Welcome to Riddells Creek Pony Club

Welcome to Riddells Creek Pony Club

The Riddells Creek Pony Club was formally established in 1963.

The aim of the club is to provide a safe and happy environment where members can learn an extensive range of horsemanship skills, including dressage, jumping, games, cross country, polo-cross and many other activities.

The information in this handbook has been prepared to help you upon your arrival at the club, and during each rally or activity you may attend.

We hope that every time you come to the Riddells Creek Pony Club, it is an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

The Club

Our Club commenced in the Recreation Reserve of the township and has since relocated to “Candlebark” in Sutherlands Road, Riddells Creek, comprising our own 2.4 hectare (6 acre) enclosed site surrounded on three sides by a leased 32 hectare (or 80 acre) paddock (called Triangle 1).

The Club grounds contain the “Watson Pavilion” clubrooms, sand ménage, safety training yard, and extensive horse yards and parking areas.

Many years of hard work has established a top class cross country course on the leased property, and we also use this paddock for show jumping, dressage, games, and other pursuits. With the kind permission of the Clarke family we are able to host many visitors at several events each year on this marvellous property.

/ We will continue to strive to improve the facilities, and further strengthen our Club.
It is hoped that every rider and family member will seek to leave the Club a little better than when they first came to it.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Rallies

Rallies are held on the first Sunday of each month.

If you are unable to attend, inform the District Commissioner (DC).

During the year we have various guest speakers, for example a farrier, horse dentist, mounted police or instructors specializing in jumping, dressage, games and others with horse knowledge to pass on to the members.

In January we do not have a rally at the Pony Club grounds. Instead we may hold a weekend camp or other activity. This is normally classed as a rally for the purposes of qualifying a horse.

Newsletter and Noticeboards

The newsletter is very important. Pick up a copy from the clubrooms. Newsletters contain a lot of relevant information so it is important that you read it so that you know what is going on in our club. If you have been to an event or show during the month you can pass on the results to the newsletter editor, and the results will be put in the next edition. A list of upcoming shows and events are also included in the newsletter so that you can plan ahead.

There are two noticeboards in the clubrooms; one containing general information and the other detailing the latest news from the Junior Committee. Please ensure you check these at each rally.

Parents and Roster System

Parents are an important part of Pony Club. They can assist in so many ways and any offer of help will always be greatly appreciated. One parent must be in attendance with the member for the full rally day. If a parent cannot attend please make sure that another adult is responsible for the member for the day and let the DC know.

Pony Club is not a baby sitting venue.

We have set up a roster system for each family (either parent) to take a turn in canteen duties, setting up equipment, cleaning, and other specific duties such as building and maintenance of our cross country course. It is only by every family being actively involved in the Club that costs can be kept low, facilities can be improved, and the Club can fulfil it’s aims and objectives. While many people often choose to do more than is asked of them, we must still ensure that the responsibilities are shared as widely as possible.

If you are unable to attend rostered duties, it is your responsibility to arrange a suitable replacement. This does not include children or the riding member.

Informing a committee person that you will be absent is not sufficient.

Roster duties are a condition of membership.

Failure to fulfil rostered duties may result in your membership being withdrawn, or your application for renewal of membership being declined.

The appropriate co-ordinator will fill you in on your duties for the day, if you are not aware – this is spelt out on the Roster, as well as at the rear of this handbook.

Each family receives a copy of the Roster, and there is one on the noticeboard. Information is in each newsletter and is posted on the activities whiteboard at every rally. It is impossible to miss!

Failure to actively attend rostered duties will result in a penalty of $30 being levied by invoice on the first occasion. This is levied because someone else has had to unfairly complete those duties. Subsequent failure to attend, or refusal to promptly pay, will result in the case being placed before the next committee meeting where membership must be withdrawn unless genuine extenuating circumstances exist.

This is a club membership condition, and is not discretionary.

You may be requested to work at specific working bees for a full morning. Whilst these do not occur frequently, they are very important. The more people we get to help, the quicker the jobs will be done. These duties are also a great way to meet other parents and help the club at the same time.

All work benefits the young riders of the club.

Introduction of new members

To assist in welcoming new members to the club and to help them to learn how things operate, we introduce them to experienced members in the same group.

If you are asked to assist a new member, please ensure that their first few rallies are made less stressful by assisting wherever you can.

Insurance

The member’s Pony Club Association of Victoria (PCAV) insurance must be in place (registered with PCAV) before being allowed to ride at a rally, so it is important to avoid disappointment and ensure that you arrange to have your membership and insurance current, and if attending for the first time, in advance of your first rally.

