Suffolk Pony Club May Madness Mini-Camp - Ickworth Park 10-4 - Monday 26 May

Please provide additional riding information on booking to help us decide which is the best ride group. Include brief details of the rider and pony’s experience, any goals you have for this year, any problems you are having, advice needed, and areas you would like to work on. Please also inform us if your child has any health or learning difficulties that may impact on their tuition/riding.

Toilets available. Horse water available. Drinking water available. Dogs on short leads at all times. Non-riding children must be supervised by parents/guardians at all times. PC-compliant body protectors must been worn by all riders using the XC course. All riders using the XC course must wear a skull cap-style riding hat… there should be no fixed peak. See the current PC riding hat regulations. First aid available during the rallies covered by trained SPC volunteers. Please carry your own small first aid kit containing pain relief, anti-sting cream/spray, etc. We cannot administer medication. Please bring suncream and fly spray to late spring/summer rallies.

Please pick up horse droppings in the car park and take them home with you. Please collect any hay from the ground and take it home. Please park sensitively to ground conditions and neighbouring vehicles. There’s plenty of space, so please give your neighbours space. Wet weather parking is on the hill facing downhill to aid departure. Please do not park blocking the water tap and exit to the barn… keep that area clear.

If this rally extends over lunchtime, please bring your own food and drink for a picnic lunch. There is a fridge, microwave and kettles in the barn which can be used if required. Please site yourself carefully for lunch… be aware of surrounding horses/ponies and vehicles.

Our half- and full-day rallies start at 10am to help avoid queues at the National Trust kiosk. If there are queues, please wait patiently and do not bypass the kiosk unless directed to do so by a National Trust official. Please drive carefully across the National Trust property and remain within speed limits. Give way to all pedestrians and cyclists. Take particular care driving through the busy overflow car park area. On arrival, please visit the hat check in desk with your riding hat. You will then have your hat checked and be given your ride name and detail of your coach for the day. Please be ready at the ride markers for 10am. Most rally days will start with flatwork so the riders/ponies can get used to their surroundings and the coaches can assess ability/control. Thereafter, the rides will rotate between a selection of different activities, including mounted games, cross country, showjumping, jumping lane, mini-hack, stable management, badge work, etc. For full-day rallies, there’s an hour assigned for lunch, when the coaches rest and the members/ponies are the responsibility of parents/carers. Please remember: • Dogs on short leads at all times please. • Non-riding siblings or friends must be supervised at all times.

If you have any safeguarding concerns during a rally, please talk immediately to the rally organiser and/or coach. Alternatively please contact our Safeguarding Lead Alison Barber as soon as possible (07860 183158 or alishawbarber@hotmail.com).

We are pleased to offer a 1-day (10am-4pm) Mini-Camp on the Monday of May half term to all our youngest/most novice members in groups of up to 6 riders.

Who is this camp for?

• All lead rein riders

• All riders experimenting with coming off the lead rein

• All recently independent riders

• All young riders wanting a bit more confidence and jumping not more than around 60cm

What will we be doing?

Primarily, we will be having lots of fun!

Test preparation/achievement

At our full-day mini-camp members will be exploring the Pony Club E and D test syllabuses (or D+ if appropriate). Full test details can be found here: https://pcuk.org/tests/ Anyone who has not yet achieved their E test will be given the opportunity to gain it in a relaxed, low-pressure environment. They won’t even know they are being tested! Members looking at their D test will use the time to help prepare themselves and ensure they understand what is required of them and their ponies. All preparation can be done in a fun way – during a mounted games session, a drill ride, a mini-hack, a treasure hunt and so on. The more formal D test will be offered on Tuesday 27 May or Saturday 14 June.

Mini-badges

Members will also have the opportunity to gain a mini achievement badge. We will offer a couple of alternatives to ensure that there is no duplication.

Riding

Everyone will have the opportunity to explore Ickworth Park cross-country course on their ponies. Members will also be able to practise their showjumping skills in the main arena over our competition showjumps. And there will be plenty of time to practise school shapes within flatwork, as well as mounted games, polework or a drill ride, dependent on experience, etc.

Please note…

• A parent/carer will need to remain on site with their child at all times to offer support.

• Please bring your own food and drink, plus fly spray, antihistamine, etc.

• Dogs on short leads.

• Non-riding siblings or friends must be supervised at all times.

• All ponies must have been vaccinated against equine influenza within the past 12 months and be fit and healthy.