Royal Riders Club Royal Riders News Volume 1, Issue 11

August 2009

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Pony Club Camp 2009!

Upcoming Events 2

Me and My Pony 2

Pony Club Camp 3

Breed of the Month 4-5

Patch Program Pix 6

RRPC at OC Fair 7

Happy Birthday! 8

Learn all about: Wonderful Welsh

(above picture from left to right) Ally riding Cookie, Rachel riding Liam, and Sarah riding Apollo. More on pg. 3

Pg. 4

Pics of the Month

The Royal Riders Volunteered at OC Fair! Pg. 7

Me and My Pony: Rider and Pony Profile on Katie

Page 2 A cool new way to greet a pony! What will do for treats… and dogs too. Upcoming Events

August:  Sept. 26th— Rally—Bear November:  Lessons every Monday and Friday Valley  Lessons every Monday and Friday at 4:30 p.m. October: at 4:30 p.m.  Horsemasters lessons every Mon-  Lessons every Monday and Friday at  Horsemasters lessons every Mon- day at 10:00am & Tuesday at 6:30 4:30 p.m. day at 10:00am & Tuesday at 6:30  Aug. 1st—Vet Clinic—11:00am-  Horsemasters lessons every Mon-  Nov. 14th—unmounted meeting 1:00pm—Paxton EQ Center day at 10:00am & Tuesday at 6:30  No lessons on Thanksgiving week  Aug. 2nd—Dressage Show  Oct. 4th—Annual Parent meeting December:  Aug. 16th—McCoy Show  Oct. 11th—McCoy Show  Lessons every Monday and Friday  Aug. 30th—Patch Program at the  Oct. 17th, 9am-3pm—Pumpkin at 4:30 p.m. Gross’s Patch Fundraiser  Horsemasters lessons every Mon- September:  Oct. 18th—Dressage Show day at 10:00am & Tuesday at 6:30  Lessons every Monday and Friday  Oct. 24th—Show Rally—  No lessons during Christmas at 4:30 p.m. Ventura break—2 weeks  Dec. 12th—Christmas Party

Me and My Pony: Rider and Pony Profile

Name: Katie What color are your ponies? Starlight is , Sophie is , and Patches is Fleabitten Gray. How old are you? 9 (10 on August 7th) How tall is your pony? Starlight is 14.2hh, Sophie is What’s your favorite color? Lime Green 12.2hh, and Patches is10.1hh. What’s your favorite breed of or pony? Belgian What is your favorite thing to do with your ponies? Do you own or lease a pony? I own three ponies. With Starlight I like to barrel race and Sophie I like to What’s are your pony’s names? Starlight, Patches, and jump and do shows. But with Patches I like to do Sophie (shown) around the world and lay around and be silly. How old are your ponies? Starlight is 17, Patches is What are your ponies like? Starlight is very easy going probably 4 or 5, and Sophie is 19. and fast, Sophie is sophisticated, and Patches is just What breeds are your ponies? Starlight is a Quarter cute and silly. Horse, Sophie is a Welsh Pony and Patches is a What would your dream horse or pony be and what Welsh Mountain Pony. would you do with it? A big black Belgian and we would canter around a big meadow and go swimming in a lake. It would be a lot of fun!

Happy 10th birthday Katie! Page 2 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 11 Page 3

Pony Club Camp

Pony club camp was a blast! You could do things like ride, crafts, swimming, and horse man- agement (talking about horse related things). Some people may think it would be scary for your horse in a different area but my horse and mostly all of the other horses got used to it. When you ride you can do things like cross country, , and dressage. When you ride you’re put into separate groups by your number based on your skill level. So if your not the best rider you would be put in a higher number group (the lower the num- ber the better you are). When you do cross country, you do jumps or poles and go on a ride (maybe not though it depends). When doing show jumping it’s basically just going over regular jumps or poles. Also in dressage you do trot work, possibly canter work and quad drill teams. So it’s a whole week of fun in the sun. And if you would like to stay with an adult he/she may chaperone the people from the club if they’re at camp. I hope you decide to go next year. -Rachel E. Breed of the Month: The Welsh Pony

The Welsh Pony designates a group of four related types of pony and horse native to : the Welsh mountain pony (Section A), the Welsh pony (Section B), the Welsh pony of type (Section C), and the Welsh Cob (Section D). Welsh ponies and cobs are suitable mounts for both children and adults. The modern Welsh Pony is known as a riding and pony. It is shown both in and under , including hunter/jumper and dressage competition, and is a popular chil- dren's pony. They have a reputaton for intelligence, friendly personalities and even temperaments, allowing them to be easily trained. The breed is used for many forms of , including , as well as competition. The Welsh also crosses well with many other breeds and has influenced the and the British . Many are also crossbred with , and other horse breeds. The , a cross between the Welsh pony and the , has its own registry. The original Welsh Mountain Pony is thought to have evolved from the prehis- toric Celtic pony. Welsh ponies were primarily developed in Wales and existed in the British Isles prior to the arrival of the Roman Empire. They were adapted to the difficult climate of severe winters and sparse vegetation. Shelter most often was an isolated valley or a clump of bare trees. Bands of ponies roamed in a semi- state climbing mountains, leaping ravines, running over rough moorland terrain. Therefore the Welsh pony developed intelligence, speed and soundness, and is known for "heart" and endurance. They are tough and thrifty, with a steady, tractable, and calm nature.

