The Irish Pony Club Tests
All Pony Club tests are optional but members are encouraged to progress through them during their time in the Pony Club. Training and Tests for the D through to C+ are organised at a Club Level, the B is organised at Area Level and the remaining tests are organised by Headquarters with DC's submitting names of eligible members who want to do the training & tests.
- A member cannot take a test with another branch without the written permission of both D.C.'s, and the Area Representative.
- A parent may not arrange a test for a child.
- If a member fails a test, a minimum of two months must elapse before retaking the test.
The below is an outline if the Candidate Requirements, Outcomes and Format for each Test, for all topics covered, please refer to the full Test Cards here.
The Irish Pony Club D Test
Candidate Requirements:
Candidates must be in their 8th year to sit D test
Outcomes:
Candidates should be safe and confident with their own pony and have a basic understanding of the care and wellbeing of ponies.
Format:
The D test consists of riding, horse care and knowledge and road sense theory. Candidates can wear Pony Club sweatshirt or jumper (no hood), pale coloured jodhpurs and a hat for flat work. Cross country hat and back protector must be worn for jumping.
The Irish Pony Club D+ Test
Candidate Requirements:
Candidates must be in their 10th year to sit D+ test.
Outcomes:
Candidates should be able to ride in a confident, balanced way and be working towards an independent position. Candidates should understand the basic aids.
Format:
The D+ test consists of riding, including jumping three fences (max. height 65cm) and riding on undulating ground, horse care and knowledge and road sense theory. Candidates can wear Pony Club sweatshirt or jumper (no hood), pale coloured jodhpurs and a hat for flat work. Cross country hat and back protector must be worn for show jumping and cross country.
The Irish Pony Club C Test
Candidate Requirements:
Candidates must be in their 12th year to sit C test
C test is a Minimum Eligible Requirement (MER) to compete at ALL levels in the Irish Pony
Club for show jumping, eventing, tetrathlon and hunter trials.
Members must still be signed off by their DC/Coach to compete.
Outcomes:
Candidates should be able to ride in a confident, balanced way and be working towards an independent position. Candidates should understand the basic aids.
Format:
The ridden section of the C test consists of flat work riding, jumping a round of showjumping (75cm), jumping a selection of cross-country fences (75cm).
The flat work and showjumping can take place in an arena or field, and the cross country will take place in a filed.
Candidates can wear Pony Club sweatshirt or jumper (no hood), pale coloured jodhpurs and a hat for flat work.
Cross country hat and back protector must be worn for showjumping and cross country.
Before mounting, candidates should meet the Assessors and walk both the showjumping and crosscountry courses.
Candidates should bring their own clean and named grooming kit, with a tail bandage to the assessment to be used in the Horse Care and Knowledge section.
The Irish Pony Club Riding and Road Safety Test
Candidate Requirements:
Candidates must be a minimum of age 12 Years on the date of the test.
The aim of the Riding and Road Safety Certificate Test is:
To alert riders to the potential dangers of riding on roads.
To ensure that candidates have sound knowledge of the precautions that must be taken to minimise these dangers.
To test the candidates' reaction to situations as they arise.
To test the candidates' control over their horses and the ability to ride safely.
To test their understanding of their responsibilities as road users.
This is a test of the Rider not of the Horse or Pony.
However, should the examiners consider that a candidate's horse or tack are, in their opinion, unsafe to carry out the road test, they are empowered to refuse to allow that candidate to proceed.
The Irish Pony Club C+ Test
Candidate Requirements:
Candidates must have passed their IPC or BHS Riding and Road Safety, before taking the C+.
Candidates must be in their 14th year or older at the time of taking the C+ test.
Outcomes:
Candidates should understand and apply the first three of the Scales of Training and should show a secure and balanced position in all paces, over a course of showjumps (90cm) and over a short course of cross-country jumps.
Candidates should be comfortable swapping horses and assessing each horse they ride on the flat.
Format:
The ridden section of this assessment consists of flat work, show jumping and cross country. The flat work and showjumping can take place in an arena or field, and the cross country will take place in a field.
Candidates can wear show jacket for the flat work and Pony Club sweatshirt or jumper (no hood) for jumping sections, pale coloured jodhpurs and a hat for flat work. Cross country hat and back protector must be worn for showjumping and cross country.
The show jumping and cross-country courses will be available to walk before the start of the assessment, it is recommended that candidate's avail of this.
The horse care section can take place in a stable yard or safely in the car park.
The Irish Pony Club B Test - Riding & Horse Care
Candidate Requirements for Riding:
Candidates must be in their 16th year or older at the time of taking the B test.
Candidates must have passed their C+ test.
Candidates taking the complete B test (Riding and Horse Care) should attempt both modules together on their first attempt, however, if they are not successful in one module, they have only to resit the module they were unsuccessful in.
Candidates who only wish to sit the Horse Care module do not have to present for the Riding module. It is not possible to only complete the Riding module of the B test.
Outcomes for Riding:
Candidates should understand and apply the first four of the Scales of Training, and be an effective, educated and balanced rider.
Candidates should be capable of riding a well-mannered horse and maintain a correct way of going, including riding a course of show jumps at 1m, maintaining a balanced, independent position, riding a number of cross country fences, over undulating ground, at a safe speed appropriate to conditions and showing consideration for safety when riding alone or in a group.
Format:
The assessment will consist of three sections – Flatwork, show jumping and cross-country.
The flat work session will take place in an arena, half the horses must be in double bridles and half in snaffle bridles.
The show jumping can take place in an arena or on grass, fences will be 1 metre, the show jumping course should contain a related distance, a double and a bending line.
