WA State Coaching Panel COACHING NEWS

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1 Coaching News is Produced by PCAWA Editor Denise Legge Inside this issue News from SCP Editor 1 DSCP 2 Club Focus 3 & 4 Using Achievement Badges Tack Cleaning 5 Exam Presentation Checklist 6 Trail Riding 7 Serpentines 8 Hoof Care 9 Gear Check 10 Book Reviews 11 KEY DATES PCAWA State Dressage Championships 23 & 24 August PCAWA Active Riding Qualifier at Northam 6&7 September WA State Coaching Panel COACHING NEWS I have been asked by the State Coaching Panel to emphasize the importance of correct presentation for Certificate Examination. At E, D and D* examination level this usually carried out by club coaches level but for C level and above that clubs will need to invite an examiner from the list held by PCAWA. Perhaps at this stage it would be appropriate to go back a couple of steps. First as a coach, regardless of level and qualification, we MUST set an example in terms of punctuality, turnout and language. Secondly I don't think we should be putting forward candidates at the E and D level certificates who are likely to fail (or in modern parlance - require further training). These certificates need to be encouragement to go onto bigger goals. Beyond that since any section of a Test ( Certificate Requirement at the various grades) can now be held as a credit until all sections are passed (maximum 2 years from original Assessment date) then it is very important that we ensure standards are met and that explanations are given when candidates fall short of these standards. I have spent over 25 years as a Human Resources professional with many years in recruitment, and know that "you only have the one chance to make a first impression." So it is very important to ensure that candidates are: well prepared aware of the correct presentation level that is required mindful they are a role model for younger members. If we fail to maintain the appropriate level of presentation standards for Efficiency Certificates then we will not be doing our candidates any favours for real life. Included in this newsletter is presentation checklist that coaches can run through with candidates. I rarely do any competitive activities nowadays but I certainly enjoy using my 20m by 40m grass arena for schooling however in the winter months it is just too wet so I have to school out "on the trail". So I have included an article on how trail riding can be a useful pre-cursor to X- country work plus a few bullet points on trail etiquette. I also had some a request from Rose Bowen (thanks Rose) on something about good hoof care so there are a few tips as to how you can best look after your horse's hooves. Please let me know what you would find useful in the newsletter. Here's me on my young Galloway, Bohemian Rhapsody, out on the trail with my fluoro vest and check jods (not sure which is more eyecatching!) in the Karri forest just across the road from our farm. He is now nearly 'roo and parrot proof! To happy riding and coaching. All the best from your Editor. Denise.

2 From Director of State Coaching Panel It has been a busy few weeks. In additional to the International Tetrathlon, I have had a really enjoyable Mounted Camp with the Avon Zone (full report and photos to follow in the August edition of the Coaching News) and a very well supported Gear Checking day at Peel Horse and Pony Club with Jacinta Withoud who heads up the Gear Checking Advisory panel (full report on page 10). Jacinta also managed to fit in a Gear Check Seminar in Albany at the end of July when visiting the Great Southern. Health Way Funding of $300 is now open for Zones to run a "Coaching the Coaches School (this time we are focusing on but not limited to: Orientation to PC, Gear Checking and Teaching Jumping). See the PCAWA website for more details. In addition I would encourage all Clubs to apply for the Community Sporting Club Equipment Subsidy Scheme. Applications for this one-off grant of up to $500 for shared sporting equipment can be done on-line. Round 2 (Summer) is open until October 2014; full details can be found at Coaches have the opportunity to attend a free Horse Nutrition Education Seminar courtesy of Kentucky Equine Research and Pegasus Feeds. Presented by Dr Peter Huntington BVSc (Hons) MACVSC, the seminar topics include: nutrition for the performance horses supplements feeding fats digestive tract hindgut acidosis plus a Q&A session. So put this date in your diary: Friday 22nd August at 10.00am at SEC, Brigadoon and contact Ruth Ellis at rellis@ker.com to book your place. Alternatively there is a more general presentation on Wednesday 20th August at 6.30pm, also at the SEC. Happy Coaching and Gear Checking. Tracy Crocker

