Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Pony club-is it worth joining?

31 replies

Mirage · 21/02/2011 18:44

I wonder if anyone can give me some in put.DD (7) has been riding at a local school for about 2.5 years and is keen to join the Pony Club.Her riding school is affiliated,but I'm not sure what that means.I think she likes the idea of the competitions and children's meets,but we live a few miles from the stables and have no horsebox or means of towing one.If she could borrow a pony for these events,we could only attend if I walked there with her riding,so would be limited somewhat.

Any advice would be gratefully recieved.
Thankyou.

OP posts:

MitchiestInge · 21/02/2011 18:46

It might be cheaper to hire as you go, than to run a 4x4 and buy a trailer - split the cost with another parent?

CheckeredFlag · 21/02/2011 19:51

Def join, very useful for learning stable management, practical and theoretical care, as well as great socially.

She may meet peple who could pick up one of the school ponies on the way to the rally/meet/show for you if they have spare places in the lorry. Or even may have spare ponies needing a rider!

The pony club offers lots of activities for those without ponies too.

Original poster

Mirage · 21/02/2011 21:08

Good suggestions and advice-thank you both.I hadn't thought about the stable management side of things,which would be a huge advantage.We have a family farm in the next village,so when she is old enough and responsible enough,we will probably buy a pony.But I have no intention of it being left to me to look after,so that is why it is riding school at the minute.

The possibility of pony and or horsebox sharing is a plus too,as is making new friends.I think we'll sign her up.

OP posts:

MollieO · 21/02/2011 21:14

Ds (6.8) is a member and does pony club days at our local stables. He is always the only boy and the youngest. Some of the other girls are very nice but some are horrid - 9 yr olds that all to the same school. Last time Ds was there doing a competition he wanted to help feed the horses (an instructor told him he could) but these girls told him to go away. I only found out on the way home. Hopefully the group at your stables will be friendlier.

It didn't put him off though, he is doing a pony club day tomorrow.

Butkin · 21/02/2011 21:33

Some of DD's class mates don't have ponies and go to a Pony Club affiliate centre where they can do all sorts of activities - sounds great fun.

DD has her own ponies and everybody on here knows that I'm very enthusiastic about the Pony club.

She is nearly 8 and does Winter lessons in an indoor school (1/2 hour flat, 1/2 hour jumping); Cross country training over little jumps; Rallies and Camps (Mini for the under 8s and she'll do Juniors this year). We've just signed her up for a Polo Rally in April as well!

As regards transport there are loads of companies now that will hire you a trailer or small box on a daily or weekly basis. Quite expensive but much better than buying something if you're only out a few times.

Original poster

Mirage · 21/02/2011 22:19

MollieO for your ds.DD did a pony day/pony club day today,which is what made us consider it.She had such fun and managed a gallop for the first time [which she said impressed the boys,as she is such a tiny little thing].The pony club children got a certificate and they all got a rosette at the end of the day.

Butkin,that sounds right up dds street.Thinking about it,my dad has a cattle trailer and very old land rover,maybe he'll let us borrow it? Will we get looked down on for turning up in tatty old farm vehicles?

I'll send off the form tomorrow.

OP posts:

Callisto · 22/02/2011 11:05

DD is desperate to join pony club this year. I'm not sure as her pony is quite green still and she only rides him on the lead rein.

Butkin, in your experience, do you think it would be worth her joining up? (Also bearing in mind it would be the VWH so small, scruffy ponies hauled by beaten up pick-ups are probably few and far between...)

MollieO · 22/02/2011 12:17

He was very happy to go today. I think he would have been upset by their attitude if he'd been older, however at 6 he seems to think that older children are always right. I was cross on his behalf but he wasn't bothered!

Butkin · 22/02/2011 14:09

Callisto - most kids with the Newmarket and Thurlow (our PC) join at 4 or 5 and plenty for them to do.

I'd suggest that it doesn't matter how scruffy your pony or transport are as long as your attitude is right.

Important that you do your best to help out (putting up jumps, fence stewarding, doing teas or whatever) and that you try to support all the age appropriate things.

Because you learn in small groups often works out cheaper than individual lessons in the long run even allowing for your membership.

For us the best thing is finding like minded and aged souls for DD - something she struggles to find at school.

Original poster

Mirage · 22/02/2011 19:23

Our local club is the Quorn.DD1 is desperate to go out with them,even more so as we recently found an old photo of her Great grandad and Great great grandad out with the Quorn on the most beautiful horses.She says it makes her jealous just looking at it.

Might put a notice on a couple of village boards to see if anyone has a pony that needs exercising.

