pony club - wats your experience?

H

hannah87

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 April 2007
Messages
1,208
Visit site
just wondered how other ppl found the PC wen they were younger? i joined when i was 9 , with my first loaned pony. My parents wernt horsey, so i joined the pc to help us with everything that comes with having a pony. My mum remembers literally asking for help with varoius things and being refused advice etc , as she nor i were considered important enough. i remember at camp being pushed aside and the kids with the better ponies being focused on as they were in the teams. Looking back it was appalling, as the pony club should be about helping kids learn, and have fun! any one else had any bad experiences?
 
My daughter is in the Pony Club and really enjoys it. Everyone has been very helpful and supportive even though current pony is not a competition superstar!
 
I loved Pony Club. Joined when i was 10.........did take a while to be seen not as an imposter as my family were totally unhorsey!!! I was a member until i was 18 and i still teach the little ones now. I am also still good friends with people i met at pony club!!!!
Pony club can be very cliquey.........often dependant on how much money you have!!! But i just ignored all that and enjoyed myself!!!!
I loved camp and i learnt alot from Pony Club........hence me still being involved (sometimes i don't want to be but my mum is Secretary so tends to rope us in!!!!)
i think Pony Club is fab and all kids should be encouraged to give it a go!!!
 
I loved the PC branch i was in. I joined when I was 12 with my 1st pony and although it felt a little cliquey at first it so wasn't. I stayed a member as an associated before they kick you out at 21 or whenever it is! I met some of my closest friends throught the PC and have some amazing and v fond memories of my time with them.
 
Im still in the pony club at the moment. I joined when i was 6 with my first very naughty little pony, and i had great fun. As i grew older i won awards for things like "most improved", which was a confidence boost for me. I started being picked for teams, i started 3 day rally, camp...all great fun. That was before i really cared about cliques- i was young and we where all friends. Now im older (16), things have changed alot. Cliques have formed, mums are more competitive, anyone who doesnt have a good horse is just shoved to the side. And there are a group of 4, me being one of them, who is always asked first to be in any team at intermediate level, even when there are people who are better, but they arent in the clique so they dont get a look in.

Im leaving pony club next year, joining the BE.
 
similar experience to yours, i'm afraid. i went to one rally when i was about 9, and didn't have a pony. mum had been assured that that was fine, everyone welcome, yadda yadda yadda, but i was totally excluded and all the kids with ponies looked down on me because i rode at a riding school and didn't have my own. mum never made me go back, thank god.
i was probably the only one of the lot of them to stick with it and end up eventing at Advanced level. ha.
 
I work as a pony club instructor for branches all over the country and in general they are great but it depends on the individual branch. Its a great way to meet people, seek advice and take exams (much cheaper than the BHS and you can convert them).
 
I had a good experience, and everyone was included, didn't matter what you were on they tried. There is a limit to how much they can do, and horrible parents (threatening to strangle people) were asked not to come back but generally everyone has been good, a few irritations, but they're gone now and yes, a bit of favouritism there but that's more the individuals I find than the PC stance
 
well im about to get my first horse and have been advised by SO many people to go to pc camp and i am really apprehensive in case i have an experience like urs... but from what ive just read u had an unfortunate time. i think it must depend like most things horsey lol!
 
My 9 year old daughter has recently joined the PC, been to two rallies so far.

We've found everyone to be welcoming and not at all stuffy or exclusive. The ponies weren't all superstar ponies worth several thousands of pounds either. There were some pretty ordinary looking heinz 57 ponies there and my daughter's unregistered, unknown breeding pony didn't look at all out of place.

Maybe it does depend on the branch though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top