I have a pony that will be 8 this year and will be eligible for his permanent pony card. But I’m having a hard time determining when he can get this card–meaning is he eligible after January 1 of his 8 year old year? Or only after his ‘birthday’?
Since the USEF rules define a horse’s age based on Jan 1, I would assume that is the age that counts for getting a permanent card.
But it is easy to email USEF and find out for sure.
After Dec 1
GR102 Age (of Equine)
- For competition purposes any horse is considered to be one year old on the first day of January following the actual
date of foaling.
Dec 1 is for age of person GR103
Here’s a weird thing.
I looked at the rules just now, because I thought I remembered that a pony could be measured in December and have it count for the following year. But while I was looking that up, I noticed that it looks like the rule has been changed back to six years old for a permanent card. I knew that was under discussion as a rule change proposal, but I did not know it had gone through already. Here is the quote from the USEF rules. I included the last line from the preceding rule with the effective date to show that this seems to be current. The color did not show up after I did a copy and paste, but the lines about the age of six were in red, which usually denotes a new rule change.
- Prior to presenting the pony for measurement it is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that the pony is handled properly, accustomed to the application of a measuring stick, and correctly prepared for measurement. BOD 11/11/19 Effective 12/1/19
GR503 Required Measurements and Re-measurements
- All ponies must be measured annually until six years of age. Until six years of age, ponies must be issued a card designating the year measured. Ponies six years of age and older must be issued a measurement card which does not have to be renewed. Those ponies measured (and for which a valid measurement form is received by the Federation) in December immediately preceding the calendar year in which they turn six years of age must be issued a measurement card that does not have to be renewed. Measurement cards for ponies six years of age and older must not be re-issued unless the measurement is questioned, protested, or an appeal is made and an official measurement is performed.
That’s the GR rule which doesn’t pertain to Hunter/Jumper competitions and pony hunters. You have to look at subsection HJ-7 Measurement for the hunter pony rules.
HJ127 Required Measurements
- A horse or pony must be measured each competition year until it reaches the age of eight. Horses and ponies that are seven years and under will be issued a Temporary Measurement card designating the year measured. Horses and ponies that are eight years of age and over will be issued a Standard Measurement card which does not need to be renewed. Exception: Horses that measure 16.2 hands or over will receive a standard measurement card regardless of age. The Federation will invalidate a Standard Measurement card that does not comply with this rule.
a. Those horses and ponies that are measured (and for which a valid measurement form is received by the Federation office) in the month of December immediately preceding the calendar year in which they turn eight years of age will be issued a Standard Measurement card that does not have to be renewed.
b. For ponies, with the exception of ponies under eight years old, once a pony is issued a Standard Measurement card, a new card will not be issued unless the height of the pony is protested and upheld, or unless an appeal is made and the remeasurement results in the pony moving to a section other than that indicated on its current measurement card.
c. For horses, with the exception of horses under eight years old, once a horse is issued a Standard Measurement card, a new card will not be issued unless the height of the horse is protested and upheld, or unless an appeal is made and the remeasurement results in the horse moving to a section other than that indicated on its current measurement card.
^ Yes, I realized that when I looked at it again. I couldn’t believe that rule change could have slipped by under the radar. :lol:
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For now for a pony to get its standard (what you all are calling permanent) card is age 8. A pony in its 8 year old year will get a standard measurement card upon measurement at a licensed USEF show. There’s a “however” in there, though. However, a pony that is 7 in December of the new show year, i.e. December 2019, can be measured in December and will be given its standard card - so it doesn’t have to be remeasured in January when it is actually in its 8 year old year. This is a courtesy to ponies/horses turning 8 in January but starting to show when the new show year starts in December of the previous year. . See HJ127.1 and a.
There are rule proposals that include changing the age for a standard card to 6, but they are under more discussion and will be re-presented at some point in the future.
