All rally organisers should have the following in place at the time of the rally/event:
In date first aid certificate
In date DBS check for pony club purposes
Evidence of attendance (within last 3 years) of pony club safeguarding course
Don’t worry if you’ve not got them as we can help you get them. Contact our DC or Safeguarding Officer (contact details below) who will advise you.
In the case of first aid, if another parent is attending the rally/event who has this in place, that’s fine.
In the case of safeguarding, if another parent is attending the rally/event who has this in place, they can ‘supervise’ you.
Before the rally/training event:
If you would like to organise a rally, have a chat with our DC who will advise on dates, types of rally/event and instructors. Our DC keeps a calendar of all the rallies and events held by Meynell PC to make sure there is an even spread throughout the year – not just dates but types and levels. Our DC will add your rally/event to the calendar.
Our DC will also be able to advise you on the hourly rate we usually pay for venues and instructors as you will also need to calculate how much you will charge for attendance at your rally and how many members can attend. The total income from the rally/event must be sufficient to cover the cost of the venue, cost of the instructor and any Entrymaster fees/charges.
The rally organiser is responsible for booking the instructor and the venue.
Your chosen instructor must be on the pony club’s list of approved instructors. If they are not on the list, our DC can add them as long as they have all the correct paperwork in place.
Once your venue is chosen, check with the Pony Club’s Health & Safety Officer (H&SO) to see if there is an up-to-date pony club risk assessment in place for the venue.
If no risk assessment is in place, complete a risk assessment using the pony club template:
Risk Assessments | The Pony Club (pcuk.org) https://pcuk.org/officials/health-and-safety/risk-assessments/
If you need any help completing the risk assessment, contact the H&SO.
You may need to visit the venue before the rally/training event to complete the risk assessment and to obtain photographs if/where necessary.
Check the venue’s third-party public liability insurance is in date and if possible, obtain a copy.
Send the completed risk assessment and copy of the insurance certificate to the H&SO before the rally/training event.
You will need to ask our DC or Matthew Hidderley (contact details below) to add the rally/event to the Entrymaster system so members can book on. The rally/event must be added to the Enrtymaster system at least seven days before the rally/event to give sufficient notice to members and to give them time to book on.
When bookings are being taken, ensure the rider/pony combinations are at a suitable level/ability for the rally/training event. If you have doubts about an entry, speak to the H&SO or the DC.
Don’t forget to take your pony club first aid kit (if you have one) as you may be required to administer first aid at the rally/training event (a first aid kit can be obtained from our DC). Instructors and venues will also have a first aid kit.
During the rally/training event:
Check any actions identified in the risk assessment are actioned at the rally/training event and initial/sign off the actions as appropriate once actioned.
Check for any obstacles or issues that were not present when the risk assessment was first prepared and add these to the risk assessment.
Check all riders’ hats are tagged with a pink tag. If a hat is not tagged (and you or the instructor have no tags), check the standard conforms to PC standards and make a note to tell the DC or H&SO that the hat needs tagging. The PC hat standards are: hat-
https://resources.pcuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/hat-rule-2024.pdf
If a XC rally/event (including arena eventing), check the body protectors conform to PC standards and fit correctly. The PC body protector standards are:
https://resources.pcuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/body-protector-rule-2024.pdf
Basically, they must be BETA 2018 Level 3 Standard (blue and black label).
Note: Body protectors are not required for other rallies/training events. If a member chooses to wear one, it can be any standard but must fit correctly and be in good condition. If a member wears an air jacket at a rally please inform all membes at the rally that it could make a loud bang if that rider falls.
Check all riders are wearing appropriate footwear (small heal, no wellies).
Wearing of jewellery, including earrings, is not recommended but if a rider does where jewellery/earrings, they do so at their own risk. This should be explained to them and their parent(s)/carer(s).
Stirrups should be of the correct size to suit the rider’s boots. They must have 7mm (¼”) clearance on either side of the boot. Stirrups which connect the boot and the stirrup magnetically are not allowed. Interlocking boot soles and stirrup treads are not allowed.
The instructor should check tack/equipment used by riders or on the ponies to ensure it is safe and correctly fitted.
Make a note of falls and accidents/incidents that occur during the rally/training event – time it happened, who fell, what happened and details of any injury to rider or pony. You will need this information to complete a tumble form – see below.
Administer first aid if required.
After the rally/training event:
Send a copy of any updated risk assessment to the H&SO.
Complete a tumble form (see template below) and send to the H&SO.
If the rider was taken to hospital as a result of a fall or any other accident/incident at the rally/training event, call the H&SO as soon as possible after the rally/training event. The H&SO will need to complete an on-line insurance form and will need full details of:
Time of accident/incident
What happened
Who to
Details of injuries sustained
Details and contact numbers of all witnesses.
Complete the instructor payment form (this can be found on our website) and send it to the pony club treasurer who will pay the instructor.
The Pony Club’s Health & Safety Handbook can be found at:
rulebook-health-safety-safeguarding-and-welfare-2024-final_web-v220124.pdf