1. Lorri Witkowski, HMO March, 2013

2. RU ready 2 rally? Maturity of child Maturity of mount Appropriate discipline Available horse transportation Financial impact Showing equipment (buckets, boots, etc.) Transport of horse Hotel Rally fees Club polo Optional show clothing (jacket, shirt, breeches, etc.)

3. Maturity of Child Level of independence Ability to follow direction of peers or youth mentor Work ethic (can clean stalls and ride) Desire to participate Do you feel comfortable they will be safe while your watch from afar? Safe riding at level in new situation Confidence in self and coach

4. Maturity of horse Participated in mounted meetings away from home Participated in show away from home Safe competing at or slightly above expected level Approved by coach Do you feel comfortable watching from afar? Has appropriate brakes when needed Child can manage on the ground AND under saddle Can be confined to a stall overnight

5. Appropriate discipline Dressage, jumping or eventing? What does child want to do? Have they practiced it? Do they know the basic rules? What does horse want to do? Can he do all appropriate skills? Is he sound for the number of rides expected? Does the rally date fit into your family’s schedule?

6. Financial Impact Add up expenses of rally fee, hotel (or camping), possible horse transportation cost, new horse equipment, new child equipment, coaching fee New horse and child equipment should be minimal as much is not required. Show jackets, black helmets and new tack are not required Don’t forget the cost of lessons before the rally!

7. You are going, now what? Rally Packet Your team Decide riding level with club DC (or coach/instructor) Complete volunteer or chaperone form as needed Pay rally fees to club (club issues one check for all competitors) Use for hotel or camping reservations Some have optional t-shirt order forms 3 or 4 riders DC will try for a team to be from all your club, but you may need to “scramble” with another club Possible stable manager Most rallies have mixed ratings Team captain—should help coordinate team with stall cards, extra equipment and source of information Team chaperone—adult responsible for parental decisions if actual parent not available (possible food and cooler during rally)

8. Equipment Personal-your responsibility Rally Kit-team responsibility Clothing Grooming Kit Horse Equipment Tack Stable Equipment Most are owned by clubs Must be cleaned and checked (labeled?) by team prior to rally REL in HM rulebook Small ponies or large horses may need to bring extra girth, bridle or halter if not in club kit

9. Rally Check List You should already own most At the D level, many things are acceptable Most kids will have half chaps and jackets, but are not required at the D level You will NEED NICE to have Can WAIT for later Tack Bridle --Jumping Bridle -- Dressage Saddle –Jumping (+girth) Saddle – Dressage (+girth) Pad --Jumping Pad – Dressage Whip for Jogs and riding Horse Boots Breastplate/martingale Clothing Breeches/Jods Show Shirt(s) Jacket (w/PC pin) Medical arm band Stock Tie Pin Stock Tie/ Ratcatcher Gloves Helmet Hair Nets (3-4) Socks Club Shirt(s) Polos Tall Boots (paddock/half chaps) Boot Trees (tall boots only) Short Boots/ Barn Boots Khaki Pants for Jogs Khaki Shorts (Longer) Watch Scrubs/Cover-Ups Garment Bag Barn Equipment Grooming Kit (complete??) Fill Bucket (5 Gal.) 2 Water Buckets (5 gal.) Wash Bucket Sweat Scraper Body Sponge Twine (lots) Scissors or knife Double ended snaps (3-4) Salt Brick Standing Wraps (optional) Poultice or liniment (optional) Grain Feed Pan Stall Card Horse Equipment Halter (break-away) Cotton Lead Tack hanging hooks Lunge Equipment (optional) Extra Rags Fly Spray Extra Labels (lots, sharpie) 2-3 Bags of Shavings Baled Hay Stall cleaning equipment (Muck bucket, fork, broom, shovel and cart)

10. Be sure they fit Halter Helmet Medical Arm Band

11. Label Everything! If it goes in the barn or to the rally, label it! Paper label w/clear tape Sharpie Silver sharpie Iron on labels Tags Name plates

12. Rally Storage Large boxes are NOT necessary, especially for new members!! Large boxes can crowd a tack room They do make good chairs Most members can fit what is needed in a storage tote Large boxes make a good Christmas gift when you are ready.

13. Arriving at Rally What TO do What NOT to do Be as early as possible Eat before arriving (in the car?) Find stall first before parking the truck Prepare stall before unloading horse if possible Help unload stuff as quickly as possible Move truck/car away from barn as soon as possible Help hang fans or shelves Arrive as barns are closing (it will be dark, you will be stressed and the HM staff wants dinner) Block all traffic Leave truck/car close to barn Set up tack and feed stall for team

14. Horse Management at Rally Adults in the barn Purpose: Supervision, teach, evaluate for the competition Supervise: Health and wellness of horses and riders, safe practices in the barns, adult resource Teach: when a problem arises, give best practices Evaluate for rally: set-up and safety, daily checks, horse inspection, turnout inspection, turn back inspection, and required equipment checks.

15. Parents at rally HM staff Chaperone—makes parental decisions in the absence of a parent. Some clubs have chaperone coordinate food for team Volunteer jobs—scribe, runner, warm-up steward, scoring, ring crew, traffic flow, fill water jugs Take pictures Encourage kids Communicating with Kids during the Rally Rally is designed to allow kids to show what they know Parents are expected to give kids the opportunity to be independent During rally, parents are out of barns with limited contact with kids Most times kids are too busy to seek out parents The best way to help is to be positive, cheer for them and be sure they know you are there Avoid critiquing their ride or problems with HM

16. Packing up to go home What TO do What NOT to do Wait till after awards to enter barns Listen for announcements Help as many as possible Be aware of overall cleanliness of facility Be sure your team’s entire tack and feed areas are cleaned Remove all equipment and twine from stalls Be in a rush Leave without checking out