The Rules of the Pony Club
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ANNUAL HANDBOOK 2020 THE RULES OF THE PONY CLUB (Text in red type denotes a change from the Rules as printed in the 2019 Handbook) GENERAL INFORMATION Any changes made to the Rules of The Pony Club during the year will be made available online at pcuk.org and Branches and Centres will be notified. 1. INTRODUCTION those people who may be affected by those Purpose activities and to ensure that all statutory 1.1 The Pony Club is a voluntary youth duties are met. organisation for young people interested in ponies and riding. It is a Registered Charity 1.5 Each employee, Area Representative, and and is subject to Charity legislation and to District Commissioner/Centre Proprietor shall regulation by the Charity Commission. The be given such information, instruction and Legal Objects of The Pony Club are set out in training as is necessary for them to perform clause 4 of the Articles of Association (a copy their duties in safety. When tasks require of which may be obtained from The Pony particular skills additional to those of The RULES OF THE PONY CLUB Club Office upon payment of a fee). Pony Club staff and volunteers, a competent The purpose of The Pony Club is: person or contractor with the necessary - to encourage young people to ride and experience and training shall be engaged. to learn to enjoy all kinds of sport connected with ponies and riding. 1.6 Each employee and volunteer will be - to give instruction in riding and expected to co-operate with The Pony Club horsemastership and to educate or District Commissioner/Centre Proprietor to Members to look after and to take proper ensure that all statutory duties are complied care of animals. with and to ensure that all work activities - to promote the highest ideals of are carried out safely. Each individual has a sportsmanship, citizenship and loyalty legal obligation to take reasonable care for to create strength of character and his or her own Health and Safety, and for the self-discipline. safety of others who may be affected by his or her acts or omissions. Any person who is 1.2 The Pony Club Office is at Stoneleigh Park, concerned about any issue relating to Health ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES ADMINISTRATIVE Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2RW from and Safety should raise the matter with their where The Pony Club is managed by a District Commissioner or manager at the permanent staff responsible to the governing earliest available opportunity. body (the Trustees). Organisational Arrangements Health and Safety Policy 1.7 The Chief Executive and the Pony Club Office 1.3 The Trustees are committed to ensuring, so shall on behalf of the Trustees far as is reasonably practicable, the Health i. Ensure that Rules and procedures are and Safety of its employees, of everyone who published and updated regularly to cover all assists The Pony Club, in whatever capacity. Pony Club activities; Members and their families and members ii. Ensure that adequate Employer’s Liability of the public who may be affected by the and Public Liability insurance cover, activities of The Pony Club. as determined by The Trustees of The Pony INFORMATION Club, is obtained; 1.4 The Trustees will ensure that management iii. Ensure that adequate training and procedures and rules are in place to ensure instruction is provided for Area that all Pony Club activities are run with Representatives, District Commissioners, due regard for the Health and Safety of all Volunteers and Employees; 16 pcuk.org ANNUAL HANDBOOK 2020 iv. Maintain a central record of competent v. Report any hazardous defects in plant and Coaches and their attendance at equipment or shortcomings in the professional development training. existing safety arrangements to a member GENERAL INFORMATION Coaches may be deemed to be competent of the Branch Committee, or their by virtue of qualification, achievement or immediate Pony Club contact, as soon as experience in one or more fields relevant practicable; to Pony Club activities; vi. Report all accidents to a member of the v. Ensure that all activities organised by Branch Committee, or their immediate The Pony Club are run with due regard Pony Club contact. to the Health and Safety of everyone who may be affected by that activity; 1.12 Health and Safety is to be given priority over vi. Ensure that adequate safeguarding any other Pony Club activity. procedures are notified to Area Representatives, District Commissioners Other Legislation and Centre Proprietors for implementation 1.13 It is also the policy of The Pony Club to take at all Pony Club activities; account of, and to implement as required, legislation on human rights, legislation which vii. Maintain effective communications on RULES OF THE PONY CLUB Health and Safety issues with employees, impacts voluntary youth organisations, and Area Representatives, District which regulates the care and supervision Commissioners and Centre Proprietors; of young people. viii. Require accidents