2014 was the year of change and challenges for our Pony Club.  Our long time DC Daphne Anderson stepped down as her children’s passions and talents led them to actively pursue dance and wrestling.  We will miss the Anderson family immensely.

Pony Club Spirit!

We had several  tremendous losses of our equine partners. Maren lost her pony, Bear, Lisa her very talented gelding Star and Isabelle’s second string mare Emma.  Maren’s replacement mount proved unsuitable with a bad penchant for bucking. She was left catching rides where she could. Through it all Maren remained bright, willing and cheerful  and  full of Pony Club spirit.  Lisa was able to persuade her dad to share his cow horse Bo who proved to be a very athletic and willing partner.  Who knew a ranch horse would look so good in an English saddle? Isabelle brought out her third choice horse Walter (first choice Gala was lame) and we were surprised by his abilities. One of our club members had the terrible misfortune of breaking her leg two days into summer. She missed the entire season. We are thrilled to report she now back and in saddle and doing fantastically!  In spite of many challenges we had a very productive and successful season.

Testing Day for Certificates

Three of our riders tested for their certificates and passed. Tulla, a new member this year took her D-1, Sheridan her D-1 and D-2, and Isabelle, who spent months practicing and studying, took her C-2 Horse Management Certificate. She would like to report that it was tough and even though she practiced her shipping bandages the 150 recommended times she’d recommend practicing another 100  times!

Applying a shipping bandage

One of our youngest members, Claire, started the season with little experience in the saddle.  She began in our lunge lesson program. She firmly stated that she only wanted to walk, before long she was trotting; however, Claire was certain that she’d never canter.The words barely left her lips before she’d was happily loping along.  The end of the season found Claire independently cantering her pony over cross-rails and having the time of her life. Good job Claire!

Good Job Claire!

Dressage test at C&M Farms, Pocatello,ID

Stony Yakovac, our instruction coordinator, adopted a new program emphasizing dressage.  Our members designed their own dressage tests incorporating the movements required to pass their next Certificate.  They also designed a Pas de Duex –a dressage test involving two riders– which was fun and challenging. Additionally, Stony drilled the members on their dressage tests for Rally. Dressage scores improved dramatically and both horse and rider benefited.

D Rally in Bellevue, ID

Rallies were great fun again this year.Our club,save one member, did not make it to Quiz. Thank you Ivy Jean for being the lone representative at Quiz!  MegaRally conflicted with some of our rider’s schedules but those that attended had a great time!  Maren and Lil’ Red brought home blue ribbons for both Show Jumping and the jumping phase at Tetrathlon. Isabelle and Walter placed second in Show Jumping, first for the jumping phase at Tetrathlon, and third overall for Tet. Our kids had a blast at D-rally and camp.  It was well worth the learning experience and they placed third in horse management. One of our riders, Lisa, suffered an injury just days before rally and wasn’t able to ride but, in true Pony Club fashion, she participated as a stable manager for a scramble team.  We are already planning and looking ahead to the next rally season.

It is with much sadness that the Anderson Family say farewell to Bjorn Fjord commonly known as Bear. Bear was foaled in 1991 and lived a long happy life with many children in his life.  These children came from all over the Intermountain Pony Club Region.  He made several trips back East to the National Pony Club Rallies.  Currently, Bear taught my daughter Maren how to ride.  She was able to take second at such a young age at the D-Eventing Rally this last fall in her division.  I will be forever grateful for this willingness to teach her to be confident and also to love to ride.  He will be extremely missed by several people within our region, but I think most by my daughter Maren who just lost a life long best friend.

An important aspect of Pony Club is the certificates (formerly known as ratings) It is an opportunity for the member to test themselves against the Standards of Proficiency. It provides a consistent way to measure a riders knowledge and ability and is a strong motivator for the Pony Clubber to strive harder and study more to advance in their certificate level.

Twice a year ratings are offered to our riders who wish to advance. This fall we had three of our members accept the challenge. Ivy Jean, who is in her first year, tested for her D-1 certificate. She was a well prepared and confident candidate who passed with flying colors. Ivy Jean had to demonstrate a large knowledge base in the basics of horse management. Some of the topics covered were feeding her pony, knowing how to cool him out, grooming and saddling. She also had to demonstrate her mounted skills such as mounting, walking, trotting, halting and riding over ground poles in jumping position. We are all proud of Ivy Jean for a job well done!

