“No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.” — Winston Churchill
WITHOUT THE ROUTINE, regimen and social life that comes with going to school, it seems too many youths are in need of positive activities to fill that void.
I’ve always been a strong supporter of our local horse organizations, such as 4-H, Pony Club or any horse barn and training facility that supports our youth.
Through the years, I’ve written about many such groups, including Christine Headley and her facility Heron Pond Farm Equestrian Center. She also helps to facilitate the Equitese Pony Club and provides support to 4-H horse groups.
“Pony Club has certification levels that are similar to members of Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts receiving badges to acknowledge accomplishments,” Headley said. “Levels are easy for individuals to work on during the current social-distancing requirements.”
United States Pony Club certifications test on horse-management knowledge and riding skills. Each of the 12 levels of certification get progressively more difficult.
Headley was the first in Jefferson County to get the USPC highest level of certification for horse management and riding skills, the H-A. Currently, she’s the only United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Certified Instructor in Jefferson County.
The group meets twice a month for riding lessons, either with Headley or her mother Kim McGuire instructing. Occasionally they bring in qualified guest instructors from out of the area to teach.
Once a month, they meet for horse management class or barn knowledge lessons. When stay-at-home orders were in effect, they met via Zoom.
One class is for the D level, which is the introductory certification level. On a different day is the monthly class for the C level, which is the more advanced group. The horse knowledge or management side of Pony Club levels are from D to A, with D being the beginners level. Lisa Cartwright is the group’s Horse Management coordinator/instructor. The EPC District Commissioner or club leader is Sarah Doyle.
With five new members this year, Headley said part of the club’s November goals include helping them to attain their C level certifications.
“Next year we’re hopeful we can to do competitions. If not, the region has offered virtual competitions,” she said. Of course, virtual events aren’t nearly as fun as the vitality experienced at in-person shows and competitions.
Last year, members held a fundraising car wash — Wash for Rails — at Les Schwab, where they raised more than $600. With it, they purchased new wood poles, got the wood planed smooth, and then primed and painted.
“We were able to give some love to the old poles that have been around for some 30 years,” Headley said. “I think everyone had fun with that project.”
Their next group project includes designing and building jump boxes and planks.
At Heron Pond, Headley offers beginning or casual horse lessons, and she can provide students with a lesson horse, along with dressage, jumping and eventing. For those who want to progress in the various levels of dressage, she emphasizes getting a solid foundation through flat-work (non-jumping) first. Her training techniques are based on proven Natural Horsemanship methods as well as Pony Club methods.
“I like riders to have fun while learning to be confident riders,” she said. Having fun is part of the reason she works closely with members of her local 4-H horse club members and the Pony Club.
The USPC is the largest equestrian educational organization in the world that teaches horsemanship skills to youth and adults, including riding skills and proper horse care or horse management. Visit www.ponyclub.org for more information.
Note: When founded in 1929, the term “pony” was used to describe the mount of a youth equestrian. With a name steeped in the tradition of educating the next generation of equestrians, the name Pony Club continues to focus on education and quality care of both horses and ponies.
Ownership of a horse or pony is not required for membership in either the 4-H horse club or Pony Club, but arrangements for a suitable mount must be made on an individual basis. The goal of both groups is to teach confidence, leadership, safety, self-reliance and good horsemanship.
Both Pony Club and 4-H, as well as other local trainers, offer advancement in dressage, eventing, show jumping, hunter seat equitation and Western riding. Locally, I think it’s only 4-H that offers barrel racing.
For more information, view the club on its Facebook page, Equitese Pony Club, online at northwest.ponyclub.org, or phone Headley at 360-286-9256. Heron Pond Farm Equestrian Center is located on Green Way in Port Townsend.
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears the second and fourth Sunday of each month.
If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, please email Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also call her at 360-460-6299.
