Rally Information for Parents

RALLY INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND PARTICIPANTS

by Sharon Jones

Rallies require a serious time commitment of the pony clubbers and their parents. Going to a rally is like sending your child and pony to camp. You will feel like you are packing for a week but it only lasts one day. But what a fun day it can be. It is not a day of play but of working together as a team, competing as an individual while developing responsibility and camaraderie.

Parents are needed to be "in the know" about the rally details because it might fall on your shoulders to locate or buy equipment or supplies that have disappeared from the team tack rooms set up by Pony Club (we reimburse you.), arrange trailering, help your child get to the recommended two rally team meetings, make sure the pony your child uses has water buckets and a hay net full of hay. Most of all, you and your Pony Clubber need to be working with the other parents and teammates to allocate responsibility for the collection of supplies from the Pony Club storage spot, packing the supplies & equipment in your vehicles, unloading and having team members set up their tack rooms at rally, plus taking down and returning the tack room equipment to the storage spot for the next team to use. It is primarily the stable manager’s job to help the team get this in order, but since the stable manager doesn’t drive, you are needed.

Parents need to understand that if they borrow a trailer for the day and ponies are to be in the trailer or tied to it, the towing vehicle must stay attached throughout the day. A pony can overturn a trailer if it is not attached to the towing vehicle. Most of the time teams try to find an extra trailer to use as the tack room. This trailer is only for people and does not have to be attached to the tow vehicle.

THE LATEST NEWS FROM RALLY ORGANIZERS IS THAT PONIES ARE TO START RALLY INSIDE THEIR TRAILERS, BE UNLOADED BY THE HORSE MANAGEMENT JUDGES OR C LEVEL PONY CLUBBERS WHEN THEY NEED TO GET READY FOR THEIR FORMAL INSPECTIONS. AFTER THE PONIES HAVE SETTLED IN, THE CHIEF HORSE MANAGER WILL GIVE THE WORD ON WHEN PONIES CAN BE TIED TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE TRAILER. D’S MUST HAVE SOMEONE ELSE UNLOAD THEIR PONIES. YOUR STABLE MANAGER SHOULD BE OK. BEFORE THE RALLY IS THE TIME TO FIND OUT HOW YOUR PONY LOADS AND TIES. LET YOUR STABLE MANAGER KNOW ABOUT YOUR PONY’S HABITS.

LEARN NOW HOW TO TIE SAFETY RELEASE KNOTS!!!!!!!

Last but not least, parents and Pony Clubbers need to know the golden rule at rally: There shall be NO UNAUTHORIZED ASSISTANCE!!!! Even before a rally it is unfair if a parent cleans the tack or washes a pony for a Pony Clubber. Another child may be doing their own work and probably won’t do as through a job as a parent. Pony Clubbers are competing against each other. Let them do it. They are going to rally, not you. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with giving help to show someone the ropes and get them started. Nevertheless, making your own mistakes and having the Stable Management Judge at rally correct & advise you may be more memorable then having your parents do so.

Another part of UNAUTHORIZED ASSISTANCE is coaching by parents, teachers or friends who are not part of the rally. A teammate can give another teammate advice, but for instance, you cannot remind a competitor to run-up their stirrups, or grab the mane over a jump.

As soon as a little time for unpacking equipment is allowed, once the rally begins, parents and all others except officials of pony club and competitors are NOT ALLOWED IN THE TRAILER AREA UNTIL THE END OF RALLY. Your child could be given heavy penalty points for having unauthorized assistance. Once you and your child understand that their are other people watching out for safety and welfare (the PC officials), some of the pressure to say things is off. Yet, there is still that urge to remind them of little details. If you remind your child of these things during competition you are giving your child an unfair advantage over another. On occasion you may not know all the facts and could even be giving bad advice. Most of us have the same instincts as you do. As we get more experienced with this format we realize that our kids find it amusing that we are not allowed to visit and pester them with our usual comments.

They ride by us sometimes thinking its a great joke to torture their parents who can only tell them good luck and here is some lunch money.

