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Pony Club is an international youth organization devoted to educating youth about horses and riding. Pony Club organizations exist in over thirty countries worldwide. [1]
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Pony Club is an international youth organization devoted to educating youth about horses and riding. Pony Club organizations exist in over thirty countries worldwide. [1]
Pony Club began in Great Britain in 1929 when the Institute of the Horse formed a youth branch of their organization called "The Pony Club." It was formed to encourage children to start riding, while providing them with opportunities in the field that they would not be able to reach on their own. The group grew rapidly, from 300 members in 1930, to over 10,000 in 1935. When the Institute of the Horse joined with National Horse Association of Great Britain to form The British Horse Society, Pony Club was incorporated into the new group. [2]
The success of Pony Club in Britain sparked the formation of Pony Clubs in other nations, such that there are now over 100,000 Pony Club members worldwide. Australia has the largest pony club membership in the world with just under 55,000 financial members. [3] Note they also ride horses.
Each national Pony Club organization has the ability to define its own structure. There is no strict international governing body; however, national Pony Club organizations often work together for international competitions and exchanges.
The core unit of any national Pony Club organization is the local club. Local clubs vary in size, but are generally confined to members within a relatively small geographic area. Multiple local clubs may conduct joint mounted and unmounted meetings, and usually compete together in regional competitions.
Ages of participants range from eight to twenty-five. Because of this vast age range, older Pony Clubbers are able to provide assistance to younger members, and younger members are able to be mentored.
The Pony Club's internal structure consists of many ability levels - from the Beginner: [4] D1, D2, and D3, to the Intermediate: C1, C2, and C3, followed by the Advanced: [5] HB, B, HA, and A.
Further structuring is dependent upon the particular national organization, but most local clubs belong to regions, in which they compete to qualify for national and international competitions.
Pony Club manuals are books which provide all the information needed to earn certificates and achievement badges. They have a range of useful information from buying a horse to looking after it and competing with it. They teach Pony Club members horsemanship, how to care for their horses and the responsibilities and positive outcomes of owning a horse.
Equestrianism, commonly known as horse riding or horseback riding, includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the use of horses for practical working purposes, transportation, recreational activities, artistic or cultural exercises, and competitive sport.
A horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and international championships in a given discipline or breed. Most shows consist of a series of different performances, called classes, wherein a group of horses with similar training or characteristics compete against one another for awards and, often, prize money.
The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) is a nonprofit organization composed of men and women of all riding levels and offers individual and team competition in Hunter Seat equitation and Western horsemanship with around 400 members from colleges and universities. Members of the IHSA participate in horse shows. Students compete at eight levels, from beginner through advanced, with provided horses. Founded in 1967 by Bob Cacchione, it has 10,000 members in 47 U.S. states and Canada. IHSA college and university team participation is represented through varsity athletics, academic departments, and club sports.
Equitation is the art or practice of horse riding or horsemanship.
A riding instructor is a person whose job it is to teach methods of horse riding to beginners and improve the intermediate and advanced rider's style and technique. A riding instructor may also serve as a coach for a rider in competition. Some instructors may work out of their own riding facility, others at a riding school or training center. With appropriate academic credentials, some may teach in a college or university equestrian studies program. Yet others freelance and travel from stable to stable.
Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International, formerly the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA), is a non-profit organization based in Denver, Colorado, that promotes the benefits of therapeutic horseback riding and other equine-assisted activities and therapies for people with physical, emotional and learning disabilities. PATH Intl. serves people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life. They serve people with both physical challenges as well as those with mental challenges. Some examples of challenges participants face are multiple sclerosis, down syndrome, post traumatic stress disorder, autism and traumatic brain injuries. PATH Intl. is a 501(c)(3) organization.
The United States Pony Clubs, Inc or USPC is an American association of pony clubs. It was established in 1954, and was based on the model of the Pony Club of Great Britain, established in 1929. The national office is at the Kentucky Horse Park.
The New Zealand Pony Clubs Association (NZPCA) consists of 82 clubs encompassing 250 branches that work together to promote and improve the quality of riding and horse management instruction for riders and their coaches throughout New Zealand. The NZPCA has 8,800 members, which makes it one of the largest youth sporting organizations in the country.
The Pony Club Association of New South Wales is the controlling body for Pony Clubs in New South Wales (NSW) where young people can ride and learn all disciplines of equestrian sports. The Association co-ordinates, develops and promotes Pony Clubs in New South Wales and instruction for its members.
The Pony Club is a voluntary organisation founded in England in 1929. It has now expanded internationally and Pony Club branches can be found worldwide. It is one of 16 organisations that form the British Equestrian Federation.
Equestrian Canada, formerly known as Equine Canada and commonly known by its acronym, EC, is Canada’s comprehensive national governing body for equestrian sport. It is the executive branch of Canada's Olympic and Paralympic equestrian teams; the national association and registry of Canadian equestrian athletes; the national regulatory body for equestrian coaches, competition organizers, and judges; and the national federation of Canadian horse breeders and Canadian breed registries.
An equestrian drill team is a group of horses and riders performing choreographed maneuvers to music. Teams typically perform at rodeos, horse fairs, parades, benefits, and drill team competitions. Drill teams are intended to entertain, show sportsmanship, horsemanship, teamwork and dedication. Competition drill at the national level is a controlled ride and has continuous forward motion. Some competition venues have set up special divisions of competition to provide for novice, rodeo, youth, gaited and special effects such as theme and drama. Theme drill provides a division that allows teams to showcase their uniforms, horse ability, music, and inclusions of trick riding or other variations.
The Pony Club Association of Victoria, commonly abbreviated as PCAV, is the recognised State Sporting Organisation and controlling body for Pony Club in Victoria where young people can ride and learn all disciplines of equestrian sports. The Association co-ordinates, develops and promotes horsemanship in Victoria and instruction for its members. The Association is a member of Pony Club Australia.
Pony Club Australia Ltd is a not for profit organisation that encourages people to ride and teaches them horsemanship and how to care for horses.
Melanie Smith is an equestrian from the United States and Olympic champion.
A pony is a type of small horse. Depending on the context, a pony may be a horse that is under a given height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. Compared to a larger horse, a pony may have a thicker coat, mane and tail, with proportionally shorter legs, a wider barrel, heavier bone, a thicker neck and a shorter, broader head. The word pony derives from the old French poulenet, meaning foal, a young, immature horse.
A tetrathlon is a team competition organized by Pony Clubs for its members. It is a variant of the modern pentathlon, without fencing. Thus, it comprises the four disciplines of shooting, swimming, riding, and running.
The Fletcher Street Riding Club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to inner-city horsemanship in north Philadelphia. Part of a century-long tradition of black cowboys and horsemanship in Philadelphia, local horsemen maintain and care for horses and teach neighborhood youth to do so. They encourage academic excellence and provide positive ways for local youth to spend their leisure time outdoors. The nonprofit organization has struggled to find funding and secure and maintain their place of operations.
The North American Sportpony is a relatively new pony breed in the United States. Its origins are from a diverse group of breeds, because the "Sportpony" is not derived from specific bloodlines, but rather is a conformation type, akin to the American Warmblood.
The Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) is a nonprofit organization that gives youth in grades 4-12 the opportunity to compete in team and individual equestrian competition without the financial burden of owning a horse. IEA offers competition across three disciplines: hunt seat, western, and dressage. Within each discipline, there are divisions for beginning through advanced riders. Since all riders compete on horses unfamiliar to them, there are regulations for the placement of riders new to IEA to account for the unique format. IEA was founded in spring of 2002, and has since grown its membership to 14,500 members across 46 states. Teams can be formed through a school or barn.
