Pony Club Love
-
Pony Club Alumni contest Rio!
As we all know the 2016 Rio Olympics are in full swing. Thanks to USPC staff member, Jenny Van Wieren-Page, we can share a few awesome Q & A articles with some of the US Dressage Team members who are Pony Club Graduates! Traditionally when you think of Pony Club Alumni who go on to become Olympians you think of the sport of Eventing. While, that may still be true, many Dressage Olympians also have a history of beginning with Pony Club. The 2016 US Dressage Olympic Team has two athletes (Kasey Perry-Glass and Allison Brock), Chef d’Equipe (Robert Dover), a groom (Holly Gorman- sister of Kasey Perry-Glass) and Team…
-
Taking T,P,R
After teaching camp for a local Pony Club and recently working on creating better lesson plans for the Pony Club website, we found out how many of our lower level members have trouble understanding the term, “taking the T,P,R” for a horse, or knowing their horses’ resting T,P,R. What is TPR? Short for Temperature, Pulse, and Respiration, taking your horses TPR should be routine for general horse care. Knowing your horses resting TPR can be helpful to your vet if there is ever an issue with your horse. An issue can be illness, fatigue, poor performance, and general wellness. Every horse has “ranges” their resting temperature, pulse, and respiration are…
-
Spring Has Sprung, So Have Hoof Problems
Have you ever heard the statement, “no hoof, no horse”? What about, “If you think a good farrier is expensive, try using a bad farrier”. Both of those statements are truer than some people know. We thought sharing some ideas for what to do when your barefoot horse has been trimmed “too short” or if your horse pulls a shoe and tears off hoof in the process would be helpful. To begin, there is an ideal that most farriers are trained to trim/shoe. The hoof should have the correct angle and depth and is trimmed and rasped according to shoes or barefoot. When going barefoot, most farriers will do what…
-
2015 Flash Award Winner- The Butte Fires
Every year since 2004 The United States Pony Clubs, Inc recognizes an outstanding Club, Center, Region, or Member with the Flash Award. The award was created by Kathy Aranosian, owner of Flash, the horse chosen as the USPC 50th Anniversary Breyer Model. She wanted to sponsor a yearly award to encourage the kind of teamwork generated by her club when they were writing about Flash. Entries are taken by essay and are due November 1st each year. The award is given at the USPC Annual Meeting and Equine Symposium. This year’s winner was sent in by Erica Kirchgatter a C-1 Traditional member of Claim Jumper Pony Club in the Middle…
-
Silver Bullet: A Very Special Pony
The last of our finalists for the Flash Teamwork Award, Breanna Kaho, a H-B HM member of Run O’The Mill Pony Club in the Lake Shore Region chose to share the story of a special Pony from her area. Those who knew Silver Bullet think he is pretty special. Read more about his story below! What spans one region, two clubs, and over a decade? One very special pony. Silver Bullet is a wonderful 29 year old grey pony who has taught so many Pony Club members to ride. He is owned by Mrs. Pat Hamilton, one of the founders of Run O’ the Mill Pony Club, in Southeastern Wisconsin.…
-
Riding Center Teamwork On Display!
Pony Club parent, Margaret Coulter submitted her Flash Teamwork Award essay about the riding center her daughter utilizes to learn about Pony Club. Read along about finalist 8T Acres Pony Club Riding Center! The formation, literally from the ground up, of the 8T Acres Pony Club Riding Center has been an amazing team building experience for a group of riders in the Upper Valley Region of NH. Ashley Glynn had a goal set in her mind; create a Pony Club Riding Center where students could affordably participate in Pony Club. A group of 12 interested students, varying in age from 5 to 14 came together over 2 years ago to…
-
What’s Up Doc, The Ideal Pony Club Mount
Molly Ryan, a C+ Dressage member of the Sinking Creek Pony Club in the Old Dominion Region submitted the following story as her entry for the Flash Teamwork Award for 2015. One of a few finalists, Pony Club wanted to share the story of this fabulous Pony Club horse who has taught many members the ropes of Pony Club. Enjoy! What’s Up Doc didn’t begin his life as the ideal Pony Club mount; he was, in fact, quite the opposite. Barely 14.2 hands, with a surprising wild streak and intense fear of thunder, Doc arrived at Harmony Hills Equestrian Center, the home of Sinking Creek Pony Club, with little training…
-
What’s Up Doc, The Ideal Pony Club Mount
Molly Ryan, a C+ Dressage member of the Sinking Creek Pony Club in the Old Dominion Region submitted the following story as her entry for the Flash Teamwork Award for 2015. One of a few finalists, Pony Club wanted to share the story of this fabulous Pony Club horse who has taught many members the ropes of Pony Club. Enjoy! What’s Up Doc didn’t begin his life as the ideal Pony Club mount; he was, in fact, quite the opposite. Barely 14.2 hands, with a surprising wild streak and intense fear of thunder, Doc arrived at Harmony Hills Equestrian Center, the home of Sinking Creek Pony Club, with little training…
-
Teamwork: Enter Here
Ann Tukey Shideler, RIC for the Northwest Region sent in this fantastic story about the Northwest Regions efforts to get to Championships West. This story was a finalist for the Flash Teamwork Award presented each year to a region, club, center, outstanding person, team, or horse to recognize the teamwork Pony Club values so highly. Read along as Ann shares her story: According to Dictionary.com teamwork is defined as a ‘cooperative or coordinated effort on the part of a group of persons acting as a team on in the interests of a common cause.’ Whenever you take a group of pony club members to Champs it is always a team…
-
Benefits of Participating in the InterPacific Exchange
Pony Club “A’ Traditional member, Nicole Ligon (Pickering Hunt Pony Club in the Eastern Pennsylvania Region) has sent us a story about her experiences participating in the Inter- Pacific Exchange this year. Do you have interest in trying out for a Pony Club exchange program? Get more information HERE! Enjoy! Attaining a position on the USA Inter-Pacific Exchange was at once one of the biggest honors and opportunities I have received through my time in the United States Pony Club. Simply being allowed to apply for the team was humbling; members must be B or A level riders, be willing volunteers and ambassadors for their country, and be capable of…
