The Orchard EC Pony Club
We are proud to be a Pony Club Linked Centre, part of a network of over 400 Riding Centres affiliated with The Pony Club. As the world’s largest equestrian youth charity, The Pony Club supports young people up to the age of 25, with more than 30,000 Members in the UK alone. Whether or not you own a horse or pony, there’s a membership option for everyone.
As a Member, you’ll have the opportunity to enhance your riding, horsemanship, and take part in a wide range of sports and activities while developing vital skills. Our shared love for horses and ponies brings us together, allowing you to enjoy a variety of ridden and non-ridden activities with others who share your passion. Whether you’re new to horses or an experienced rider, The Pony Club offers a fun, supportive environment where you can grow, learn, and compete.
More Information
PCUK website - https://pcuk.org/
Join page - https://pcuk.org/join/
Why become a Centre Member - https://pcuk.org/why-become-a-pony-club-centre-member/
Centre Membership - https://pcuk.org/centre-membership/
Sports & Activities
Sports – There are 9 Pony Club Sports to take part in including Dressage, Endurance, Eventing, Mounted Games, Polo, Polocrosse, Pony Racing, Show Jumping and Tetrathlon. Please visit the link below to access all Sports Information.
Ridden Activities – There are 6 Ridden Activities (competitions too!) to take part in including Regional Championships, JCB National Championships, Barrier Animal Health Spring Festival, Howden Centre Equitation, Musical Ride Competitions and the Equilab and Hy Equestrian Hacking Challenge. Please visit the link below to access all the Ridden Activities information.
Non-Ridden Activities – There are 4 Non-Ridden Activities to take part in including the Blue Cross Horse and Pony Care, the Dodson and Horrell Quiz, the Thelwell Pony Club Art Competition and the Winter Triathlon. Please visit the link below to access all of the Non-Ridden Activities information.
Training
Achievement Badges - Our Achievement badges provide a fun and interactive way for members to develop their knowledge of horsemanship and give them the opportunity to develop the skills to care for Horses and Ponies to the highest possible standards. To view all of the Achievement Badges you can do visit the link below.
https://pcuk.org/achievement-badges/
Pony Club Tests - The Pony Club Training structure encourages members to take tests which enables them to learn progressively about horse and pony care and riding. For more information about Pony Club Tests visit the link below.
Progressive Awards - Progressive Awards allow Members to work towards Tests in between Efficiency Test levels E and C+. There are four levels of Progressive Tests; Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. For more information about Progressive Awards visit the link below.
https://pcuk.org/progressive-awards/
Volunteering
Young Equestrian Leaders Award (YELA) - The Young Equestrian Leaders Award (YELA) is a scheme for young people aged between 13 and 25 who want to volunteer within the equestrian industry. There are progressive levels to work through: Bronze, Silver and Gold. The scheme not only recognises the time and effort spent volunteering, but also facilitates young people to gain a range of skills and experiences, setting them up to become leaders of the future. As a Pony Club Member you can do the BRONZE award for FREE. For more information about YELA visit the link below.
What do The Orchard EC Pony Club offer?
Please note the Rally days and Pony club sessions are for unaccompanied children. Parents can drop off and collect at the allotted time.
Rally Day’s :
These take place on set days every half term and school holidays. You can take part in activities such as games, quizzes, riding, jumping, Dressage, gymkhana and more. You can gain your Pony Club achievement badges, have fun and make friends.
Competitions:
We hold regular fun, friendly competitions at The Orchard EC and our pony club members can choose to enter if they wish, and start collecting rosettes! We would also like take part in competitions against other pony club groups.
Pony Club Efficiency Tests and Progressive Certificates:
Each member works at their own pace towards the various Pony Club Tests and achievement badges. Tests for each level are held regularly when there are enough members who are at standard. While working towards the D, D+, C and C+ standards, children have the opportunity to gain bronze, silver, gold and platinum certificates in riding and horsemanship as they improve.
Summer Camp’s:
Our Camps take place throughout July and August. usually 2 Nights with your favourite pony! .A fantastic opportunity to try out loads of equestrian sports, and improve your riding and horsemanship. Our camps are open to members and non members. Please contact us for more information and Available dates.
Achievement badges:
During the Evening/ Weekday training sessions and rally days children work at their own pace towards the Pony Club achievement badges. The Pony Club Achievement Badge Scheme is a fun way to gain greater knowledge of riding, horsemanship and the countryside. On the first Friday of each month you can choose which badge you would like to be tested on and book into the badge testing session. There are over 100 to collect covering a wide range of topics. They are divided into four categories (mini, achievement, advanced and sport badges) and organised into three collections (Fun & Friendship, Horsemanship and Sport). A cloth badge is awarded once a member has met the required standard for the badge which can be sewn onto the PC sweatshirt.
The following list gives an idea of some of the badges are available, and the types of topic covered during the training sessions:
Bandaging and Rugs, Bird Watching, Blue Cross Equine Welfare, British Native Breeds, Butterflies and Moths, Camping, Care of the Horse's Foot, Colours and Markings, Countryside Access, Dressage Arena, Dressage, Endurance Riding, Equine Behavior, Equipment Safety, Eventing, Farming, Feeding, Fire Marshal, First Aid (equine), First Aid (Human), Fitness, Flags, Flowers, Fund Raising, Handling and Grooming, How to be Lunged, Knots, Loading, Loinery, Map Reading, Mounted Games, Mucking Out, Perfect Paddock, Pet Sense, Plaiting, Points of the Horse, Poisonous Plants, Polo, Polocrosse, Pony Racing, Public Speaking, RDA Volunteering, Road Rider, Saddlery, Security Awareness, Shoeing, Show Jumping, Star Gazer, Tack Cleaning, Tetrathalon, Trees, Turnout of Pony and Rider, Wildlife, Working Dogs, Worm Control, Yard Safety.
Some badges are much harder than others, and children would not be expected to get them until their late teens. There is also a range of mini badges for the younger members.
Clothing:
Optional branded clothing is available for purchase if you enquire in reception. You may like to buy the Pony club Clothing to sew your badges onto in order to show them off to everybody. If you wear Orchard Clothing , Please note it is not permitted to sew badges onto any clothing other than your Pony club clothing.
Own Ponies:
If you have a pony of your own, you are able to join in with all the activities we provide using your own pony with centre plus membership. Some children keep their ponies on livery with us, some bring them from home. It is sometimes possible to loan a pony from The Orchard EC, if you have time to ride more often than just the weekend pony club sessions.
Young Equestrians
For older members we also offer a young equestrians group on a Saturday and Midweek During Term time. Please check out our young equestrians page for more info. ( Ages 13 - 25 ).
Booking sessions:
You can Sign up and attend our fortnightly Afterschool Pony club Groups or the other Pony Club Activities as often as you Would like. Simply go to Our EC Pro Website ( Welcome to The Orchard Equestrian Centre ) to register as a rider, you can then book into whichever riding or stable management sessions you like. You will also be able to book rally days and badge testing sessions online when they are available. If you require any advice call us on 01302 888139 or email support@theorchard-ec.co.uk