Lone Star Pony Club

Rallies

5 Important Things to Remember
Unauthorized Assistance
Feed Stall Checklist
Formal Inspections Checklist
Horse Stall Checklist
Tack Room Checklist
Turn Back Checklist
Stable Manager Tips and Checklist
Team Captain

5 Important Things to Remember:
(Adapted with permission from Cohutta Highlanders PC)

1. RALLIES ARE ABOUT TEAMWORK. At most horse shows, riders compete individually. But at Pony Club Rallies, the competition is done in teams. Each team member must cooperate, be responsible, be helpful, prepare, and cheer on their other team members. Every team that wins a first-place rally ribbon does so because all team members worked together. Start thinking of yourself as a “team member,” not as an individual competitor, right from the beginning!

2. PREPARATION IS THE KEY TO DOING WELL AND ENJOYING YOURSELF AT RALLY. Rally begins with the preparation you take before you arrive at the rally site. This means preparing the following:

All of the proper equipment, cleaned, labeled, and organized.
Proper riding attire.
A clear understanding of the Rally and Horse Management rule books.
A sound pony.
Enough practice on the riding skills to be confident and comfortable.

If you start the rally being fully prepared, then your focus during the rally will be on riding, helping your teammates, and having fun – which is the whole idea!

3. SUCCESSFUL RALLY PREP RELIES UPON TIME MANAGEMENT. Do not wait until the week before to start preparing your equipment, including cleaning, labeling, etc. Ask yourself, “What can I do NOW, rather than later?” Remember that if you do not have all your equipment ready, it could cost your team horse management points during the rally. Time management is also an important part of rallies. Each team member will have their inspections and ride times posted, and are responsible for knowing their times and being ready at those times.

4. BE ON TIME. Do not make your team members and parents wait on you. Plan to arrive early at the barn if you are trailering with others; plan to arrive early at the rally if you are trailering by yourself. Doing everything on time is an important part of rally scoring.

5. PLAN TO HAVE FUN! Rallies are not all about winning – although it is nice to get those ribbons! Rallies are about learning to work with other people, learning safety and proper care for your pony, enjoying the competition, and practicing your riding skills.

UNAUTHORIZED ASSISTANCE

Competitors are expected to be self-reliant. Assistance is available from rally officials, HM Judges, and other competitors. When bodily harm is imminent, outside assistance is permissible. In cases where special needs arise, e.g., delivering lunches, coolers, medications, etc. to competitors, the chaperones shall contact the HM personnel to make arrangements at the neutral zone. The neutral zone is a designated area open to parents, chaperones, and competitors. If competitors are having problems with unsolicited advice and are fearful of incurring penalties, they should speak to the Chief Horse Management Judge (CHMJ). The penalty for unauthorized assistance in Horse Management shall be up to 60 penalty points in Horse Management.

This rule is taken straight from the most current Horse Management Handbook (page 15). So what does it mean? What is unauthorized assistance and how do you handle it or prevent it?

First of all, show this to your parents and coach and talk to them about it before you go to rally. Unauthorized assistance could be something like your coach coming to the barn aisle to talk to you about your ride, or your parent walking beside you giving you advice as you come or go to the show jumping ring.

Once rally starts, you are expected to have everything you need with you in the barn. Horse Management will usually allow parents to help in hauling equipment from trailers to outside of barn, and in the case of young riders, may allow parents to bring heavy things into the barn. It is wise to ask first! So, if mom or dad comes to bring you your spurs after everything is moved in, that could be considered unauthorized assistance.

Come to rally prepared. Go over everything at home that you need and make sure you don’t forget anything. Your team captain and/or Stable Manager should coordinate with team members about who is bringing what. Check rally kits and equipment as a team so that everyone knows where everything is.

Your parents may leave notes, food, drinks, and medication for you in the neutral zone. If you take medication, make sure your parent attends the competitors’ briefing meeting and the two of you talk to the Chief Horse Management Judge at that time. It is important that the Chief knows about any medication you may need to take because it is their responsibility to make sure that everyone is safe.

Make sure your coach knows that they are allowed only in specific areas such as the warm-up areas and walking cross-country courses. Coaches and Chaperones are not allowed to be visiting with you anywhere around the barn area.

