Role of Horse Management at USPC Rallies Lorri

Role of Horse Management at USPC Rallies Lorri Witkowski, HMO March, 2013

Horse Management refers to the unmounted knowledge portion of the USPC curriculum. USPC Horse Management knowledge is applied in a practical manner at USPC meetings, tested at Member certifications and evaluated at USPC Rallies.

Horse Management Terms �HM—Horse Management �HMO—Horse Management Organizer �Person who hires CHMJ �Person who staffs rallies with AHMJs �Person who plans regional HM teaching �Resource for region in all things HM �Keep up with USPC goals

Horse Management Terms (cont’d) �CHMJ—Chief Horse Management Judge �Paid, nationally-trained individual �From another part of the country (impartial) �Very little pay for a couple of long days �Usually a PC grad or former PC parent �AHMJ—Assistant Horse Management Judge �Usually Parent volunteer �Trained from within the region �Widely varying experience levels �Could be upper level clubber

Purpose of HM at Rally �Safety of Clubber and Mount �Teaching life-long practices �Killing trees (filling out paperwork) �Assess clubber HM practices through scoring

Sample Rally Schedule SHOW JUMPING RALLY SCHEDULE Friday, June 18 5: 00 -8: 00 pm Arrivals – Parents may assist with unloading only! 8: 00 pm Barn Close Saturday, June 19 7: 00 -8: 00 am Barns open; team check-in 7: 30 am Rally Opening; Set-up begins after team check-in 9: 00 am Official Briefing – bring helmet 9: 30 am Volunteer briefing 10: 00 am Horse Inspection begins (numerical order) 10: 30 am Coaches Meeting – Ring 1 10: 30 am Pony Club parent meeting – Neutral Zone 11: 00 am Turnout begins – Indoor Arena 12: 00 pm First jumping round begins – Ring 1 (starting with highest level) 12: 15 pm Second jumping round begins – Ring 2 (turnbacks should occur within one hour of second round) 3: 45 pm First jumping round begins for Class 1 – Ring 3 (D 1/D 2) 4: 45 pm Rides completed 6: 15 pm Barns close pending final turnbacks 6: 30 pm Escorted barn tour for parents – report to Neutral Zone Sunday, June 20 6: 30 am Barns open 7: 30 am Horse Inspection begins (numerical order) 9: 00 am Third jumping round (Take Your Own Line) begins – Ring 1 (starting with highest level) 9: 15 am Fourth jumping round (Normal Knockdown) begins – Ring 2 (same order of go as third round) 2: 00 pm Rides completed; packing may begin, but no parents in barn until after Awards Ceremony 2: 30 pm Evaluations and meeting with CHMJ 3: 00 pm Awards Ceremony 4: 00 pm Stall Stripping 5: 00 pm Departure after check-out

Let’s break it down

Friday, June 18 5: 00 -8: 00 pm Arrivals – Parents may assist with unloading 8: 00 pm Barn Close Parents/Clubbers HM staff � Organizer: assigns stalls, prints � Cleaning, sorting and packing and labels paperwork for entire the week prior rally � Driving to location with getting � Arrive prior to competitors to lost once help organizer with any problems and become familiar with facility � Eating dinner in the truck � Unloading all the stuff, bedding � Assist clubbers to find stalls the stall, hanging water � Do an overview of each stall as it buckets, settling the horse is set up looking for safety problems � Hanging stall card, labeling halter � NO SCORING or paperwork � Organize tack and feed stall (in � After barn closes: check all horses trailer? ) and stalls for basic safety; refill water at midnight or later

Saturday: 7: 00 -8: 00 am Barns open; team check-in 7: 30 am Rally Opening; Set-up begins after team check-in Clubbers �Feed horse breakfast �Begin cleaning stall �Find all team members and chaperone to check in �Look at schedule and plan day �Set-up tack and feed stalls �Make changes as directed by HM �Watch the time, briefing comes fast HM staff �Have a briefing with entire staff �Divide jobs �Discuss general briefing �Discuss horse inspection jobs �Answer clubber questions �Deal with safety and set up problems—be available to answer questions in barn

9: 00 am Official Briefing – bring helmet Clubbers �Have helmet and arm band on and ready for checks �Be on time �Be attentive �Ask questions �Once briefing is over, make a mad dash to get horse ready for horse inspection HM staff �Chief assists organizer with briefing �Sets the tone for the rally �Informs clubbers of any important issues �Informs clubbers of procedure for horse inspection �Checks helmets for fit

