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WELCOME TO DRYSDALE-LEOPOLD PONY CLUB (DLPC)!

Your first visit to Pony Club might be the beginning of your young rider’s life-long love affair with horses and equestrian sports or the start of some exciting years of activities with ponies which will become happy childhood memories. Either way, Pony Club is meant to be fun, and following is some basic information which, we hope, will answer some of your questions and help make Pony Club a fun experience for you and your young rider.

AIMS:

Pony Club is a Youth Movement.

The aims of Pony Club are:

“To encourage young people to ride and to learn to enjoy all kinds of sport connected with horses and riding.”

“To provide instruction in riding and horsemastership and to instil in members the proper care of their animals.”

“ To promote the highest ideals of sportsmanship, citizenship and loyalty, thereby cultivating strength of character and self-discipline.”

- from the “Australian Pony Club Council Manual of Instruction.”

In all activities the safety of the rider comes first.

DLPC RALLY DAYS

DLPC holds a full-day rally on the first Sunday of every month except January (extremes of weather permitting!). Riders are expected to be in uniform and mounted by 9.30am, and assembled around the quadrangle in front of the clubrooms. After the District Commissioner (DC) welcomes everyone and makes the announcements, the riders go to their Groups. Each Group is known by a name and has its own Group Leader who stays with the Group all day. The Group Leader checks each rider’s and pony’s gear, marks the attendance sheet, accompanies the Group to each activity and helps riders where necessary. Groups are organised according to the ability and age of the riders, friendships, special needs etc.

A typical rally day:9.30am Assembly

10 am Lesson 1

11amLesson 2

12noonLunch and meeting in clubrooms.

1pmTack up. Groups reassemble for gear check.

1.15pmLesson 3

2.15pmuntack

2.30pmTheory

3.15pmPack up and go home.

INSTRUCTORS

DLPC endeavours to secure the services of respected top instructors, who are paid by the Club. Our own experienced adult members instruct too.

No instructor will insist on a rider attempting an activity which the rider does not feel safe or ready to attempt. Our instructors are skilled horse-people who want your young rider to have fun at Pony Club while learning new skills and sometimes challenging themselves!

Occasionally during Theory time there will be a guest speaker and/or a

demonstration of interest to the whole Club eg. farrier, Western Rider, Mounted Police Officer. If you have contact with someone who could give an interesting talk or demonstration in some facet of horsemanship, the DC would be pleased to know!

PONY OWNERSHIP

You do not have to own your own pony or horse to be a member of a Pony Club. The Pony Clubs Association of Victoria (PCAV) encourages Clubs to assist keen young people who wish to participate but do not own their own pony. Suitable Pony Club mounts can be borrowed or leased, and it’s often a good idea to start with a reliable borrowed or leased mount, and talk to the DC, your rider’s instructors and other knowledgeable people before rushing out and purchasing a pony.

It’s important (and commonsense) that the pony suits the age and ability of the rider. Riding should be fun and not a battle between parent, nervous child and unruly pony. Help is available in finding the right pony for your young rider.

Note: Stallions, colts and rigs are not permitted at Pony Club activities, nor are any mounts which, in the DC’s opinion, are unsafe or unsuitable.

MEMBERSHIP FEES / INSURANCE

Membership fees are set each year at the Annual General Meeting. From the February rally, fees are on a pro-rata basis until June when full fees for the year are due and must be paid by 30th June. Riders will not be allowed to ride unless theinsurance portion of their fees is paid. At DLPC fees are reduced for more than two riders in the one family. Where there are difficulties with fees, the Treasurer is happy to discuss the matter and make mutually agreeable arrangements.

DLPC has 3 membership intakes per year: July, October and February. Prospective members are welcome to apply at any time, and will be informed when their first mounted rally will be. Pro-rata fees apply.

UNIFORM / TACK

(a) Uniform.

Correct Pony Club uniform must be worn by all members taking part in Pony Club activities. New members are allowed three months (ie. three rallies) to get all their uniform, but must have an approved helmet and boots in order to ride.

The uniform is:

White shirt and approved Pony Club tie or official PCAV polo shirt.

Wool blend V-necked jumper in registered Club colours (DLPC - green with yellow sash) &/or official PCAV polar fleece jacket or vest.

Jodhpurs or moleskin trousers in white, banana, fawn or oatmeal colour.

Boots - short jodhpur/riding boots or long boots, fully soled. (Short boots must come high enough up the ankle so as not to catch on the top of the stirrup iron) (Workboots eg. Blundstones, are not suitable.)

Helmet - approved by Australian Standards Association Specification AS/NZS 3838, EN1384 or ASTMF1163.

  1. Note:

At DLPC, for internal events, ie. rallies, our Committee allows members to wear DLPC rugby tops. Club rugby tops are also permitted for cross-country competitions.