The annual renewal requests are published in the newsletter by the Secretary well before they fall due at the June rally. This is also notified at “line up” at May rally.

If you are joining as a new member, see the Secretary or Treasurer to complete your membership form and pay the necessary fees. Your fees and details will be sent to PCAV and a Membership Card will be returned to our club. This can take up to three weeks, so should be arranged as early as possible.

There is a copy of the Insurance schedule available for review. Ask the Secretary.

Gear Check

The rider and pony will be inspected at each rally before activities are commenced. This is done immediately prior to the “line up”. The object is to ensure the safety and relative comfort of the horse and the rider – it is not about aesthetics or having fashionable gear. PCAV and the club have set only a few rules regarding gear, virtually all of them related to safety.

Please note that any safety breach will result in the member not being able to ride until it is rectified. The club DC has the final word on any matter related to the safety of gear.

There is a pamphlet available on gear checking giving you details on what is checked etc. please see the gear checking coordinator to obtain a copy. Some guidance is given at the rear of this handbook, and on the general noticeboard.

For each area checked, i.e. cleanliness, horse, gear, uniform etc., there are a total of ten points and the gear checker will make deductions for things that are not satisfactory. The gear checker will explain the reason for any deduction, so that improvement can be made. At the end of the year the points are added up and the members with the highest number of points receive an award.

The club is always looking for interested people to take up gear check duties. It is in the best interests of the rider and the horse if a family member knows the safety rules related to gear checking, and high level advice is always available – so please step forward and get involved.

Committee Meetings

Committee meetings are held in the clubrooms at 8:00pm on the Monday prior to each rally. Everyone is welcome to attend.

If you have any questions about the club or ideas that would help to improve the running of the club, please come along and share your ideas with the committee. Only elected committee members are allowed to vote on issues, but everyone’s ideas are most welcome.

What does the Committee do??

A Committee was once described as “a lane down which ideas are led to be quietly strangled”. Your Committee tries very hard to avoid the described behaviour, and while some of the business may be bland, involvement can also be quite exciting. There is always something new on the horizon.

The Committee exists primarily to support the District Commissioner and the young riders of the Club. It oversees areas which are not within the DCs duties, such as financial, facilities, equipment, canteen, hygiene, zone matters, and so on. To ensure the flow of communication is maintained, the minutes of all meetings are posted on the noticeboard in the clubrooms, and are freely available on request. Please take a look – you might be surprised.

The Junior Committee meeting is held on the Friday night prior to club rallies (commencing at 8:00pm), or at lunchtime of the rally, again in the clubrooms.

They generally discuss fundraising ideas, how to improve your involvement in the club, activities for the future, and ways to improve the club facilities. This is also a social activity for junior club members.

An adult supporter attends to provide guidelines on matters of club policy, logistics, senior committee priorities, etc. but does not control or take an active role in the proceedings. The agenda and all deliberations are set by the junior members.

There have been some great initiatives which have grown from the involvement of the Junior Committee. The more junior members in attendance the merrier.

Membership fees

Membership fees are set at the Annual General Meeting each year with renewals due in June. The fees include Insurance and PCAV affiliation costs, and so are subject to change in accordance with Insurance and PCAV changes.

We try to keep the fees as low as possible, whilst ensuring that we can still provide good instruction and facilities. It should be noted that fees rarely cover the full cost of instruction at rallies, the difference being made up from fundraising activities such as events and the canteen.

Books and Manuals

There are books for sale such as the “Syllabus of Instruction” and “Dressage for the Pony Club” available from the uniform sales coordinator, who will be more that willing to help you look for what you need.

These books are not expensive and are a valuable asset.

NORMAL DAILY TIMETABLE

9:30am SharpGear Check & Line Up

At 9:30 am the bell will be rung and both rider and pony will be inspected by a “gear checker”. You should wait in your group until a “gear checker” has checked the pony, rider and gear (unmounted).

At 9;45 am the “line up” is held immediately outside the club rooms. The mounted rider and pony should line up in the appropriate colour section.

The DC and President will speak to the whole club, children and parents, on things that will happen that day and any other relevant or important information will be presented at 12.30pm in the Club Room announcements.

You are not permitted to ride until the gear check is completed.

