FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
DO I NEED A PONY OR A HORSE TO JOIN WALLA WALLA PONY CLUB?
Yes.
Prospective members will need access to a suitable pony or horse if you wish to participate in mounted lessons. We are unable to provide horses for riding lessons. It is encouraged that interested students establish a lease, or purchase a suitable pony or horse before signing up for a membership with Walla Walla Pony Club.
A "Pony", refers to a youth's English mount -- not necessarily a pony height equine.
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Our requirements for suitable mounts include:
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Skill level appropriate mounts: The horse and rider are well matched for safety during riding lessons.
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Sound mount: The horse has no injuries or unsoundness's that would prevent them from work.
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Cared for mount: Up to date on vaccinations, deworming, teeth and farrier care.
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Safe and appropriate tack: Tack that fits the horse and rider well. If not, the owner, parent, or guardian must be prepared to purchase or substitute appropriate tack for their child's mount.
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Alternative Track
As of 2021, Pony Club offers a completely unmounted Horse Management track which allows horse enthusiasts who do not ride the opportunity to achieve certifications demonstrating proficiency in a variety of horse handling skills and management topics. We do accept members that are unable or not interested in riding to pursue this track.
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Come Check Us Out!
We highly encourage interested families to observe a Pony Club lesson day, and/or try outside lessons before committing to a membership. Please contact our club D.C.
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WHAT ARE THE LESSONS LIKE?
We have two lesson types; mounted and unmounted. Our lessons are structured to follow the United States Pony Club rating system where a rider can become a beginner, intermediate, and advanced rider. We focus on small goals that equal a larger sum over time -- working with the horse and rider we have for the lesson.
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Mounted Lessons
Mounted lessons are intended to be supplemental to a student's own riding time.
The more one can practice their skills the more quickly they'll be able to progress.
Most lessons are in the classic Pony Club style of groups of two to three riders of the same level. We meet every Sunday afternoon, weather dependent. Lesson structure and times are determined by Walla Walla Pony Club instructors.
Riding lessons are a portion of what Pony Club is about and is not the main focus of the club, but rather one of it's many moving parts. Members in good standing participate regularly in a variety of activities provided locally and regionally and push themselves to excel in their time with our club.
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Unmounted Lessons
Our unmounted knowledge follows the same route, preparing the riders with knowledge on horsemanship they'll use throughout their life. We meet frequently for mounted lessons, and monthly for unmounted lessons. From January to February we solely focus on unmounted knowledge needed for certification testing that year.
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Occasionally we will also have guest instructors for mounted and unmounted lessons, and fun ride days.
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Rider Expectations
Members of Walla Walla Pony Club will be expected to test for their first certification within the first year of membership. This could be either the 'D1 Horse Management', or 'D1 Horse Management & D1 Riding' tests. Read more on testing below.
Becoming a member in good standing:
-- Participating weekly in Walla Walla Pony Club mounted and unmounted lessons
-- Working towards their next certification level in Horse Management and/or Riding
-- Participating in local or regional preps, clinics, rallies, and schooling shows (optional, but highly encouraged)
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Age requirement?
We have a minimum age requirement of 8 years old for prospective members.
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Parent or Guardian Involvement
Walla Walla Pony Club operates from parent involvement and volunteerism. Without our volunteers, we would not have a club. Parents will be mentored in the processes of Pony Club and will sign up to volunteer in supporting our club through the year.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Annual dues vary from club to club. Scholarships are available for a limited amount of riders in our region.
Each year members of our club pay:
-- National Dues
-- Regional Dues
-- Local Dues
Contact the D.C. for more information!
Riding lesson fees vary depending on the instructor. We try to keep our lesson fees manageable. These fees are not included in the membership fee.
Unmounted lessons are an amazing assist to a young horseperson. This is free information, in our club, and there is no fee for these lessons. They are important to attend to learn the most about horses.
Rallies and competitions will have a sign up fee and that information will be passed on to interested members.
HOW DO I SIGN UP? I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS...