Pony Club brass membership badge is optional

Gloves are optional

Chappettes may be worn at rallies, but are not acceptable at competitions. At competitions, black or brown smooth-grain leather gaiters/leggings may be worn with matching colour boots

Ear-rings, including sleepers or studs must be removed or taped for safety.

Long hair must be worn in a neat and tidy style.

New and second-hand uniform items can be purchased (or ordered) from the Sales Co-ordinator, who has a trading table in the clubrooms each rally day.

(b) Tack.

The saddle must fit the pony correctly, neither low on the withers or pressing on the pony’s spine at the back.

A saddlecloth must be used for all Pony Club activities. It must be fitted so no ridge or edge is under the seat of the saddle where, with the rider’s weight, it could cause soreness in the pony’s back. Blankets in club colours are optional.

The bridle must be well-fitted so the bit is comfortable in the pony’s mouth. A nose-band, if used, must be correctly fitted, not too tight or too low.

Whips must not exceed 750mm in length including the flap which must be flat.

Stirrup grips are recommended for safety. (Replacements are available at the trading table).

See PCAV publications: “PCAV Handbook & By-laws”, “Horse Trials Rules” & “Dressage” for more info.

CERTIFICATES AND AWARDS

As riders progress through Pony Club they can undertake Efficiency Tests and be awarded Certificates for successfully completing the requirements at each level. These tests are progressive and begin with the “D” Certificate for which the rider must be 8 years of age or over. These tests are optional.

At the end of the year DLPC has a special Presentation Rally at which Attendance, Encouragement and Aggregate Awards are presented in each Group and several special awards are given out as well.

COMPETITIONS AND CAMPS

DLPC holds a number of competitions each year. These are usually One Day Events, Showjumping Competitions, Dressage Competitions or Horse Shows. The Club also enters teams of riders in Barwon Zone competitions eg. Games Days, Flat and Musical Ride Teams, Zone Eliminations, Horse Trials Team Challenge etc.

If sufficient members are interested, an annual week-end camp may be held, at a venue with suitable accommodation and facilities for ponies and riders. These camps are lots of fun and usually involve lots of trail-riding, consuming food and staying awake till all hours!

Note: Costs for these activities are not covered by the membership fees and participation is optional.

PARENTS / GUARDIANS / HELPERS

It is expected that one or both parents or a responsible helper will be present at the grounds whenever their child is riding. (Pony Club is not a baby-sitting service!)

Parents are required to help out in the canteen and/or with setting up or putting away equipment, from time to time.

Parents are responsible at all times for any non-riding children who accompany them to Pony Club rallies. Children over the age of 6 years are not allowed to ride bicycles on the grounds during rallies.

Parents are also encouraged to support the Club by attending Committee meetings (held the Wed. evening, about 10 days prior to each rally, at 7.30pm in the clubrooms) and getting involved in the running of the Club and the maintenance of our excellent facilities.

FACILITIES

DLPC has a sizeable clubroom with toilet facilities and a well-appointed kitchen. We have full canteen service each rally day, and members and visitors can purchase hot or cold lunches, snacks and drinks.

We have fully-fenced yards for ponies and horses, a fenced “arena” for the youngest riders and extensive grounds comprising show-jumping areas and a cross-country course which is constantly being up-graded by our Grounds Committee.

At least one parent with first-aid expertise is usually present at each rally.

ETTIQUETTE / SAFETY RULES

  1. Courtesy, common-sense, and consideration for other people and the ponies, should be observed at all times by riders, parents and helpers.
  2. Parents and helpers should refrain from interrupting instructors by shouting commands to their child during sessions. This interferes with both the rider’s and the instructor’s concentration, confuses the rider and annoys the instructor! Parents may talk privately to the instructor at the end of the session.
  3. Unnecessarily rough treatment of ponies (or riders!), foul language and displays of temper will not be tolerated.
  4. If a rider, parent or helper has a query, this must first be taken to the Group Leader – the Group Leader will take it to the President or DC if needed.
  5. No rider is permitted to ride without approved safety helmet and boots - this includes visitors’ children “sitting” on ponies.
  6. Riding during lunch-break is not permitted.
  7. Dogs are not permitted in the clubrooms. Smoking is not permitted on the grounds.
  8. Alcohol is not permitted.
  9. No ponies or horses are to be tied to floats which are not securely attached to the towing vehicle.
  10. Riders are not to mount in the yards or in the yard laneways.
  11. Riders are to dismount and walk when returning to their float or the yards.
  12. We encourage riders to be aware of the weather conditions, to “slip, slop, slap” and to take care and have fun in the sun! Sunscreen is available in the clubrooms.
  13. Lunging is only permitted in the enclosed arena and can only be done before the rally or at lunchtime, after asking permission of the President or DC.

Up-dated 22.6.2011