Marin County Member Materials
Marin County Pony Club Handbook
New members are accepted into the club during January or September enrollment periods, but there is some flexibility for those who wish to join at other times.
The Club encourages potential members to visit a mounted meeting. A schedule of our meeting dates can be found in the calendar section of this website.
Member in Good Standing: Participating members are considered members in good standing if they have paid all required national, regional & local dues; maintain good attendance at club meetings; show a sincere interest in the club activities and assist younger members in the learning process. Members are expected to participate regularly in club events and activities as well as regional and national level, when and where appropriate, according to age, experience and suitability and safety of mount.
ATTENDANCE
Each MCPC member is expected to attend regularly scheduled meetings. In the event a member can't attend, it is their responsibility to contact Zoe via email by the Wednesday before the meeting. This is necessary so Zoe can determine the correct number of instructors and horses needed for each meeting.
FAMILY VOLUNTEERS
Pony Club is an organization run almost completely by volunteers, every Pony Clubber must have an involved parent or adult willing to help out during various activities throughout the year. The annual fund-raising activities, work days, committees, rallies, driving to activities, etc., are all examples of ways to help the club.
All common courtesies regarding respect of private property are expected of members and their families. Pony Clubbers are expected to pick up their own trash and manure and leave the facility in a clean condition. The appointed "parent of the day" is expected to help monitor the clean-up activities. There is a NO SMOKING policy strictly enforced at all times.
Parent of the Day: At each regularly scheduled meeting there is an assigned "parent of the day" whose function is helping out as needed and providing lunches for the instructors. The assigned parent is also responsible for collecting the money from riders who need to rent a "barn horse" for the mounted session.
Parent Meetings: Parents periodically to discuss club policies, instructions and events. One parent or guardian of each club member is expected to attend as important information is often handed out and members are kept updated on activities and funds.
SPONSORS
At least one parent or a responsible adult for each Pony Club member is required to become a club sponsor and pay a $5 sponsor fee. This gives the person full voting rights at the annual sponsors’ meetings and at any meetings called to determine or change club policy.
ATTIRE
Members should always be safe, neat and clean at Pony Club meetings. Appropriate attire for meetings consists of riding pants (with a belt if there are belt loops), boots, a club polo, or collared shirt with short or long sleeves (tucked in), pony club pin and a USPC medical armband/bracelet.
Helmet: Each Pony Clubber is required to wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet with chin strap harness securely in place at all times when mounted on a horse or longeing.
Footwear: Rubber or leather riding boots or jodhpur boots with a heel are required at all mounted meetings. While dismounted, acceptable footwear would be shoes that are securely fastened, entirely enclosed, cover the ankle, thick soled and in good condition. Canvas or cloth shoes are not allowed.
Every member will wear a USPC armband or USPC approved bracelet containing their personal, medical, and insurance information at all pony club activities both mounted and unmounted.
TACK
Tack should be English style, in good condition and clean. Certain bits and other tack are not permitted in Pony Club. Please refer to your Pony Club Manual and check with your instructor on what tack is appropriate. All stitching should be checked regularly for safety (especially on leathers and bridle).
MEETINGS AND INSTRUCTION
MCPC meetings are held at Vanishing Point Ranch in Bolinas and Sonoma Coastal EquesTraining Center in Petaluma. The Bolinas meetings begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. and the Petaluma meetings begin at 9:00. All Pony Clubbers are expected to be punctual and prepared. Please refer to the Calendar to see a current schedule.
Pony Club lessons are designed to prepare members for the next certification level and to be fun, non-competitive situations. They will emphasize the basics of flat work and jumping and may include such activities as mounted games, trail riding skills, and vaulting.
Horses must be properly shod, well-groomed and in good physical condition. If necessary, the head instructor and DC will determine the appropriateness of the horse. Stallions are not allowed at any Pony Club event. NOTE: For rallies, a horse must be at least five years of age.
