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ByBETSY BURKE
AiCom Newapapen Staff Writer
The words “pony club” conjure up images of Small, shaggy ThelweU ponies whose mouths are jerked and sides are kicked by small riders. When a moment of equine rebellion overcomes the mount and he flings the child to the ground, there she sits, sobbing and shaking her fist at the tiny horse.
This amusing view fortunately proves inaccurate of the United States Pony Club (USPC). The name Pony Club refers only to the age of the members, rather than the size of the animals ridden in competition and learning. Children may join clubs at any young age and continue as active members until their 21st birthday.
Rappahannock horse and pony fans have a new club to look into, as the Old Rag Mountain Pony Club has been added to the USPC roster as a “proposed club,” the final step before becoming recognized. Codistrict commissioners, Ingrid de Wit and Diana Corbin, are hard at work to make the club a success. Based at Mrs. de Wit’s Waterland Farm near Boston on the Rappahannock-Culpeper line, the new club serves Rappahannock, Culpeper and southern Fauquier.
Pony Club, which encompasses 26 countries around the world, already includes several other nearby chapters—Casanova-Warrenton, Great Falls, Middleburg-Orange County and Difficult Run. The national organization encourages youngsters to ride and eqjoy all kinds of sport connected with horses.
“Our goal is to offer instruction and activity in as many types of horse sports as possible,” explained Mrs. de Wit. “We want to do some foxhunting, trail riding, dressage, eventing and vaulting. ”
The national club provides intensive instruction in English-style riding and strives to teach proper, thorough care of equine athletes, horse-sized and ponysized. It also promotes sportsmanship, citizenship and loyalty, thus stressing strength of character and selfdiscipline.
“Another ‘sport’ offered within the club’s framework is know-down, or quiz competition, which looks much like a TV quiz show,” said Mrs. Corbin. “This year, the Old Rag club hopes to send two know-down teams to the regional competition,” held March 15 in Vienna.
Old Rag Mountain Pony Club will offer a schooling combined test on Feb. 22 at Frying Pan Park in Herndon. “This is our first fundraiser,” said Mrs. Corbin. “Riders are invited to show. Since it is a schooling event, goose down and chaps are encouraged.”
Mrs. de Wit described other pony club activities, saying that competitions are held at every level. Intraclub shows move to local, regional, state, national and even international levels.
“We expect to finish our cross-country course and would like to host the local-regional D-level rally this summer,” she said. <*;
The pony club rating system runs like an ascending alphabet—beginning at U (for unranked), then to D-l, 2 and 3, C-l, 2 and 3, B, H-A and A. Very few riders attain the A rating, though many of those who do become
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