DAY 1 Handouts. Saturday 6 th February STATE COACHING. Page 1 of 25

Transcription

1 DAY 1 Handouts Saturday 6 th February STATE COACHING Page 1 of 25 SCHOOL

2 Session Index Page Title 3 Session 3 PC Quick release knots (D* + ) 4 Session 4 Holding reins & whips 9 Session 5 Jump distances and safety 13 Session 6 Flatwork through games (E, D & D*) 19 Session 9 Gear checking summary of changes Page 2 of 25

3 Session 3: PC Quick release knots (D* +) THE PONY CLUB KNOT Tying up a pony or horse with the quick release knot expected by Certificate assessors. There is only one knot that needs to be taught at Pony Club for the purpose of tying up ponies and horses. There are certainly a multitude of other knots for other purposes but the knot that I am talking about is mentioned in the D syllabus, and since D certificate is the prerequisite for all following certificates then it is quite likely to be requested by examiners at all certificate testing days. The reason so much emphasis is being placed on the quick release knot is because examiners are reporting that candidates do not accomplish this knot at certificate levels above D. Why not? Well it seems that maybe our riders are not being taught this at rallies. The knot itself is simple enough and rally instructors should insist on and check for its use at every opportunity from first rallies attended onwards. Of equal importance is that the riders understands the other aspects of tying up their mount: 1. NEVER TIE UP WITH THE REINS. ALWAYS WITH A HALTER AND LEAD ROPE. 2. Always tie to something immovable and solid, not a gate or a wonky fence, or a float not attached to its towing vehicle. 3. Tie to something at the same level as the horse's muzzle when he is standing quietly and calmly. 4. Make sure that the rope is not directly attached to the solid object, but to a portion of string that will break if put under strain caused by horse or pony pulling back. (Today's synthetic binder twine or hay bale string is very strong and it is advisable to separate it in to at least 3 strands so that it will break if horse pulls back in panic) 5. The rope must be the length needed for the pony or horse to just be able to reach the ground, with no excess loop to get his leg over, and short enough that he cannot get it caught over his neck. The correct length seems to be about the length of the horse or pony's neck. People who have been around horses for many years can give many examples of tying up disasters: Broken halters, broken lead ropes, horses running madly still attached to a rail which was pulled from the fence, the terrifying sight of a pony pulling back frantically with all his weight, only to lose his footing and fall. Let's not have any of these disasters befall our young riders, let's teach them how and where to tie their mounts safely. Page 3 of 25

4 Session 4: Holding Reins & Whips HOW TO HOLD REINS & WHIPS CORRECTLY HOW TO HOLD REINS Correct procedure & hand position with a single rein Coaching process to explain how to hold the reins correctly in both hands. Rein passes between the third and little finger and comes out between the index finger and thumb. Thumb pressed down on the rein/this stops it slipping through your hands. Fingers closed but not tightly clenched. Hands remain quietly in position above and in front of the pommel on either side of the neck and about 5 cm apart (as wide as the bit). Viewing from the side a straight line should pass from rider s elbow through to his hand and along the rein to the horse s mouth. Correct procedure & hand position with reins in one hand (Pony Club) Coaching process to explain how to hold the reins correctly in one hand. Pass right rein over to left hand. Hold it between your second and third fingers. Take the slack of both reins between your index finger and thumb. Rider s arm that is not holding the rein hangs straight down from the shoulder against the body. Correct procedure holding the reins using a bridge Page 4 of 25

5 Coaching process to explain how to hold the reins correctly using a bridge. Pass the left rein outside your little finger. Right rein between your thumb and first finger. Right rein lies over the left as they cross the palm of the hand. Rider s arm that is not holding the rein hangs straight down from the shoulder against the body. Correct procedure to shorten the reins (half a bridge) Coaching process to explain how to shorten the reins if they get too long Left rein (reverse for right). Take hold of the left rein between your right thumb and first finger. Slide your left hand down to the required length. HOW TO HOLD WHIPS CORRECTLY AND CHANGE HANDS Types of whips: General Purpose or a crop. Must have a flexible flap or tassel, not weighted at the end and have a maximum length of 75cm Dressage Whips. Must have a flexible flap or tassel. Maximum length for ponies 13hh and under 1m; over 13hh maximum length permitted is 1.2m Page 5 of 25

