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This page is designed to help you before your first Pony Club Endurance Ride. It has details of entering, costs, times and of course a summary of the key rules. A full rule book is available from the Pony Club website for those interested.
When riding at an ILDRA event some of the rules for Pony Club events have been amended slightly to comply with ILDRA rules. If you think these effect you do please ask. The rules affected are unlikely to affect anyone starting out at Endurance.
This page will be updated as and when necessary and we start to run more events and more questions and information become available.
Entering
Entries for all competitive rides should be with the ride organiser at least 1 week before the event. This time scale does vary from time to time depending on who is organising an event so you should check with event organisers and/or their web site. It is safe to assume that entries for ILDRA run Pony Club rides should be submitted to be with the organisers at least week before the event.
Entry form are available for the calendar (but also here) and should be sent to the individual ride organiser whose name and address will be on the ride page found by selecting the ride form the calendar. All entries should include the appropriate fee - for the initial Pony Club rides this has been set at and introductory and very competitive price of only £6.00 - and a C5 (A5 size) stamped addressed envelope so that a map and other information can be sent to you in advance.
On the Day
You need to arrive at the venue in time to be available for the vet for your pre-ride check by 9:30am, unless otherwise stated on the ride page or as advised in the information pack sent out once you enter. You present your pony to the vet in a head collar and rope or bridle, no saddle and no hoof oil please. Your hat and number should both be worn.
After the check you will complete the ride and then within 30 minutes present your horse/pony to the vet again for the final check. The pony must pass this check to complete the ride. The pony should be sound and it's heart rate should be below 64 beats per minute. Full details of vet checks are in the rule book. You should hand you number in after the final vet check - numbers must be worn when vetting. Where safe we encourage the riders to hold and lead the pony for the vet, assisted by an adult as necessary.
You should be riding in safe tack (Endurance bridles are allowed), there may be an inspection, and you MUST wear a Pony Club Medical Armband and a Pony Club approved Hat. Hats should have the purple tape/mark visible showing that it has been checked by an approved Pony Club official from your branch. If this has not been done please ask at the next rally to get your hat marked.
Back supports are not compulsory.
Age
No one under 8 may compete in a Pony Club ride but 6 year olds and over may take part in ILDRA pleasure rides.
Riders under the age 13 must be accompanied by an adult. One adult (18 or over) may accompany a maximum of two children.
You may accompany riders on horseback or on a bike (note: if traveling to England to compete you must be on horseback.) You will probably not be able to walk fast enough to keep up and allow the riders to finish within the time allowed so walking is not recommended. In the case or Merlin rides there is no minimum speed but we do encourage you to do the ride at an average of slow trot if possible.
Distance and Time
Merlin rides, the starter ride, will be between 5 and 10 miles, normally it will not be more than 7 or 8 but this depends on venue. You must not ride faster than 7.5mph
Kestrel rides will normally be about 10 to 12 miles but may be up to 15 miles. You should ride between 5 and 9.5mph (optimum speed is 6mph)
Osprey rides will be from 15/16 up to about 23 miles. You should ride between 5 and 9.5mph (optimum speed is 7mph)
Eagle rides start at 22 miles and can be up to 31 miles in length. You should ride between 5 and 9.5mph (optimum speed is 7.5mph)
Finishing
Once finished, within the speed/time allowed and having passed the vet you will be awarded a rosette for the ride length you participated on and will have your Mater card signed up. You can also, if of qualifying distance, have your ILDRA log book signed up as well. (You must be a member of ILDRA to have your log book completed and compete in any competitive ride with the exception of Pony Club rides).
Of course before getting your Master card signed you should attend to your ponies needs, water, maybe a small feed, hay-net and a good brush down. Use plenty of water if the pony is hot and make sure you have suitable sweat or other sheets/rugs as may be required to allow the pony to cool down but ensuring they don't get a chill.
Equipment
Apart form safe riding clothing, approved and safe tack and a medical armband you may/will also need some or all of the following:
- Warm/Waterproof Coat.
- Change of clothes for rider (and accompanying adult)
- Water or energy drink and food for the rider.
- Good picnic for when you are finished.
- Plenty of water for pony, to drink and wash/cool down if a hot day - at least 2 buckets.
- Sponge and scraper.
- Suitable rugs for after the ride and traveling.
- Small feed and hay-net.
- Head collar and rope for vet check/trot up (bridles can be used).
- All the usual equipment you would take to an equestrian event for your pony.
This list is not meant to be all encompassing but as a guide to some of the items that you may not normally bring to a Pony Club event. You will know you pony, it's feed and rug requirements etc. so please bring what you believe you will need. Bear in mind that they will be riding for more than an hour and probably nearer 2 hours or more in longer events, and you may be several miles for the car at any given time, so energy is needed, especially by smaller children. The weather in our country can be unpredictable so be prepared, it may be sunny when you leave home but that is no guarantee it will not rain heavily when you are 4 miles into your ride, or vice-a-versa.
Championships
If you wish to represent your Branch at the Pony Club Endurance Championships, which are help in September in Bedfordshire, you must complete 3 rides of distance you wish to enter for. See the Pony Club rule book for full details. Some of the rules vary slightly when riding at the Championships so please check this out or discuss with a branch official before planning a trip.
To get started with Endurance Riding complete the form on this web site - click here - or come along to one of our rides as a Pleasure Rider (see Calendar) and talk to the ride organiser and other members - you can't beat trying it.
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