I Ride! - Pony Club Discipline News
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Tales of a Pony Club Professional Groom Part 2
Thanks to Pony Club member Alex Ambelang we will now be offering some life lessons our members learn in Pony Club which help them in the real world. Alex is the head groom for Colleen Rutledge Eventing in Maryland. Follow along as she tells us how Pony Club has prepared her for this position as well as what she has learned since starting out. Alex will be a regular guest blogger, so if you have questions feel free to send them to us for her at Mandy@ponyclub.org. Life After Pony Club: Challenges Among some challenges I faced there were a few that stood out. One was integrating myself into someone…
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Tales of a Pony Club Professional Groom Part 1
Thanks to Pony Club member Alex Ambelang we will now be offering some life lessons our members learn in Pony Club which help them in the real world. Alex is the head groom for Colleen Rutledge Eventing in Maryland. Follow along as she tells us how Pony Club has prepared her for this position as well as what she has learned since starting out. Alex will be a regular guest blogger, so if you have questions feel free to send them to us for her at Mandy@ponyclub.org. Life after Pony Club: Reality Check It’s 10:30pm. A movie plays on mute on the TV. An empty container of Talenti ice cream…
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What is Western Dressage?
Western dressage originated when a couple of western trainers got together to look for a discipline that would suit a nontraditional western horse and rider. Today’s equine industry is ever changing, and the need for east to meet west was great. Western dressage is based on classical dressage principles, but follows a system of training for the western rider. Similar to classical dressage, western dressage is held in a large or small dressage arena. Judges are still looking for a relaxed, soft topline, good movement, harmony, and accuracy. The difference being that the tests reflect the movements and maneuvers asked of a Western horse. Inclusiveness is important to the Western…
- Eventing, Foxhunting, I Ride! - Pony Club Discipline News, Play Games, Polocrosse, Show Jumping, Tetrathlon, Western
Warming Up the Older Horse
When getting your horse ready for a show you do conditioning work. You have regular flat days, jumping days, bath days, and rest days. You also have a plan on how to warm your horse up at shows. If it is a new horse to you, you create a new plan. If it is a seasoned competitor, you know the horse has a set routine. The best idea is trial and error. Whatever works for you, may not necessarily be the best for your horse, and vice-versa. Each horse is different. Factors to take into consideration include age, temperament, difficulty level, and discipline. Today we will focus on some ideas…
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In the Vet Box
Today’s post was submitted with information from Dr. Claudia L. Barton, DVM and Dr. Yvette Seger. Dr. Barton and Dr. Seger have had extensive experience running the vet box at USPC rallies. Dr Seger is also a Chief Horse Management Judge. Other information for the report was compiled from articles concerning cooling out the horse and from the USPC Rulebook on Eventing. Why is the vet box required at an Eventing Rally and not at a recognized — USEA Horse Trial? Pony Club still requires it because we feel you need to learn how your horse recovers from the effort of cross country. Vet box staff take a lot of…
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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…
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What is Polocrosse?
If you have seen Polo or played Lacrosse, imagine combining the two. This is very close to what Polocrosse is. Founded in Australia in 1939, it is known as the “King of the One Horse Sports.” (The Polocrosse Association of Australia, Inc.). And while it is wildly popular in Australia and most of Europe, Polocrosse is growing rapidly in the US. The American Polocrosse Association (APA) was formed in 1984 in Phoenix, Arizona. There are more than 44 clubs across the country as well as many Pony Club affiliations. It is one of the few team sports on horseback. Anyone who wants to play is welcome as there are levels…
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Winter Horse Care Part 2
Today we are sharing part two of a two-part blog about winter horse care from equine veterinarian and RS of the Lake Shore Region, Dr. Rae Birr, DVM. It’s cold out there this time of year. To take the best possible care of your horses, we will discuss winter preparation, thinking points to consider for horse care in the cold, plus a few tips submitted to us by friends on Facebook. Preparation for Winter Be sure you have a way to easily get fresh water to your horse once the temperatures drop. Do you have a water hydrant or faucet in your barn? It might need a heat source to…
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Winter Horse Care Part 1
Today we start a two part blog about winter horse care from Veterinarian and RS of the Lake Shore Region, Dr. Rae Birr. Its cold out there this time of year. Take the best care of your horses possible. In this first part we have some trivia and some specifics about water in the winter. Tune in to the next part where we will discuss winter preparation and some thinking points to consider for horse care in the cold. We have Pony Clubs all over the United States including some place that never see freezing temperatures or snow, so this article will start with some trivia questions that every good…
- Eventing, Foxhunting, I Ride! - Pony Club Discipline News, Play Games, Polocrosse, Show Jumping, Special Events, Tetrathlon
Hot Topic: Arm bands vs. Bracelets
Indeed a hot topic, which will you choose? Armband or Bracelet? As we all know the United States Eventing Association (– USEA) is allowing members to choose, well now Pony Club members can as well. We are going to go over the pros and cons of each as well as the rules for allowing the new wristbands. These lifesaving devices are a vital part of safety when it comes to working around and riding horses. Under the rule EV 113 for the — USEA the armbands must have medical history including history of head injury as well as drug allergies and current medications. If the rider chooses to wear a…