6 Jumping Whips. Must have a flexible flap. Tassels not permitted, not weighted at the end and have a maximum length of 75cm Whips with novelty "flaps" like stars and hands are not permitted. Loop handles must be removed. Use of whips is to reinforce the leg aid of a rider. Correct procedure to change whip from hand to hand using thumb and index finger pinch Coaching process to explain how to change a short whip from hand to hand right hand to left hand (reverse for left hand to right hand). Take hold of the left rein between your right thumb and (index) first finger. Take hold of the end knob of the whip with the left hand Pull the whip through the thumb and forefinger of the right hand Extend the left hand till the whip tassel clears the right hand Return the left hand to normal position taking back the left rein Coaching process to explain how to change a dressage whip from hand to hand left hand to right hand (reverse for right hand to left hand). Take hold of the right rein between your left thumb and first finger Cross the right hand over the horses wither with the palm facing forward and grasp the whip under the left hand. Open the thumb and forefinger of the left hand and allow the whip to slide through to the right hand Pass the whip over the horses withers with the handle pointing down and the tassel end up As the whip is crossing over the withers to the right side, rotate the wrist and whole arm back into the correct position. Take back the right rein as you allow the whip to slide down through your hand to your desired position Page 6 of 25

7 Rein Hold Matrix This matrix suggests the best rein hold for different activities and situations. Rein Hold Best used for: Notes Pony Club Any arena work requiring riding with reins in one hand. Saluting the judge. Or mounted games. Maintains correct hand/wrist position and by moving the reins to the right or left has an indirect turning effect. Bridging (one hand) Bridging (one hand) Bridging (both hands) Half bridge Thumb/index finger pinch Mounting, dismounting, adjusting girth and stirrups. And rider exercises. Mounted games when riding with one hand is required. Horses that are strong in the gallop or opinionated. To shorten the reins and introduce some turning ability from the full bridge. Changing the whip from one hand to the other. Maintains consistent contact for generally static exercises. Only useful if the pony/horse responds to neck reining. Essentially the horse is pulling against himself. Useful when riding on the straight as steering is difficult. Useful when riding a strong horse on a X country course. Page 7 of 25

8 LUNGE WHIP The whip should be comfortable to carry, well balanced with a light lash at the end. It should be long enough to reach the horse when he is out on the circle. When leading the horse the whip is held under the armpit of the handler with the butt pointing forward and the lash coiled around the stock of the whip. The lunge whip represents the rider s legs and driving aids. Correct procedure to change a lungeing whip from one rein to another Coaching process to explain how to change rein & lungeing whip from left rein to right rein (reverse for right rein to left rein). Place whip under your right armpit with butt pointing forward Take your lunge rein into your right hand Using your left arm behind your back take lunge whip and place under your left armpit with butt pointing forward Walk around the front of your horse to the right rein position. References: The Manual of Horsemanship British Horse Society Pony Club Australia C Certificate Manual Pony Club Australia C* Certificate Manual Page 8 of 25

9 Session 5: Jump distances & safety Coaching Jumping at Pony Club When coaching jumping at a Pony Club rally there are a number of factors to take in to consideration. Group Composition, Environment and Equipment The group may be varied or may be similar in abilities, they should be of similar efficiency certificate levels, at small clubs this is not always possible and you may get a group of varied ages, all keen to jump. The area that you have to use for jumping will also vary as to surface and security, this has to be taken into the planning. The type of jumping gear your Club has and who is available for set up and take down, will guide how ambitious it is sensible to be. Size of clubs and gear owned by clubs varies throughout the State, hopefully you have a great team of helpers to build your planned exercise or course. Safety Factors Breakaway safety cups must be used on the back of any jump that has a width factor, even in training, please be sure that you insist on this as unfortunately there are still some clubs not using these at rallies. If you have an issue with this at your club, please contact coaching@pcawa.com And never leave unused cups in jumps wings or stands. Planks are much heavier than poles and require special flatter cups so that theses will fall when knocked. The photo on the left has a normal jump cup on the left and a plank cup on the right. Poles used on the ground can roll and cause accidents, if you can do try to stabilise them with arena dirt or a low cup on grass. Or if you have someone handy with wood you can make inexpensive stabilizers. Page 9 of 25

