Coaching News is

Produced by PCAWA

Editor Denise Legge

Inside this issue

News from

SCP Editor 1

Annual Report from

Director SCP 2 & 3

Using Achievement

Badges— Horse Be-

haviour 4 & 5

Book Reviews 4

KEY DATES

SCS Feb 8th & 9th Feb

State Tet Champs 29th

& 30th March

SJ Showcase and Zone

SJ Competition 21st

April

State SJ Champs 24th

& 25th May

WA State Coaching Panel COACHING NEWS

Welcome to our first newsletter of 2014. I hope that you enjoyed a bit of break from Pony Club and are now ready to return, refreshed and re-invigorated. This is a condensed newsletter as in just over a week we have the State Coaching School (8th and 9th February with nominations to be received by Monday 3rd February).

The weather has been all over the place with the Goldfields getting drenched and Perth roasting. It is very heartening to know that PCAWA has done so much for horse owners who have been

effected by bush fires in Parkerville, Stoneville and Mundaring. The Fire Season will be with us for a good many weeks yet and I strongly recommend down loading the one-page guide on horses and bushfires from the Department of Fire and Emergency Ser-vices - go to www.dfes.wa.gov.au

It is an excellent document, the only thing I would add is to make sure that fly veils are removed as in high temperatures they melt onto the horse's face.

Onto a more cheerful topic. Jacinta Withoud, from JW Marketing an external research consultancy, has now analysed and reported on the findings from Project CONNECT. And what an amazing and thorough job Jacinta has made of a mass of information. As

coaches you have significant influence on these objectives:

encouraging young people to enjoy horse sports

providing instruction in horse-mastership

instil in members the proper care of horses/ponies

encourage "joy through participation".

Most survey respondents indicated that pony club is either very or extremely effective in meeting these objectives, so well done coaches! I hope you will take the chance to read the summary doc-ument and take part in the follow up forums.

Cheerful Coaching

Denise Legge

Editor

State Coaching Newsletter.

P.S. Do let me know what you would like to see in the newsletters

for 2014. Thank you. Denise Legge

Director of Coaching - Annual Report

There is no denying the year has been challenging, with so many events and changes within PCAWA. Most will

never realise the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes within the State Coaching Panel, Gear Checking

Advisory Panel and PCAWA Office to try and answer the numerous queries that are directed to us. Add to this the

settling in of the new Constitution and Board, the absence of an EO for most of the year and our State hosting the

Nationals and it’s a wonder any of us survived the year! But we did, and that is because we all have a common

cause, a strong passion for all things “pony club” and to build on the solid foundations of PCAWA by encouraging

more members and coaches to be part of this worldwide organisation that has withstood the test of time by grow-

ing and moving forward whilst adhering to our objectives.

Like many before me, I didn’t fully appreciate the enormity of the role that I undertook as Director of Coaching.

The constant stream of emails and queries is often daunting, especially when we are volunteers and many of us

have full time jobs to perform outside of pony club! Without the support of State Coaching Panel members and

the office staff we would not have achieved all that we have this year so I acknowledge and thank all those who

have assisted me. I would also acknowledge the loss of one of our valued panel members, Rhonda Kobulniczky

who passed away last year after losing her valiant battle with cancer. She was an inspiration to so many people

and contributed so much to Pony Club right to the end.

SCP are always looking for ways to promote more coaches and provide instruction and guidance where needed.

During the year we successfully assessed 11 coaches to become NCAS Pony Club accredited, which benefits the

association, as these coaches are trained specifically in the requirements of a Pony Club Coach. With the introduc-

tion of the new 2013 Syllabus our Examiners and Assessors have been busy with numerous E, D, C, C* and K Candi-

dates being assessed, and 5 dedicated riders achieving their “B” certificate.

Happy & Successful Certificate Candidates from almost one end of the State to the other. On the left E Candidates

at Port Hedland and on the right C Candidates from King River, near Albany.

Well done to all those club coaches who dedicated countless hours teaching these young riders. Regrettably we

have noticed an increase in candidates who require supplementary examinations on some areas of their assess-

ment, prior to being deemed competent. Club coaches need to take responsibility for the candidates they put for-

ward for assessment and ensure that riders are fully conversant with all that is required as part of the syllabus

by covering not only the riding at rallies, but the horse care as well, which is a basic requirement of each rally,

each month. Our young riders learn through repetition, consistency and practical hands on experiences, so incor-

porate this into your yearly coaching plans. State Coaching Panel has some funding available for “Coaching

Coaches” clinics to assist coaches, by explaining the pony club requirements and different ways of presenting the

same material. As coaches we never stop learning, and are always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to

present topics in the syllabus!

