Saturday 5th March 2011

Today, Saturday 5th March, the children learned about the Pony Club Games. They first watched a team practicing on the computer, followed by a heat of the Mounted Pony Club Games at the Horse of the Year Show from 2007. The difference between the 2 clips was amazing.
We then went into the Yard and they learnt to play 2 of the games on foot, so they could not only learn the rules but the games as well and how the games should be played in spirit. These games are played in team format like relay races. The 2 games played were the Flag Sticking race and the Tennis Ball Race.

Once all the riding was finished, Jenna erected a Show Jumping course. Jenny showed the children a short clip of a Junior Show Jumper approximately 10 years old jumping at the Pony of the Year Competition. The standard was extremely high and a few of our Pony Club children, said that they wanted to be able to do that. After that we all went out to the Sand School and Jenny showed the Children how to measure out the striding between fences. She also explained some of the rules of Show-Jumping including the various penalties incurred for refusing or knocking a jump down. They then all came out of the arena, and watched as Jenna first warmed Brioche up before jumping the course. We then, lowered the jumps and the children all jumped the course on foot. The idea being to learn about how much room a horse needs to turn, and how to approach the jumps and adjust their own strides to enable them to jump correctly.

Although we didn’t get a chance to take any pictures this week, I think the children all had a great time. I know we did!