For more information on joining Pony Club, contact the District Commissioner for the club closest to you here: https://inlandempire.ponyclub.org/contact/
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For those local to Walla Walla, we can be contacted through our contact page, or Facebook page.
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For parents, a link here will take you to more FAQs: https://www.ponyclub.org/Volunteers/ParentInfo.aspx
WHAT IS A RATING?
Note: As of 2011, USPC has changed the terminology from "Rating" to "Certification". A C3 member would have referred to himself as having a "C3 Rating", where now it would be "C3 Certification". However, these words are commonly interchanged among the Pony Club membership at large.
Pony Club provides a structured curriculum of both mounted and unmounted skills and knowledge for our kids to follow. Ratings provide a progression for the mastery of these skills. The USPC ratings system measures each Pony Clubber's progress through the instructional program. Ratings are achieved by performing specific tests against a prescribed standard of proficiency, both mounted and oral, before a recognized Pony Club examiner.
Your child joins Pony Club as an unrated member and progresses through the lower level ratings (D1, D2, D3, C1, C2). The top five rating levels, C3, HB, B, HA, and A are national ratings, administered by the National Testing Committee. Here is a brief overview of each level:
D Ratings
This is an introduction to the fun and challenge of riding, establishing a foundation of safety habits and knowledge of the daily care of a pony and tack. The D1 through D3 learns to ride independently and with control, maintaining a reasonable secure position at the walk, trot and canter, and over low fences.
C Ratings
Pony clubbers learn to become an active horseman, to care independently for pony and tack and to understand the reasons for what he or she is doing. The 'C' shows development towards a secure, independent seat, and increasing control and confidence in all phases of riding. Of the three C level ratings, the C1 and C2 can be tested and arranged by our local club, while the C3 is arranged and tested at the national level by national USPC examiners.
B Ratings
The 'B' rating is for the Pony Clubber who is interested in acquiring further knowledge and proficiency in all phases of riding and horse care. The rating tests for this level are taken at two separate times; the mounted portion (the 'B" test) and the horse management portion (the "HB" test) are both only given by national USPC examiners.
A Ratings
The 'A' rating is the highest certification and is also divided into two parts: 'HA' covers horse management, teaching and training, and 'A' tests the riding phase. This is given at the National level only.
If there is enough interest from our members, our club will hold two ratings per year for the lower rating levels (D1, D2, D3, C1, C2*), one in the spring and one in the fall. About 3 months before the rating an email will be sent to the club membership asking who wants to 'rate up'. You would need to respond telling us about your intention to rate up and for which level you would like to test. Prior to the rating date the club will offer mounted and unmounted preparatory meetings, sort of a mock-rating, to members who have indicated they want to try rating up. We generally hire a upper level pony clubber from another club to do the actual rating and there might be a fee ranging from $30 to $100, depending on the examiner and your intended rating level. D1 and D2 levels have little to no fee.
Notes about ratings:
- Horse Management portions of each level can be tested separately before the riding portions.
- Pony Club offers several different testing routes for the mounted portion (i.e, dressage, eventing, hunt seat, western dressage)
- You must progress through the rating levels in order. Even though you may have been riding for the past 6 years at 4th level dressage, and jumping over 7' brick walls, you must begin at the D1, and may not skip a level. However, with permission of the club's District Commissioner, you may test for 2 D levels on the same date. (ex. D2 and D3 may be administered at the same time. The decision to test for 2 levels at one time will be made by the DC after discussing the member's individual situation with the member and/or their family.)
- The horse you ride must also be ready for the rating level; you must attend the rating certification on a horse capable of doing that level's required elements. For example, your mount having a slight lameness, skittishness, or unschooled at the location or element will not be accepted as reasons for not doing the test's requirements. If you can't get your horse to perform the requirements of the certification level, you will not meet the standards and therefore, not pass. If your everyday mount cannot do it, borrow, practice, and test on a mount that can.
- Generally, the rating preparation meetings held prior to the actual rating date are considered mandatory for the member who will be rating up.
- Rating prep meetings are open to all members, even those who will not be participating in the upcoming rating test. We offer this as a kind of rating pre-test so a member can see what aspects of a particular rating level they need to work on.