Pony Racing

[sheep73]

DC2 is keen to start pony racing. We have just done the PRA training day so 'qualified'.
Just wondering if anyone else has been down this path and what hints and tips you might have for a newbie. The plan was to enter pony club races.

DD has just started this. We've gone straight to point to point series as the pc race days are few and far between. So much fun, very friendly. We have a cob and the races atm are open races so due to his height he is competing against actual thoroughbreds so no chance of winning but worth it for the experience. Novice races start next month. Any questions I will be happy to answer. Hand you registered pony and rider with PRA yet? It's a bit of a faff and make sure vaccinations are sorted - 6 monthly with boosters potentially needed on top.

Thankyou for replying!
Yes we have done the vaccinations and the registration so I believe we are 'in'.

Some questions if I may:
What kind of stirrups do you have?
Is the point to point over jumps / hurdles?
I'm also wondering about ptp as you say the pony racing there are only a few meets and thet are scattered all over the country...

No jumps, they are flat races held on the day of a point to point. You need slightly better steering than on pony club race days as there is no rails, just markers to go in between. We are still very new to it this year - ran one and then missed one last week due to vehicle issues, there is yet to be a race day so decided to go for ptp rather than wait til June which is when our localish one is. Stirrup wise I just got some bog standard peacock stirrups as dc have tech and free jumps, neither of which are allowed. Other tack we use an elasticated breast girth and a neck strap, an Irish martingale and an over girth over the saddle.

That's super helpful thankyou @liveforsummer
I think we will do the same and try PTP to train for the PC races. I've explained to DS that his little fur ball will not win we are just going for the race experience..
Do you need to register their colours?
We've just got some plain metal stirrups so hopefully they will do. We have an overgirth.
We have a running martingale but do we need a breast plate as well? We bought a second hand one but it is too big!
A friend will lend us a racing saddle but then I'm guessing we need a racing girth?
How early do you arrive for the race? Do they need to weigh in etc? I need to read the rules.
Do you supply your own numnah or they give you one with a number?
Apologies for all the questions!much appreciated

You don't need to register colours as such but they need to be saved in the section for it on the PRA website so that they can include them on the race card.

Tack wise I think you need safety stirrups, but normal metal ones with the rubber treads. None with cheese grater style tread or rashes raised grip.

Personally we don't use a racing saddle, many do but there are always a few who don't and it probably better at least for the first couple of times to do it on the saddle they are familiar riding in. If you have a running martingale then you won't need a breast girth with a gp saddle but you will definitely need one with a racing saddle. Reasons need to be buckle or loop, not the normal billet.

It's really organised so once you enter they send you an exact timetable for the day. Ours has been arrive and declare/show your hat and body protector at around 9 for races starting at 11.30. The kids walk the course then get a tack check. Make sure your hat is tagged up to date. Ours had fallen off and there was a panic that we may not be able to race if no one appeared with tags. No weigh ins at this level

@sheep73 also a medical arm band is required. The inserts are available on the PRA website

Super thankyou.
I think we'll try a couple of practice points to points and then possibly PC Ascot in April but it's a long drive for us so I wonder if you can stable overnight?
Thanks for all your help. Much appreciated.

I'm not sure if you can use racecourse stables. I don't see why not though when the ponies are vaccinated to the moon lol! We are northern area so not prepared to travel that far for a 30 second race 😆. Riding at Ascot and Cheltenham etc would be an amazing experience though . At our first race at Kelso (ptp so obviously no stables) there were people who had travelled from Northampton. They'd stayed with friends over night but were driving all the way home after the race 😬. We are not quite so dedicated lol and will probably only do Kelso (lucky to have ptp and racecourse there as it's our closest venue) and fife at a push. Will do Perth if they repeat that this year but it was a new late addition last year and so far not on the schedule. Please come back and let us know how you get on. Here's a pic of dd and our wee ginger pony for whom racing has let him see the fun in life. He is young and was a bit lazy til we tried this!

Oh my he's not a furry cob at all looks lovely 😍.

Do you have a normal saddle pad under the number cloth?

There's no weighing in / extra weights is there?

So much to think about!

I think I will set a max 2hr travel limit but Ascot seems tempting.. will let you know how we get on!

He was a furry cob but we clip him out - it's amazing what is under all that hair! 😆 He's also pretty fit so on the leaner side too. Unfortunately in the 148 open races most are thoroughbreds. One in our area was originally in proper race training but was snapped up for pony racing as they (suspiciously) managed to measure at 14.2. A lot of the 148 ponies heights are questionable 😅. Novice races start next month so we are hoping to be more fairly matched there. Yes it is a normal saddle pad as we just use our regular saddle. You'd need a racing pad if using a racing saddle or a poly pad type if a racing exercise saddle i guess. There is no weights at this level of pony racing. I think in the more advanced race course series there may be a minimum weight though so then would need lead if under weight but I definitely think you'd need a proper racing pony to get that far