Pony Club Love
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The USPC Badge Program
Recently published in the USPC News Magazine Winter 2016 issue, this article is meant to be a primer for the popular Pony Club Badge Program. For more information and questions email mandy@ponyclub.org Lots of clubs and centers have embraced the Achievement Badge Program offered through Pony Club. For those who have yet to discover this excellent program this will be a primer to introduce you to the idea. The program is designed to be an introduction to Pony Club education. The lessons are all geared towards the entry level Pony Club member. They are presented in order of succession for skills that need to be learned or built upon. There…
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Letters of Recommendation
College is the next step in education for many Pony Club High School students. Among High School students Letters of Recommendation can be used for college acceptance, leadership positions in High School clubs, societies and outside activities, or even to gain acceptance into an advanced class. Whatever the reason to need a Letter of Recommendation, it is important to know who to ask, as well as the reasons you are asking. Starting with whom to ask. If the Letter is geared towards service or volunteerism to gain a place as a leader within the school it is a good idea to seek a writer who is in a leadership position…
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USPC Annual Meeting Fun Round 2!
The countdown is on. It’s less than a month until the USPC Annual Meeting and Symposium in sunny Orlando, Florida. The National Office staff is excited. We hope you are too! There will be lots of informational meetings, seminars and workshops. Top presenters will be in attendance. It is the place to be February 4-7. (Registration closes at 12:00PM EST on January 18th!!) Here’s what you need to know about some of the incredible offerings. Are you a seminar junkie? Below are just a few of the (over 50) possible seminars that will be offered at the USPC Annual Meeting and Symposium. Anatomy of the Lower Leg– Presenter Dawn McLane,…
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Annual Meeting Fun Round 1- Who loves SUN!!!!
The countdown is on. It’s less than a month until the USPC Annual Meeting and Symposium in sunny Orlando, Florida. The National Office staff is excited. We hope you are too! There will be lots of informational meetings, seminars and workshops. Top presenters will be in attendance. It is the place to be February 4-7. (Registration closes at 12:00PM EST on January 18th!!) Here’s what you need to know about some of the incredible offerings. Are you an upcoming or current District Commissioner? Center Administrator? Regional Supervisor? What about National Examiner or Regional Instruction Coordinator or even a Horse Management Organizer? Well, there will be leadership training just for you…
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Young Riders Learn From An Olympian
Courtesy of Community News Editor, Elaine Allen-Emrich and the Englewood Sun, Pony Club has an interesting article about members from Sea Fox Pony Club in the Sunshine Region getting to ride with Olympic Dressage riders. Enjoy! At 13, Tatumn Edge (C-1 HM, D-3 Trad, C-1 Dr) has a goal to train with an Olympic coach in Germany. Last week, she inched closer to her dream while working with Olympian competitor Kathleen Wightman-Raine and her husband David, both accomplished dressage riders. Dressage riding is the systematic development of horse and rider, resulting in a balanced, harmonious team. Dressage helps the horse and rider communicate with each other and develop balance, strength,…
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Regional Youth Boards: An Introduction
Krisin Short an H-B HM, D-3 Trad, C-1 Flat member of Lake Hunt Pony Club in the Lakeshore Region has graciously written in about the Regional Youth Board. Here are some insights into how a Regional Youth Board can benefit your area! Regional Youth Boards (RYB’s) are an invaluable resource for any region. Over the past several years, many regions have been incredibly successful in starting up productive youth boards. However, starting a RYB can be a daunting task that many regions may struggle with. As a branch of the National Youth Board, the Regional Youth Board committee is here to help! We hope to provide you with different strategies…
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USPC Research Project Fair: Expand Your Equine Knowledge!
Have you ever wondered why horses behave a certain way? Are you curious about how different approaches to horse care might affect your horse’s health or performance? Do you have questions about how or why certain horse management practices are preferred over others? Did studying for a recent Pony Club certification spark your interest to learn more about a particular horse sport, aspect of horse care, or riding concept? Are you interested in developing a strategy to learn more about a specific question you have about your horse? If you answered “YES!” to any of these questions, then the Pony Club Research Project Fair is for YOU!! The Research Project…
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Horses and College Part 3: Intercollegiate Riding Teams
In our first two installments found here (part 1) and here (part 2) we discussed going to college and finding a degree for your horsey passion and taking your best (equine) friend with you. In this installment we will discuss joining an intercollegiate riding team. There are many different types of teams you can join and each has its own requirements. All of the disciplines have levels from Beginner to Advanced, but not all of them are considered a “sport” at a college or university. Some equine teams are only considered a “club”. There is a difference. If a college or university chooses to make a team a “sport” team…
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Organizing A Horse Show: Is it Worth it?
This is the second part of the series on Organizing a Horse Show. Follow along as we share some information on the hard-working brave people take on to make your horse show experience a success. Leaning on Friends One thing many organizers learn is to utilize the help they already have. Many have facilities they are trying to grow and support, students and clients they teach and ride for, and friends who help them when called on. These people are the foundation for extra officials, volunteers, and competitors whom the organizer can turn to for help. In turn these people might reach out to other friends and family members, making…
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Organizing a Horse Show: Have you got what it takes?
Have you ever considered organizing a horse show? Do you know what all goes on behind the scenes in planning as well as implementation? Do you ask yourself, is it worth it? It’s a tough job and only the toughest continue to put on shows each year. This is a small primer on what it takes to put together a show. Hopefully this will help those who have a desire or have never stepped up to this daunting task understand all that goes into making horse shows a success. (Editor’s note- this doesn’t include costs) The Beginning First, you need to find a venue to host your show. Once that…
