A Test Syllabus

STANDARDS OF EFFICIENCY TEST SHEET 2010

STANDARD REQUIRED

• Passing the ‘A’ Test is a worthwhile achievement. It is accepted by the B.H.S. as an exemption from their Stages 3 and 4 Examination in Riding and Horse Care, (subject to recommendation by The Pony Club Training Committee and approval by the BHS Qualifications and Training Committee).
• The ‘A’ Test is the highest award of The Pony Club, and provides a comprehensive assessment of Horsemanship and Training of Young Horses.

Candidates should have passed all previous Pony Club Tests, but must have passed C+, B, Lungeing and AH. These tests will have provided a staircase of knowledge and progression to underpin the work and riding that will be observed. This will be supported by further training and practice, with different coaches and many varied horses and a wide range of reading, to give the breadth of knowledge required for this test.

OBJECTIVE

The candidates should be able to:

• Show a secure, correct, balanced seat on the flat and over fences.
• Improve all horses they work, including young, awkward or refusing horses.
• Be able to support the practical work shown with logical theory relevant to the individual horses.
• Give the examiners confidence that a horse left with the candidate would improve in its way of going.

The examiners will be looking for the following criteria:

OUTSIDE RIDING

1.    A balanced independent and secure position.
2.    Stirrups a suitable length for riding outdoors.
3.    Effective, co-ordinated aids, producing an appropriate response from the horse.
4.    Rein aids consistent and allowing.
5.    Horse ‘worked in’ to a logical and progressive plan.
6.    Assessment of horse - specific and accurate.
7.    Further work programme - individual and appropriate, for all types of horse

OVER FENCES

8.    Rider in balance over the horse’s centre of gravity, in approach, over a fence and on landing.
9.    Stirrups shortened for jumping.
10.  A secure lower leg.
11.  Hand allowing natural stretch over the fence.
12.  Forward rhythmical pace adopted.
13.  Rhythm maintained to and away from fences.
14.  Horse presented to fence in a way to allow him to jump easily.
15.  A smooth track between fences.
16.  Ease and competence allowing the rider to appear bold whilst riding the course.
17.  Proficient use of whip if necessary.
18.  Accurate assessment of horse and its way of jumping.
19.  Specific training plan to improve their horse’s jumping.
20.  Distances between related fences, doubles or grids should relate to the horse ridden, and be given in feet, yards or metres.
21.  Effective logical use of fences in assessment and developing work.

CROSS COUNTRY

22.  Balanced position appropriate for undulating ground.
23.  Secure lower leg position.
24.  Effective aids, coupled with a bold attitude.
25.  Rhythmical balanced pace, both in between and on approach to fences.
26.  Speed suitable for the ground and training of horse.
27.  Fences approached to give horse best opportunity to jump well.
28.  Effective use of whip if required.
29.  Clear assessment of the round ridden.
30.  Understand presentation demands of specific types of fence e.g. rail & ditch combination, skinny, water, corner, bounce etc.

INDOOR RIDING

Correct classical position
31.  Secure deep seat and leg position.
32.  Effective aids.
33.  Consistent correct contact.
34.  Horses ridden forwards in good form.
35.  Accurately ridden school figures appropriate to horses balance & level of work.
36.  Logical progressive work programmes based on the scales of training.
37.  Accurate assessment of horses’ way of going.
38.  Suitable specific programmes of improvement for horses ridden.
39.  Knowledge of aids for all movements required.
40.  Clear understanding of the preparation for all movements required.

Ability to ride and knowledge of when to use:
41.  Direct transitions.
42.  Turn on forehand.
43.  Leg yielding.
44.  Travers.
45.  Shoulder in.
46.  Counter canter.
47.  Simple change.
48.  Rein back.
49.  Walk pirouette.
50.  Variations within the pace appropriate to horses’ level of training.

LUNGEING

51.  Lunge line and whip handled safely.
52.  Lunge line and whip handled effectively.
53.  Suitable use of side reins.
54.  Horse worked forwards and in balance.
55.  Logical progressive work based on the scales of training.
56.  Work in all paces as appropriate.
57.  Horse worked on suitably sized circles.
58.  Poles used appropriately.
59.  Horse showed improvement.
60.  Accurate assessment of horse’s way of going.
61.  Work discussed competently and confidently.
62.  Appropriate ongoing training offered.

TRAINING THE YOUNG HORSE

63.  Sensible knowledge of handling young stock offered.
64.  Introduction to lungeing and long reining approached safely and logically.
65.  Discussion of tack used appropriate for purpose.
66.  Backing routine safe and practical.
67.  Initial riding plan safe and suitable.
68.  Appropriate ideas for widening the young horse’s education.
69.  Sensible use of facilities.
70.  Practical time scales discussed.
71.  Safety of helpers observed.

RECOMMENDED READING

The list below is by no means comprehensive. At this level candidates are encouraged to read many publications, articles and attend conventions with a wide variety of speakers.

Pony Club Publications:

• The Manual of Horsemanship.
• Breeding, Backing and Bringing on Young Horses.
• A Young Persons Guide to Eventing - Gill Watson.
• To Be A Dressage Rider - Jane Kidd.
• A Young Persons Guide to Show Jumping - Tim Stockdale.
• Look No Hands - Eric Smiley.
• Endurance Riding.
• The Stablemates Series.

Suggested further reading:

• British Dressage Rules (FEI Definitions of Paces and movements).
• The Complete Training of Horse and Rider - Alois Podhajsky.
• Complete Horse Riding Manual - William Micklem.
• Training Show Jumpers - Anthony Paalman
• British Showjumping Notes on Course Designing.

HINTS ABOUT TAKING THE TEST

• Dress tidily and cleanly, wear gloves and carry a stick or whip, bring your spurs.
• Arrive at the Test centre in plenty of time to walk the Cross Country and Show Jumping Courses before the briefing.
• Keep your stirrups to a practical workmanlike length.
• Don’t fiddle with spurs, taking them off and putting them on again. If you are confident that you can use them correctly, it is acceptable for you to wear them. However, their misuse can be dangerous.
• Look at the horse before you get on him; check the tack, look at the teeth; conformation and outlook may tell you something about the horse before you ride him.
• When you first get on a strange horse and start riding, look about you and ‘feel’ how the horse is going. This is more relaxing and more reliable than looking at its head.
• If you don’t know something, say so.
• If you make a mistake, admit it.
• If you get in a muddle when explaining something, say so, stop, and start again.
• Learn suitable distances for ground poles and related distances, which can then be adapted to suit individual horses.
• Avoid the ‘pat’ or ‘book’ answer. Don’t try to display all your knowledge. Instead, think seriously about the horse and then in the simplest terms possible, explain what faults there are and how you would go about overcoming them.

For example:

Q. What do you think about the way the horse is going?
A. He is on his forehand and lazy.
Q. How would you go about improving him?
A. The real problem is laziness; he doesn’t respond to my leg aids. This is the first thing I would correct. I would reinforce my leg aids with my stick until he became obedient. When he learns to go with more energy, I can expect more activity from his hind legs and hindquarters; he should then become a more balanced ride. It should then be possible to work to improve him.
The ‘pat’ reply might have been:
A. He needs more schooling. I would do a lot of turns, circles and transitions. Riding over undulating country might help.
This reply is not incorrect, but it does not show real knowledge.

In the indoor riding, don’t be afraid of riding the trained horse in a positive way. The trained horse is often a clever horse and knows better than most how to assess the rider’s ability.