Frequently Asked Questions

1) What equipment is a child required to have?
-----Helmet- (We can help you find the best fit!)
-----Hard soled shoes- paddock boots or tall riding boots are preferable.

----- A great smile and a willingness to learn!

2) Do I have to have a horse to join Pony Club?

You are not required to have your own horse but Pony Club suggests you have consistent access to use of the same pony or horse and use of a trailer to get to meetings. According to United States Pony Club policies, all mounts must be at least five (5) years old and may NOT be stallions.  Please contact our DC or one of the instructor's and we will do whatever we can to help you find a suitable mount.

3) What are mounted meetings?

Mounted meetings are scheduled sessions where Pony Clubbers receive group riding instruction. Walnut Creek Pony Club holds its mounted meetings twice a month at Boxwood Stables in Harrison, Ohio; Hearts Meadow Farm in Verona, Kentucky; or,  Lost Bridge Farm in North Bend, Ohio.

4) What are unmounted meetings?

Unmounted meetings are educational meetings where Pony Clubbers receive group instruction on various horse management subjects. The goal is to help kids get the instructional support required to master the standards of proficiency outlined in the various ratings. Walnut Creek holds unmounted meetings throughout the year as needed, and every Sunday evening January and February in preparation for Quiz rally.

5) How do the ratings work?

Pony Club provides a structured curriculum of both mounted and unmounted skills and knowledge for our kids to follow. Ratings provide a progression for the mastery of these skills. The USPC ratings system measures each Pony Clubber's progress through the instructional program. At rallies, the ratings provide a framework by which our kids can compete against kids with similar abilities. Ratings are achieved by performing specific tests against a prescribed standard of proficiency, both mounted and oral, before a recognized Pony Club examiner.  Members have the opportunity to go for their ratings twice a year at ratings clinics that are offered in fall and spring.

The D ratings are an introduction to the fun and challenge of riding, establishing a foundation of safety habits and knowledge of the daily care of pony and tack. The D-1 through D-3 Pony Clubber learns to ride independently and with control, maintaining a reasonably secure position at the walk, trot and canter and over low fences. All D ratings are awarded at the club level.

The C is a Pony Clubber learning to become an active horseman, to care independently for his or her pony and tack, and to understand the reasons for what he or she is doing. The C shows development toward a secure, independent seat and increasing control, and confidence in all phases of riding. The C-1 and C-2 ratings are awarded at the club level.

The C-3 is a national rating and reflects a basis of competence of riding and horse care that will make possible a lifetime of pleasure with horses.

The H-B, B, H-A, and A ratings are national ratings and require great depth of knowledge. Successful candidates are competent, all around horsemen, and are active, contributing members of USPC who participate in a variety of Pony Club activities. They are also thoughtful leaders who set a good example for all levels.

 The standards of proficiency for all the ratings are outlined in the Pony Club manuals, as well as the national website, www.ponyclub.org.

6) What is a rally?

A rally is a Pony Club competition where teams of Pony Clubbers compete against each other. For many Pony Clubbers, competing in a rally is one of the best things about Pony Club. Except for Quiz, rallies are mounted competitions usually made up of teams of 3-5. All of the team members ride in the competition except one, who acts as the stable manager, helping with all the essential ground work that must be done to support the mounted competitors.

During rallies, parents are not allowed to interact with their children at all. It is up to the team to pull together to take care of all the details and logistics, fostering teamwork and leadership within the Pony Club teams. In addition to the riding performance of the team members, the rally teams are also judged on horse management.

7) What is horse management?

During rallies, each team is required to set up a complete and organized stable containing all the necessary gear. Saddle racks, bridle racks, first aid, equipment, tack, etc. is all set up in the stable. Everything must be labeled and in proper cleanliness, repair, and condition. Points are taken off for things like dirty tack, and missing required items. Walnut Creek Pony Club has supply trunks for rallies which member's inventory and mark before each rally.

Outside the context of rallies, horse management refers to the general care of horses. Pony Club's emphasis on exceptional horse management makes the Pony Club experience complete – it's not just about riding! We want our members to know how to take care of their horses responsibly and safely.

8) If we participate in the mounted meetings and rallies, do I still need other instruction?

Pony Club will hire and schedule instructors and coaches for mounted meetings and rally practices. But most of our members work with instructors individually (or in groups) in addition to mounted meetings.

9) What style of riding does Pony Club teach?   Pony Club teaches English riding using the balanced seat. This kind of riding is
based on a modified dressage seat and includes riding on the flat (ring riding)
jumping, and riding in the open (trail riding and cross-country jumping). This differs
from the forward seat (used in Hunter equitation) and the saddle seat (used with
gaited horses). While riding on the flat, the balanced seat rider's position is upright,
with shoulder, hip and heel forming a straight vertical line.

Emphasis on the balanced seat combined with the activities and competitions
develops skills in a broad range of riding discipline---dressage, jumping and
combined training (eventing). Not coincidentally, these three equestrian sports
compete at the Olympic level.

10) What are the different Pony Club programs?

Official Pony Club programs (instruction and/or competition at rallies) are offered in dressage, combined training, show jumping, mounted games, Tetrathalon, Quiz, vaulting, foxhunting, and polocrosse.

11) What is Quiz Rally?

Quiz Rally is an unmounted rally where teams compete against each other on their horse knowledge. Teams are made up of four members. Walnut Creek sends teams to compete at the Midsouth Regional Quiz rally in late winter.

12) What is dressage?

Dressage is a discipline where the horse performs a series of movements in a flat arena in a prescribed sequence known as a "test."

13) What is combined training or eventing?

Combined training or Eventing embodies the core activity of Pony Club -- that of three riding disciplines:  dressage, cross-country and show jumping and horse management, providing members with a broad equestrian base needed to enjoy any horse activity throughout their lives in a safe and competent manner. The different levels of competition are Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced. The lower levels of combined training competitions are called Horse Trials. Higher levels of competition are conducted over two or three days, the ultimate being the three-day event.

14) What is show jumping?

Show jumping is a jumping event in which the horse must jump a course of fences inside a fenced ring or stadium where the rider's goal is to jump cleanly without knocking rails down, and often for speed.

15) What are mounted games?

Mounted games are a series of competitive games played on horseback in teams of either two or four.

16) What is Tetrathalon?

Tetrathalon combines four events, only one of which is a mounted event: stadium jumping, running, swimming and target-shooting.

17) What is vaulting?

Vaulting is like gymnastics on horseback, and is not actively offered by Walnut Creek Pony Club at this time.

18) What is polocrosse?

Polocrosse is a mixture of polo and lacrosse on horseback.

19) How is Pony Club Structured?

Pony Club is an international organization that is broken into regions and each region is comprised of clubs. Walnut Creek Pony Club is a club in the Midsouth Region of the United States Pony Club, a member of the International Pony Clubs. All rules and policies of the International, United States Pony Club, the Midsouth Region, and Walnut Creek Pony Club are followed. Pony club provides a structured curriculum of both mounted and unmounted skills and knowledge for our members to follow.

All policies, manuals, and complete information for the United States Pony Club and links to regions and clubs can be found on the national website, www.ponyclub.org.

20) What parent involvement is required?

Parents are encouraged to attend as many meetings as possible. Their attendance makes the Pony Club run much more smoothly. Throughout the year parents are asked to help out as committee members and attend "work days" to help maintain the Pony Club jumps and set up for events. Other opportunities to serve include becoming an officer, hosting an unmounted meeting at your home and volunteering at our annual Mini Horse Trial. You are welcome at any time to make donations of your time or materials-everything you do will make our Club better!