10: 00 am Horse Inspection begins (numerical order) Clubbers � There are 15 -30 minutes to get horse ready for horse inspection � Very high pressure time for older clubbers with young team…entire team has to be ready at the same time � Horse and rider has to be clean and presentable …and on time � Must listen carefully in large group to be sure you know when it is your turn � Control horse in large group that may not be used to being in a stall at night HM staff �Get paperwork and people in place in 15 -30 minutes �Find missing horses/kids �Teach clubbers how to handle horse in large group �Keep an eye out for kids having problems �Help fix/adjust improper tack �Be available in barn �Divide and conquer!! The purpose of the horse inspection is to have a panel take the “Opportunity to inspect mounts for soundness. ”

Clubbers preparing for Horse Inspection Professional presenting a horse at a horse inspection Jogging the horse at a Horse Inspection

Horse Inspection-Scoring �Horse Inspection is a scored phase. �The following items are evaluated: �Rider attire—helmet, boots, gloves, whip �Appropriate tack—bridle, no boots �Mount’s condition and handling--safe �Timeliness Horse Inspection for a young clubber

7: 00 -8: 00 am Barns open; team check-in 7: 30 am Rally Opening; Set-up begins after team check-in 9: 00 am Official Briefing 9: 30 am Volunteer briefing 10: 00 am Horse Inspection begins (numerical order) 10: 30 am Coaches Meeting – Ring 1 10: 30 am Pony Club parent meeting – Neutral Zone Parents �Send kids off with breakfast and cooler of food for the day �No longer in the barns after dropping off stuff �Go to all appropriate briefings �All will go to: official briefing, volunteer briefing, and parent meeting �Arrive on time for volunteer job �Watch kids and take pictures

Scoring—Set-up and Safety & REL Set-up and Safety � Should be completed in first 3 hours of rally � Completed by HM assistants not doing turnout inspections � Evaluates the set-up of: � Stall-halter fit and label, lead, bedding, stall card, buckets � Tack room-organized and ready to rally, aisle clear � Feed room-feed chart, grain storage, neat and ready to rally � General impression Required Equipment List � To be completed in first day � Completed by HM assistants not doing turnout inspections � Can check all of list or abbreviated check � Abbreviated check only checks the equine first aid kid, extra equipment and 3 random items (same for all teams) � Evaluated for being there, appropriately clean, labeled correctly, not expired if appropriate, appropriate quantity or size � Refer to HM appendix H

10: 30 am Coach’s Meeting – Ring 1 �The coach’s meeting is for mounted coaches �Usually lead by course designer or organizer Setting up stall with stall card

11: 00 am Turnout begins – Indoor Arena 12: 00 pm First jumping round begins – Ring 1 (starting with highest level) 12: 15 pm Second jumping round begins – Ring 2 (turnbacks should occur within one hour of second round) 4: 45 pm Rides completed Clubbers �Upper level clubbers may have less than ½ hour to tack, change and be ready to present themselves for turnout!! �Finish cleaning stalls…then maintain throughout the day �Finish setting up tack and feed stalls �Sweep aisles and tidy area from mad frenzy of horse inspection…then maintain throughout the day Well organized tack room

Scoring—Daily and Turnout Daily Checks � Done throughout the day � Would most reflect daily practices of horse care at home � Evaluate the following: Turnout Inspection � Each rider assigned time � Assessed at HM level � Evaluates rider, mount and tack � Focuses are appropriateness and � Stable & Tack areas-cleanliness safety…detailed cleaning of stall, tack & feed rooms and increases with HM level efficiency � Best opportunity to exceed � Care of mount-safety of expectations handling, tacking, general care � Takes preparation prior to rally � Overall impression-attitude, attire, responsibility

How a clubber spends their first day � 1 hour—set-up �½ hour--briefing �½-1 hour—horse inspection (w/prep) � 1 hour—groom, tack, dress in show attire � 15 minutes—turnout inspection � 1 ½+ hour—ride (includes warmup and competition rides) � 1 hour—clean horse/tack for turnback, change out of riding attire = about 6 hours of structured time

The other 3 hours… �Helping prepare other team �Being sure younger members stay safe and are mates for rides on time �Cleaning stalls �Doing required equipment �Watching team mates ride �Eat the food from the checks coolers or concessions �Answering HM staff �Find kids they haven’t seen questions from other clubs �Watching horses for �Have fun with people they distress enjoy �Sweeping aisle �Cleaning tack room and feed room

11: 00 am Turnout begins – Indoor Arena 12: 00 pm First jumping round begins – Ring 1 (starting with highest level) 12: 15 pm Second jumping round begins – Ring 2 (turnbacks should occur within one hour of second round) 4: 45 pm Rides completed HM Staff � Answer clubber questions � Teach safe, thorough horse management at all times � Set-up and Safety checks (done before noon) � Turnout Inspections (10 AM-2: 45 PM) � Required Equipment checks (done by 2 PM) � Daily checks (all day) � Transfer notes to official sheets (all day) � Get paperwork to scoring (afternoon) � Oversee lunging � Oversee medication of horses � Chief is only one who assesses actual points, assistants note things and pass them along