Not a scene from Mary Poppins, but a Coaching the

Coaches clinic when one of the topics on offer was "Spook

Busting".

The State Coaching Panel are also looking at new ways to

get the message out, so a letter will be sent to all clubs

after the AGM explaining some of our new initiatives.

Of the vast numbers of queries this year, many have related to gear checking! I would like to take this opportuni-

ty to remind everyone that these queries should be directed through your Club Chief Coach and then Zone prior

to coming to Coaching Panel via office, this is of course

after you have checked the Gear Checking Manual your-

self! Some years ago, the SCP formed the Gear Checking

Advisory Panel (GCAP) to assist with gear check issues by

conducting research prior to SCP making any decisions.

Heather Pow, Paula Gent and Jill Ozanne have all resigned

from that committee during the course of this year and

their contribution needs to be acknowledged for the

wealth of experience, knowledge and advice they provid-

ed SCP over many years. As we now only have one mem-

ber on the panel we will be calling for new members to

join this committee soon and "pick up the reins". So

please take time to read the flyer on joining the GCAP.

We will also be communicating the new initiatives which came out of a recent Gear Checking Forum.

Overall it has been a very hectic year, and although I have not achieved all I set out to achieve (in the Corporate

world these are called stretch goals!) I hope that the small changes we have implemented are making a positive

difference.

Tracy Crocker, Director of Coaching, PCAWA

Using Achievement Badges for Young Riders

Behaviour

It is interesting that this is an Achievement Badge when there is almost nothing in the Syllabus of Instruc-tion, even for the K and H Certificates, about behaviour apart from recognising when an animal is in pain or ill.

Most young riders enjoy learning to understand "pony talk" and it will help keep them safer around po-nies.

Ponies "talk" using:

the shape of their whole body - when they are excit-

ed their head and tail are usually up and often lift their feet higher than usual. Young or nervous ponies often make themselves smaller and "mouth" at the dominant pony. We can all recognise a very relaxed or half asleep pony - lowered head, sometimes floppy lower lip and often resting a hind hoof(see photo to right) Just as a pony in pain or a grumpy one will look uncomfortable or restless.

their tails - tend to mirror what the body does so up

means excited, carried low means relaxed and flat or tight means they are frightened. A swishing tail could mean that something other than flies is annoying the pony.

their ears - pricked forward means something inter-

esting is happening - it might be a cyclist going down the road or 'roo hopping across the paddock. (see photo to right) Flattened ears mean trouble, either the pony thinks he is in trouble or he is going to create it! Often in a group situation or when ridden the pony will flick his ears to and fro picking up on what is happening around him.

their face - just like people a tight mouth is a sign

of tension. Take a look at the two photos below,

you can instantly tell which pair of horse are

friends and which are not!

Ponies use their to nose to concentrate smells by rolling back their top lip (Flehmen movement) and

make a long nose when they get in just the right place for a scratch or from grooming by another pony. Wrinkly noses could mean an irritated pony, perhaps he has been girthed up too quickly. And ponies yawn just like us and for the same reasons. We can tell a happy relaxed pony by a bright and interested eye, a sleepy pony will have half lidded or even closed eyes. A frightened pony may show some white of eye and a dull eye may indicate ill health. Ponies have the ability to see nearly all around apart directly behind and directly under their nose. That is why it is very important to approach a pony from the side (45 degrees), and not to trim their nose whiskers - like cats ponies use these to feel what is right under their nose. And never rush up behind a pony. If moving behind a pony either be very close or out of kick-ing range - demonstrate by taking a lead rope and have clip end on the ground and hold it by the point of hip then have some take the clip end out parallel to the ground. Beyond the clip is out of reach.

their feet - often as a warning first. Ponies often paw the ground before rolling so if a pony is ridden

into shallow water and he starts pawing, the rider needs get his head up and move him or both will get wet. Sometimes ponies will strike out with a front foot, often squealing at the same time, when they meet other ponies. This means don't get too close, another good reason to stand at the side of a pony and not in front. Ponies may often lift a hind hoof with the threat of kick, again keep to the side.

and their "voice". The lovely throaty nicker at feed time, the high pitched whiney when good (pony) friends are separated or a squeal or excitement or annoyance.