If your parent or chaperone needs to get in touch with you, they need to check in with the Chief Horse Management Judge or one of the Assistants before coming into the barn aisle. The preferred way for your parent or chaperone to get in touch with you is for them to ask the CHMJ or one of the Assistants to tell you to meet in the neutral zone. If you need your parent or chaperone, you may ask the CHMJ or one of the Assistants to have an announcement made for them to meet you in the neutral zone. Your Chief and the Assistants are your best buddies (believe it or not!) in the barn so make sure you know who they are and don’t be afraid to go up and talk to them about anything.

FEED STALL CHECKLIST

Muck bucket should be in the corner with your pitchfork and broom. All should be labeled with your name or competitor number, and club.
All hay must be labeled with your name or competitor number, and horse’s name. This can be on the wall above your hay bale or on the hay string itself.
After getting hay for a feeding, RETIE your hay bale so feed room stays neat.
All feed must be packaged per feeding in a PAPER sack with your name or competitor number, horse’s name, what the feed is, the amount in weight or quantity, and which feeding it is for (ex: Fri. PM, Sat. AM). Use masking tape or duct tape to tape it shut. Bring a couple of extra feed packages labeled extra.
All feed should be in the feed bin unless it is taken out for a feeding. Stack your feed so that the first feeding is on top and the last at the bottom. The feed bin, usually a small garbage can, MUST be secured AT ALL TIMES by a chain or twine. DO NOT leave the bin open.
Feed chart needs to have your name, competitor number, horse’s name, and what your horse gets at each feeding (AM and PM listed). If you list your feed in weight, have a scale in the rally kit. If you list in volume / quantity (i.e.: quarts), you must bring the scoop that you measure your feed with. You may NOT use a measure that is “scoops”. Every scoop is different, so use cups, quarts, etc. to describe your amount. Your scoop can be marked with a permanent marker with your measurement (ex: mark a level on your scoop as 1 quart, 1/2 lb., etc.).
Hay also must be WEIGHED. Flakes differ in size. If a pony grazes all day, you might want to keep hay (grass hay, NOT alfalfa) in the stall to keep her happy at rally. If you do this, put “free choice” on the feed chart. This way, there is no weighing, but you must keep hay in your pony’s stall. This also allows the night watch person to throw hay into your pony’s stall at night if there isn’t any and your pony is antsy.
Bring a salt block for the rally. Plain salt or the brown mineral one. You can bring a holder for it to be tied in the stall, or put it in the feed bucket. Take the salt out of the bucket and place it on the stall floor when feeding, then replace afterwards. It needs to stay in the stall all the time.

FORMAL INSPECTIONS CHECKLIST

Always arrive BEFORE your scheduled time and check in with your station’s scribe.
Have pinney, name tag, and pin on.
Introduce yourself and your pony. Tell the judge what your rating is and who your club is. “Hi, my name is Emily Johnson. I am a D2 from Lone Star Pony Club. This is my pony “Snickers”. I am ready for my formal inspection, please.” Also warn the judge if your pony is spooky, girthy, head shy, etc.
Prepare for the next rating up’s formal inspection. If you are a D2, clean up to a D3’s inspection level. You can look in the HM rulebook for what they are checking for.
If your horse has dandruff, tell the judge that you are aware of it and how you are treating it. Also let the judge know if your pony is a “pasture pony”.
Your Stable Manager should come with you to Formals and bring a bucket of grooming supplies such as brush, rags, hoof pick, etc. Rub the dust off your boots, brush off your boot bottoms, and make sure your pony did not walk through mud or manure on the way.
Make sure there isn’t a speck of shavings in the tail or mane! That starts with D1’s! HMJ’s will run their fingers through the mane and tail to check for shavings and tangles.
As your judge goes around your pony, always face her on the side she is on. Make sure as you move your horse into position, you move the horse away from you, not into you!
Some judges will look under the stirrup pads for arena grit. Do yourself a favor and put your bit (after a good scrubbing), stirrups, and stirrup pads through the dishwasher before rally.
Your saddle pad does not have to be brand new and unstained, but it should be washed. A bleach smell on a stained white pad makes the judge aware that you tried to get the stains out!
All stitching on must be intact. Check your stirrup leathers and billets because they are the first to go.
Safety bars where stirrup leathers attach must be in the DOWN position.
Some HMJ’s will check udders and sheaths. All udders, even if you are a D1, must be clean. Check your rating level requirements for sheath inspection.
Don’t let your horse graze while waiting for inspection. Make sure face and nostrils stay clean before inspection.
Know whether your attire is formal or informal or “neat, safe, and clean” and WHY.
Make sure your helmet wiggles your eyebrows when wiggling the brim. Have someone try to lift it off your head. Have your parent or other parent check to make sure your helmet passes inspection. It should have SEI/ASTM approved on the label. Your name should be on it.

