Six Signs You’re A Pony Club Graduate

Chinch is Pony Club proud. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Many eventers got their start in Pony Club. From Lynn Symansky to William Fox-Pitt, even the greats have Pony Club to thank for their foundation — including USEA President Carol Kozlowski:

Pony Club graduates are everywhere, and often they’re pretty easy to pick out. Here are six dead giveaways that someone is a graduate Pony Clubber:

1. Hanging up dirty tack is considered the 8th deadly sin. You wipe down and figure eight your bridle after every ride, every time.

2. A hyperfocus on safety. This isn’t to say that our non-pony club counterparts don’t care about safety, but after experiencing hundreds of safety checks, it’s hard not to have an eye for the small details that make a big difference. Want to test a possible alum? Hang a water bucket in front of them with the snaps facing outward.

3. You can bandage literally anything. A spider wrap? I could do that in my sleep.

4. Horse Management’s got nothing on your tack room. You have two of everything, and they’re all labeled. Extra girth? Check.

5. You always pack your grain in paper bags — and each bag is labeled with your horse’s name + Date + AM/PM. Even with other conveniences, old habits die hard.

6. You’re Pony Club Proud. You still have your pin that lets you show your support for the organization that started it all. While you might not me a registered member anymore, Pony Club has lifelong admittance. Once a Pony Clubber, always a Pony Clubber.

Can you think of other telltale signs? Let us know in the comments.

For more information about The U.S. Pony Club, click here.