1. Get your pony fit enough.

2. Make sure your shoes are in good condition. It can be very sticky in the mud and it’s very annoying to have to come home early because you’ve lost a shoe in the first field.

3. Make sure you have a strong enough bit as most ponies and horses are much stronger out hunting.

4. Practise your jumping!

5. Plaiting is optional, but you must do your best to be neat and tidy. Tack should be clean and your pony well groomed and as clean as possible.

6. If your pony might kick, put a red ribbon in its tail. A green ribbon means ‘beware it’s a young horse’ and might do anything.

1. Sweets/chocolate (not things you can choke on).

2. A piece of paper with your name, age and contact phone number.

3. Mobile phone… only to be used when necessary ie to call your Mum when you want to go home.

4. Carry a piece of string and penknife in your pocket for doing gates.

5. A handkerchief.

6. Remember you must have your cap (not your mother). A cheque or correct cash in an envelope. This should be handed to the secretary at the meet. He is called Peter Hughes, rides a grey and has a red bag. The cap is £15, except for Children’s meets when it is which is reduced to £10. The Avon Vale Hunt Pony Club pays a subscription to allow you to hunt at a reduced rate.

1. It is polite to ring/email and get permission to come out. You would usually ring a Master, but we have a system whereby you contact the Pony Club co-ordinator, who is Clare Bromfield.

2. Do not unload at the meet. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have a field to park in when it’s dry. Try to give yourself a half mile hack to the meet as it warms your horse up. Leave your trailers parked off roads, not on mown verges, not in gateways, and not on private land unless you have permission. Arrive on time. The meet is at 11.00am.

3. Say ‘Good Morning’ when you arrive at the meet.

4. Find the secretary and pay your cap.

5. Say thank you to the hosts of the meet.

6. Have respect for the adults as they pay far more than you do!

7. All children 12 and under should be escorted by an adult. All PC members are recommended to take their Hunting Certificate.

8. Keep conversations in the field quiet.

9. The Field Master is in charge. Always obey him and never get in front of him.

10. When jumping do not cut in front of anyone and go in a straight line, don’t cut in from the side. If your pony refuses, move swiftly out of the way and allow everyone else to have a go. Only have a couple of tries and then find a way round as you will cut up the farmers land. Always go round with an adult who knows where to go.

11. Bridges. Always walk across them and then wait until the person behind you has crossed safely before you gallop off.

12. Always offer to jump off and open/close gates/wire. The adults are stiffer than you and usually have a much taller horse to get back onto!

13. Gates: try to slow down to a trot when going through a gateway. Don’t splash the person holding it open, it might be the landowner. Always shout ‘gate please’ if the gate needs shutting, making sure you have passed the message back. If you are the last person through you must shut it, never leave a person on their own to do a gate, it is very hard to mount a horse when it is spinning round trying to gallop off and catch up with the rest of the field.

14. Always thank passing cars on the road.

15. Always turn your pony’s head towards the Field master, Huntsman or Whip or hounds when they come past (this avoids them being kicked).

16. If you break a fence, repair it as best you can so it is stock proof and report it to the Field master.

17. Keep off crops and keep in single file round fields.

18. At the end of the day, always say ‘Goodnight’ and ‘Thank you’ to the Field Master if possible. Make sure someone knows you have gone home otherwise we might start to look for you !