The scheme provides a clear but flexible structure for training your younger clients. Lessons can be steered to cover material for the tests and badges and maybe club evenings can be arranged to cover the stable management, achievement badges or fun quizzes/competitions.

There is an initial affiliation cost of £100 for the overseas riding establishment to become linked to The Pony Club. This covers the initial set up administration including a start up folder (we do try to email as much as possible to you), affiliation to the scheme, regular bulletin mailings, listing on our website and one free copy of the yearbook every year.

Each potential member joins - £10 per person, per year. Membership is open to anyone under 25 years of age. This includes a members badge.

Here are a few further details regarding setting up as a PC linked Centre:

Pre-requisites

In the UK, the 3 essential items are the riding school license, public liability insurance and disclosure and barring checks (child protection). All our overseas linked Centres have different systems in place depending on the country they are based so we are flexible on this requirement for non UK based clubs. All overseas establishments interested in the scheme go through a simple approval process. It can obviously be tricky for us to visit all the overseas venues on a regular basis but if anyone happens to be in your direction then we may try to coordinate a visit.

Instructors

It is preferable that there is a minimum of BHSAI qualified staff (or equivalent), however experience is always taken into account and certainly not ignored. Every year in the UK we run Instructor Conferences and various standard setting training sessions across the country (all listed on the Training pages of the PC website) so if anyone is able to attend those if they happen to be in the UK then that would be great.

Information required at this stage:

• Address and main contact at the Centre
• Proprietor/Instructor background & qualifications
• Child Protection checks (equivalent for your country) for those coaching and supervising the Members
• Does the country that you operate in have a licensing system in place for equestrian centres and riding schools?
• Facilities & type of riding currently offered to clients (lessons, clinics, competitions, hacking, etc)
• How long have you been established as a riding school/equestrian centre
• Website/images

Related Links:

The Pony Club Overseas Centres