Don’t feel that there is no one to help at rally. Except for Games Rally, only D-2’s and up are allowed to rally where their horses are more separated between the trailer area, warm-up area, and competition area. Games is held more in one arena and ponies and riders close nearby. This is helpful because D-2’s have more expertise to handle the responsibility of horse management along with riding than would D-1’s or Unrated riders. Each team has a stable manager to help and teammates should pitch in to help each other as well. On top of that we have a crew of Horse Management Judges who travel up and down the trailer area giving hints, warding off problems, and monitoring the trailer area. Pony Clubbers should always take their problems to the Horse Management Judges when needed. Sometimes the problems are personal or emotional along with the reality of a horse to take care of and a schedule and jobs to do.

Parents are also not allowed to dispute scores or be involved it the judging. Responsible people are doing that. Also, little point here and there is not the overall deciding mark in the total score of a team’s performance. Sometimes mistakes do happen. Sometimes a score is not changed in the way you want. There is an official way for team captains only to relay the inquiry and or protest in the judging., Parents are not privy to this. That does not mean that Pony Club is not interested in your feelings or opinions. Maybe something can be improved for the next rally. So do speak of your concerns to your D.C. , or R.S.(regional supervisor)

Now, on with the show and have a rewarding experience!

back to general rally information

RALLY CHECKLIST

WEEK BEFORE RALLY:

Know your team members, captain and stable manager.

Buy your Horse Management Book ($3.00) and Rally Rule Book($3.00) from Carol Jones.

Get any clothes you need for correct attire. See p.29 Horse Management Book

Get tack repaired and have correct tack. See Horse Management Book & Rally Book.

Practice safety release knots.

Make your trailer arrangements.

1ST TEAM MEETING

-Assign extra equipment & tack to bring to rally.

-Go through the supplies at Ferber’s with the USPC HORSE MANAGEMENT PHASE SCORE SHEET: REQUIRED EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST, ONE DAY RALLIES(CT,GAMES,DRESSAGE,SHOWJUMPING). P. 12 Horse Management Book -Assign extra supplies to buy/bring. (P.C. Reimburses for supplies)

-Give Stall Card Information to Captain.

-Assign parents for delivery of equipment.

-Assign parents for return of equipment. Team Members do work!

-Assign parents to bring food,snacks & ice for horses or people.

-Get trailers ready and attach breakaway baling twine for horse, water, hay.

2ND TEAM MEETING - Day before Rally.

-Have your own jobs done such as washing pony, cleaning tack, correct attire ready, trailer arrangements made, breakaways on trailer, haynet filled full, jerry can of extra water if desired, buy extra two ended snaps, Pony Club pin.

-Bring extra tack(cleaned), extra equipment, your own tack cleaned for a Tack Check.

-Captain brings completed stall cards to pack with equipment. They will be put at each pony’s stabling spot at rally, taped on trailer.

-Stable Manager makes time schedule for posting in tack room on bulletin board. Check all times.

-Now LABEL ALL EQUIPMENT with competitor’s number, team name, what it is, such as dandy brush,#3,Radnor Gold, Dandy Brush.

-PACK ALL EQUIPMENT

-CLEAN ANY DIRTY TACK

-PRACTICE RULES FOR RALLY WITH TEAM MEMBERS OR ON YOUR OWN FOR WRITTEN TEST.

(oral tests are given upon request)

-DECIDE TIME TO ARRIVE.

-PRACTICE SAFETY RELEASE KNOTS.

-GO TO BED EARLY BECAUSE IT WILL BE A LONG DAY, BUT LOTS OF FUN TOO.

CAPTAIN’S JOBS

-Arrange times for 2 team meetings with the stable manager if possible.

-The captain is the communicator for the team. You call team members. You help relay information.

The captain gets the stall card information from team members and makes stall cards. Give deadlines for team members to respond. If they don’t make the deadline they may have to make their own stall cards.See p. 5 Horse Management Book.

-Arrange arrival time. Ask for parents to help set-up, take-down and return of equipment.

-Very important. Captain only can make inquiries & protests. See P.37 Horse Management Book

STABLE MANAGER"S JOBS
-Assign team members to bring extra tack. Do at least a week before rally.

-Attend team meetings to supervise & check equipment & label.

-Assign team members to buy(get reimbursed) extra supplies at least a week before rally.

