Braidwood Pony Club

01/06/2026

Keeping us up to date with all the changes in our Pony Club world 🐴

🚨 Blue Book Updates Now Live 🚨

The updated Pony Club NSW Blue Book sections are now available on the website.

All updates are marked in "RED" so members, clubs, zones, instructors, officials and families can easily see what has changed.

Please take the time to review the relevant sections before attending rallies, schools, assessments and events.

Visit the Blue Book section on the Pony Club NSW website to read the latest updates. https://ponyclubnsw.org.au/blue-book/

Please see the latest updates below:

Page 6
Section 4 – Competition Rules
Point 13. Ownership of Mounts for Competition

Each horse must be the property of the competitor or a member of the Club to which the competitor belongs for a period of at least 28 days prior to competition.

Section 4 – Competition Rules
Point 14. Leasing

The leased horse cannot be used in competition until a period of 28 days has elapsed from the date the lease is signed by all parties.

Section 7 – Dress and Gear – page 5

Long Sleeved Zone or Club coloured Work shirts may be used at Club and Zone rally days and competitions.

Section 8 – Eventing – page 8

Whips may be carried in Eventing and Combined Training dressage.
Callers are permitted at all levels of Eventing and Combined Training Dressage.

20/05/2026

Great information 🐴🐎🐴

You ask your horse to move forward, but they plant their feet.

You ask for canter, and they rush, pigroot or pin their ears.

You ask them to stand quietly, but they paw, call out, fidget or pull back.

It can be easy in those moments to say the horse is being naughty, lazy or stubborn. But unwanted behaviour is information. Labelling a horse as naughty, lazy or stubborn can stop us from understanding the cause.

The Pony Club Australia Horse Welfare Policy is clear that using terms like naughty, lazy or stubborn to describe unwanted behaviour demonstrates a lack of understanding.

That does not mean people are trying to do the wrong thing. These words are common in horse communities, and many of us have heard them used for years. But they can lead us down the wrong path.

When we call a horse stubborn, we may stop asking whether the horse is confused, worried, uncomfortable, in pain, tired, overwhelmed, or responding to unclear aids.

The Policy reminds us that horses need clear and consistent aids, and consistent expectations for their behaviour. When aids are unclear, or expectations change from one day to the next, the horse’s world can become confusing and worrying.

Good horsemanship means looking deeper. Before we label the horse, we need to ask:

❓ What is the horse trying to tell us?

❓ What part might our timing, pressure, training, handling or environment be playing?

❓ How can we make the right behaviour easier for the horse to understand?

Understanding the cause helps us support the horse, improve safety, and build better partnerships.

20/05/2026

Thankyou to all our wonderful volunteers.
Without you, there wouldn’t be Pony Club.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🐴🐎🐴👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

💙 National Volunteer Week 💙

This week, Pony Club NSW proudly recognises and celebrates the incredible volunteers who are the heart of our organisation.

From club rallies and zone events to State Championships, coaching, canteen duties, gear checks, set-up, pack-up, admin, scoring, judging, marshalling, fundraising and everything in between. Pony Club simply would not happen without our volunteers.

You are the people who give your time, energy, knowledge and care to help our young riders learn, grow, compete, make friends and create lifelong memories.

To every parent, coach, official, committee member, zone representative, chief instructor, club helper and behind-the-scenes legend, thank you.

Your contribution makes a real difference to our members, clubs, zones and the future of Pony Club in NSW.

👏 Please join us in saying a huge thank you to all Pony Club volunteers across NSW!

03/05/2026

Braidwood Pony Club May Rally Day is on Sunday 10th May - yes, it’s on Mothers Day 🐴🌹🐴
Gear Check from 9.30 with Riding Instruction from 10am.
Lunchtime canteen will be in action with some treats for the special ladies in our lives 💕💕💕
Please let Jude know if you’re coming for catering purposes.

Saturday is the Braidwood Heavy Horse Show which we’re doing some of the catering for to fundraise for our portable Cross-Country jumps.
So happy to be supporting this event following our successful fundraising at last years Heavy Horse Show which resulted in the purchase of our portable EA compliant dressage arena. This has been very well used since its arrival and is a fantastic addition to our club.

11/04/2026

Who’s keen to compete! 🐴🐎🐴

08/04/2026

🐴🐎🐴

Did you know this includes you too?

If you’re on the sidelines at Pony Club - as a parent or supporter - this is worth knowing.

Under the Pony Club Australia Horse Welfare Policy, it’s not just riders who are responsible for how equipment is used.

It is a breach of the policy for parents and supporters to instruct or encourage a rider to use a whip, spurs or reins in a non-approved way - that is, as punishment or in anger.

This is often heard on the sidelines when a horse refuses, with calls to “smack him” or similar.

If this occurs, the person urging that action may have the matter referred for investigation under the PCA Conduct and Disciplinary Policy.

If the rider then goes on to misuse the equipment, they may also face disciplinary action, and can be immediately removed from the activity or competition.

Most people on the sidelines are there to support, but what’s called out can influence what happens in the saddle.

Support the rider, leave the coaching to the coach, and keep horse welfare front of mind.

❓️Wondering what an ‘approved way’ actually means?

Pony Club Australia’s education is grounded in equitation science, and recognises the gentle use of equipment such as the whip, spurs and reins as a form of negative reinforcement on the ground and under saddle.

In this context, negative reinforcement means applying a light aid, then removing it the moment the horse responds. The release is the reward, and that's how the horse learns.

02/04/2026

Great reading 🐴🐎🐴

A little favour from us… well, from ME 🐴💗
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