pony clubs and riding schools.

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hi all ! (: my parents are considering on sending me off to a riding school. they were loading me up with questions. specifically the difference between a pony club and a riding school. i just started riding in a club seven months ago and im not too sure how to answer their doubts too. can anyone help me out ?

[maverick927]

Well, similarities is that you learn a lot from both and you don't need to be an owner in either.

The only thing is that a riding school is really good for lessons, especially when you are only a new rider, but if you ahve a bit more experience the pony club is good as you have the opportunity to compete.

I recommend you start with the riding school. Many riding schools have a Pony Club so you can always join later.

[LindaAd]

A riding school is a place where they own horses, and they have instructors who teach people to ride.

A pony club is more like a club where people go with their own horses or horses hired from a riding school, and they have activities, which might be lessons (only they call them something else), or might be social, like mock hunts, or might involve competing against other pony clubs. And there are usually some instructors, who turn up to teach when they're asked to, and lots of volunteer helpers, usually older pony club members, or parents.

At a riding school you generally pay an hourly rate; at a pony club, you pay an annual subscription, plus extra for the activities.

Oh, and you can go to a different riding school every week if you like, but you're only allowed to belong to one branch at a time.

BUT - this is in England; I don't know where you are. And some riding schools give themselves names like clubs, which complicates things. The main difference is that the riding school owns the horses; in the pony club it's the members who own or hire the horses.

Hope this helps.

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hey ! (: thanks, bet it helps ! :D