Horse & Hound – 08 August 2019

(Darren Dugan) #1

Illustration by Emily Cole. Picture by Kit Houghton


PONYCLUBGO-TO
MY daughters and I really
enjoyed the Pony Club special
(4 July), particularly the feature
on tetrathlon. It made me wonder
if the decline in numbers taking
part refl ects a general decline in
numbers of older members?
It may be too late to reverse
the march British Eventing (BE),
British Showjumping (BS) and
British Dressage (BD) have on the
Pony Club in providing quality
competitions for their members,
but I think it still has scope to
be the go-to organisation for
young riders.
However, poor management
is hampering its ability to be
successful in this. While district

commissionersareembattled
trying to implement increasingly
complex rules, there is even less
monitoring of how branches
are run. There appears to be no
pressure on branches to have
basic club structures in place,
such as a committee, an AGM and
public accounts.
I suspect that unless the Pony
Club develops its structure and
management, it will continue to
lose out to the discipline-specifi c
organisations that are increasingly
catering for young people.
Georgie Butler
Nantwich, Cheshire
The Pony Club’s acting chief
executive, Marcus Capel,
replies: “The Pony Club

continues to thrive, off ering
our members a huge range of
sports, training events and fun
activities. Membership is stable
and we are working closely
with our British Equestrian
Federation partners including
BE, BD and BS to off er the best
opportunities for young riders.
“We have detailed rules (set
out in each year’s handbook)
covering branch committees,
branch accounts and annual
parents’ meetings, and every
branch fi les an annual fi nancial
return with our fi nance team at
Stoneleigh. Our rules refl ect the
complexity of equestrian sport
and the demands of modern
health and safety.
“We are always seeking
to improve what we off er our
branches, centres and dedicated
army of volunteers, and we are
very much looking forward to a
summer of camps, competitions
and the championships at
Cholmondeley Castle, which are
taking place from 16-20 August.”

WHO NEEDS THE GYM?
I THINK this conversation with
non-horsey friends might amuse
fellow horse riders.
One friend remarked that he
could spot a horsey girl a mile off.
Here we go, I thought. Calloused

LETTERS


hands, chipped nails and the fl at
hat-hair. But no. He said that
in this hot weather and with
our sleeveless tops, it’s the arm
sculpture and defi nition.
I explained the workout regime
— the carrying of heavy water
containers, one in each hand; the
forking of muck on to a heap; and
the carrying of two hay bales when
we should have plumped for one.
It’s also the endless brushing
with a broom that’s seen better
days and the lifting and scrubbing
of fi lthy stable mats. Not
forgetting the banging of a mallet

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Is the Pony Club losing out or still holding its own for young riders?

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