Ponies are brilliant readers of our body language. They can tell when we are nervous, unhappy or calm and confident. Ponies much prefer us to be calm and confident.

Demonstrate the safe way to approach and move around a pony. Since we hope that most ponies will appear relaxed at Pony Club, print of a number of images (just type into google horse body language - ) or use the ones from this newsletter and get these laminated then ask the children what "pony talk" is happening. Mention that ponies often threaten first rather than make a surprise attack.

Assess the riders and make a note of names so you can hand out Badges at the next Rally. (Oohh I wonder what Badge will be covered in the next newsletter?)

BOOK REVIEWS

101 Eventing Tips. James C. Wofford ISBN-13 978-1-59228-199-2

Although clearly aimed at adult riders who want to get started in Combined Training and Horse Trials, this handy little book (it's about 15cm by 17cm) manages to pack in a lot of useful infor-mation. James C. Wofford is American Olympic medallist (silver and bronze) and a highly re-spected trainer, columnist and television commentator.

The book in divided into 4 sections: Getting Started, Dressage, Cross Country and Stadium Jumping (it is American and this is what we call Show Jumping) plus Appendices on Grooming and Conditioning.

Not all the tips are applicable to Pony Club riders but coaches can find several nuggets in each section. The exercises are straightforward but as the author states just because it's simple doesn't mean it's easy.

School Exercises for Flatwork and Jumping - A Handbook for Instructors & Jumping. Elea-

nor Ross ISBN 1-872082-31-9

School Exercises is a graphic, clearly presented "cookbook" of ideas and specimen exercises, compiled particularly for trainee coaches and also very useful for more experienced instructors and riders schooling their own horses or ponies.

The book is divided into groups of related exercises, each exercise being accompanied by a full explanation, the aids, words of command, teaching hints , advice on likely problems, safety and suggested variations.

School Exercises shows how to make imaginative and constructive use of a 20m x 40m school-ing area, adding variety and interest to lessons and riding sessions for teachers, horses and rid-ers.

With this book you will never be short of a lesson plan for flatwork, pole work and jump-

ing.

If you are a horse owner you need to develop a bushfire survival plan that includes what to do with your horse.

You may choose to find a safe area on your property for the horse to shelter or you may decide to relocate your horse.

Identifying a safe place for your horseWalk around your property and choose a safe area where horses can be placed if it is not possible or practical to relocate them. The area should:

be as large as possible. This may be created by opening gates to several paddocks.

be closely grazed or a large well fenced sand area that does not have any trees or buildings nearby that will burn easily.

have a dam with easy access.

Identify several routes to get the horse to its safe place from your property, as it will depend where the fire is on the day.

Relocating your horseIf your plan is to relocate your horse you need to make arrangements ahead of time for a place to temporarily relocate your horse. Options may include showgrounds, sale yards, racetracks, pony club grounds or with family and friends.

If you cannot take your horse to family or friends, contact your local ranger when writing your survival plan to get advice on where there may be emergency paddocks or stables in your area. These safe places cannot be guaranteed, as conditions could change on the day, so make sure you also have a back-up plan.

Decide which horses you will move. Ensure your horse float is roadworthy and ready to make the trip.

Make sure your horses are float trained and if the fire is at night you need to be confident that you will be able to move the horses in the dark.

What to take:The horse handler should wear clothing made of natural fibres (boots, jeans, long sleeved shirt) and gloves to avoid rope burn.

You should prepare an emergency kit ahead of time. It should include:

wire cutters and a sharp knife.

fire-resistant container to be used for water.

extra lead rope and halter.

woollen blanket and towels.

horse first aid kit.

emergency supply of food.

Safety tipsFor the safety and wellbeing of your horse the following safety tips should be observed.

do not shut your horse in the stable as that will give it no chance of saving itself in the fire.

do not let your horses out of their paddock onto the road. This not only endangers emergency personnel who are fighting fires but also the horse itself.

use a soft rope halter or headstall (not nylon) instead of metal collars or halters. Some horse gear may be flammable and metal gear would get very hot, so such items should be removed from the horse.

do not leave a rug on the horse if the fire is close. Rugs burn and a horse cannot get them off.

REMEMBER: Make sure your horse is identifiable (brand, microchip or address on its head gear) in case it gets loose during an emergency.

For further information on how to prepare for a bushfire visit:

www.dfes.wa.gov. auCall 000 to report a fire

DFES

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Horses and Bushfires