10 If your wings do not have low cups to make really low cross poles you may have to take the wings further apart so the centre cross is low, leave a pole width between the two rails with all crosses so that they will fall if knocked. It is not always easy to use trotting poles with a varied group, so if you want to use poles use individual poles to trot over as in a small course. Line and rhythm gives plenty for you to help the riders with at a rally day. Using a layout like the one on the left will offer challenges at differing levels. For clear information on the position required for safe jumping at Pony Club please use the Pony Club Manual No1 and No2. It does not matter if you have the older yellow and green book for D and C certificates and the red purple book for C+ and above or the newer blue books that are currently available, they contain excellent information. There are a lot of theories about jumping position, these manuals assist with the clarity of jumping position, and should help you understand what is required at Pony Club. Read the sections on jumping thoroughly paying particular attention to position. In some older books there are pictures of cavalletti which these days would be considered dangerous, but we have many modern plastic substitutes for supports for low jumps these days. Riders can be helped with the use of a Neck strap, and ponies and horses often go a lot better if their mouths are saved from the weight of the rider through their hands. Neck straps must be fitted appropriately for the combination involved and the activity being done, and are not limited to D and C level as older riders with new horses may well find them helpful. Refer to the gear checking manual and you will find they can be used in all activities. Note the rider should be "sun smart" and have long sleeves. Page 10 of 25

11 Jumping Problems Dealing with refusals and run outs is often difficult but representing multiple times is not beneficial to the long term training. Teach your riders to stay at the front of the jump and quietly lower the jump to the ground, if they need to, back up a pace or two so the pony can see the jump, but do not turn around and then go forward over the rail. Gradually rebuild the jump until confidence is restored. This prevents turning away from a jump becoming a normal habit, and helps gain good habits. Obviously this cannot be done in competitions and a plan for what to do when a refusal occurs should be covered by all riders, so they are not taken by surprise in a competition. This includes the use of the whip, as unfortunately some people get stressed and over use the whip. Hitting horses and ponies on take off is not fair, as it diverts the attention from the jump, but some will require some encouragement to gain more impulsion on the approach. Horse Welfare Be mindful of horse welfare at all times, this is an area we must all take more notice of as the equine is the innocent participant in our sport and does not get a choice as to its participation. Coaches need to understand that ponies do have limitations, others need confidence, and some need control. Falls and loss of confidence need to be avoided if possible, as it can take a long time to rebuild confidence after a fall of rider and or horse. Use of the Pony Club Syllabus of Instruction gives you clear guidelines as to what is required to attain an efficiency certificate. Most lesson plans can be made up from reading the syllabus for the level you are coaching thoroughly, then referring to the Pony Club Manual No 1 or No 2. Recommended reading from the NCAS coaching list can also be used such as the BHS and United States Pony Club. Refer to the current rules for jumping on the PCAWA website or Equestrian Australia site have a copy on hand so you can discuss these with your group and give the correct answer. If there is a competition coming up then the program for that is useful too and avoids confusion. Refer to the PCAWA safety and comfort of horse and rider manual or Gear Check Manual to be sure of the gear being used. It pays to take the time to look before rally day and keep a copy on hand at rallies for reference. The Related Distance Table (below) is a useful guide. Trotting Poles Trot pole to X pole Bounce trot approach Bounce canter approach Double 1NJS trot approach Double 1NJS canter approach Double 2NJS trot approach Double 2NJS 12hh 15hh 17hh 1.06m 1.4m 1.6m m m m m m m m Page 11 of m m m m m m m m 3.3m 3.6m m m m m m