HORSE STALL CHECKLIST

You need 5, flat-back 5-gallon buckets... 2 for water (always full), 1 feed bucket, 1 fire/top-off bucket, and 1 wash bucket. Your 2 water buckets and 1 feed bucket will be put into your horse’s stall during rally. You will need chains and double-ended snaps to hang the buckets in the stall. All snaps must point away from the horse’s head.
All buckets must be hung at the chest height of your horse.
Before putting your horse in a stall, look for nails, staples, sharp places, or loose boards on the inside and around the door. Hammer in things that stick out or use pliers to remove them. Cover sharp edges with duct tape. Check to make sure your stall door latches securely. Make sure that you have an extra heavy chain and larger snap to secure the door, if needed.
Your fire bucket will be placed right outside your horse’s stall by the stall door so that your pony can not knock it over. It is for the night watch to fill your pony’s buckets at night if needed. Make sure that both water buckets are full and that the fire bucket is full before you leave at night. In the morning, the fire bucket should be immediately emptied and put away in your feed or tack stall.
If you use a ground feeder pan (labeled) for your horse, remove it after feeding and store in the feed room. Put it on top of your hay, and the Horse Management Judge will know why you have only 2 buckets in your stall rather than 3.
Your horse’s halter should be labeled with your name, competitor #, and club. It must be a leather halter or one that has a leather breakaway part. Your pony must wear the halter at all times unless he is bridled.
Tie a loop of twine to one of the stall bars, but NOT the door ones. Use this when tying up your horse. You may NOT tie directly to the stall.
Lead lines must also be labeled. When the lead line and/or halter are not in use, they must be hung through the twine loop. Do NOT ever leave the lead line or halter lying on the ground or let your halter dangle by the lead rope.
Any time you go into the stall, you must put the lead line on your horse and loop it over his neck.
Do NOT latch the stall door when you are in the stall with your horse.
Do NOT ever leave your horse tied up and unattended.
After you take your horse out of the stall, stall door must be closed.
Check the shavings level each morning and purchase more if needed.

TACK ROOM CHECKLIST

Always arrive at the barns by the “Barns Open” time designated by Horse Management judges regardless of your ride time. Feed your horse, muck your stall after your horse eats, and prepare for the day.
Check the Required Equipment list in the HM rulebook BEFORE rally and label everything! There is no reason to lose points because you did not have something on the Required Equipment list.
Saddle racks, bridle racks, coat racks, helmets, etc. all must have the competitor number or name, and club name.
If the horses on your team are different sizes, make sure you have halter, girth, and bridle in the extra equipment box to fit each horse. This also applies to stirrups if riders are different sizes.
A neat, well-organized tack room is easier on everybody’s nerves... yours, your teammates, and HM judges. Do not leave food strewn all over the floor and open drinks and snack boxes sitting out. You may lose points for being sloppy.
Keep the floor of your tack room and the aisle in front of stalls swept. If your horse poops, clean it up. It is not the Stable Manager’s job to clean up after you or your horse!
The fire extinguisher and flashlight must be hung by the door... and they must WORK!
Make sure if you wear tall boots that you have toe and calf boot trees. These can be as simple as rolled newspaper for the calves and toe-shaped newspaper covered with tape for the toes.
You MUST wear your pinney from the time you get to rally until you leave. You might hang your pinney on the clothesline when leaving the barns for the night.
Don’t forget to wear your Pony Club pin and nametag on your pinney. Pin your Pony Club pin onto your nametag.
All riding attire and tack must be brought in Friday night and left in your tack stall. You may not clean your tack on Friday night! HM judging of stalls usually starts on Friday night. Horse Management Judges will be there as you are unloading, so be prepared to be judged as soon as you step foot out of your vehicle.
No running in the barn area, no sitting down while grazing your horse, and no fighting with teammates even if it is your sister or brother!
Tack room stall doors must be closed and secured EVERY time you go in and out of them!
Notice boards must be hung in tack room and have each rider’s formal inspection and riding times posted.
Tack cleaning hook and sponge baskets need to be hung out of harm’s way.

TURN BACK CHECKLIST

The HMJ is going to check your horse, your boots and show attire, and your tack one hour after your ride.

