The Nuts & Bolts of Creating & Implementing an Instructional Calendar Kim Huffman Old Dominion Region Pony Clubs Regional Instruction Coordinator

The UCPC Mission The United States Pony Clubs, Inc., develops character, leadership, confidence and a sense of community in youth through a program that teaches the care of horses and ponies, riding and mounted sports.

A Strong Instructional Program Starts with an Instructional Calendar Addresses ALL Standards for ALL members in a given year Utilizes Competent Instructors & Examiners Takes Advantage of PC Documents Supports members participation in Rallies Offers Certification Preps for All Levels

PC Documents to Help Develop Instructional Calendars & Programs Pony Club Chart of Learning Curriculum Flow Charts Check Lists Specific Riding Skills List Achievement Badge Program for D Levels All of these are available on the Club/Center Level Testing Materials page on the USPC website

Pony Club Chart of Learning Shows progression from D1 to A

Standards of Proficiency List of specific skills and knowledge to be shown at each level

Curriculum Flow Charts Shows where in the PC manuals you can find information for each standard

Specific Riding Skills List Master chart that shows which riding skills are required at each level

Check Lists Valuable tool to determine readiness to test or track progress Should be signed off by an instructor when the skill is mastered If the skill needs further development, instructor should write some notes Schedule in time at the end of PC meetings for instructors to sign off Recommended to use in the certification prep

Check Lists

Achievement Badge Program Program that develops a sense of achievement between certifications at the D level Another tool available to instructors to teach basic horsemanship & riding skills

Riding Test Expectations Use the Riding & Horse Management Expectations at every mounted meeting, prep, and certification (at the top of each SOP/test sheet)

Riding Test Definitions Basic Balanced Position – Vertical line drawn from ear to point of shoulder to hip to ankle – For jumping, shoulders incline slightly forward with a flat back Base of Support Independent Seat Coordinated Use of the Aids Free Forward Movement

The Nuts... Considerations – Regional Calendar – Dates of Mounted & Unmounted Meetings Plan Ahead, Take Members Feedback – Available Facilities/Weather – Certification Dates – How Many Members at Each Level

... and the Bolts The Instructional Calendar Should Include: – All regional activities available to members – Certification dates – Certification prep dates – The standards that will be covered for each level at club meetings

Using the Standards Members should be working on the Standards of Proficiency for the NEXT level ALL standards should be covered that year – Remember, that doesn’t mean that everyone will master the standard that year – Some skills take more practice to develop & everyone should be working toward their individual goals within the provided framework

Example 1 Club has 8 members: – 2 D1, 2 D2, 2 D3, 2 C1 D2 Standards Covered D3 Standards Covered C1 Standards Covered C2 Standards Covered Mounted Meeting April 11 Flatwork Stable Management: Groom, Tack Up Independently Turnout/Tack: 15 parts of saddle/bridle Riding on the Flat: w/t/c, work on diagonals & leads, large circles Foot & Shoeing: 3 parts of hoof Riding on the Flat: adjust stirrups & girth, warm up routine, work on 20 m circles, sitting trot, no stirrups, halt & step back Conditioning: TPR acceptable ranges Riding on the Flat: warm up routine, training pyramid, work on 20 m circles, figure 8s, transitions, centerlines, reinback Longeing: longe at w/t Riding on the Flat: Review Riding Test Expectations & definitions, warm up routine, 15 & 20 m circles, no stirrups, introduce leg yield & hand gallop

Example 2 Club has 8 members: – 2 D1, 2 D2, 2 D3, 2 C1 D2 Standards Covered D3 Standards Covered C1 Standards Covered C2 Standards Covered Mounted Meeting April Flatwork Stable Management Turnout/Tack Riding on the Flat Foot & Shoeing Riding on the Flat Conditioning Riding on the Flat Longeing Riding on the Flat

Cover your Bases Use SOPs or Flow Charts to check off each skill that’s covered Anticipate skills that need to be repeated – Bandaging, Longeing, Geometry of Circles, Gridwork, etc. Plan based on Activities – Flatwork in first meeting if they’ve had the winter off – Coordinate Standards with Upcoming Rallies

Make It Your Own Everyone’s will look different Format Doesn’t Matter Content Does For Successful Implementation: – Frequently Review Riding & HM Expectations – Use Checklists!!

Can’t Fit it All In? Consider some alternatives to meeting in person to cover some of the unmounted items – Skype – Face Time – Webinars – Pony Tube Give Homework Assignments for Between Meetings

I Have My Calendar, So Now What? Communicate the Learning Intentions/Objectives to the Instructor for the meeting Ask for Feedback from the Instructor on Skill Mastery – Do we need to go over this again? Share with Members & Parents – Everyone is in the know!

Who Creates the Calendar? The Instructional Coordinator for your Club/Center Can be a parent volunteer Might be the DC Might be a very knowledgeable instructor that you use Could be an Upper Level Pony Clubber

Remember... Standards of Proficiency are Updated every 2 years Instructional Calendars have to be updated at the beginning of each year based on how many members at each level you have

Past Webinar Available Online Building Club/Center Level Mounted Curriculum by Asia Thayer

Deadline Each Club/Center should submit their Instructional Calendar – To Kim Huffman, RIC – By March 22 – Snail Mail is fine, too Thank you Mtn. Skyline & Healing Strides for submitting a calendar already Thank you to Bedford Hunt, Cape Henry, Glenmore Hunt, Healing Strides, Mtn. Skyline, & Rockbridge Hunt for letting me know who your Instructional Coordinator is