Pony Club Experiences?

[Jasmine]

I'm 14 years old and have a 14hh Arab x mare who I am joining pony club with.
The thing is, I am really nervous to start; everyone on the website looks like really good riders for my age group! On facebook, all the pony club members have albums full of them jumping huge xc fences! I got my first horse when I was 12, he was a 17hh rig and we had a lot of problems with him and he knocked a lot of my confidence. Storm has got a lot of it back up and I couldnt ask for more in a pony. I'm comfertable doing anything on her, but really do not like jumping. I came off my last horse a lot jumping and it put me off. Ive jumped Storm at the odd competition and she has done BSJA a few years back. She is one of them ponies who like to lock on to the jump and give it quite a bit of room, she is only ever strong when jumping. Is there any point in joing PC? Will I just be looked down on because I can't jump? Thank you for answering in advance :-)

[branna]

In my experience pony club can be a great help in building confidence and helping build partnerships between young people and their ponies/horses.

I really wouldn't worry about your standard, there are people in pony club of all ages and abilities and you can be grouped for lessons/rallies etc accordingly (it's not a case of older riders expected to be a higher standard or anything like that).

I did on pc on and off from when I was about 5 to about 15. I never did more than a couple of years at a time but that was as a result of doing different competitions because both my parents rode. When I got my 14.2 pony when I was 12, being in pony club helped bring on both of us and our partnership so much in a couple of years. Generally the instructors are good and very supportive, and don't push you too far but help you grow in confidence.

I won't lie, lots of pc rallies etc involve jumping or xc, but they aren't necessary and there I'd plenty more going on. It's not perfect but I would recommend at least trying it for any person of your age.

[NeverShoutLaura]

i did pony club for a few years on an Australian Stock Horse who knocked the confidence out of me because when you cantered him he would start bucking like a rodeo bronc and left me with 2 broken arms.
At pony club i was too scared to even canter him there and yes i personally thought i looked stupid that i couldn't canter but at pony club they dont push you to do anything your not confident enough to do, so you dont have to jump massive XC jumps and do show jumping.
im pretty sure i sat out of all the show jumping stuff unless the jumping pole was pretty much on the ground and could walk over it or it was in the lowest hole on the jumping wings which was about 30cm (E grade).
When my age group was doing jumping i got to teach the little 3 - 6yr old kids that were on leads, safe games to play like 'simon says' or trot races or something fun!
So yeah pony club is worth joining, you meet some great people through it, it can be a confidence bulider, and teach you a bunch of stuff even if you cant jump!

[Driver]

Don't be nervous, just work to the level you're currently at, and improve at your own pace. That's really what the whole system of Pony Club is about. You're not grouped by age, but by ability, and you progress at your own pace. You will learn a whole lot, even if you decide not to jump, and will make good friends and have fun. You can compete in dressage and mounted games without doing any jumping at all, and once you're more confident, you'll probably be jumping right along with the rest of the kids.

[HunterJumper]

I myself am not interested in ever joining pony club, for various reasons. (at least this applies to where I live). First of all, most of the (older) girls in PC are basically snobby spoilt brats who drink alcohol and smoke weed all the time. Second, the clubs where I live (mind you, I think we only have 2 or 3) make PC all about riding aspect- and pretty much all the girls I know ride in harsh equipment without any regard to the horse. I do not see riding a horse as just that- as I work under a professional horse trainer (ground work) and have been doing so for 3 years. If I were to do something like that, I'd like some camps or seminars every so often teaching these spoilt girls how to respect their horses. Third- all the PC horses (where I am) are lesson ponies who are as push button as they come. They're overworked and overjumped to get these girls their higher ratings. And fourth- eh. I really just don't like it! A lot of the girls I know who join PC turn into little brats as soon as they enter it- like a cult. XD Then they hop on their push button ponies and whip and beat the crap out of them because that's all they learn in PC. (other than useless anatomy facts that I don't need to know unless I am going into a veterinarian field)


HOWEVER, and sorry to go on that rant above, (hope it didn't scare you. but that is my experience! I see from other commenters theirs were a lot better.) PC is different everywhere. Do you know the girls personally in the PC? Do you get along with them? Pony club would be a great opportunity to build up confidence, as they might put you on different horses who CAN carry you safely over certain jumps. If you want to enter some type of equine field (vet , breeding , instructor, ect) I know PC offers some great scholarship opportunities. They will not push you to jump higher than capable, as there are many different levels and ratings which you can work up to at your own pace. No one will think of you as any less of a rider- I know plenty of people who can barely jump and are great flat riders (compared to some who CAN jump)

All in all, it's your decision. PC will offer great experiences (if you are friends with the girls) and fun opportunities.

[kate]

You'll not be looked down on! Obviously there might be the odd snobbish girl who's mummy does everything, but I love pony club! It's a great way of making friends and I'm sure there will have been plenty of people in your position! They might not put you straight away into your age group just to see what your like, but once they see what your abilitys are, they will put you in the right group My pony is exactly the same with jumping, but in my case that makes him one the most honest jumpers in my group! I am now the only one in my group still on a pony and he can do everything plus more what the horses can do! Good luck!!