USPC CERTIFICATION SYSTEM (formerly known as ratings)
All members and parents are encouraged to review information about the USPC certification system on the USPC website, and attend the Standards and Certifications regional clinic. MCPC will hold certifications twice a year for D level members. The region will organize C level ratings. National level testings will be held in our region or a neighboring region at the discretion of the national office. MCPC will pay certification fees for D1-C2. The club may also subsidize national testings as funds are available.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE FOR HIGHER RATINGS
Pony Club members at C1 level and above are expected to help instruct lower-level riders. For this duty, they should carefully study the Manual of Horse Management and the USPC Instructor's Handbook, and other pertinent material available from the USPC Bookstore. These higher-rated members should also attend regional clinics and seminars to help them with their teaching techniques and skills. All teaching by members shall be supervised.
C level TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES
The C1 should help with lessons at Pony Club meetings. They may also assist with preparations for horse turnouts, safety inspections, help set up arena jumps, scribe for the instructor and help at unmounted meetings, with supervision. It is highly recommended that the C1 attend a rally as a riding participant or stable manager.
C2 Level members will prepare and instruct both mounted and unmounted lessons with supervision. They are encouraged to attend regional clinics to help with their teaching.
RALLIES
Rallies are fun, team-oriented competitions held for Pony Club members from throughout the Northern California region as well as between other regions. There are several rallies available to interested members each year, including show jumping, dressage, games, quiz, and eventing.
MCPC members are expected to attend an “Everything But The Horse” rally before they can attend a mounted rally. An EBTH event is hosted annually by one of the clubs in the region and it puts new members through all the requirements of a regular rally only without the horse.
A Pony Club team for a mounted rally consists of four riding members and a stable manager (unmounted). A Pony Clubber must compete at his/her rating level at rallies. All costs (such as transportation, trailering, entry fees, food, lodging, etc.) are paid by the participant's family. Individual rally fees must also be paid to the club prior to the entry cost being sent to the region.
MCPC RALLY CODE
As a competitor in a rally, each member of the team is there to learn and have fun. Participants should remember these important points:
* Compete to learn, not just to win.
* Remember that the goal of judging is to suggest a means for improvement.
* Scoring shows where you are in relation to a standard.
* Good sportsmanship, good judgment and respect for each other and your horses are very important.
* The only true victory is within the individual.
* Quality is its own reward. Take pride in doing your best.
* Team spirit and sportsmanship must be foremost in order to be successful.
* No one is as smart as the team is together.
RALLY SELECTION
Rally teams will be made up by DC with input from instructors.
Criteria by which teams are selected for regional rallies include the ability of horse and rider to perform the task at hand; safety; good attendance at meetings and good sportsmanship. In order to be selected for a team, a Pony Clubber must be a member in good standing and express an interest in participating. Team members are expected to attend scheduled practices and to help in preparing the tack and equipment needed for the rally.
A parent of each rally participant must be actively involved in some way and be willing to sign up for some task prior to the member signing up for a rally.
All Pony Clubbers are encouraged to participate as stable managers to increase their horse management skills. The stable manager is the key position on the team and is responsible for maintaining the rally tack room for inspection (which counts on total team points) and for making sure the riders are in proper attire and get to their scheduled events on time.
A rally coordinator will provide sign-up packets and must receive the paperwork and check for the rally by a specific date.
MCPC will attempt to place all members on rally teams who desire to participate. Qualifying members who can't go to a particular rally because it is filled will be given priority for the next event that is held. (In some cases rally organizers have "scratch" teams put together with members of various clubs where the teams were already full).
TRAILERING
Pony Club parents are responsible for transporting their child's horse to mounted activities and for all expenses involved in trailering. If a member relies on another member for trailering, the member with the trailer should be compensated appropriately. Parents should also read the USPC brochure on trailer safety and be aware that horses may be tied to a trailer only if it is securely hitched to a vehicle. Members who haul in for the day are expected to clean up the area where they parked.