3 Club Focus: South Midlands Our club is now in its 12 th year of re- affiliation and our numbers are usually around 25 to 30 members. This year we have 28 members. With only 3 riders that are over 12 years old, most of our young members are fairly inexperienced riders and are not competitive. However, nice as it is to compete, we believe that the really important part of Pony Club is attending rallies and achieving certificates. We have six rally groups, each with 3 to 6 riders. At each rally we cover flatwork, theory, either Show jumping or cross country and active riding. Our talented and dedicated coaches rise to the challenge of teaching so many young riders by using lots of games and fun sessions to ensure riders are enjoying themselves as well as learning. An example of our rally plan is shown below: MG Area Viv Theory Clubrooms Dom SJ MG Area Bec Flatwork Arab TB's WB's SJ Bec Theory Flatwork Rd Arena Sandra SJ Lungeing Pole Arena Sally Flatwork Clubrooms MG Arena MG Arena Clubrooms Pole Arena Viv Dom Dom Sally Bec Sandra Morning Tea and Whole Club Meeting Groups Mini Shetland Connemara 9-10 Flatwork Theory SJ Poles MG Arena Viv Flatwork MG Arena Sue Theory Clubrooms Dom Flatwork Pole Arena Sandra Theory Clubrooms Sally SJ Bec Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Team Games For These 4 Agility Agility Gps Rd Arena Rd Arena With Viv Sue & Dom Sally & Bec Sally & Bec Our active riding sessions include games, novelties, treasure hunts and trail rides for the young riders and agility, polocrosse and pacework for the older ones. Our rally consists of two 1 hour sessions, a ½ hour break for morning tea and a whole club meeting, a one hour session then an hour lunch break. In the afternoon we run a one hour active riding session which means the show jumps and dressage arena can be packed away during this time. The Lead line group rides only in the morning. Sessions are planned so the younger riders (Lead line, E and D) do not do two ridden sessions in a row. As we share our grounds with a polocrosse club we are a little limited in what we can build but we make good use of what we have. Several years ago we had a very hard working committee who built a fully fenced 30m X 80M sand arena and we use this, divided in 2 for our younger groups or full arena for active riding. We also have a small paddock where our just off the lead riders can ride safely. Around the perimeter of the grounds there is a small belt of bushland and we have installed a variety of cross country jumps here which we supplement with portable jumps. The heights range from small logs on the ground to 65cm which can be raised if necessary.

4 We are finding the workbooks a great way to ensure that coaches and riders cover the syllabus although there are some inaccuracies that need to be corrected. As there is no workbook yet for the E syllabus I have made one up, and also one for the Lead line riders. The younger riders really seem to enjoy having their own workbook. When we have older, experienced riders join that have not been to Pony Club before I ensure that they are tested for D certificate after their 3 rd or 4 th rally so they are not stuck in a D group for the whole year. I have also written a syllabus and test for the Lead line riders so they are able to achieve a certificate at the end of their first year. I do ensure that the parents are aware this is in club only and not recognized by P.C.A.W.A. In April or May each year we run a 2 day camp for all members and this is a good way for the new people to get to know each other. At this years camp we had a member of the national dressage team give a talk and a demonstration which everyone found very inspirational. I also had all members learn a test (Prep or Prelim) and coaching was given to all riders on riding the test. On the second day of camp we had a judge come in and judge all members, non- competitively on their tests. Our end of year fun day is a team event with riders from each group in a team. We run a variety of events such as Pony Club Mount, Top Score Jumping, games and novelties where riders earn points for their team. The winning team is presented with a small trophy each. On our presentation day all riders are presented with a certificate from their coach listing their achievements for the year. Article by Sally Davis

5 Using Achievement Badges for Young Riders Tack Cleaning Using Achievement Badges can help break down Certificate Requirements (E Standard) into "bite size" pieces. So at E Standard candidates will need to know: how to wipe the mud and dust off a saddle and bridle understand the importance of keeping the bit clean. Most young children are quite enthusiastic about cleaning tack if this task is set about in the right way. It may be important to educate parents as to the essentials of tack cleaning if they are from a non-horsy background. For everyday cleaning I would focus on: cleaning the bit after use (water and if necessary a non metallic pan scrubber) wiping the girth clean to ensure there is no sweat or dirt left on the girth wiping over the saddle making sure the saddle cloth is laid over the saddle with the "dirty/sweaty" side upwards so it can dry/air. Once a week I would recommend a proper tack clean whereby: the tack is taken apart; bit and stirrups washed and dried leather work is wiped down with a damp cloth then wiped over with a cloth rubbed in saddle soap and finally buffed. Encourage the older children and parents to note down on paper the buckle hole that they normally use for: cheek pieces on the bridle noseband stirrup leathers By correctly naming the brow band, noseband, bit and reins for the bridle and the stirrup irons, girth, pommel and saddle flap you are also preparing the students for part of the Horse Care section of the E Certificate. Make a note of attendees and issue badges at the next rally.