When the Romans occupied Ancient Britain, they brought horses of their own, which bred with the native ponies, produc- ing hardy offspring with substance and attractive appearance. It is believed that Julius Caesar founded a stud for the ponies on the shores of Lake Bala. The characteristics of the breed as it is known today are thought to have been established by the late 15th century, after the Crusaders returned to England with Arabian obtained from the Middle East.

In the 1500s, King Henry VIII, thinking to improve the breeds of horses, particularly war horses, ordered the destruction of all stallions under 15 hands and all mares under 13 hands. Fortunately the ponies in the wild, remote, and inaccessible moun- tains of Wales escaped this order. On the upland farms of Wales, Welsh ponies and cobs would often have to do everything from ploughing a field to carrying a farmer to market or driving a family to services on Sunday. When coal mining became important to the economy of England, many Welsh ponies were harnessed for use in mines, above and below ground. In the 18th century and 19th century, more Arabian blood was added by stallions who were turned out in the Welsh hills. Other breeds have also been added, including the Hackney, , Norfolk , and the .

In 1901, the Society was formed in the United Kingdom, with the first Stud Book published the follow- ing year. In 1949, the sections of the Stud Book (A, B, C, and D) were introduced. The United States registry, also named the Welsh Pony and Cob Society, was incorporated in 1906. One important in the Welsh breed since the 1900s was Dyoll Starlight, credited with being the foundation sire of the modern breed, and who was a combination of Welsh and Arab breeding. From his line came an influential stallion of the Section B type: Tan-y-Bwlch Berwyn. This stallion was sired by a Barb and out of a mare from the Dyoll Starlight line.

A life-sized statue of a Welsh cob stallion was erected in the town of Aberaeron in 2005 donated to the town by the Aber- aeron Festival of Welsh Ponies and Cobs to denote the area as Welsh Cob country. It was created by sculptor David Mayer.

A small feral population of about 180 animals roams the Carneddau mountains in Snowdonia. All sections of Welsh ponies and Welsh cobs are sure-footed with sound feet, dense bone, and are very hardy. The ponies should have a well-laid back shoulder, deep chest, short back, well-sprung rib cage and strong hindquarters. Their legs should be clean" with good bone, short cannons and correct hocks. They exhibit the substance, stamina and soundness of their ancestral bloodstock. Welsh ponies may be any coat color except the spotted patterns such as pinto or Appaloosa. (Continued on next page.)

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The Welsh Mountain Pony (Section A) may not exceed 12.2 hands (127 cm or 50 inches). The Section A Welsh Pony is also known as the Welsh Mountain pony. Both the Section A and Section B ponies are more refined than those in Section C and D. They are characterized from the cob types by a large eye, small head (often with a dished face from the Arabian influence), high set on tail, and refined leg conformation, but retaining good bone and correctness.

The Welsh Pony of Riding Type (Section B) is the second division within the Welsh pony registry. Section B ponies are taller than the closely related Welsh mountain pony (Section A) with a maximum height of 14.2 hh (58 inches or 147 cm). They are known for elegant movement and athletic ability while still retaining the substance and hardiness of the , the Section A Welsh pony. Section B ponies also generally have a slightly lighter build, as a result of Thoroughbred and Hackney blood. Section B ponies should resemble the Section A pony, but are of a more refined "riding type". However, they should not be light of bone; they should resemble their Mountain Pony ancestors for quality of bone. In addition to the desirable character- istics of the Type A pony, Type B ponies have a free-flowing movement. They should have a muscular neck, arching from withers to poll, and have a deep, wide chest. Section B ponies are more commonly used as children's ponies and as pony hunter/jumpers.

The Welsh pony of Cob Type (Section C) should be no taller than 13.2 hands (54 inches (137 cm)). However, unlike the Welsh pony (Section B), it is heavier and more coblike and compact. The Welsh Pony of Cob Type first resulted from a cross- breeding between the Welsh mountain pony (Section A) and the Welsh Cob (Section D). Today , some Section C ponies are still produced from this cross. In the past the WPCSA also accepted Section C ponies with Section B blood but that is no longer the case. There were also crosses with Iberian horses, which led to the development of the Powys horse, which was also a founda- tion for this type. Other breeds also influenced the Section C, including the Norfolk Trotter, the Hackney and Yorkshire Coach Horse. Cob type ponies differ from the section A and B ponies in that they have a straight profile with large, expressive eyes. They have clean limbs with silky , and have sound feet. Their movement is high-stepping but with good reach in the shoulder and impulsion from the hindquarters. They have a round barrel and compact back with good muscling. The Welsh Pony of Cob Type is considered to have a more independent character than the Section A or Section B. They are easy keepers and have excellent endurance. Today, the type is used mainly in harness for competitive driving.