11: 00 am Turnout begins – Indoor Arena 12: 00 pm First jumping round begins – Ring 1 (starting with highest level) 12: 15 pm Second jumping round begins – Ring 2 (turnbacks should occur within one hour of second round) jumping round begins for Class 1 – Ring 3 (D 1/D 2) 4: 45 pm Rides completed Parents �Take pictures �Be on time for volunteer job �Watch rides �Get dinner ready �Wait for barn tour �Wait for barns to close

Purpose of 6 areas of evaluation What When Why Set-up and safety As early as possible on Day 1 To insure the safety of the horse Horse Inspection Prior to riding on Day 1, optional for Day 2 To insure readiness of mount to compete Turnout Inspection (safety check on Day 2) Prior to riding To insure rider has adequately and safely prepared self and equipment for competition Required Equipment Any time on Day 1 To insure riders are prepared to care for mount, self and tack Turnback Inspection After riding, maximum 1 hour after To insure mount and tack are properly cared for after riding Daily evaluation Throughout days To insure care of mount, stable area, and team work throughout

Sitting around the camp fire Often clubbers will come out at barn close and discuss the day and need to vent a bit about HM. The best thing a parent can do is listen. Know that any competitor will be frustrated if they feel that they were dealt with unfairly. It is possible that the clubber story is accurate, but it is also possible that it is “embellished”. We as parents can best support our kids and pony club by keeping it all in perspective… What did you learn? ?

Day 2 Schedule Sunday 6: 30 am Barns open 7: 30 am Horse Inspection begins (numerical order) 9: 00 am Third jumping round (Take Your Own Line) begins – Ring 1 (starting with highest level) 9: 15 am Fourth jumping round (Normal Knockdown) begins – Ring 2 (same order of go as third round) 2: 00 pm Rides completed; packing may begin, but no parents in barn until after Awards Ceremony 2: 30 pm Evaluations and meeting with CHMJ 3: 00 pm Awards Ceremony 4: 00 pm Stall Stripping 5: 00 pm Departure after check-out Parents Duplicate Day 1 • Send kids off with breakfast and cooler of food for the day • Watch kids and take pictures • Do volunteer job

6: 30 am Barns open Clubbers �Feed horse breakfast �Clean stall �Look at schedule and plan day �Make changes as directed by HM �Watch the time, horse inspection comes fast HM staff �Divide jobs �Have HM briefing �Discuss horse inspection jobs �Answer clubber questions

7: 30 am Horse Inspection begins (numerical order) Clubbers �Have more time than day 1…a whole hour �Still must be on time with horse and rider clean and ready for inspection �Must listen carefully in large group to be sure you know when it is your turn �Control horse in large group that isn’t used to being in a stall at night HM staff �Easier than day 1…kids should understand the “flow” �Get paperwork and people in place in 60 minutes �Find missing horses/kids �Keep an eye out for kids having problems �Help fix/adjust improper tack �Be available in barn �Divide and conquer!!

9: 00 am Third jumping round (Take Your Own Line) begins – Ring 1 (starting with highest level) 9: 15 am Fourth jumping round (Normal Knockdown) begins – Ring 2 (same order of go as third round) Clubbers � Still can be a rush to get ready to ride after horse inspection � Don’t have to be as meticulous without a turnout � Usually dress is a polo for second day of SJ rally � Still must keep tidy and care for horse � More relaxed in the barns without setting up or required equipment checks HM staff �Only safety checks prior to rides �Daily sheets done today too �Turn backs sometimes abbreviated �Must get all paperwork done ASAP so scoring can post and be ready for awards

2: 00 pm Rides completed; packing may begin, but no parents in barn until after Awards Ceremony 2: 30 pm Evaluations and meeting with CHMJ 3: 00 pm Awards Ceremony HM staff Clubbers �Begin breaking down tack and feed stalls �Begin stripping stalls �Can carry some items out of barn to put in trailer �Sign off on score sheets �Wait for awards �Help clubbers stay on track �Finish paperwork �Remind parents to wait till after awards before entering barn �Wait for awards

4: 00 pm Stall Stripping 5: 00 pm Departure after check-out All �Work as a team to strip stalls �Finish breaking down tack and feed stalls �Pack trailers �Assist others with packing �Be patient and courteous �Sweep aisles �Pick up trash and manure from grounds �Get stalls and aisles checked before leaving �Thank organizer and HM staff �Drive home exhausted �Learn how to drive a horse trailer through a Wendy’s drivethru