ARE YOU READY to rally? For Libby Swanberg, rallies are probably the most thrilling elements of being within the Ranahan Pony Club, a chapter of the United States Pony Club.
Libby, 15, is in her tenth yr within the membership and stated she “loves all of it — the horses, the riding and competing.”
Rallies are Pony Club occasions that enable members to check their data and expertise in each horse care and using in a aggressive ambiance as people and a part of a crew.
She additionally competes on Sequim High School’s Washington State High School Equestrian Team (WAHSET) in addition to Junior Rodeo. Her youthful sister, Asha Swanberg, 12, can be a member of Ranahan Pony Club, Junior Rodeo and 4-H in each horse and livestock golf equipment. Their household owns Bent Gate Farm in Sequim, the place the ladies assist out with all of the farm chores and lift their very own animals to promote on the Pacific Northwest Junior Livestock Auction.
Sierra Steffen, 17, joined as a result of the Swanbergs invited her and her two youthful sisters, Marissa, 15, and Eliza, 9, to affix. They are coming into their second yr in Pony Club.
“I love the education,” Sierra stated. “I did do WAHSET, 4-H and a lot of other clubs and horse activities, but the knowledge you get to have, and need to know to progress, is just far superior to the others.”
Yep, you could possibly say she is hooked.
Her sister Marissa Steffen, 15, stated the data she’s gained from Pony Club is vital to her and she or he’s excited to be a part of it.
“I’m ready to start getting ratings and join in all that the Pony Club offers,” Marissa stated.
The ladies’ mother, Erica Steffen, stated she likes that, by Pony Club, her ladies have the power to study extra about dressage and leaping on a much bigger scale than 4-H and the opposite golf equipment.
“Pony Club has just been awesome for us,” Erica stated.
“You can rate your way up to way higher levels,” Marissa stated. “We can even get to the beginning stages of pre-Olympics Eventing competitions. Pony Club is like a step-by-step guide to the Olympics, but at a local level.”
The Steffen ladies additionally prepare BLM mustangs and participate in mustang occasions, together with the Teens and Oregon Mustang Competitions.
The membership appreciates with the ability to meet and observe at Serenity Farms, a non-public farm off Blue Mountain Road owned by Ken and Sue Sweeney. They began Ranahan Pony Club for his or her son Greg in 1985. The sport horse farm features a 2,200-meter cross-country course by the woods, which, in response to Sue Sweeny, wants a lot assist sustaining now that they’re of their 80s. It additionally has an outside grass area for stadium leaping, an everyday dressage area and an outbuilding for meals and membership conferences, together with numerous stalls for when occasions are hosted.
I wrote in regards to the Ranahan Pony Club again in 2006 when the Sweeney’s granddaughter, Rio Mowbray, was an 11-year-old within the membership. She’s all grown up now and is a lawyer in Seattle. She’s nonetheless a member of Pony Club and is at present engaged on the next score, the HA. Her mother, Julie Mowbray, is the regional supervisor for the U.S. Pony Clubs within the Northwest Region of Washington State.
Greg Sweeny remains to be concerned with Pony Club and is now a pilot for Alaska Airlines. Mom Sue stated she named the membership Ranahan as a result of she heard it meant high cowboy, which it does, together with a very skilled cowboy.
The membership’s teacher is Cathy Elledge, an occasion rider and Rolex competitor. She stated she’s been touring from Olympia to Serenity Farms for about 20 years, together with different Pony Clubs within the Pacific Northwest.
She stated the ladies she instructs now are “like my second-generation students.” She pointed on the small however mighty Danica Pacilel because the niece of former scholar (and pony clubber ) Alicia Hollowell, who was in a nook of the sector, lunging a horse.
Horse lunging is a coaching technique that includes having the horse transfer across the handler on the top of a lunge line. Lunging is a vital coaching device that focuses on communication and coaching, together with stretching and flexion of the muscle mass. Lunging is particularly helpful for settling down a nervous or high-strung horse earlier than getting on to trip.
Now 30, Alicia began in Pony Club when she was 9.
“Technically I’m not still in Pony Club. Now I spend my time helping my niece Danica.”
Cathy stated Pony Clubs are “by far the best organization to teach kids proper riding.”
She stated the membership originated some 250 years in the past by fox hunters in England. The dad and mom needed their youngsters to change into good horsemen, too, in order that they determined to begin golf equipment in order that their youngsters would be capable of exit and trip, and to have the ability to keep on a horse trip whereas using cross nation.
The U.S. Pony Club was based in 1954. Many of the nation’s high equestrians, together with Olympic crew members, have Pony Club roots.
“Pony clubs now are all about riding dressage, riding cross country and then coming back and doing show jumping and stadium, like in three-day eventing,” Cathy stated.
Pony golf equipment are about life expertise and studying about being a part of a crew. And it additionally teaches them correct using, she stated.
“Like to ride with your seat and your core, not with your hands,” Cathy stated. “Pony Club really teaches horsemanship as far as the riding and the veterinary medicine and horse care.”
There’s not an age restrict to belong to a Pony Club or participate in competitions. For occasion, in August, the Swanbergs went to a Pony Club camp at Baywood Pony Club in Olympia with individuals ranging in age from 7 to 63.
Clallam County’s Pony Club District Commissioner is Anna Swanberg. Contact her at 360-461-4590 or annat18@hotmail.com.
For extra details about the U.S. Pony Club within the Northwest, go to
northwest.ponyclub.org.
Tack sale
From 9 a.m. to three p.m. right now, the Olympic Peninsula Equine Network (OPEN) is internet hosting its fall tack sale to assist fund this native horse rescue, rehab and rehome group. Shop on the onsite tack store or at one of many particular person cubicles.
Come see the horses OPEN has up for adoption and/or store for winter blankets and different provides. Discounts for younger riders, 4-H and FFA members. Located simply off Hooker Road at 251 Roupe Road in Sequim.
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, seems the second and fourth Saturday of every month.
If you’ve a horse occasion, clinic or seminar you desire to listed, please e mail Griffiths at kbg@olympus.internet at the very least two weeks upfront. You may also name her at 360-460-6299.
