Irish Pony Club Standards of Efficiency

IRISH PONY CLUB STANDARDS OF EFFICIENCY

TEST SHEET 2017

‘C’ STANDARD

OBJECTIVE

To work towards a secure seat in a balanced position, independent of the reins on the flat and over small fences.

To know how to correctly communicate with the pony (aids) for riding simple movements. To have a knowledge of the care and working of a pony kept in a field and in a stable.

To be in control of the pony and show courtesy and respect to other people and their property.

To be working towards Riding and Road Safety Test.

RIDING

Turn-out of pony/horse and rider. Mount and dismount correctly.

Show a balanced and correct position at walk, trot and canter and be able to demonstrate a regular rhythm. First steps of training scale.

Ride without stirrups at walk and trot.

Adjust stirrups and girth while mounted.

Understand the various means of communicating with the pony/horse (aids) for transitions, turns and circles, canter on a named leg.

Ride on a long and loose rein at walk.

Know the importance of warm up and cool down.

SHOW JUMPING

Show a balanced jumping position on the flat and over small fences in preparation for jumping a course.

Have a knowledge of good practice in the warm up arena.

Walk and ride a straight and bending line distance not less than 5 strides.

Jump a short course with a variety of simple fences (height 80–90 cm.), showing good course lines and awareness of correct leading leg. No combinations.

CROSS COUNTRY

Show secure balanced position in walk, trot and canter with correct stirrup length. Show how to warm up for riding cross country fences.

Ride over assimilated fences to include narrow (skinny) fences, angled fences and combination fences showing control, balance, correct approach and get away from fence, while maintaining rhythm and appropriate speed.

Be able to walk and discuss the cross country course and take on board various paces used to safely negotiate the different fences with examiner.

Ride solid cross country fences of varying types showing control, balance, correct approach and depart from fence while keeping rhythm and appropriate speed in open terrain.

Maintain control, balance and pace appropriate to area, undulations and ground conditions while maintaining a cross country position

HORSEMASTERSHIP

Care and working of a pony/horse kept in a suitable field and/or in a stable. Recognise a suitable field for your pony/horse.

Care of the stable and discuss type of bedding you use. Basic knowledge and rules of feeding and watering.

The importance of roughage: hay/haylage/grass.

Know what and how much in kilos your own pony/horse eats. Grooming – items of grooming kit and show how to use them. Be able to care for the tail and put on a tail bandage.

Shoeing and care of feet – know when a pony/horse needs shoeing and the care of the feet after shoeing. Basic care and cleaning of saddlery and check for safety.

Outline indications of a healthy pony.

Describe signs of an unwell pony/horse including: colic, laminitis, coughs and colds, and sweet itch. Basic knowledge of treatment of minor wounds.

Explain how to take pony/horse in and out of a horsebox with an assistant and the do’s and don’ts’ of leaving a pony/horse in a horsebox.

Discuss the importance of protecting legs while travelling.

List essential items of a travelling first aid kit for your horse/pony.

Lead in hand – walking, trotting and turning and taking in and out of a stable.

Know the name and action of one’s own pony’s bit and own tack and be able to tack up.

Put on and take off a rug. Recognise a stable rug, turn-out rug and cooler with advantages and disadvantages of leg straps.

C Test Revision Notes (stable management).

Care and working of a pony kept in a field or stable.

In field:

Check the field before putting them into it (fencing, hedging, grass, poisonous plants, water source)
Make sure they have shelter
Check the pony at least twice a day
See that there is clean fresh water
Avoid a lot of grooming as it removes the natural oils which protect the pony against the wet and cold. Clean saddle patch before exercise
Leave pony off grass for at least an hour before riding
Pick out feet daily. See the farrier regularly
Put a rug on if necessary
Look for general signs of good health

In stable:

Make sure the stable is safe before putting the pony into it (secure door, ventilation, bedding, water)
Check pony everyday
Make sure they have clean water and a fresh bed
Don’t feed for an hour before riding
Pick out feet daily and see farrier regularly
Groom them often
Put a stable rug on if necessary
Feed the pony with correct amounts of roughage and concentrates
Daily turnout

2.Suitable stable/field

Suitable field for a pony:

Good fencing & secure gate
Clean and fresh water supply
Form of shelter
No poisonous plants (eg ragwort, horsetail)
Enough grazing

Suitable stable for a pony:

Correct size for pony (10x12)
Correct size for horse (12x12)
Good light and ventilation
No protrusions
Clean and fresh water supply
Suitable amount of roughage/concentrates for a stabled pony
Hay rack/tying ring/water drinker
Fresh bedding (eg sawdust/shavings, paper, straw)
Drainage
Disposal of manure (muckheap)

Feeding

Rules of feeding:

Feed little and often, small stomachs
Feed according to work, temperament, condition
Keep the same feeding hours everyday
Do not work immediately after eating
Feed enough roughage
Feed clean, quality food
Feed something succulent everyday
Introduce changes gradually
Clean, fresh water supply all the time
Water before feeding

Types of concentrates:

mixes

Cubes
Straights
Supplements

c. Types of roughage:

Hay
Haylage
Chaff/chops (added to concentrates)

d. How much to feed?

