Getting Ready To Rally Lesson Plans (3)
Deb Brown Sunshine Region Interim RIC
Certification Level: All Topic Category: Stall Cards
Lesson Topic: Purpose of Stall cards at Rally, Practicing TPR, Accurate Mount Description
Objective of Lesson: To educate Pony Club members as to why stall cards are required at rally and how to fill them in, how to check mounts TPR (Temperature, pulse, respiration) with assistance and to create an accurate description of their own mount.
Set up: You will need paper, pencils, a watch with second hand, stethoscope, measuring stick, digital thermometer, alcohol, Vaseline, disposable exam gloves and copies of taking a TPR from the C-Manual of Horsemanship to give to the members for reference. The club will need a volunteer with a digital camera, computer and printer for the latter aspects of the project if desired. Adult and /or older Pony Club volunteers will be needed when actual mounts are being used.
How will the lesson be explained: The club’s DC or topic presenter can show a correctly filled out stall card with correct confirmation type photo and description of a mount to the club members. Remember: The jumping photos, etc. are fun and very exciting, but the stall card photo is for identification purposes and should be a standing pose with all four legs visible and no tack if possible. Halter/bridle is fine. A full facial profile is great or separate head shot next to the body photo is good.
The Exercise: The meeting leader/instructor can go through the steps to filling in a stall card and how to get a mounts temperature, pulse and respiration and why knowing these is important; or in barn setting with actual mounts with adequate supervision and dependant on individual mount’s dispositions. If the latter scenario is chosen, someone adept at taking a TPR (vet, experienced adult, or HB/C3 or up Pony Clubber) should be in charge of taking readings while teaching the younger members the process. The individual teaching the subject or leading the meeting may choose the best format for their club members and their mounts. The DC should choose the safest plan as to whether mounts will be used or not.
How will the lesson be demonstrated: This lesson can be broken into two or three meetings if desired: Writing an accurate mount description at an unmounted meeting, photos at a mounted meeting before the ride is completely tacked up and TPR at an unmounted barn meeting. The gathered information/digital photos can be made into stall cards on a volunteer’s computer and printed out at a final rally preparation meeting if desired or all of these topics can be covered in one meeting.
How will the lesson be reviewed and wrapped up: When all information is gathered and each individual member, and the DC, are happy that they have all the correct information they need, they can manufacture their stall cards at the meeting with the photos loaded into the volunteer computer and printer out there, or these can be done at home with the photos being sent via email to the members to finish. Self-laminating sheets from the store make a water proof, easy to apply cover. An area for chaperone can be left blank and filled in on a small piece of tape before rally and placed on the laminating sheet. This then can be easily changed each rally making the stall cards reusable. Completed stall cards can be put with the individual list rally items and be ready for Rally when needed.