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Summer Rallies

A rally is a meeting during which instruction is given, they are usually mounted but depending on the weather and time of year they are sometimes on foot. Rallies may focus on jumping, flatwork/dressage, cross-country or a combination of these.  There are also stable management rallies and games rallies. Rallies at Dumfriesshire Hunt Branch of the pony club are usually on a Tuesday evening from 6.30pm to 8pm.

Summer rallies run weekly from May to August. Members are split into groups depending on their age, circumstances and ability and are allocated an Instructor.  The organisation of the rally is at the discretion of the Rally Organiser.

Any problems whatsoever please speak to someone on the Committee before they become too big.

What you need to Know
  1. Parking: On arrival Please follow the gravel track and park neatly in rows at that end of the field, avoiding the high point which has a spring in it and is soft. ALL instructors and members to park together. Lorries please park at the school until further notice, and ensure any muck etc is cleared before leaving.
  2. Once mounted: find your Instructor and head to their area
  3. Jump Putting Out/In Rota – See FB and WhatApp Group
  4. Bring some money for a cuppa: Our refreshments will be served. Please can you bring some biscuits or traybakes for the kids.
  5. The Children: get free water/juice and biscuits when they’ve finished if they would like them.
  6. Wet Field Rally Plan: See Link for your Arena – when the PC field is too soft to take a Rally we will be offering ‘Mixed Ability Arena Lessons’.
  7. Please put fly repellent on your pony/horse as we are close to the river and the field is surrounded by trees which can attract unwanted beasties.
  8. Link to what to wear – PC sweatshirt/t shirt
Your Role at The Pony Club

Parents play a vital role in their child’s Pony Club journey – from supporting and guiding their progress, to volunteering at local events. The following guidelines should be followed by parents/guardians:

  • be a positive role model for your child and other members
  • respect coaches, officials, volunteers, members and other parents
  • remember that the main aim of The Pony Club is to teach fairness over competitiveness
  • teach members to show sportsmanship, teamwork and supportiveness
  • use approriate conduct at all times, including on social media channels
  • promote the wellbeing of members and their ponies ahead of winning

A code of conduct for parents and guardians with further details is available to download below.

Code of Conduct for MEMBERS

Code of Conduct for PARENTS and Guardians

DFH Booking Terms & Conditions

Reasonable Adjustment & Equality

The Pony Club is committed to ensuring that, wherever possible, members are able to access all aspects of the Branch and Centre activities we offer. Reasonable Adjustments are any actions that help to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty. They are needed because some disabilities can make it harder for members to take part in activities than it would have been had the member not been disabled. A Member does not necessarily have to be disabled (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) to be allowed an access arrangement.

Reasonable adjustments are intended to increase access to Tests and other activities and are intended to assist Members in demonstrating their attainment without affecting or circumventing the Test requirements. All Reasonable Adjustment Plans will be treated confidentially and only shared with permission from the member and their parent (if under 18yrs old).

Grouping for Mounted and Unmounted Rallies Policy (reviewed 30/10/20)

Dumfriesshire Hunt Pony Club has a healthy number of members. For various rallies and training events members are put into groups. Some training events/rallies are aimed at a specific group of children. For example, Shooting Practise is aimed at those that are interested in Tetrathalon or Senior Training is aimed at those who have passed their ‘C Test. All events are organised by volunteers. If you feel we are missing events or that there isn’t as much on for your child as you would like, it is probably because no one has volunteered to organise it. The best way to remedy this is to offer to help!

When members are grouped at rallies a number of things are taken into account, including;

  1. The members pony club age (age on the 1st January).
  2. The most recent test which the member has passed (members are assessed throughout the summer rallies to see which test level they are riding at).
  3. A member’s prior experience (e.g. if a member has already done the badges that are being covered, we might try to accommodate them in a different group).
  4. For mounted rallies the age, experience and behavior of the pony they are riding.
  5. Groups are not static and may change given feedback from instructors and other changes.
  6. Groups are given very careful consideration. Having a member who does not fit into a group can be detrimental to the learning of others. It can, in some cases, be unsafe. It can also put unnecessary pressure on the member who is not grouped correctly and the instructor.

If you feel that your child is in the wrong group you are welcome to talk to the activity organiser to help you to understand why your child is in that group. Given the careful consideration of grouping members it is very unlikely that groups will be altered but hopefully the organiser would be able to help you to understand why your child is in that group.