My niece has a growing horse bug that I’d like to nurture. I event on the east coast; she’s in Colorado and has VERY non-horsey parents. I’d like to get her connected to the local Pony Club, as I’ve always heard PC is the gold standard for young rider development (and every PC kid or PC graduate I’ve met has been top notch). But I didn’t come up in PC, so I have no real experience. Would love to hear from folks who can speak to a) the merits of PC, b) folks who may have different opinions, and c) any suggestions for PC affiliates near Boulder CO. TY!
The challenge with Pony Club (and 4H) is that it tends to be built on the idea that kids have their own horse already, which is not really the situation for beginners as it might have once been when kids had ponies in the backyard.
Ideally you find a really good lesson barn with a string of nice lesson horses and a solid group of lesson kids, which I think is the best start. An instructor like that may or may not have chosen to affiliate with Pony Club.
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Like any organisation that depends on volunteers, some branches are brilliant and provide a really solid grounding for future life yet others are half-hearted or cliquey or just not much fun. In theory, yes, the PC is an amazing experience for any child.
I recall an image of competition winners doing a lap of honour after a prize-giving. The Brits were in a neat line of four and everyone else randomly cantering in a group. The caption said “Look who was in the Pony Club!”
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This!
How good a club is totally depends on the volunteer leaders of that club.
I can say that the level of solid education given is very variable in the region near me.
The good thing is there are now clubs based out of lesson barns, using lesson horses.
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Pony club is one of the few places that offers a structured stable management program as well as riding program. I didn’t have a fancy horse - so really got into the stable management and quiz as it gave me an opportunity to go to national level even if my horse wasn’t capable. I now am a vet technician in an equine sports med/rehab clinic and am grateful for what I learned at that level.
Riding wise- I also coach and was laughing as I had an adult ammy at a 3 day dressage show, and a young kid at a grass root show that overlapped the last day. AA grew up in pony club so I was able to be like right- I have to help other student and won’t be available last day. Based off first 2 days here’s how I suggest you warm up/focus on in class. It wasn’t unfamiliar for her to do so and was able to report back and be like I did ABC, but this is what I felt and so modified and did XYC instead.
All good coaching should incorporate that, however good pony club really encourages self sufficiency.
I would reach out and see whats out there and if you feel if it’s a fit. If anything if she can do the stable management sessions, and then join in on a lesson horse program.
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I would say yes. 
I’m fortunate to live in an area (east coast) where there are nothing but multiple excellent regional clubs.
PC also opens the door to other opportunities - you will meet tons of different people, especially if you do Rallies and Championships.
It is easier with your own horse, but some chapters are set up for the ‘horseless’.
I would reach out to USPC; they are very helpful and can help point you to clubs close to your niece’s area.
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Thanks so much for these responses–gave me a few insights that I didn’t have as someone who did not have the opportunity to Pony Club!
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I wouldn’t trade my experience in PC for anything, even though I never made it to the higher ratings. Until coming back to riding as an adult, PC gave me the highest quality instruction I ever had access to, and the focus on horse and barn management was incredibly helpful. So was learning to be independent at rallies without my parents or an instructor holding my hand. However, as others have said, the quality of individual chapters can vary.
As one data point, I did have a pony at home when I started, but ended up leasing a different pony from another family in my club when my personal pony made it clear he did not want to be a show horse. That was pretty common–there was a good pipeline of nice ponies that were outgrown, looking for a step down job, etc. My club didn’t have a lesson string, but they could definitely find you a lease if you needed one.
One other point I haven’t seen anyone else mention…PC was also a great social outlet for me, as a horse-crazy girl who wasn’t exactly one of the cool kids at my school.
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I did not have the opportunity to Pony Club as a kid either.
That is why I am so enjoying that they now allow old people (and not old people) to join and learn all the pony club stuff.
Maybe you can join too and do the pony club thing along with your niece (on opposite coasts).
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I joined PC when I found out they accepted adults. With the exception of one person, everyone I met was supportive and welcoming. I met some of my best friends in PC even though I no longer live near them. One owns a mustang mare I adopted and trained and who absolutely adores her; they are a great match.
Depends on who is running the branch. In my case as a kid, there were some good horsemen involved, and they brought in other good coaches/horsemen for clinics, and yes, it was a stellar opportunity. But in other areas, other people involved, it can be scary, and even dangerous. It all depends on WHO is making the decisions, and what their background and level of actual expertise IS or ISN’T.
The scary thing is. when parents are not horse-literate, they have no basis for judging the skill of others. But this can happen anywhere, not just in pony club. Happens just the same in “riding stables” and “coaches” who claim skill and experience, but are also sadly lacking in these respects.
Good luck, and be careful.
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I recently joined as an adult member and am enjoying it.
Here’s where you can find local clubs. Look for ones designated as riding centers if she doesn’t have her own pony. They’re specifically set up - usually at lesson barns - for the members to use their horses.
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This!
I run a lesson barn, and even though I grew up in Pony Club (in Europe), I can’t justify the cost of a Pony Club membership for non–horse-owning families in my LCOL/MCOL area.
One of the few other local-ish barns with a lesson string was running a club/center out of their barn, but they’re now scaling back (apparently due to a lack of parental support and engagement.)
If you can’t find a riding school with a Pony Club center in her area, I’d suggest looking for a program that follows a similarly structured curriculum. In my area, most of the other barns seem to have jumped on the HorseSense Levels bandwagon, which seems to offer a fairly well-rounded program both on and off the horse.
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My niece is doing well in a lesson program that’s low key. Something to consider that is that Pony Club by nature is contest/competition based - from the rating levels to the events, there is an aspect of competition and of being graded. My niece is not into any of that and an introvert so Pony Club isn’t really an ideal situation for her as she would never study for a rating but she will soak up the knowledge. She would likely be at least looked at oddly for never rating up and that wouldn’t help her desire to join.
I didn’t grow up in Pony Club or 4H and still managed to get a good horsemanship background. I also heard some Pony Club drama as I used to ride with some Pony Clubbers and yeah, gold standard is NOT what I would call it. Also, I do not recall the Pony Clubs in the area really having lease horse options.
It’s an option and like anything else, it can be good or bad.
I’m on the front range and grew up in AZ. Pony club isn’t so much of a thing here in my experience. I didn’t even think Pony Club was real until I was an adult and found a trainer who grew up in Pony Club! Happy to DM you more about specific experiences and barns in the area.
