U.S. PONY CLUBS BUILD HORSEMEN AND WOMEN (AND FUTURE UNICORN RIDERS!)

I was a horse person born to non-horse parents. While they didn't understand my obsession (for that is what is was and still is!) they did everything they could to support me. This included two riding lessons a week. In those days, group lessons were $2 each. Now, that may not sound like much to you but, to my parents, it was a big sacrifice. As I became more and more accomplished as a rider, my teacher, Johnny Johnson at Highlands Hunt Club in Portland, Oregon (it isn't there anymore) started "encouraging" my parents to get me my own horse. This was something they could not afford so for a year, all of 7th grade, they pulled me out of riding.

By 8th grade, God intervened and provide me with a young, untrained, beautiful dapple-gray Arabian. (see my very first post!) I trained Tai and he took care of me. But my greatest resource for my training and horse care knowledge came from my involvement in Lake Oswego Pony Club. Every Saturday morning, I rode across Lake Oswego, something you probably couldn't do today, and rode with Pony Club. In the summers we would compete as a team at the Pony Club Rallies and take our tests to move up the levels. We competed over 4 days against teams from Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. The first day we had to take a written test on horse knowledge. The second day we competed in Dressage. The third day we competed over the cross-country course. The fourth day we competed in Stadium Jumping. Each day, we were also judged on horsemanship by "secret" judges that watched us care for the horses. I loved those rallies! And I learned so much! By the time I graduated from High School, I had received my "B" rating. At that point, I went off to college and didn't have time to get my "A." But Pony Club never left me and it is because of my exposure to dressage in Pony Club that I am competing in it today!

Since I was supporting my horse myself, I didn't have money for a trainer. If it hadn't been for Pony Club, I would have been lost. At that time, all of the coaches donated their time to us. It was so wonderful.

I loved Pony Club so much that I included a character in my book,"Mists of Darkness,"

that was a Pony Club member! She gets injured when one of the evil unicorn Hasbadana's mists of darkness descends upon the Rolex Three-Day Event. She is healed by Nick and his unicorn, Lazari.

Pony Club's Values are:
Horsemanship with respect to healthcare, nutrition, stable management, handling and riding a mount safely, correctly and with confidence.
Organized teamwork including cooperation, communication, responsibility, leadership, mentoring, teaching and fostering a supportive yet competitive environment.
Respect of the horse and self through horsemanship; for land through land conservation; and for others through service and teamwork.
Service by providing an opportunity for members, parents and others to support the pony club locally, regionally and nationally through volunteerism.
Education at an individual pace to achieve personal goals and expand knowledge through teaching others.

U.S Pony Club wrote a blog post about my writing. You can read it here: http://blog.ponyclub.org/2014/05/30/665/

To learn more about Pony Club or to find a Pony Club in your area go to their website: http://www.ponyclub.org/

Need a fun book to read? Read The Mist Trilogy: Behind the Mist, Mists of Darkness and the soon-to-be-released The Rising Mist. You can get them on the website, amazon or wherever books are sold. www.behindthemist.com