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Introduction

One of the objectives of The Pony Club is to give instruction and coaching in riding and horsemastership and to educate Members to look after and to take proper care of horses and ponies. Becoming a Pony Club coach will enable you to deliver training and support Members to help them develop their riding and horse and pony care skills. The requirements below apply to all coaches involved with the Pony Club.

How do I become a coach?

To start coaching for a Pony Club Branch or Centre you'll need to be listed on The Pony Club coaching database. The easiest way to do this is for your Branch/Centre to add you on directly. If you aren't already coaching for a Branch or Centre, use our Find a Club tool to find your nearest one.

You'll also need to have the relevant certifications for the level at which you want to coach - full details are below. You'll need to show copies of your certifications to your Branch/Centre for them to add to the database.

Coach Categories

 

Enhanced Disclosure check - Updated every 3 years

Safeguarding certificate - Updated every 3 years

First Aid - updated according to the certificate

CPD -updated every year

Accredited Coach

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Supervised coach*

Yes

Yes

One or Both of these has expired

Expired Coach

One or Both of these has expired

A coach who does not have a in date Disclosure check and Safeguarding cert cannot be used.

* A coach that falls into the Supervised Coach category maybe used as long as they are Supervised by an Accredited Coach, this means being in full sight and sound of them. Any coach under the age of 18 will fall into the Supervised Category. 

Enhanced Disclosure Check - In England and Wales this is a DBS check, in Scotland it is a PVG, in Northern Ireland it is Access NI. Contact your local Branch or Centre to arrange this.

Safeguarding - The Safeguarding course offered by the Pony Club is Safeguarding for Equestrians. Other accepted courses can be found here

First Aid - The minimum qualification required for coaches is the Emergency First Aid at Work course. Once the initial qualification has been completed, an online refresher can be attended, but coaches must attend a face to face refresher on alternate years. More information about First Aid requirements can be found here

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) - Please be aware that from 1st January 2023 the CPD requirement changed to every year. Details of all courses approved for Pony Club can be found here

Coaches must also have appropriate experience/qualifications for the session/rally they are asked to coach.

The Pony Club Training Guide

Please see below to download a guide to The Pony Club Training, including information about Achievement Badges, Pony Club Tests, Progressive Awards and much more.

Downloads
The Guide To Pony Club Training
PDF - 540 kB

Need More Information?

Just contact our staff below:

Karen Bennett
Training Officer
T 02476 698314