Formula: weight of pony x 2.5/100
how to weigh pony
how to weigh feed
how to weigh roughage
how to tie a haynet

Grooming:

grooming kit:

dandy brush (dry, hard mud, don’t use on face or legs)
body brush (all over use)
plastic curry comb (cleaning brushes and getting mud off the pony)
rubber curry comb
metal curry comb
sponge
hoof pick
hoof oil
mane comb
stable rubber

why do we groom?
how to tie up and safely groom pony
grooming stabled/grass kept pony
clipping

5.The Hoof, Shoeing and Care of the Foot:

parts of the foot:

wall
frog
heels
sole
bars
toe
white line
coronet band

types of shoe:

hunter
racing
feather edged
rolled toe
barred shoe

parts of the shoe

bars
toe clip
quarter clips
nails&clenches
stud holes

farriers tools:

hammer
rasp
nail clencher
drawing knife
pinchers

well shod hoof:

shoe made to fit hoof, not hoof to fit shoe
toe must not be dumped
type of shoe suitable for work
correct number of nails
number of clenches matches number of nails
clenches are well formed and in line
frog can be in contact with ground

types of shoeing:

hot/cold

needs shoeing when:

clenches are risen
shoe is loose or lost
every six to eight weeks
hoof is long or overgrown the shoe
shoes are worn thin

care of hoof:

pick out feet daily
protect hoof depending on weather conditions
farrier every six to eight weeks

6. Health and Condition:

signs of good health:

pulse (35 to 45 beats per min)
temperature (37 to 38 degrees)
respiration (10 to 20 breath per min)
Eyes bright and clear
Coat supple and shiny
Everything is normal ie. Eating as normal etc
Pony is standing evenly on all 4 legs, can rest a hind
Mucus membranes pale salmon in colour
No lumps/swellings

Signs of an unwell pony:

Dull eyes, head low, tucked up, ears back
Runny nose/eyes
Lost condition
Not eating/drinking
Sweating
Pawing the ground
Pale mucus membranes
TPR irregular

Common ailments:

Colic; twist or spasm in the gut. Signs; wanting to roll, sweating, pawing, looking at and biting stomach, PTR increased. What to do; call vet, remove food & water, follow vets advice
Laminitis; inflammation of the lining (interior) in the hoof. Signs; lameness, reluctance to walk, leaning back, hot feet, lines and ridges on wall of hoof. What to do; call the vet, do not force pony to walk, follow vets advice
Worms; infestation of parasites. Signs; weight loss, diarrhoea, colic, poor condition, tail itching. What to do; practise good pasture management and follow vets advice for worm control
Coughs and colds; signs;high temperature, runny nose and eyes, off his food, coughing, no energy. What to do; isolate, keep warm, do not work and call vet
Lice; small insects that live in mane, tail & coat of pony. Signs; itching, loss of hair in places. What to do: call the vet for suitable treatment.
Sweet Itch; severe itchiness around mane & tail caused by allergy to bites from midges. Signs; scratching, bald patches and/or cuts & scratches. What to do; there is no cure so follow preventative measures...sweet itch rug/specially formulated lotions/creams, turn out when midges are not active.

7.First aid:

First aid kit:

Cotton wool
Antiseptic cream or spray
Gamgee
Poultice (animalintex)
Vet wrap
Sponge
Thermometer
Scissors
Bowl or bucket that is only for first aid
Surgical spirit

Types of wound:

Puncture
Laceration
Bruising
Girth/saddle gall
Bit/mouth injury

Treatment of minor wound:

Run the hose above it to wash it out (tubbing for hoof)
Apply antiseptic cream or spray
Use a poultice if necessary
Call the vet if in doubt
Keep pony in stable

8. Lameness:

Not bearing weight on sore leg
Shortened stride
Limp when walking
Head and neck drops when sound leg is bearing weight

9. Loading & Unloading

Loading: how to load with assistance;

Wear gloves and helmet
Open front and back bars
Stand at shoulder of horse and walk him into box
Assistant puts up back bar
You put up front bar
Exit through jockey door and put up back ramp
Tie horse with quick release knot

Unloading with assistance;

Untie the horse
Open front bar
Ask assistant to lower ramp and open back bar
Assistant should stand aside and guide horse

Protecting legs when travelling:

Travel boots/bandages
Give support on long journeys
Protect legs from injury

10. Rugs and Rugging up:

Putting on a rug:

Fold it in half
Lay over the neck
Do up front straps
Fold back and do up belly straps
Pull out the tail
Attach leg straps if needed

Types of rug:

Stable Rug
Turn Out Rug (leg straps)
Cooler
Anti Sweat Sheet/Travel Rug

11. Tail bandage:

Why we use it
How to put on
Remove

12. Leading in hand and trot up:

Why
How to

13. Saddle and bridle

know your own tack and its action/purpose
correct fitting

Know when to seek advice.

READ the following Pony Club Publications:

Notes on Taking C Test – Anthea Rainsbury ‘Keeping a Pony at Grass’ –The whole book.‘The Manual of Horsemanship’

Points of the horse

Mounting and dismounting (omit ‘To dismount Using the stirrup’)

The stirrups

The position of the rider in the saddle Holding the single rein

Position of the rider in motion Jumping

The correct approach, Fig 19

Handling and leading a horse

To lead in hand

VIEW

The Pony Club DVDs

Stable Management Series

Top Rider Parts 1 and 2

Junior Road Rider, DVD

Minimum Age 12 (in year of test)

Classification and identification

Saddling Up

Putting on and fitting a bridle, unsaddling (omit ‘Fit and adjust the Curb Chain’)

Care of saddlery

The signs of good health

Loading – with an assistant

Unloading

The Pony Club Publication ‘ Junior Road Rider’ and the RSA Horse Road Safety Booklet

Disc Colour - Green