12 canter approach Remember factors such as ground, slope, speed, impulsion, height of fence will all influence these distances. Keep your jumping lessons simple and safe, do your homework well and have a flexible plan ready and you will always find the riders enjoy themselves in a safe environment whatever level they are. Article by Judy Rose References: Pony Club No.1 Manual Pony Club No.2 Manual A Young Person's Guide to Show Jumping Tim Stockdale (A Pony Club publication) Building Show Jumping Course A Guide for Beginners Maureen Summers (A Pony Club publication) School Exercises Eleanor Ross (Related Distances) Page 12 of 25

13 Session 6: Flatwork through games (E,D & D*) State Coaching School Active Riding Presented by Dan Foster With the opportunity for riders to travel Australia and the world competing on borrowed horses the world of Mounted Games has opportunities at a fraction of the cost of the other pony club disciplines. The basic philosophy that I try and get across is that clubs can help riders by continually teaching them how to apply their flatwork aides and skills at the correct time to improve their performance in games. Games has sometimes been left as something the rider does while the pony simply travels up and down the arena but at the higher level and certainly what separates the best from the rest is that your flat work aides are crucial and the lines you ride in games will decide your fate the same way they do in showjumping. Active Riding Coaching Active Riding is a broad topic but the outcome is simple, you are teaching riders to overcome situations that confront riders. Active Riding is one part rider and one part horse and the two can work in the one direction doing the same thing or they can work in opposite directions doing different tasks but always together as a team. The Active Riding coach is laying the foundation for the bush rides, floating challenges, beach exhibitions, bareback riding, Prince Philip Games Competitions, Novelties, Polocrosse, track riding, horse breaking/educating, mustering, Showjumping and X Country, all the activities that the Pony Club rider may come across in the future. The Active Riding coach should always be asking the rider but what is the horse thinking about this activity you are asking it to do? The Active Riding coach will not be quoted by members who make it to the Olympics and may not be the instructor that riders continually turn to throughout their riding career, but they do play the important role of helping riders to enjoy owning a horse and understanding how to deal with the small problems before they become big problems. When you teach an Active Riding lesson you are not looking for the next champion games rider or Polocrosse player, you are not trying to convert riders away from the discipline they already have a passion for, you are just trying to give them some additional tools skills? That they can use when and how they like. Active Riding is so broad that even the same lesson given to two different people can have completely different objectives and usually can achieve two completely different outcomes. A lesson in moving mugs around on poles for example given to an 8 year old beginner rider might be about coordination and rider balance but when given to a 20 year old experienced dressage rider the lesson could be about understanding your horses responses to a different activity or it could be about breaking down issues into their basic parts. The 8 year old might finish the lesson and think it was the best thing they have ever done, the 20 year old might leave the lesson and be surprised at how there horse responded and how much they could actually achieve. All the coach did was supply some mugs and poles to coordinate the lesson. The best quote I have for the Active Games coach comes directly from a good friend of mine who is a school teacher: A teacher doesn t need to know all the answers, they are only there to facilitate the learning. My interpretation of this; a good lesson plan is all you need, with that the riders can teach themselves. Page 13 of 25

