B Test - Riding

Standards of Efficiency Test Sheet 2010

General

The 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.

Candidates will be required to ride more than one horse.

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 become an effective rider who knows the reasons for what he or she is doing.
• To know the Scales of Training.
• To understand the Scales provide a staircase of training suitable for all horses and ponies.
• To be able to maintain a horse’s way of going.
• To ride over fences at all paces.
• To be capable of riding a well-mannered horse or pony out hunting, in horse trials, or on a long distance ride.
• To ride intelligently and with due regard for others in the country, with a knowledge of pace, distance and discipline when riding alone and in groups.

Riding

• Basically correct position at walk, trot, canter, gallop and over fences.
• Try a horse at his basic paces, transitions, turns and circles.
• Understand and apply the correct aids for the movements ridden during this Test.
• Understand the aids for, and be able to ride, lengthened strides, rein back and leg yielding in walk and trot.
• Work towards demi pirouette in walk.
• Halt and salute.
• Candidates may be asked to ride with two pairs of reins and should understand the influence of the two reins.
• School movements, including work without stirrups.
• Ride a show jumping course and assess the round.
• Ride up and down hills and banks in trot and canter.
• Jump a variety of cross country fences while maintaining rhythm and a balanced position.
• Jump up and down hill; jump drop fences, jump doubles and awkward fences.
• Show a knowledge of pace and balance suitable for the level of training and fitness of their horse whilst riding at a cross-country speed.

What you need to know:(This is likely to relate to the horse or pony you are riding)

• Having tried a horse at his basic paces, transitions, turns and circles, comment on what you find using the scales of training as a template.
• Analyse the horse’s rhythm, tempo and suppleness.
• Understand the meaning of contact, impulsion, and straightness.
• Discuss the balance of the horse.
• Know the distances of trotting poles, a placing pole to a fence and a one stride double of 90cm high.

Read

• The Manual of Horsemanship
• Young Persons Guide to Eventing
• Young Persons Guide to Show Jumping
• To Be A Dressage Rider
• Endurance Riding and Trekking
• Fit for the Bit

Suggested Further Reading:

• Rule Books for Pony Club Dressage, Show Jumping and Eventing
• The Scales of Training
• Wall Charts:  The Muscular System, Points & Skeleton of the Horse

Felt Colour:  Red - Both sections of ‘B’ Test.  Beige - Riding Section only