Earning School Credit for being in USPC
Early mornings, late nights, and long days at rallies and ratings, and I bet you never realized all of your hard work in Pony Club could pay off big time at school. Yes, school! You could potentially receive recognition by your athletic department or even a P.E credit for your involvement in the United States Pony Club. We have been able to put together a document that has some helpful tips and instructions on how to work with your High School to get them to recognize your riding activities and possibly earn credit.
Earning Credits for Riding while in High School
Pony Club is a wonderful educational organization and many of those learning
experiences can be tied in or extended to fit into a school venue. Here you will find
some helpful suggestions that may work for you to make this possible.
Preparation
First you need to be prepared before you present your case. You will need to do
some research and organize your information.
• Do a computer search and go to “your state board of education” and investigate
the learning standards or state standards. Make a list of the ones that tie in to
what you are working on.
• Get the Curriculum Guides or Standards from your school district and research
those. Make a list of the ones that tie in to what you are working on.
• Copy the Pony Club Standards of Proficiency to present. This could be from the
D1 up to the level you are currently working on, and even to the A.
• You could present them with the New Member book under Forms on the Pony
Club web site
• They could be given the Parents Answer Book, available under Forms on the
Pony Club web site.
• You could ask your Regional Supervisor to give you a letter of recommendation.
There is a form for this on the Forms page on the Pony Club Web site: RS
Recommendation Letter
• Included in your information to them could be PR: Handout-Alumni Olympians,
which is a wonderful list of pony clubbers who have competed in the Olympics.
This is also listed under Forms on the Pony Club website.
• Another great handout on the Forms page is PR: Brochure – Why Chose Pony
Club.
• You might need PR: Article – Pony Club vs. High School Absences, which is
also under Forms on the Pony Club website.
Alternative Learning Opportunity
You will need to develop your own course description, standards, activities, plan
and assessments. This has to be well written and specific so that it is credible. This
can be used for PE and academic course work.
Presentation
You will need to find out whom to present your case to so you can earn credits.
Will it be the superintendent, school board, head of the department, school counselor,
instructor or principal? Each school functions differently depending on size and
structure. You will need to ask and find out. Make an appointment. You may be the
first to break ground in this area!
For more information on earning school credit please visit the Pony Club Website found HERE!
USPC National Office
The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. (USPC or Pony Club) is the largest equestrian educational organization in North America. Started in 1954, the organization has developed curriculum that teaches safe riding skills and the care of horses through mounted and unmounted lessons. Through Pony Club, members have fun with horses and make lifelong friends while they develop skills, habits, and values that extend well beyond the barn and last a lifetime. Many members apply what they have learned in the USPC program successfully in their careers, educational and volunteer opportunities, and other life pursuits.
One Comment
Christina ranes
My daughter does have an independent study for California state PE requirement. It wasn’t super easy to get and out district had a lot of requirements such as the trainer being CPR certified, 10 hours or more riding a week, competing regionally and nationally which is what pony in does.
We just finished being approved for PE at the high school for her freshman year next school year. My daughter wrote an essay on why United States pony club makes her an assert to the school and community. She brought her record book, the standards of proficiency, and the extensive study notebook filled yet organized with horse management notes, study material, and lessons. Great way for her to explain the pony club values of horsemanship, organized teamwork, respect, service, and education. And now she believes in their importance that much more. The district was impressed.