to be investigated to identify the causes so that actions may be 1.14 In relation to equity, equality and diversity, taken to reduce the possibility of a The Pony Club recurrence. i. aims to ensure that all people, irrespective of race, gender, ability, ethnic origin. social 1.8 District Commissioners shall operate their status or sexual orientation have equal Branches in accordance with the Rules of The opportunities to take part in equestrianism Pony Club and statutory requirements and at all levels and in any roles; with due regard for the health and safety of ii. seeks to educate and guide Pony Club their Members, parents and guardians, Members, their employees and volunteers volunteers and any other person who may be on the ownership, adoption and affected by the activities organised by the implementation of its Equity, Equality and Branch. Diversity Action Plan; NOTES ADMINISTRATIVE iii. intends to raise awareness of equity, 1.9 Area Representatives are responsible equality and diversity through the for monitoring the Health and Safety implementation of this policy and the performance of the Branches in their area. adoption of the Equity, Equality and Diversity Action Plan; and, as a result of this 1.10 Pony Club Linked Riding Centres are process responsible for their own Health and Safety iv. aims to monitor, review and evaluate arrangements. These will be monitored by progress in achieving the stated aims and their Area Centre Coordinator and reported objectives and to feed back to member to The Pony Club Office as part of the Centre bodies on progress made. annual visit. 1.15 The Pony Club will ensure that its recruitment Responsibilities of Employees, Officials, and selection procedures are fair, transparent Volunteers, Coaches and Contractors and meet the appropriate legal requirements. 1.11 All persons acting on behalf of The Pony Club or carrying out work for The Pony Club must - 2. DEFINITIONS INFORMATION i. Take reasonable care for their own Health 2.1 In these Rules: and Safety; ii. Consider the safety of other persons who “Area” means a geographic sub-division of Great may be affected by their acts or omissions; Britain and Northern Ireland. iii. Work within the limits of their own training and competence and the information and “Area Centre Coordinator” means the person instructions they have received; responsible for supporting Centres within an Area iv. Refrain from intentionally misusing or and for advising on Centre Membership issues recklessly interfering with any equipment within that Area. provided for Health and Safety reasons; pcuk.org 17 ANNUAL HANDBOOK 2020 “Area Representative” means the person “Designated Funds” are funds that have been responsible for overseeing Pony Club activities earmarked by the Trustees or by a Branch within an Area. Committee including where the context requires the Regional Championships the Pony Club “BETA” means the British Equestrian Trade Tetrathlon Championships and the Pony Club Polo Association. Championships for specific projects. “BEF” means the British Equestrian Federation. “District Commissioner” means the person responsible for administering Pony Club activities “Branch” means an operating sub-division of The within a Branch. Pony Club, organising Pony Club activities at a local GENERAL INFORMATION level. “Equestrian Professional” means a person who is financially interested in letting out or selling horses, “Branch Member” means a Member of a Branch. in instructing in equitation or keeping liveries or other equestrian facilities. “Branch Operations Director” means a person appointed by the Management Committee “Family Membership” means is available up to a to assist relationships and communication, maximum of 5 children of the Family living at the when required, between Branches and Area same permanent address and must be Members of Representatives, and the Pony Club Office, and the same Branch. also to mediate in inter-Branch or intra-Branch disputes. He will be appointed for 3 years but may “Free reserves” are the assets of the Branch offer himself for re-appointment. (excluding fixed assets) less its liabilities and less any Restricted or Designated Funds. “Centre Member” includes both a Centre Member and a Centre Plus Member unless the context “Handbook” means the annual publication giving RULES OF THE PONY CLUB otherwise requires and means someone who is information about The Pony Club. a Member through a Pony Club Linked Riding Centre. “he” means either he or she and “his” means either his or her. “Centre Membership Scheme” means the scheme for the approval of riding establishments as a Pony “Health and Safety Policy” means the Policy as Club Linked Riding Centre administered by The stated in the introduction to these Rules. Pony Club Office for the membership of Centre Members. “Management Committee” means the executive body responsible for the day-to-day operation of “Centre Plus Member” means someone who is a The Pony Club, whose membership is defined in Member through a Pony Club Linked Riding Centre Rule 4.10.