Influential stallions on the Section C and D bloodlines include:

 Trotting Comet: foaled in 1840 from a long line of trotting horses  True Briton: foaled in 1930, by a trotting sire and out of an Arabian mare  Cymro Llwyd: foaled in 1850, by an Arabian stallion and out of a trotting mare

 Alonzo the Brave: foaled in 1866, tracing his ancestry through the Hackney breed to the

The Welsh Cob (Section D) is the largest-sized animal within the Welsh pony and cob breed registries, and is no shorter than 13.2 hands. Under some organization rules there may be no upper height limit, others require they not be over 14.2hh. Though they are the tallest and stockiest of the Welsh sections, the head remains full of pony character, with large eyes, and neat ears. The legs may be relatively short, also akin to pony proportions. Mature stallions have somewhat cresty necks, those of mares are generally leaner. Like the section C, they have powerful, extravagant action. Grey coloring is rarer in the section D cob than other types of Welsh ponies, but bold white markings are common. Today, the Section D is best known for use in harness driv- ing, but they are also shown under saddle and in hand. Like other Welsh ponies, Cobs are also exhibited over fences as hunters and jumpers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Pony

Welsh Mountain Pony (Type A) Welsh Pony of Cob Type (Type C) Welsh Cob (Type D) Welsh Pony (Type B) Patch Program Pictures from July 24th Our last Patch Program was on leading a horse.

Mrs. Ashford talks about what we are learning today. Katie reads out of the Pony Sammie and Azieza decorate Club Manual their wallets.

We decorated wallets to put our Pony Club $ in.

Teegan leads Patches. Mr. Dvorak shows us how to a pony. Hannah shows Taylor how to hold a lead rope.

Hannah shows that she can Sammie and Azieza wait their Working on a puzzle sheet. Rachel and Ashlyn work to- put a on. turn. gether to solve the puzzle.

Kristen helps Azieza work on Emily and Libby have finished It’s fun to hunt for horsey stuff to buy in our Pony Club store! the puzzle. their puzzle!

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Pony Club Volunteers at the OC Fair

On July 30th, Some Royal Riders Volunteered their time to take care of some mares and at the Orange County’s Fair’s Ma- ternity Barn, from 4:30pm-9:00pm. They had to make sure the horses had enough water, clean up their stalls, answer questions from viewers, and take some of the horses out for exercise. There were three Mare and pairs to look after: Lady and Prin- cess, two pinto Miniature Horses, Lakota and Pink Bary, two white and gray Miniature Horses, and the two ponies Star and Aspen, Star the mother was a bay and Aspen the foal was chestnut. It was lots of fun hangin’ out with these adorable horses!

Princess taking a Lady eating Lakota eating Pink Bary taking a Star and Aspen nap nap

Katie, Kristen, Davis, Lady and Princess Ashlyn, and Rachel Pink Bary sleeping in eating Lady eats while Prin- Princess and Lady came to help. her Pink Blanket cess itches her leg. Lady and Princess

Davis with Pink Bary Princess and Lady Ashlyn and Rachel Katie and Kristen in Princess nursing from eating Pink Bary’s Room Lady Rachel & Bri

Mrs. Endressen organ- ized this fun trip. Ashlyn leads Lady We took Lady and Princess out for some exercise.

Katie and Princess

Standing by the horses Standing with the horses Making sure the foal Chasing after the Rachel and Brianne doesn’t eat dirt horses

Pink Bary It was lots of fun! Running with the horses Kristen, Ashlyn, and Ashlyn, Davis, Kristen, Pink Bary is so cute!!! Katie and Katie

Davis and Lady Royal Riders Page 8

Pony Club Comes to Yorba Linda

North Orange County’s very own Pony Club is here! Become a part of the Royal Riders Pony Club. Pony Club is an inter- national club geared toward educating our youth and guiding them toward becom- Sharon Kaak 18207 Shook Lane Yorba Linda, CA ing better horse riders. Pony club will encourage our young horse lovers to become 92886 even better citizens in our already strong community of horse lovers. Phone: 714-606-7136 Fax: 714-274-7136 E-mail: [email protected] This year promises to be full of new experiences. Each month we will have an unmounted lesson and two (or more if you want) mounted lessons. In the last year, we have already hosted Pony Play Days for our members, represented our OC PONY CLUB club in our local parades, made our own homemade horse treats, and partici- pated in a Pony Club Rally and Camp. In 2009 we are hoping to participate in

The Perfect Club for Pony Lovers even more rallies and clinics, as well as to experience some local field trips. We welcome you to join us! To learn more go to: www.ocponyclub.org

Our website is:

www.ocponyclub.org Is there a you’d like featured in the newsletter? If so, contact Kristen at: [email protected]. Also, send your photos and ads to me.

Hey Pony Clubbers: Check this link out of the Shetland Grand National! http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-exclusives/shetland-grand-national.aspx Happy Birthday!

Katie 10 on August 7th Avery Halina 14 on August 27th August 18th

Suggestions, Comments, or Questions: Email Kristen at: [email protected] Newsletter Managing Editor: Kristen D., age 12