OP posts:

mummydoc · 22/02/2011 21:37

ponyclub is sooooo worth it. dd and her pony get so much out of it. gives her heaps of confidence, and has given me confidence to let her go off and get on with it herself. today she rode to ponyclub rally with 2 friends, all giggling singing and laughng across the field, had fab hrs ride and then we all came back accross fields no stirrups, swinging legs , giggling, riding backwards, discussing who jumped the highest etc etc. later this 1/2 term she is going to a quiz and a session on stable management and another ridden rally. she has done mini x country, polocrosse, ( terrifying watching the little thug wield a stick) and tiny tots triathlons, all this in the first yr of riding. cannot rate ponyclub enough. but you do need ot find a good branch

mummydoc · 22/02/2011 21:42

should add in her ride today there was 1 x gone to hoys shp, 1 x gone to hoys dartie, 2 x smartish clipped out sec a s, and 3 x scruffy ponies who are loved more than anything else by their little jockeys. they were all equal in the eyes of pc lead instructor ! we do not even have transport ( well actually bought trailer second hand tonite - yippee)

Callisto · 23/02/2011 08:30

It sounds great. I shall get in touch with the club secretary and find out more. It's more expense though...

olderyetwider · 23/02/2011 14:18

Mirage, we're with the Quorn Hunt Branch, and they are really friendly and encouraging, and very welcoming with new people, nobody is at all sniffy about the rather scruffy old rented trailer that we turn up in. The instructors are fantastic and GD went to senior camp last year, which really stretched her and I could really see the improvement in her riding.

Perhaps DD could do regular 'Centre Membership' Pony Club at her riding school, and see if you can borrow a pony and get transport for the odd branch rally?

Original poster

Mirage · 23/02/2011 15:14

olderyetwider,that is good news,thankyou.We are in Friday country,so go to meets on foot and have known Joss for years,they always seem very friendly.We form we have is for affiliated through the riding school, [£22 per year]but I think they are just over the border into Cottesmore country,not Quorn.I'd prefer the Quorn personally,but dd has another lesson today,so will check what is involved and which club it will be.

mummydoc that sounds idyllic.My dd would just love that.She is desperate for a pony and I feel a bit bad because I had ponies when I was little,but won't let her yet,until she is old enough to take responsibility for it.I did wonder if it was just a phase,but she has been obsessed for 5 years now and ridden almost every week for 2.5 years.

OP posts:

Butkin · 23/02/2011 15:41

Don't know about affiliated club but you can, within reason, join the PC of your choice. We live in Suffolk country but because we hunt with the Thurlow we've joined DD up to their PC and no problem, although they don't like you swapping without very good reason thereafter.

Original poster

Mirage · 23/02/2011 20:45

Have signed her up today.She has done her Brownie riders badge today and they gave her the PC traffic safety badge too,as apparently they are the same thing-if you can do one,you can do the other.The PC is actually based at the school,all activities are there and they loan out the ponies for the activities.It is designed for the ponyless children,but other than that,runs the same as the ordinary PC,only it is £22 a year instead of £50.

DD2,who so far has had a few lessons,then decided that it wasn't for her,has now decided that she wants to learn again.I'm going to have to take on more work to pay for all of this.It is a slippery slope I think.

OP posts:

Butkin · 24/02/2011 10:53

Sounds great Mirage, sure you won't regret it. Well at least not until the bills for rallies and Camp come in!

notanewmember · 24/02/2011 18:02

dd has been a member for 2 years and absolutely loves it. She has no pony of her own, but if there are compititions she uses ponies from the ridingschool. As do most other children...

Original poster

Mirage · 24/02/2011 22:36

That sounds good,notanewmember.I've had 4 years of earache about why don't we have a pony.

Butkin,I'm resigned to horsey bills now,both sides of my family have been horse dealers/riders,so it is in their genes.Although if they both keep it up it may be cheaper to get a pony on loan eventually.

OP posts:

mummydoc · 25/02/2011 21:45

well done mirage ! it is a slippery slope to getting that pony you know.
we are lucky and do have a very idyllic set up, pony at beautiful livery yard owned by a close friend whose 2 little girls ride with mine, fab yard manager who gives all the expert help and support i need, and a fab pony club which alternates rallies between our yard and one 5 mins ride away - lovely

serin · 26/02/2011 21:58

The pony club at DC's riding school meets once a fortnight for 2hrs and (if I have read the poster correctly) charges £25 per session. This seems to be quite a lot as I have 3 DC's. (£150 per month in addition to their lessons) so it is unfortunately out of our reach.

notanewmember · 28/02/2011 10:42

Serin, would that not include riding? Where dd goes they do 2 hours of "stuff" but not riding and charge £8 but another place nearby does 2 hours which includes 1 hour of riding and which is around £20.

Original poster

Mirage · 28/02/2011 14:30

I have just been to my mum's in the next village and she is a brilliant seamstress.She asked me if I wanted her to make dd1 a hacking jacket.[I've been looking for ages and even 2nd hand they are sooo expensive].You can only buy the patterns in the US,so she is ordering a pattern today.We have been looking on the Harris Tweed website and should be able to get it all done for about £20!

I fancy a tiny houndstooth check in cream and brown-woul that be ok,do you think?

OP posts:

mummydoc · 06/03/2011 20:19

mirage - does your mum make things for other people?

Flip

1 2