The cross-country will take place in an open field and will include a short course of a variety of solid fence (max. height 1m).
Candidates can wear show jacket for the flat work and Pony Club sweatshirt or jumper (no hood) for jumping sections, pale coloured jodhpurs and a hat for flat work. Cross country hat and back protector must be worn for showjumping and cross country.
The show jumping and cross-country courses will be available to walk before the start of the assessment, it is recommended that candidate's avail of this.
The horse care section can take place in a stable yard or safely in the car park.
Candidate Requirements for Horse Care:
Candidates must be in their 16th year or older at the time of taking the B Horse Care.
Candidates may proceed from C+ to the B Horse Care, if successful candidates may continue on to the Lungeing test and H test.
Candidates taking the complete B test (Riding and Horse Care) should attempt both modules together on their first attempt, however, if they are not successful in one module, they have only to resit the module they were unsuccessful in.
Candidates who only wish to sit the Horse Care module do not have to present for the Riding module.
Outcomes for Horse Care:
Candidates should be aware of the 5 Welfares / Freedoms of the Horse.
Candidates should be capable of a high standard of care and turn out.
Candidates should follow standard daily, yard routine and be confident in basic yard maintenance.
Format:
There are 9 topics which candidates are expected to show a good knowledge and understanding of.
The assessment will take place in a stable yard environment and candidates will be expected to discuss and demonstrate various elements of each topic.
The Irish Pony Club Lungeing Test
Candidate Requirements:
Candidates must have passed their B test or their B standard Horse Care.
Candidates must pass the Lungeing Test before sitting their H or A Test.
Candidates must be in their 17th year to sit their Lungeing.
Outcomes:
Candidates should be able to work a horse correctly and safely in all three paces and to improve the way of going, be in control of the horse and equipment with a good understanding of the reasons and benefits of lungeing.
Candidates should be able to equate the first 4 in the Scales of Training to lungeing.
Format:
The test will consist of two sections.
First candidates will be asked to select appropriate tack and tack up a horse for lungeing. Following this candidates will be asked to lunge the same horse that they tacked up.
Candidates should be dressed in tidy, sensible clothes suitable for the weather, all jackets zipped up. Safe sensible footwear (no spurs), gloves, hat etc.
Candidates may bring their own rope/lunge line to the test.
The Irish Pony Club H Test
Candidate Requirements:
Candidates must have passed their B test or B test Horse Care.
Candidates must have passed their Lungeing test before sitting their H test.
Candidates must be in their 18th year to sit their H.
Outcomes:
Candidates should be able to look after a small mixed yard, (stabled and grass kept horses) for up to one month with minimal direction.
Format:
Candidates will be in groups of two or three.
Candidates will rotate through every station throughout the day, each station will have an individual assessor.
Candidates should come dressed in jodhpurs, boots, IPC sweatshirts, with skull caps and gloves at hand.
The assessment will consist of five sections.
The Irish Pony Club A Test
Candidate Requirements:
Candidates must have passed their Lungeing and H test.
Candidates must bring two horses to the A test, one for the jumping section, both show jumping and cross-country, one for the flatwork section (details outlined below).
All horses must be suitable to be shared with other candidates.
Candidates must be in their 18th year to sit their A test.
Outcomes:
Candidates should understand and apply the Scales of Training and show a secure, balanced, independent position, on the flat and over fences.
Candidates should show a consistent, allowing contact and demonstrate effective use of the aids.
Format:
Candidates are required to bring two suitable horses to the assessment – one for show jumping and cross-country and one for flatwork.
Horses must be capable of jumping up to 1.10m for the show jumping and cross-country and be working at Elementary level dressage. Horses must have their own suitable tack and be suitable to be ridden by other candidates. No green horses or stallions allowed.
Candidates are advised to arrive early and to walk the show jumping and cross-country courses. The assessment will consist of three sections, details are outlined below.
Candidates should wear cross country attire for both show jumping and cross-country sections. The cross country and show jumping will take out place outside.
For the flat work section half of the horses will be in snaffles and half will be in double bridles. The arena will be 20m X 60m.
Candidates should wear jacket, shirt and tie as for competition for the flat work session.
The Irish Pony Club Standard of Efficiency Foundation Coach Test
Candidate Requirements:
Candidates must be 18 years old before taking the test.
Candidates must have passed their B test before taking Foundation Coach test.
Candidates must hold a valid First Aid Certificate (FAR or BHS Equine Specific), Safeguarding 1 & have been Garda Vetted.
Candidates must have covered 4 hours shadowing a senior coach & this must be completed before they begin their training for the Foundation Coach test.
Candidates must submit 8 lesson plans one week before the assessment. 6 for Flat/ Showjumping integrated session topics and 2 of the Cross Country lesson topics.
A logbook of 10 sessions must be completed & submitted a week before the test. This must be done under the guidance of an IPC Senior Coach.
Candidates should have knowledge of the relevant test cards & tack sheets.
Candidates should present for the test in jodhpurs, boots, shirt, pony club tie, riding hat and jacket/gilet.
Outcomes:
To produce Junior IPC Coaches, capable of coaching up to & including "C" test level riders in a Safe, Fun & Educational manner, with the IPC ethos.
Format of the Ridden Sessions:
Candidates will be asked to coach two separate ridden sessions.
The first ridden session should be 45 mins long & be an integrated flat work & show jumping session.
In the first session candidates will have 2 'C' test level riders to coach.
The second session should be 30 mins long, 10 mins on cross country theory & 20 minutes on the cross-country session.
In the second session candidates will have 2 'C' test level riders to coach.