N.B.If you arrive late your gear must still be checked by either the gear checkers or the DC. It is your responsibility to seek out someone to conduct a gear check

10:00amActivities

Rider and pony will now go to their group activity (check the whiteboard to see where your group will be having their lessons). Each activity will last about one hour (two lessons before lunch and two lessons after lunch). Members are expected to ride in all four lessons. (see notes under the heading “Attendance”)

12:00 (approximately) Lunch

The Lunch break lasts approximately 3/4 hour. You should unsaddle and tie up your pony in a stall or next to your float (only if the float is attached to a vehicle). Give your pony a bucket of water and a small feed, and rug if necessary.

Once the pony has been seen to there is a full canteen service available in the clubroom or you can bring your own lunch.

Club News …… a newsletter is available for collection from the clubrooms during lunch break. This newsletter is your regular source of information – don’t miss it!

12:45pm (approximately)Activities

You will have another two lessons after lunch. (be sure to check the whiteboard).

Activities for the day are listed on the whiteboard.
Be sure to collect your Newsletter, and check the noticeboard for special information about current and upcoming events!! /

Attendance

If the member for one reason or another cannot attend all four lessons, it is important that you discuss the situation with the DC who will make a decision as to whether the member can be given a qualifying rally. Members who repeatedly attend only specific (favourite) activities and leave the rally, will be asked to relinquish their membership to someone on the waiting list who may make better use of the facilities and instruction.

If a horse is unable to be ridden due to health problems, the member can attend a rally unmounted in full pony club uniform with his/her card and still receive the 100% attendance points. The member will be asked to help in some way around the club or help an instructor with the junior groups.

The significance of receiving full attendance points is that if the member attends all rallies for the year (11 rallies in all – February to December) he or she will be awarded an attendance medal at the presentations held on the December rally day.

Activities may include:
Flat (Dressage) / Games
Jumping / Theory
Cross Country / Active Riding

Certificates

Riders can progress in Pony Club by sitting for Efficiency Certificates.

These endeavour to give the member a knowledge of horsemanship and riding.

The member has to be of a certain age before they are permitted to sit for each test.

The minimum ages for candidates doing the tests are as follows:

D / 8 years
D Star / 10 years
C / 12 years
K / 14 years
B / 16 years
H / 17 years
A / 17 years

Competitions

If you wish to attend a Pony Club event i.e. gymkhana, pony club ring at shows, one day events, show jumping, or games days you must have attended two rallies on the pony on which you wish to compete, and have attended at least 50% of the rallies held in the previous 12 months.

Your Pony Club card must be taken to all competitions and will be checked to ensure you and your pony qualify for the event you wish to enter, and for accuracy.

Eligibility rules for an event are formulated by the organisers of the event, and are determined from the Pony Club card.

It is the responsibility of the member to ensure that their card is accurate and up-to-date, not that of their club DC or Card Secretary. It is also the responsibility of the member to plan well ahead – don’t expect to pass your panic onto someone else due to your own lack of preparation.

During any events, the Judge’s decisions re eligibility and placings are final.

The PCAV Handbook explains eventing, show jumping, dressage rules, etc. The club has this handbook available to check at the clubrooms, but not to be taken away. As it is not expensive, you may wish to purchase a copy for your own information.

Specific Club Rules

The following Rules are additional to those outlined elsewhere within this handbook. They are imposed for reasons of safety of personnel and ponies and protection of property.

• Stallions, colts and “rigs” are not permitted at rallies.
• Mounts under 4 years old may not be allowed to jump at rallies and cannot jump in Pony Club competition.
• If the DC considers any pony to be ill, injured, lame, unsuitable, unsafe, or otherwise in need of attention, it may not be ridden at a rally.
• Ponies must never be tied to any float which is not connected to a vehicle or otherwise suitably restrained.
• In the parking area, or otherwise congested areas of the club grounds, riders are not permitted to trot or canter. Walking pace only is required.
• Riders must not leave a group, or join another group, without the permission of the instructor or person in charge of the activity. Transfer to another group can only be approved by the DC.
• Alcohol is not permitted to be consumed on the premises during any youth based activity, and only at other times specifically approved by the Committee.
• Club grounds and facilities may only be used for “Pony Club approved” activities. Members are not allowed to enter the premises without permission.

Awards

Each year there are prizes and awards presented, mainly at the December rally.

These are outlined below, along with the general method of selection.

Life Membership

This is the highest award any club can bestow for “outstanding and committed service to the club”. The service must be sustained over a long period of time, and the person must have been an exemplary representative/ambassador for the club on all occasions. This award is voted on by the full Committee at AGM.