Giving Back

We all need to give back to the Equestian Community in some way. 

I have discovered that giving back has given me the most happiness and  satisfaction. 

Starting in 2003, I've worked hard with the Dressage Committee to make a Flatwork/Dressage Track beginning with USDF Intro A- to USDF Third Level.  Together we have succeeded in creating a curriculum from updated Standards and Ratings, updating the Pony Club Manuals with Dressage Terminology, improved the annual Championships(bridging the gap between Judge and Competitor, by offering daily Judge Lectures to explain what they are looking for), Improved the website: www.dressage.ponyclub.org, teamed up with Lendon Gray and Dressage4Kids(sending a team each year to Saugerties, NY competition in July), added more awards, and helped the kids and parents fundraise their ways to national events. 

There are more than 500 clubs across America. www.ponyclub.org

The Pony Club is an international youth organisation that started some 70 + years ago in the UK. It is an organisation that promotes good horse care and riding, providing opportunities to learn on your own horse or a borrowed one. It promotes good horse care and riding as I said, including mounted lectures (ie riding lessons in groups of a similar age or standard - different pony clubs organise it in different ways) and prepare you for tests, starting at D - very basic, mounting and dismounting, riding at walk and trot off the lead rein, going up to A which is highly advanced. There is a riding part and a stable management part of the test to go through where you answer questions and perhaps demonstrate how to do something - putting a tail bandage on for example.

There are also dismounted rallys where you might learn something about how to look after a horse or pony at grass or in a stable, fitting and the use of rugs or whatever.

You do not have to own a pony to be a member of the Pony Club - you could borrow one, or if your local riding stables is a member of the Pony Club they might hire out ponies to take part in activities on their property run by the Pony Club.

November 2010 Thirteen Pony Clubbers from California to Florida participated in a Quadrille at the World Equestrian Games. It was a colosal achievement with a years worth of work!  It was a honor to be the team leader at this event!