Two more of our girls tested for their Certificates. Amee went for her D-3 and her sister Lisa for her C-1. As these girls are moving up in the Standards their testing was quite lengthy and it took the greater part of the day. Not to mention, the girls put in a great deal of time in advance to study their Pony Club Manuals . As a D-3 Amee had to show an expanding knowledge base in many areas such as conditioning, nutrition, conformation, lameness as well as showing how to apply a polo wrap and keep a detailed record book for her horse. Lisa’s testing reached further into the horse management by building upon her D-3 knowledge in greater detail as well as being able to apply stable wraps and continuing with her record book. The girls both had very successful rides demonstrating more advanced skills such as riding without stirrups, emergency dismounts on a moving horse, rein backs and much more. Amee had to jump the majority of her jumps set at 2’3″ for stadium and cross country while Lisa jumped 2’9″. Lisa was presented with an additional challenge as her horse had been seriously ill prior to the testing and she had to make a last minute change to a borrowed mount. Once again our girls diligent work paid out and they passed their tests.

A big thank you needs to go out for the support from the parents and other team members who volunteered their time and efforts to cheer on and provide food and drinks for the girls who were being examined. And a special thanks to Chris Yost for opening up his home and barn to finish the testing after the riding portions were completed.

My daughter Ivy Jean just completed her first pony club camp and rally. The camp and rally were held in Bellevue Idaho in an absolutely beautiful setting of mountains, farms and jumps. Ivy Jean is a very young pony clubber at 7 years old, but she was determined to ride and is a very advanced reader and was allowed to join as an active member. I did not grow up in pony club and so am learning along with my daughter. Ivy Jean and I read the books and prepared apparel and tack, her dad/ coach helped her with her riding and bathing her horse at the Horse Menage Construction. We were all very excited and nervous for her first rally and did not really know what to expect.

We arrived late in the day and were nervous where our daughters horse and feed were to be kept, where we were to camp, and the schedule for the next day. Our stress was immediately relieved when our DC Daphne Anderson and her family quickly escorted us to where everything and everyone went. Within 30 minutes the horse was tucked in, fed and we were having a delicious meal that had been prepared by another pony club mom, Shauna Store.

The next day was camp we were up early and I walked a nervous Ivy Jean to the stable to help feed and water her horse. Ivy Jeans fellow club members kept saying I didn’t need to help but I didn’t feel comfortable with my daughter caring for her own horse. Once the horse was cared for and the pony clubbers asked me to leave as camp was going to start. I had a list for oldest team member Emily Anderson of them of my daughters needs, “ make sure she drinks enough water, make sure an adult bridles her horse, make sure she applies sun screen, make sure she gets a nap if she needs one” , I am sure there were others I just don’t remember them all. Emily was very kind smiled and just nodded.

The camp was wonderful with guest instructors giving lessons in dressage, cross country jumping and stadium jumping. Between riding lessons there were lectures on horse management and a leather craft. I tried to follow my daughter around but I was asked not to help her and let her team help her.

At the end of the day she had a GREAT time, was working with her teammates as a cohesive unit and was able to care for her horse with help from her teammates.

Over the next two days during the rally I saw my daughter grow in her ability to handle her own horse, her schedule and herself. She has gained confidence with her horse and riding ability. She had gained a level of independence I had never seen before. I was proud of my daughters growth and credit it to the pony club members and organization. I found that volunteering helped keep me busy and I only received one reprimand by the coach for telling her to put her heels down at warm­up.

I would like to thank all the members of the Portneuf Valley Pony Club, the moms who soothed my nerves and offered advice, Shauna Store for the delicious food, Daphne Anderson for being our DC and scoring the rally, my husband for coaching the team,and a special thanks to Emily Anderson, Truman Anderson,and Isabelle Hutchinson her teammates.

Thank you
Teresa Yakovac

The Portneuf Valley Pony Club participated in three different rallies a couple of weeks ago. Our club did an amazing job working together as a team and cheering everyone on.

The first rally was the Dressage Rally. As a team they took 4th overall with great rides. It was difficult to learn two different Dressage tests and ride in the awful heat, but they did an amazing job.

The next rally was the Show Jumping Rally which meant each rider had to memorize three different courses. As a team they took 6th overall with many great rides. They also tied for 1st in the horse management portion of the competition which means they definitely know how to take great care of their horses and be safe around them.  They are to be commended for this achievement.

In the Tetrathlon Rally, they competed their hearts out. They each had to run, swim, shoot, and ride. Each member excelled in different phases of the competition. We were really proud of them overall for their team work and ability to push through long hot days in the sun.