14 Lesson Plan The Lesson Plan needs to last more than 90 minutes, you can t go into a lesson thinking you will only do 4 things because if those 4 things finish in 35 minutes not 60 minutes you are then forced to create ideas on the spot, these will never be that good. If you end up doing only half your lesson that is ok because the 2 nd half of your Lesson Plan can be implemented at the next lesson. The Lesson Plan should be designed so every rider in your Lesson can do 75% of what you ask for. For instance a lesson on vaulting can be a case of some will get it straight away some will not get it for years so a vaulting lesson should be bolted on to the end of a more achievable lesson for all riders. For example, it could also be included in a lesson about the correct mounting of a horse, how to do a slip rail, how to use a mounting block or how to do a full PPMG race which incorporates getting on or off. The Lesson where possible should allow all riders to always be busy to maximise time spent with equipment, if you are teaching Polocrosse try and give everyone a racquet, if you are doing PPMG give everyone their own pole, cone, tennis ball or mug. Set your arena up so you can see everyone at all times, if this is not possible utilise an assistant to be an extra pair of eyes. If you can structure the Lesson in a way that riders have their own space and you can set parameters that keeps the activity safe then you are giving the riders a real chance to teach themselves. Allow riders, especially older riders, to condition their horses to the activity themselves. If you give them a flag and start to talk about the exercise don t be phased if some riders are busy patting the horse with the flag, it will increase their confidence because: 1. they have done something they thought was necessary, 2. They were not interrupted by the instructor or there was no debate about who knows best. 3. In some instances, this may be the first time you have taught this horse and rider combination, and older members, particularly Associates will know their horse, and it s reactions to a different situation much better than yourself. On occasions, Active Riding lessons may require a fair amount of explaining; sometimes only a brief explanation is required Do not be alarmed if you have set a task and you end up with nothing to say, the riders don t mind if you aren t talking to them but they will care if you are not interested in them. A simple example of this is when a rider is focussing on a hand eye task they will almost certainly ignore anything you say at the time, so let them do the task and when they stop to breathe acknowledge what your thoughts were on it and ask for their feedback Do not think because you are not the expert that you shouldn t teach something. If you know your Club riders and their ability then you will be able to introduce the beginner skills to the riders more effectively than an outside expert possibly could. Bringing in outside experts in any field is a great idea but you need to relate it to other disciplines, for example would you ask a top dressage instructor to teach flatwork to a D group or would you get a high profile showjumper to teach riders over cross rails? The same can be said for other disciplines; for example if you ask a Polocrosse instructor to come to your Club the instructor will be accomplish more if the riders already feel comfortable picking a ball up of the ground at a trot. Lastly as an instructor you need to understand what can go wrong, where will a horse panic, where will a rider get reservations, can this be foreseen and potentially avoided. As you become more experienced as a Coach, in your introduction and build up, you can gradually add controls to increase the safety of the lesson and confidence in the riders. Page 14 of 25

15 Prince Philip Mounted Games Coaching Coaching Prince Philip Mounted Games (PPMG) is one of two things, it can be teaching a group of riders the necessary skills to compete in the sport of PPMG or it can be training a team to compete in a specific PPMG competition. As a coach and coordinator of a discipline you need to decide what type of training you want to conduct and this will determine how you structure the lesson. If you are teaching skills then you need to create a lesson that covers the skills you want to teach and caters for the numbers you could get. When you are coaching a team you can rely on the format of the race as a guideline but you do need to be flexible especially if the number of riders does not necessarily mimic what a team would look like. As a competitive discipline you will find that you need to hold special training sessions to focus on the interested riders. Some clubs choose to do this after a rally and this can be useful as your riders are already there or alternatively pick a day where you can spend two hours with your team/s, no more than 2 hours training per session would be required as riders do lose focus. A very simple way to teach a club is to do each race once or twice at every training and on top of this focus on one or two specific skills for one of the races. This method will use repetition to help riders and it will also paint a picture of where the extra work is required. Always insist on a solid warm up that uses the flat work skills the riders know, for some young riders this may be very simple transitions, for older riders it might mean lateral work. Remember we are not here to teach dressage we are here to use it, stick with what they know but make sure they then apply it to their races. One pitfall a good warm up avoids is the idea that you can just rush into doing games, you must insist that before you do a race the rider has a horse that is listening to them. You will discover in coaching games that riders will create their own problems and not listen to a solution until the problem is causing them grief. To fix problems is hard to not develop them requires discipline. Young riders especially will struggle to take the going slow if their horse is not as accepting as their fellow riders ponies are to the games, unlike showjumping where a refusal will make a rider aware that the problem needs addressing in games things just get harder and harder. You will discover that the competitive spirit in both riders and their parents can be a subject that you need to overcome. Games will be a challenge to develop in your club because it is a team sport taught in an individual s environment. In every other horse discipline if you don t make the club team you can ride as an individual, if you do make the team your score is your score and it gets added to the rest of the team, usually the worst score gets discarded. Even though it is a challenge it can be the most rewarding thing to teach young people the importance of a true team effort. Always remember the order of importance is safety of the rider, comfort and safety of the horse and make sure it is fun. On the fun side of the equation do not let the fact that most of your riders are there for fun allow them to drop there riding standards in your arena.. Page 15 of 25