6 Efficiency Standards Presentation Checklist Particularly for C and C* Examinations Formal Pony Club uniform - all clean, tidy and ironed. Normally this means long sleeved shirt, tie, V-necked jumper with Pony Club badge and appropriate disc with fawn, beige or bone jodhpurs Well fitting compliant helmet - little movement forwards and backwards - chin straps tucked neatly away Boots, long or short - clean, in good repair and polished. Gaiters in the matching leather colour can be worn with short boots but not chapettes Hair if below collar to be in a hairnet or tied back and secured so it does not fall below shoulders No jewellery apart from a medic alert bracelet No nail polish, other make-up to be restrained No (obvious) piercings or body jewellery Gloves if in good repair and whip appropriate to the discipline and of the correct length - no loops or fancy whip-heads Horse to be clean, well groomed with clean eyes, nostrils and dock - clipping is NOT necessary Mane and tail to be washed and for C* plaiting is required Hooves to be in good repair and well trimmed/shod (either shod all round or just the fronts, or less commonly, the rear hooves) The saddle and bridle must be clean, in good repair and show evidence of care (i.e. supple) The bridle, bit and saddle must fit the horse correctly - you do NOT need a dressage saddle for the flat work and a SJ close contact saddle for the jumping elements. An All-Purpose saddle is perfectly acceptable for all ridden elements. The rider must know the name of the bit and noseband for their horse and why they have chosen this gear There must be 1cm to 3cm clearance from the welt of the boot to the inside of the stirrups Saddlecloth to be in club colours or white. Any surplus loops to be completely removed. Good luck!

7 Benefits of Trail Riding Riding out on the trail has a number of benefits and is great preparation for riding X-Country (as opposed to riding across country). Before we let young riders loose on a set of fixed fences as part of an ODE it is most beneficial if we can introduce the fun and enjoyment of trail riding; some times called bush riding or pleasure riding. So what are these benefits? These include: riding over varied terrain as opposed to the uniformity of a sand or grass arena coping with changes in levels - initially riding downhill at anything other than a walk can be quite scary introducing "natural" obstacles such as fallen branches, ditches and creeks teaching the horse (or pony) to think for himself the confidence of riding in the "open" as opposed to a small arena taking advantage of the bush to undertake some LandCare education coping with unexpected hazards like 'roos, dirt bikes and chain saws and having the best view in the world (between a horse's ears)! Below are some guidelines for PC member riders when out riding on the trail outside of a Pony Club activity: Ride on the left (as if you were a vehicle) Ride at a sensible pace and don t tail gate the rider in front Only overtake another rider after advising of your intentions and at a suitable point on the trail and at a suitable pace Help out fellows riders on the trail Carrying a mobile phone, lead rope and emergency first aid kit is recommended Leave all gates as you found them (either open or closed) If on a group ride, the front and rear riders should wear hi-vis gear and keep the rider in front/behind in sight at all times If riding on your own let someone know your route and approximate return time.

8 Flat Work Serpentines - simple but very flexible. This useful suppling exercise can be used at a range of levels from first ridden to quite advanced riders. For riders new to serpentines it is useful to use cones (or builders' markers - little plastic domes) or marking spray paint to outline the shape. This helps riders get a feel for what they should be doing. Later on or for more experienced riders it may only be necessary to mark where the serpentine crosses the centre line. We use the serpentine exercise as it: encourages riders to obtain the correct bend in the horse encourages riders to use to think "flex" left or right encourages to horse to respond to the rider's inside leg clearly shows up a preference for one rein or another - awareness is the first step to change. Generally the path of a serpentine divides the arena into equal-sized loops but the most common exercise is a 3 loop serpentine so in a 40m arena the loops will be 13.3m wide and in a 60m arena the loops will be 20m wide. The horse should be bent through the half circles and straight between the half circles. Since a 3 loop serpentine does not change the rein (even numbers of loops do) then the exercise MUST be ridden on both reins. Explain the exercise to the riders and remind them of the aids: half halt (if riders know this rebalancing aid) before each half circle inside rein shows the direction outside rein controls the speed inside leg creates the forward movement outside leg controls the horse's quarters. If introducing this for the first time do the exercise in walk, later in trot rising (checking for correct diagonals) and for more experienced riders sitting trot and canter with simple changes or even as a way of introducing counter-canter. A typical instruction would be: "at C the whole ride commence a 3-loop serpentine, ride 1 serpentine and then go large". It is very easy to introduce a whole host of variations using serpentines such as: 5 loops (in a 60m arena thus 12m loops) adding circles into each loop halting and/or reining back on the centre line change of pace when crossing the centre line shoulder-fore or leg yielding on sections of the serpentine. It is important for the coach to stand away from the track and the path of the serpentine so the coach can observe the flexion of the horse and the aids/position of the rider.