For the horse: Make sure that the horse is cool and dry to the touch, their body temperature is back to normal, the respiration rate is back to normal. Offer your horse small sips of water while cooling out and then as much as he wants after completely cooled out. The HMJ will look for dried sweat anywhere on your horse, especially around the ears, between the front and back legs, between the buttocks, and on the belly. Either sponge your horse off, or if allowed, rinse and scrape him thoroughly. Hooves should be picked out. Horse should be brushed (wait till they are dry). Go ahead and pick out the stall and make sure water buckets are full.
For the rider: Make sure your show attire is hanging back up and your boots are brushed off. If wearing tall boots, make sure boot trees are back in them.
For your tack: Saddle pads must have as much hair brushed off of the as possible and then hung inside out to dry on your clothesline. Girths must have hair off and no sweat on them. Bits must have no grass or saliva gunk. Bridles and martingales must be cleaned and hung on bridle rack. Saddle needs to be cleaned off and stirrups, pads, and underneath must be brushed off. If your horse wore splint boots or bell boots, they need to be rinsed and hung to dry.

STABLE MANAGER TIPS AND CHECKLIST

The Stable Manager (SM) is a very important member of the team. Some would say the Stable Manager is the team anchor. The job begins long before the initial briefing at rally.

Talk with your Team Captain before Rally to decide who will be responsible for making sure your team has all the necessary and required equipment. The Team Captain may call a meeting to go over the equipment list, make phone calls to team members about the equipment list, or may ask the SM to get in touch with members to make sure all equipment will be brought to rally.

You should use the USPC Equipment Checklist (see Horse Management Handbook) before the rally to make sure you have everything. At rally, you can help the Captain by listening for announcements of score postings and protest periods.

You should also make sure your teammates are aware of the formal inspection requirements that apply to their rating level. Use the Formal Inspection Checklists in your Horse Management Handbook.

One of the most important responsibilities of the SM is helping team members manage their time properly and to maintain a positive team atmosphere. Look for opportunities to encourage and help your team members.

You are not, however, a servant and should not be treated as such!

**Special Note to Team Members:
The SM is not your personal groom for the Rally. Do not be demanding on your SM. Try to be as responsible and independent as you can be. Look for opportunities to help each other out. Help keep everything in the barn neat and clean so the SM is not picking up everything.

Suggestions from experienced Stable Managers for helping your team:

Write the team’s schedule of jog outs, formal inspections, and rides on the notice board.
Look for opportunities to help each team member: "Do you need any help with...?" or "Do you want me to do... while you do...?"
Help each team member unload and set up stalls.
Try to be available as soon as possible.
Make sure members start getting ready for Formal Inspections on time.
Help groom horses for Formal Inspections.
Accompany riders to Formal Inspections, if possible. If inspections are scheduled close to each other for your team members, you can accompany the first team member, and then go back to the barn to get the next rider.
Take a bucket with rag, soft brush, boot brush, and water bottle to Formal Inspections.
During warm-up, put ice in a small bucket and put drinks in the bucket to take to the warm-up arena and later to the ride area for your team members and/or coach.
Hold a team member’s horse when the rider needs to get off (to run up stirrups, to walk course, etc.)
Hold helmets while riders walk the course during hot weather.
Help to get lunches for the riders while they are tending to their horses.
Help to clean tack for turn-backs (ex: SM cleans bits and bridles while riders do girths, saddles, and saddle pads.)
Help riders notice if horse needs hay, water, or if stall needs mucking.
Help with stall mucking for turn-backs and break down.
At the end of rally, help to break down tack and feed rooms. Alternate helping to carry out equipment for each rider when possible.

TEAM CAPTAIN

As team leader, the Captain should set the tone for the entire rally experience. The job begins before Rally. When the teams are formed, you should have a plan for getting your team ready for competition. Make sure each member knows what to expect and what is expected of them in terms of dress, equipment, and responsibilities. You might consider setting a meeting to go over equipment and discuss responsibilities or you might want to call members. Talk to your Stable Manager and decide which of you will be in charge of making sure all required equipment from the USPC Equipment Checklist (see Horse Management Handbook) will be brought and by whom.

Remember that as team leader, you are the person most responsible for maintaining a positive attitude. Competition can be stressful, and team members may be upset or discouraged over their performance. You should offer encouragement to all team members.

A major responsibility of the Captain concerns protests at rally. Remember that Judges are human and make mistakes, too. It is your responsibility to inspect scores and lodge protests within the allowable time frame. This means listening for announcements about score postings and checking when you return from riding to make sure they haven’t been posted in your absence. If you determine that a protest or inquiry is appropriate, be polite and factual.

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