Busy Week coming up!

Our first beginner riding program of the summer starts next week and I feel like we are more organized than ever ... until ten new riders descend!  We have built permanent wood cubbies and they got painted by the lone Full Access Lease participant this week -- color coded!  We'll have a Red, Yellow and Blue group each with its own instructor.  Each rider will rotate through a riding lesson (of course!), grooming and barn chores, and crafts/activities.  We've had lots of interest from experienced riders who will be helping these newer ones.

Also, with most schools finishing up, our full access lease program will be humming.  The weekly trail lesson will be on Wednesday morning and Karrie & Emily have come up with lots of great ideas for work projects around the barn and property.  If you are participating, make sure to bring clothes that can get dirty or paint on them!  And, we decided this year to add a fun craft project (just one for now) each week.  First up -- TYE DYE!

Emily has brought not only a lot of energy to the barn but also some great ideas from her 'home' barn.

And, Pony Club swings into action in a major way a week from Sunday (the 26th) with another un-mounted meeting followed by a week of Pony Club programming.  All who are signed up or interested should be aware of the ratings test session on July 1st!  This first session is free to all PC members.

Lastly, we've developed a Fan Page for Cobble Hill on Facebook.  If you are a 'friend' of Cobble Hill Farm, please also join the fan page.  It will have more tools, more posts (at least while Emily is around), more pictures and more interactive features.

Pony Club Meetings

As many of you know, Cobble Hill Farm has gone through the process of getting certified as a Pony Club Riding Center.  Riders at our barn under the age of 25 and riders from any other facility are welcome to join our Pony Club program.  What does that mean?

Come find out!!!

Karrie and several adult volunteers (themselves alumni/ae of the Pony Club) will be hosting a parent and rider information session at the Farm (in the house!) on APRIL 15th at 6 pm.  All the information on levels, badges, programming and fees will be presented there. 

Our first official PONY CLUB MEETING (there are mounted and unmounted meetings -- this will be unmounted) will be on TUESDAY April 19th from 10 am - noon (this is school vacation week for WES and a day off for Pine Cobble).  The second meeting (also unmounted) will be SUNDAY May 22nd from 2 - 4 pm. 

Also, to find out more about Pony Club, please visit their terrific website:  http://www.ponyclub.org/

If reading the site, just know that because we are a riding center, you DO NOT have to own your own horse to be a Pony Club member!

It's official: We are a Pony Club Riding Center!

As many folks know, we have been working toward (after careful consideration) being a certified Pony Club Riding Center.  What does that mean?  Any rider (at Cobble Hill or any area barn) can join the Pony Club through us and we will be offering special programs aligned with the organization.  (check out ww.ponyclub.org)  There is additional information in the barn, but here are some basics:

*No CHF rider will be required to join Pony Club.  There is an annual dues fee paid to Pony Club if you would like to join and you will be required to join if you want to participate in any of our Pony Club lessons, meetings or other activities (like camps).

*The US Pony Club has "Standards of Proficiency" and provide a core curriculum for individualized instruction.  The standards describe a clear progression of skills in both RIDING and HORSE MANAGEMENT.  The standards also provide opportunities for goal setting, as members are encouraged to proceed through specific skills.  There are 'rating tests' that evaluate members progress through rating levels.  Ratings are given in an effort to recognize achievement and encourage members to gain confidence, independence, good safety habits while working with mounts.

*The USPC has 3 basic goals for members:  riding instruction, development of horse care responsibilities and participation in various mounted sports.

We will be handing out brochures and holding several information sessions.  Then, we will do some introductory programs -- probably starting during April School Vacation and some Saturdays for Pine Cobble riders.  We are doing two weeks of summer programming that will be specifically around Pony Club and we are hoping to take advantage of a Pony Club visiting instructor to do a special week of programming.  Some of the interesting things that Pony Clubs do are:  Dressage, Eventing, Competitive Rallies, Mounted Games, Quiz, Show Jumping, Tetrathlon (swimming, Show Jumping, Running and shooting)
and (my favorite but Krissy and Karrie keep saying no) Polocrosse (mounted lacrosse basically).

Finally, the mission statement of the USPC:  The mission of the United States Pony Clubs, Inc., is to provide a program for youth that teaches riding, mounted sports, and the care of horses and ponies, thereby developing responsibility, moral judgment, leadership and self-confidence.

Please speak to Karrie, Jacki or Janette Dudley for more information.