9 "No hoof, no horse" There is great deal of truth in this English proverb. Being mindful of this means good housekeeping in terms of: diet care of the hooves on a daily basis regular trimming and/or shoeing good riding practices. Following these 4 principles will take care of most problems other than accidental injuries. Care for the hoof starts on the inside; in other words what we feed our horses. A good diet will help produce healthy hooves. This means making sure we feed for the work to be done. Allowing horses and ponies to be vulnerable to laminitis can fundamentally alter the structure of the hoof. Sometimes a basic diet such as grass/hay may not provide all the necessary minerals and vitamins so a daily supplement may be necessary. For brittle hooves you made need to use a Vitamin H or Biotin supplement. Remember that it sometimes takes several months for the effect of a correct diet to result in healthy and strong hooves. Your horse's hooves should be picked out once a day and certainly before and after riding. This enables you to note any small changes and prevent infections such as thrush. A weekly hoof dressing may help alleviate the effects of extreme wet or dry conditions but don't allow your horses to spend all day and night in water logged paddocks. This is just an invitation thrush, mud fever and seedy toe. There is no replacement for regular trimming. In the wild horses would have travelled many miles over abrasive terrain in search of food. That wild horse has been considerably modified by man's intervention of breeding and environment. Your horses feet need to be trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks as a general rule. Be nice to your farrier - have your horses ready and somewhere dry/cool. Make sure that your horse is well mannered for the farrier. Pay on the day and book for your next appointment. Don't wait for an emergency. How and where we ride our horses has a great impact on their soundness. Hard surfaces cases concussion injuries, deep going may result in tendon or ligament problems. Good cushioned grass is probably the best surface to ride on and poses the least threat to injury. So think about where and how your ride and consider the long term soundness of your horse.

10 Gear Check Clinic On 30 June, Jacinta Withoud and I conducted a Safety and Comfort clinic at Peel Horse & Pony Club, West Coastal Zone on 28 June, 2014 as part of the role out of the new Introduction to Gear Checking format. There was a fabulous turnout with 21 Attendees signing in! The clinic was broken into 4 sessions to provide a flexible way of delivering the course for presenters. In an effort to make it easier for new Presenters, and cost effective we have reduced the amount of handouts, with more referring to the Manual. Activities are designed to encourage participants to use the manual to research and discover what is in the manual and see how they can use the manual for their own reference resource. Activity one requires participants to search the manual i.e. Correct fit of a snaffle bridle, types of nosebands, grass reins, fit of stirrup irons, safety helmets and body protectors. The second hands on activity required participants in groups of 4-5 were instructed to choose 4 items of gear from a selection laid out on table and then they had a worksheet which they had to complete by describing the piece of gear, list what activities it could be used for in Pony Club, using the manual for reference and then whether the particular piece would pass gear check. Groups then had to present their items and explain their findings. This proved an interesting exercise and it was good to see participants successfully using the manual to get their results. After lunch the third session was a practical session, with demo riders and their ponies, with each rider being dressed for a particular discipline from Ledline to Cross Country. Participants were asked to assess each rider and horse, to check whether the gear fitted, whether it was permissible etc. The group were so enthusiastic I had to keep encouraging them to move on, as they were trying to be so thorough and having big discussions on the fit of some gear. As part of this exercise we also took the opportunity to fit a horse with the Micklem Bridle to see, first hand, how it sits on the horse. This session finished with a group discussion on errors found and how they could be corrected and a big thank you and presentation of certificates to the demo riders. Final Session of the day was back inside and covered responsibilities of gear checkers at rallies and at competitions and how to become an accredited Gear Checker to encourage more people to take up the challenge Gear Checking and finished with all participants. Feedback was very positive with one person interested in becoming a Presenter, whilst a couple of others would like to become accredited. Article by Tracy Crocker

11 BOOK REVIEWS More Fun In Pony Club a PCAWA publication At just $13 this is great value for money and provides numerous activities for younger riders to enjoy and progress within Pony Club. Ideal for: Preliminary coaches Level 1 coaches Parents who have Lead Line and First Ridden children examiners for E, D and D* certificates. 101 Jumping Exercises for Horse & Rider Linda Allen with Dianna R Dennis ISBN -10: Riding and jumping are best learned by doing. This book sets out exercises suited to: pleasure riders who are looking for new ways to enjoy their horses riders new to jumping who want a safe and fun way to learn novice, intermediate and advanced riders wanting to improve or brush up on their techniques coaches looking for a variety of ways to help their students learn and have fun in the process experienced riders wanting to maintain that competitive edge. The exercises include a layout of poles/jumps, how to ride the exercise, what to check and the benefits of doing the exercise correctly. And for some exercises, hints and variations. Even if you only found a quarter of the exercises suitable this publication would still be a good investment. (photograph courtesy of my brother Oliver; we were on a gypsy caravan holiday a few of years ago and Tom the horse was checking the route. Pre sat-nav!)