Parksville Qualicum Pony Club

Loyalty, Character, Sportsmanship

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Our club members live on Vancouver Island, in the towns of Nanoose Bay, Parksville and Qualicum. This year we have over 20 members who participate in the various Pony Club Activies. Throughout the year our club participates in:

  • Regional Quiz
  • Weekly Stable Management in the Fall/Winter
  • Summer Camp
  • Regional Rally
  • Regional Championships
  • and various clinics

Our District Commisioner is Jill Bonnell. Our club has many "E" level participants all the past "C1", with many different ages.

 

About Pony Club


  Disciplines

Pony Club runs around 3 main events:
Dressage - also known as "flat work", is a combination of movements involving basic schooling exercises like pace, direction and impulsion. Dressage tests are designed to examine the obedience of the horse, and effectiveness of the rider.  
 
Show Jumping - also know as "stadium" is held in either an indoor or outdoor ring or arena. There are many types of jumps that are built to test the horses ability. A few common test a typical course would present is: height, width and bravery of the horse. No course is designed to cause harm to a horse or rider. Penalties are given to competitors who knock down a rail of a fence (4 faults) or who take too long to complete a course (1 time fault per secound or less over the time allowed). If a horse "refuses" a jump, penailties are given. Upon the third refusal, the horse and rider are disqualified. A fall also signifies elimination.
 
Cross Country - is an endurance test for both horse and rider. Competitors must complete a lengthy course over vaired terrain, such as feilds and forested trails, within a set time limit. The obstacles on course do NOT fall down, like in Show-Jumping, and require more scope to navigate. Tests such as water elements are added untop of Show-Jumping challenges such as heigh, width and bravery. Competitors who compelte the course too fast or too slow are also penalized. Many riders wear a watch to track their time, and learn how to pace themselves.

Testing is a chance for members to move up a level. It occurs once a year with two sittings. One written test, and one riding test consisting of Stadium & Cross-Country appropriate to the level the member is trying to achieve.

The Levels are E (untested), D, D1, D2, C, C1, C2, B, B2, HA, RA. Members are allowed to "challenge" or skip a level, with signed permission of their coach and District Commisioner. This is mainly for older members who have recently joined and already know the basics of D level and/or higher.

Besides lessons and clinics, Pony Club also offers "stable management" to prepare the students for owning and caring for their own horse(s) or poines.

Stable Management    

              Is held once a month at club meetings, and a local barns throughout the winter and spring. Club members are placed into groups, according to level and participate in class room or stable session for approximatley an hour. Information covered includes:

  1. First Aid - contents of an equine F.A. Kit, how and when to use contents...

  2. Conformation - faults, blemishes and lameness issues, and what they cause...

  3. General Knowledge - the names of all tack and their parts, uses and pro/con's...

  4. Show & Testing Preperation - turnout requirements, testing tips...

  5. Training - how to bring a new/previously injured horse into training, or preparing a pony for field stay in the winter months. Looking at factors that bring along or slow training.

  6. Horse Management - how to check Temperature, Pulse and Respiration (T.P.R). Time lines for worming, shoeing, vaccinations, teeth "floating". Types of grains (pellets, extruded, sweetfeed, cob ect.) and types of Hay (local, timothy, alfafa ect.). Colours, markings and gender names of horses (colt, filly, gelding, stallion, mare)...

  7. Alternative Methods - Massage Therapy, Chiropractic Therapy, Feed supplements...

These are the most common topics discussed in a stable management session. Greater detail is used in teaching higher level students. For example one may start out learning the parts of the horse, and in the later years learn the names of the muscles and bones underneath.

Fees 

           There is an annual fee of approximatley $100 per member. This fee includes Horse Council insurance, as well as extra Pony Club insurance for all Pony Club related activities. Members are partially subsidized for many events hosted by a Pony Club. Members have the opportunity to attend yearly camps and lessons with local or out-of-town instructors, at very reasonable costs.

Obligations

A minimum of 60% attendance to Stable Managment (Child) and Meetings (Parent) is/are mandatory in order for riders to participate in events and to be eligible to be tested for Pony Club levels. Lessons require the attendance of a parent or other person who will be responsible for the rider in case of accidents. When discussing a subsidy rate parent involvment is considered.

For more information please visit the Canadian Pony Club Homepage by clicking the title.

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