16 Session 7: Working with Children Handouts available on the PCAWA website Page 16 of 25

17 Session 9: Gear checking manual summary of changes The 2016 Gear Check Manual will be available to purchase and download Feb/March If you have any questions about gear checking rules, Once a year, PCAWA reviews its gear checking rules. Member feedback and new knowledge is collated during the year by GCAP to perform this review. A survey in 2015 identified specific areas that needed to be reviewed and have been integrated into the manual for Rule changes publicised by EA across are also reviewed and some (where appropriate) have been considered for inclusion in Nail polish / Nail Treatments Not permitted to be visible in any ridden activity when in Formal Pony Club Uniform. Not permitted to be visible (mounted/dismounted) for Efficiency Certificate Examinations. Gloves must be worn by riders with coloured nail polish / artificial nails. Artificial nails not recommended as they may be prone to injury, pain when damaged, bent back, knocked or pulled off etc. 2. WWC required for Gear Checking Accreditation CRITERIA FOR ACCREDITATION o o o o o o Be on the current Strength Return of a Pony Club affiliated with the PCAWA Hold a current and applicable WWC Be aged 18 years and over Be actively involved in pony club activities at club, zone or state level Fulfill accreditation and assessment process (points 3 and 4 below) Recognition of Prior Learning see item 5 Page 17 of 25

18 3. Rowel Spurs ROWEL SPURS Permitted for use in Elementary Dressage tests and above only. 1. Rowel disc is smooth, not sharp, on a vertical plane, straight and not too thin so as to cut or wound the horse. 2. Daisy rowel has no sharp points, on a vertical plane, straight and not too thin so as to cut or wound the horse. Not Permitted Rowel Spurs Below ( In ANY activity): a) Rowel is horizontal, may cause injury to horse b) Rowel has tynes 4. Chin Straps Rowels are n ot permitted any other ridden activity Section 1, General Saddlery, after text on Double Bridles (5), before text on Bit Guards (7): Page 18 of 25

19 Chin Straps Functions completely differently to a lip strap, curb strap or curb chain. Function is to stabilise the cheek and mouthpiece of a bit, to allow correct function. It may also be used to stop the bit being pulled through the horse s mouth. It encourages the mouthpiece to lift and offer tongue relief. The chin strap must never place any pressure on the chin. Minimum fit of two fingers between the CHIN and the strap. Strap to fit in the upper part of the chin, not the lower chin groove. Made of leather or webbing material not metal links. Permitted with Micklem bridles. Permitted for use in conjunction with: o Peewee bits o Universal gag bits strap must be fitted in the top ring that attaches to the bridle. o Dutch gag bits strap must be fitted in the top ring that attaches to the bridle. o Snaffle bits with a loose ring configuration. This is commonly seen in Campdrafting and Polocrosse. o Not permitted in the conjunction with other Cheekpiece configurations (See Section 1 Saddlery General Bit Rings and Cheekpieces Permitted) Chin Strap, with a Universal Gag. Strap is fitted in the top ring. Chin Strap, with a Universal Gag FITTED. Note that the strap is positioned well above the lower chin groove Chin Strap, with a Peewee Bit Chin strap, with a Peewee Bit shown FITTED and above the lower chin groove, and pictured with a Micklem bridle Page 19 of 25