-Check tack is clean at Tack Check at team meeting day before rally. Help team clean any problems

-Make competitor’s time schedule chart for rally.

-Pack/Set-up/take-down/return equipment arrangements should be made.

-At rally the Stable Manager helps set-up equipment, helps competitor’s get ready, goes to formals with each rider if possible. Bring a cloth and an EXTRA hoof pick, not part of tack box for formal inspections.

The Stable Manager is your invaluable help, but never a slave. If fact, you need to help the stable manager so he/she can work on team things with you. Then he/she can help you on individual things too. All team members should be helping the stable manager and each other.

AT RALLY: OFFICIAL BRIEFING

-All horses are left safe in trailers with water,hay, salt,feed tubs,stall cards,safety release knots while you go to the OFFICIAL BRIEFING. The stable manager may have to stay with the horses, or you may need to trade places. Find out from Horse Management Judges what they want you to do. Be ready for everyone to go to the briefing if required.

-At Official Briefing learn the rules of the day. When/where is written test? Where to put manure?

Where is water? Are horses to stay in or out of trailers?

-Return to horses.

AT RALLY: FORMAL INSPECTION See p. 15 Horse Management Book

-Write times for your formal inspection, and different rides on your hand if desired.

-Finish grooming, dressing, tacking-up.

-Stable Manager escorts you to formals with hoof pick and rag. Final cleaning of pony’s feet and wipe of your boots.

-Be on time to formals. Present pony to examiner tacked up and ready to ride.

-When finished you may mount and go to your competition as formals is also a safety check.

If you have a time lag and go back to the trailer, then you have to have another safety check before

Riding,.

-At the end of your rides, at the trailer area the Horse Management Judges may come by and do a TURNBACK INSPECTION This is a check to see that your pony is cleaned after his rides & your tack is also clean.

AT RALLY: COMPETITION

-Be on time. Wear a watch! Write your times on your hand! Stable Manager will help you but being on time is your responsibility.

-Go to formals or safety check before your rides.

-Good luck in your class.

-After your ride, cool down pony, dismount, run-up stirrups, loosen girth, return to stable area.

-Tie up your pony safely, put away tack, wash off sweat, scrape, brush. Always make sure pony has water, hay , salt.

-Continue to keep your area tidy, organized, and help team mates.

-Get ready for 2nd ride ( unless you ride 2nd class right after 1st). Groom,retack,dress.

-Go to safety check before riding. (usually near riding area. Ask steward)

-Be on time . Be early so you have warm-up time.

-Follow same format as before when finished. Cool down pony, dismount, run-up stirrups,loosen girth,return to stable area. Tie up pony safety, put away tack, wash off sweat,scrape,brush. Make sure pony has enough hay,water,salt.

-Continue to help team.

AT RALLY: HORSE MANAGEMENT ONGOING THROUGHOUT DAY

-Check pony for water. Never let water get less than ½ to 1/3 full. Clean hay out of water.

-Pick up all manure ASAP.

-Pick up all things off ground and put away.

-Put all things in correct containers, such as hoof pick in grooming kit.

-Put manure fork,shovel,broom in manure bucket tied together.

-Leave nothing on ground near pony’s feet.

-Keep checking that the haynet doesn’t lower too far as pony eats.

-Tie pony to breakaway twine with safety release knot. Keep the lead rope long enough to reach hay, water, but not long enough for pony to eat grass or get leg caught in lead rope.

-Connect water, hay with breakaway twine & snaps.

-Never tie pony with a chain lead shank over nose, or any lead shank over nose.

-Don’t sit on the ground by pony

-Don’t use pony as a couch. Dismount.

-Stay cheerful and talk to your team mates. If you have a problem, try to talk to your stable manager or a Horse Management Judge. Don’t keep it all inside.

AT RALLY: ARRIVAL

-Arrive early, about 1 hour before official briefing.

-Don’t unload, but get pony ready with water, hay,salt, feed tub, stall card.

-Unload and organize equipment. Set-up tack room in trailer, or in front of trailer. Not in trailer where horses are tied.

-Check all is labeled. Use Checklist p.12 Horse Management Book

-Parents have to leave at announced time.

-Team continues to set-up equipment. See p.9 Horse Management Book