TRPC Handbook

TRPC Handbook Officers/Contacts | Mission and Beliefs | Membership | TRPC Activites | Attire and Formal/Informal Dress | Other clubs and Regions TIMBER RIDGE PONY CLUB
INFORMATIONAL HANDOUT

Welcome to Timber Ridge Pony Club! We are one of twelve pony clubs in the North Central Prairie Region.

This book will introduce to the different activities available through Pony Club. The best accident insurance you can give your child is a good horse or pony - quiet temperament, willing disposition, athletic ability appropriate for the activity, and lots of experience.

Pony Club is successful because of the wonderful efforts of our instructors, officers, parents, sponsors and friends. Many hands make light work, and volunteering through Pony Club is a great way to be involved with your child. You'll find a list of volunteer jobs included in the handbook. There are many things you can do to help even if you are not knowledgeable about horses. Volunteering is great way to meet other parents.

Please call on the officers if you have any questions.
Lois Pienkos, District Commissioner, 319-438-6460, PIENKYL@aol.com
Nancy Eden, Jt DC, EDENNANCY@aol.com
Sharon Dooley, Jt DC, spindriftscd@aol.com
Cindy Hainline, Treasurer, 319-934-3355, gnctruck@netins.net
Carol Eilers, Newsletter editor, 319-365-7314, Aplznoats@aol.com
Cheryl Brown, Secretary,Browncab@forbin.net

United States Pony Clubs, Inc.
4041 Iron Works Parkway
Lexington, KY 40511
859-254-7669
www.ponyclub.org

Mission
The mission of the United States Pony Clubs is to provide a program for youth that teaches riding, mounted sports, and the care of horses and ponies, thereby developing responsibility, moral judgment, leadership, and self-confidence.

Guiding Beliefs
USPC is an educational organization, which progressively develops the well-rounded horse person. The well-rounded horse person is capable of riding safely and tactfully on the flat, over fences, and in the open. Knowledgeable care of horses and ponies (horse management) is basic to the well-rounded horse person. USPC is committed to the well-being of the horse. Fair and friendly competitions develop teamwork and sportsmanship. Fun and friendship are part of Pony Club. USPC requires parental and volunteer involvement and support. The USPC is committed to safety. The local Club is the core of USPC.

History of USPC
The Pony Club "idea" originated in Great Britain in 1928. The first official meeting was held in 1930 with a recorded membership of 700.
Today Pony clubs are alive, well and flourishing in 31 countries, with an estimated membership of more than 130,000. It is the leading junior equestrian organization in the world.

The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. was founded as a nonprofit national youth horsemanship organization in February 1954 with 18 formerly unaffiliated clubs and an estimated 750 to 800 members. The USPC founders were enthusiastic fox hunters who recognized the need for an organization to provide sound instruction for all interested children, especially those who otherwise could not afford expensive lessons. Pony Club is this country was patterned after the British Pony Club but was and is independent from Pony Club there.

Each individual Pony Club is run by a volunteer District Commissioner and other locally elected officials, but clubs involve entire families. Pony Club is a monument to volunteerism, with some 3000 dedicated volunteers nationally.

TRPC INFORMATION

TIMBER RIDGE PONY CLUB MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Timber Ridge Pony Club is:
To promote good sportsmanship and teamwork helping each Pony Clubber to develop discipline, responsibility, and leadership, To support the USPC concept of "A Happy Child on a Happy Horse," and To enable every TRPC member to participate in Pony Club activities.

Timber Ridge Pony Club is intended to supplement, not substitute for, a program of weekly riding lessons. Each member is encouraged to work regularly with a qualified instructor. TRPC will provide opportunities to strengthen and build upon that base of knowledge.

Owning a horse is NOT a requirement for membership, though to fully participate in club activities, members need to have access to a suitable mount.

Membership
· Open to interested youngsters up to age 21.
· New members are accepted any time during the year.
· Non-members interested in joining Pony club may participate in unmounted
activities, and mounted activities as a spectator only.

Dues and Costs
· Dues are payable in October for the next year, to run through December 31.
· National fees pay for Pony Club insurance, which is both liability and secondary medical, USPC News, and administrative expenses.
· Local fees pay for local publications, photocopying, theory, awards, and
activity expenses.
· New member fees include the D-Manual, Standards of Proficiency, and TRPC
binder with handouts.

There are opportunities for fund-raisers, work-study, and scholarships to
assist families with the costs of Pony Club.
Sponsors

Parents or other interested adults are invited to become Sponsors of TRPC. Sponsors attend an annual meeting, held in the autumn, to discuss Pony Club matters, vote for officers and recommend the District Commissioners to the USPC Board of Governors.
TRPC Sponsor Meetings

Sponsor Meetings are held monthly on the third Tuesday of the month, usually at 7:00 p.m., and are headed by the DC or Joint DC. Activities, business, scheduling, and education are handled. Board meetings include all committee > members, officers, and sponsors and are open to all interested in TRPC.

Parent Participation
Is required by USPC. All parents are expected to serve on or coordinate/chair a committee, be active in work days and meetings. A parent can expect to donate 20 or more hours to Pony Club activities during the year. First year parents are in a learning capacity, and will have fewer expectations.

Timber Ridge Pony Club Activities

Mounted Clinics

Mounted clinics are held and may be free as a benefit of membership. Fees may be charged to cover the cost of bringing in highly qualified and experienced clinicians. All instructors stress horse management - the proper care of horses - at all levels, as well as riding skills, to insure the health and safety of all animals. Basic principles of first aid for horses and people, and the correct use and care of saddlery, are all taught. To participate in jumping clinics, members need to be riding at the D2 level or above.