20 5. Helmet Standards The wearing of a correctly fitting and secured Safety Helmet which complies with the requirements of the current ASA / NZS 3838 is compulsory. Also acceptable are Safety Helmets which comply with one of the following standards: PAS 015 (UK) ASTM F 1163 (USA) VG1 (Europe) EN 1384 (Europe) only acceptable for helmets manufactured up to Dec Dressage/Eventing Dressage (Tails) Mane: Eventing Dressage and Dressage To be plaited Forelock: Eventing Dressage and Dressage To be plaited Tail: Eventing Dressage and Dressage Recommended to be pulled, trimmed or plaited. Not mandatory. 7. Medical Armbands Compulsory for Eventing Cross Country and Tetrathlon Cross Country Worn on the LEFT UPPER ARM / UPPER LEFT CORNER OF RIDER BIB. Page 20 of 25

21 8. Balancing Reins Permitted for Rallies and Musical Ride only. They are a training tool to be used under coach supervision and are not for use in competition. Balancing reins are a pair of leather reins, with an elasticated rein attachment which connects to the d clips on the saddle. Their function is similar to that of grass reins and the anti grazing strap to prevent the rider losing contact of the reins when the pony snatches, or pulls down. Also helpful for beginner riders learning to coordinate their hands and arms when riding. Correct fitting: The elastic support reins should be buckled to the hole on the rein at the loosest connection (the buckle hole on the reins nearest the rider s hands). The support reins are then clipped onto the d rings at the front of the saddle on each side. The elastic support rein must not be stretched to attach or pull on the bit. The horse/pony should have a head position in front of the vertical when fitting. Elasticized strap, and clip buckle connects to d clips of saddle Buckles connect to the bit Elasticized strap, and clip buckle connects to d clips of saddle Reins, which the ride r holds and rides with 9. Jodhpur and Trouser Colour Page 21 of 25

22 RIDER JODHPURS / BREECHES Jodhpurs / Breeches, the top of which shall be at the rider s waist (i.e. NO hipsters or low rise), must be Beige, Bone, Fawn or White Bright Yellow, and dark coloured Jodhpurs / Breeches permitted at Rallies, Musical Ride and Fancy Dress only Teams of riders (in team events) must have matching jodhpur / breeches colour. RIDER TROUSERS / MOLESKINS Riding Trousers or Moleskins (Bootleg Style) of Fawn, Bone, Beige or White colour. 10. Stirrup Iron Colour STIRRUP IRONS Must be Metal or Carbon Polymer only. Stainless Steel (Silver), Black or Brass recommended. Coloured permitted in all activities. 11. Stirrup Tread Colour STIRRUP TREADS Removable treads must be of rubber, plastic, polymer or metal. Black, Silver or White recommended. Coloured treads permitted in all activities. 12. Ear bonnet Colour EAR COVERS/BONNETS/HOODS May be in any colour. Club / Zone colours recommended. Page 22 of 25

23 13. Trousers at Nationals RIDER TROUSERS / MOLESKINS Riding Trousers or Moleskins are permitted in all PCAWA activities 14. Age of Horse 3.1 HORSE/PONY Age of horse for PCAWA Competitions /Efficiency Certificates: From the beginning of the calendar year in which it turns 5 years A horse that is rising- 4 at Jan 1 of the year does not meet these criteria. As it has not yet completed 4 full years of life from birth. 15. Bits for Dressage and Eventing Dressage Bitting rules for PCAWA Dressage and Eventing Dressage are planned to be equivalent to EA Dressage and EA Eventing Dressage Rules. This motion from GCAP is currently with State Coaching Panel for consideration. It is hoped that this will then be submitted to the PCAWA Board in the coming weeks for ratification. This will then hopefully form part of 2016 Gear Checking Manual. The 2016 Gear Check Manual will be available to purchase and download Feb/March will see a completely revised manual being released, with a separate section for a) rules and b) fitting guidelines. We look forward to releasing this improved version in 2017 Page 23 of 25

24 Page 24 of 25

25 Page 25 of 25