's not that easy to find your post again) do some research and find a club that suit you. I did before I joined and I was still nervous before our first rally I also posted loads on here about it as I'm not a child any more but I'm still able to join. I can honestly say it's been the best pony year I've had, my boy has gone from never having seen a xc jump to loving xc even if he can still be green, he has gone from taking ages to settle away from home to just getting on with it and we have both had great fun. My mum was very nervous about coming as she is not horsey but they all take the time to explain any thing to her and never make her feel different. Yes we have had a few moments (*cough* massive tantrums) but all the mums helped and it has never been an issue again. There is no way I could have got as many eyes on the grounds opinions and advice without pony club, how many places have that many instructors around if you have a problem? and I can gaurantee that me and my pony would not have achieved half as much this year without pony club.

 

[PetalPower]

As the author of the OP, I totally agree with you, dafthoss, should have read the rules more thoroughly. Having competed there with no problem before I honestly didn't expect that rule to be there, not knowing that it only arrived this year. Still think it's a daft rule when it's not in the rulebook of BD, BE, BS or BRC but I have no quarrel at all with the Pony Club itself.

The event I went to is one of my favourites, mainly because it is really well run, they take the checks seriously and check everyone, not just randomly, before all 3 stages which can only be a good thing for safety purposes.

They also went out of their way to accommodate me whilst I searched for acceptable kit and let me do my dressage half an hour late, for which I was very grateful as I would have lost quite a few quid (I'm a very poor horse owner!) if I'd had to go home.

It certainly won't stop me entering PC events in future, I'll just keep my old MH Sportives in the Disco. just in case!

 

[Javabb94]

Not sure if been mentioned

But on derby house website it now says under richmond high riders that they are accepted by BS, BE, BD but not accepted under pony club rules

 

[MrSpam]

Think I may have been at the same ODE

I think the smooth sole on boots rule has been around for more than a year.
I make an effort to read the rules at the start of each season only because a few years ago I offered to help steward at an area dressage competition. I couldn't believe how long the briefing was and how much discussion about suitable and unsuitable tack, clothing etc. At that event several riders had to change their clothing/tack at short notice. Top tip - go to the tack check early; some officials are more lenient than others. We have Barnsby (I think - can't remember) buckles on our stirrups, so the stirrup falls off and you cannot get dragged. They often cause alot of discussion, but haven't been asked to take them off yet.

I like the PC, it's been great fun, even with its old fashioned rules - nothing better than having to turn your numnah over, because it has piping on it!

 

[monte1]

I like the PC, it's been great fun, even with its old fashioned rules - nothing better than having to turn your numnah over, because it has piping on it![/QUOTE]

hear hear, or your browband over cos it has "bling" on the other side !! LOL

 

[charlie76]

i have had to turn my browband inside out for a PC event,I was even more stunned as I was actually in my late twenties and the event was open to outsiders, I also had to take my stud earring out- it was like going back to school!