STANDARDS OF EFFICIENCY TEST SHEET 2010

GENERAL

The 'B' Test may be taken as a whole or in two parts:

•     B Standard Riding
•     B Standard Horse and Pony Care

These Tests may be taken on different occasions and in any order.
Before taking the ‘B' Test, Candidates must have passed the ‘C+' Test and The Pony Club Road Rider Test or the BHS Riding & Road Safety Test.

The practice of bringing pressure to bear on Area Representatives, DCs, Examiners and other Pony Club Officials to treat as special cases those who happen to be using the Test as an Entry/Professional Qualification is unacceptable.

OBJECTIVE

• To gain practical experience and knowledge of the care of a stabled horse/pony and of a horse/pony at grass.
• To look after these before, during and after the day's hunting, eventing or endurance.

HORSE & PONY CARE

• Knowledge of the care and working of a pony at grass and a stabled horse receiving hard feed.
• A fittening routine suitable for Intermediate / Open Area Pony Club competitions.
• The importance of exercise for stable kept horses.
• Daily routine for grass kept and stabled horses.
• Have some knowledge of stabling - ventilation, light, drainage, shelter and warmth.
• Know principles of watering and feeding and why these principles are important.
• Have a knowledge of the different items of forage, and their effect on a horse's condition and behaviour.
• Put on a stable bandage.
• Discuss types of rug, tail and poll guards etc.
• Inspect horse box or trailer for safety and road-worthiness.
• Recognise good and bad points of conformation.
• Know the parts of the horse's shoe and different types of shoe.
• Understand the methods of shoeing.
• Know uses of the farrier's tools.
• Know when a horse is in healthy condition.
• Know how to administer a wormer.
• Know when a horse is lame or ill and discuss the most likely causes of these ailments.
• Elementary first aid including colic, laminitis and azoturia / tying up.
• Explain how to take a temperature.
• Discuss how to administer medicine in food, tub a foot, hose a leg and put a poultice on a foot.
• Organisation and fitting of tack room.
• Understand and discuss the families of bitting, characteristics, action and probable reaction.
• Recognise badly fitting tack and inspect tack for soundness.
• Know how to store saddlery, rugs , bandages etc.
• Recognition of various types of saddles, martingales and boots and their uses.

READ

• The Manual of Horsemanship
• Keeping a Pony at Grass
• Young Persons Guide to Eventing
• The Scales of Training
• Vital Statistics
• Body Basics
• Fit for the Bit
• Wall charts:  Respiratory System, Digestive system, Points & Skeleton of the Horse, Areas of Common Ailments and Injuries, Poisonous Plants, First Aid, Lorinery.

Suggested Further Reading:

• Pasture Management

VIEW

•     DVDs:
  •     Stable Management Series (Handling and Leading, Health and Condition)

Only those 14 years or over are eligible for B Standard.  Recommended Minimum age: 15 years

Felt colour:  Red - Both sections of ‘B' Test.  Brown - Horse & Pony Care Section only

• Mini Achievement Badges
• Achievement Badges
• Progressive Tests
• E Standard
• D Standard
• D+ Standard
• C Standard
• C+ Standard
• Road Rider Test
• B Standard - Riding
• B Test Exemption
• Coaching Certificate
• Lungeing Test
• AH Test
• A Test Riding
• The Pony Club Hunting Certificate
• Polo Test (Lower)
• Polo Test (Higher)