For all club clinics, members should plan to arrive 30 to 60 minutes before their scheduled ride time to allow for grooming, tacking up, and warming up their horses. Clean clothes, clean and safe tack, and clean and well-groomed ponies are required at all lessons and practices.

Unmounted Study Sessions
Unmounted Meetings include Horsemanship Theory in January, February and March to prepare for Quiz Rally. Theory sessions are also held during the year.

Horse Trials
TRPC hosts a mini-event in the autumn of each year. Our mission is to provide a quality local schooling show to help prepare members and other entrants for further competitions. This show has also been a major fund-raiser for TRPC. There are many hours of preparation and member families are expected to participate.

Volunteer Opportunities
Pony Club works because of the volunteers. There are many activities and, therefore, many volunteers are needed. It is a great way to spend time as a family and to meet others in the club and the region. Please consider the list of committees below, and let the DC know which areas interest you. Parent volunteers are always needed at rallies.

C Camp - Provide any needed coordination with C Camp organizers, attend camp (at Hoosier Horse Park in Indiana in late June) as an adult volunteer.

Free clinics - adult volunteer needed for each monthly clinic to help set up and be present during the clinic.

Education - work with DC to develop unmounted sessions.

Library - check out materials, track down missing items, recommend additions to the library.

Paid Clinics - work with DC to organize two to four paid clinics during the year. Includes preparing sign-up forms and releases, working with clinician, scheduling rides, coordinating with construction and food committees, and being present during the clinic.

Phone Tree - develop and implement phone tree to notify members of activities as needed.

Publicity - promote TRPC with local media and provide information to USPC news.

Rally coordinator - ideally one volunteer per rally. Distribute entry packets, receive entries, form teams and chaperones, coordinate rally volunteers, hotels, trailering, etc. Distribute current rally rulebooks. Coordinate rally equipment.

Ratings Coordinator - work with DC to schedule and coordinate spring and fall club ratings. Copy test forms for examiner use.

TRPC Binders - prepare binders for new members, photocopy and distribute current information to new members.

Attire
· Clothing required for any horse sport must be neat, clean and in good repair.
· Long pants, riding tights, or breeches, are appropriate, with a tucked in shirt, T-shirt, polo shirt, or sweatshirt.
· TRPC Pony Club shirts are recommended for Mounted Meetings and special events.
· Pony Club mounted activities do not require formal dress.

FORMAL DRESS
Helmet-properly secured and fastened, ASTM/SEI approved.
Coat--solid, dark (black, navy or charcoal gray).
Stock Tie-white, properly tied and secured with a plain horizontal pin.
Shirt-white, with sleeves, long or short, no sleeveless.
Breeches-white, canary, buff or light tan.
Boots--tall black formal (no laces).
Belt-should be worn at all times, leather preferred.

INFORMAL DRESS
Helmet-properly secured and fastened, ASTM/SEI approved.
Coat-any color but black is preferred.
Shirt-plain color, choker, necktie, or turtleneck.
Breeches or jodhpurs-any color.
Boots.
Belt-should be worn at all times, leather preferred.

· Long hair must be neatly secured away from the eyes with a non-metallic barrette or rubber band. No jewelry except watch and Pony Club pin is allowed, due to the danger of injury if rider falls.
· Helmets ASTM/SEI certified: Required when mounted except for vaulting. Pony Clubbers must wear a properly fitted helmet worn so that the brim shades the eyes without falling over the eyes. It must have a seal with the letters SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) intact.
· Footwear while riding: Conventional type of riding footwear such as leather or rubber riding boots, paddock boots, or the equivalent is required. Shoes must have smooth soles and proper heels; "Waffle-type" soles are dangerous and not allowed.
· Vaulting has its own footwear rules.
· Footwear when dismounted for both adults and Pony Clubbers: Working around horses and in the barn, acceptable footwear is a shoe that is securely fastened, entirely closed, covers the ankle, is thick soled and in good condition. Canvas, cloth shoes, or sandals are not allowed.
· Safety vests are optional for mounted activities.
· USPC pins should be worn at all Pony Club activities.

North Central Prairie Region
Timber Ridge Pony club is one of twelve clubs belonging to the USPC North
Central Prairie Region. The other clubs are:

Fox River Valley PC - Barrington Hills IL area
Galena PC - Galena IL area
Half Halt PC - Champaign IL area
Hayburners PC - In Illinois, NE of St Louis
Heart of Illinois PC - Peoria IL area
Kinnikinnick PC - Rockford IL area
Prairie Jumpers PC - Fairfield IA area
Royal Oaks PC - Bloomington IL area
St James PC - Naperville IL area
Sangamon Valley PC - Springfield IL area
Wayne DuPage Hunt PC - Elgin IL area

Other USPC Regions
At times the North Central Prairie Region combines with our neighbor regions for rallies, camps, and other activities:
Lake Shore Region - 9 clubs in Wisconsin and one in the UP of Michigan
Heartland Region - 6 clubs in Indiana
Midsouth Region - 31 clubs in southern Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, southern Indiana and West Virginia
Midwest Region - 16 clubs in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri
Great Lakes Region - 12 clubs in Michigan, one in Ohio, one in Indiana
Northern Lakes Region - 12 clubs in Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin and UP of Michigan