C1 rating advice!!

[myhorsecouldeatyours]

So i am taking my C1 saturday, and im pretty thrilled!! So basically to all you wonderful pony club people what is some good advice for ratings, and for your C1.
What things did you do to help you pass? What things did you do that prevented you from passing?

thanks so much!

[Eventer13]

Well, an easy one, know all your knowledge, have a good record book, and practice your bandaging. There is really no reason to fail those three things, especially at the lower level tests. You just have to plan ahead and practice.

[lizathenag]

speak up!
as a retired national examiner who has done many C tests, the one thing I can suggest is that you speak up. When you are asked a question, indicate that you have heard and understand it. When you are asked about your ride, start with something positive and then talk about what could have been better.

have a great time. Pony Club has opened many doors for me.

and practice your bandaging!

and have your horse, tack and self pony club clean!

[Wee Dee Trrr]

Be able to explain what you are doing and why.
Be confident! Let it show that you are thrilled to be there. :)
-Recently retired PCer (HA)

[ValleyMiss]

Make sure you and your horse are clean and well presented. Tack should be rally cleaned.

Speak up! Greet your examiner, introduce yourself and your horse.

Don't just give an answer be able to explain it. I remember at my C1 rating we were asked why we used certain things. For example I had a breastplate with a running martingale attachment. I was asked why I used that vs. a regular running martingale. we were asked why our horses were shod they way they were. Two of the other riders couldn't answer those questions. Their answers were "because my trainer said to."

Make sure your record book is up to date and thorough. It's better if you have used your own system rather than the generic one from the pc website. But if you are using that, make sure you have lots of information and details.

Good luck and have fun.

[corgigirl14]

Be confident, look the examiner in the eye when talking and smile! :)

[Eventcrazy]

GOOD record book. Knowledge of routine maintenance for your horse. Specially worming and why you rotate wormers. Present a good bandage! Second about equipment know why you are using it! Be able to explain everything with reasons behind them. Look the examiner in the eye and speak confidently you will do well!

[RegentLion]

It has been a LONG time since I did my ratings!

My first PC rating was the C1. I passed but had to re test on some of the horse management. From that I learned an important lesson....


You can't always control what your horse does or how it will react. You CAN control how your horse management session goes.

So CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN. Know your bookwork inside out. Have a great record book---if you do the best you can now you can add to it for your C2 and C3 and won't have to start over like some of my friends had to do. Plan for the future so you can do it right the first time.

Practice your bandaging and be meticulous on your turnout. Control what you can.

As far as riding goes, before my C3 the examiners told us that they would give us "hints" and say things like "We NEED TO SEE more forward." Which meant--show more forward or you wouldn't pass.

So listen carefully for those hidden meanings. I remember for my C3 we were doing the grid without stirrups. I had practiced without stirrups but near the end was getting tired. They looked at me and said "We NEED TO SEE you not sit down before the horse has landed and taken a stride." I had felt that I was not landing on my pony's back but obviously they felt that I needed to stay up longer. SO, I tried HARD to stay in that two point for a few strides after that last fence. At that point I had passed the grid section and didn't have to go through it again.

If they are asking you over and over to do something, figure out what it is they are trying to see.


In all honesty, though, if you've got a good knowledge of your horse, what you do and why you do it, and your book work in order you should be fine.

For my C1 I had just joined PC and didn't realize my trainer (also the DC) had wanted me to rate up at the first rating. I was at her barn for a clinic the day before the rating and she "sprung" it on me. I went home, threw together a record book and hoped for the best. The riding was fun and felt easy. It was that other stuff that was more difficult simply because I WAS NOT PREPARED.

Finally, Pony Club is not a standardized test. They don't want you to just be able to answer the question, they want to know you know WHY you answred the way you did... and in some cases you even need to know WHY the question is important! ;)

[IFG]

You have already gotten great advice. I will reiterate what others have said. Control what you can. Make sure that you have studied, that your record book is in order (and that you can explain what is in it), and that you are good at bandaging.

Good luck and have fun! (DC and mom of two C2s).

[Auburn]

A few years ago, I was a D through C-1 examiner. Everyone has given you good advice. I will give you a few more specifics.

When I took my "B", one of the mistakes that I made was that of being able to directly quote book knowledge. When it came to "why" I was to do it that way, I did not have an answer.

Example: Why do you roll your leg bandages starting them from front to back, which means that you have to change the direction for the side of the horse that you are bandaging?

I had rolled them correctly, but could not tell the examiner, when asked, "Why did you roll them that way?". Even though, you are taking your C-1, it is never too early to understand why you are doing it that way.

They will want to see you do a good warm up for you and your horse. Plan the warm up exercises. ie: circles, half circles, figure eights, serpentines. For you: arm circles, reach forward to touch the poll, reach back to touch the croup, drop stirrups and do leg swings, scissors, toe circles, take up your irons, airplane twists and touching your toes without moving your leg position are all good ones. Practice your safety dismount. I can't remember if it is done at the trot, but if so, then be able to do it correctly. At some point during the riding test on the flat, we asked the candidates to do this.

Some of the candidates were trying to fill out their journals the day of the exam. :eek:

The examiners want to see someone who is confident and shows the beginnings of becoming a horseman, with working knowledge of horsemanship and horsemastership.

Good luck! I hope that you pass with flying colors. :D

[myhorsecouldeatyours]

thank you all for the great advice!
I was talking to my friend about how much i was trying to remember like what a splint is and why it happeneds all that good stuff and she was like you dont have to know all the stuff you just have to know where the splint is located and how it affects the horse. and i thought you had to know like that the ligament that attaches the splint bone to the cannon bone gets irratated and when it heals it welds the splint bone to the cannon bone by building up calcium deposit.

Is that too much information? or just perfect?

[roki143]

Knowing too much isn't something I'd worry about - unless you know too much about some stuff and not enough about others. In my experience, if you wow'ed them with how much you knew the first couple of times (basically spouted stuff off until they told me to shut up) then the rest of the questions were easier because as soon as I started to answer and got to heart of it, they'd be like "yup, ok, let's move on..."

Plus, the more you know now- the less you have to learn as you move up the levels!

[Dr. Doolittle]

thank you all for the great advice!
I was talking to my friend about how much i was trying to remember like what a splint is and why it happeneds all that good stuff and she was like you dont have to know all the stuff you just have to know where the splint is located and how it affects the horse. and i thought you had to know like that the ligament that attaches the splint bone to the cannon bone gets irratated and when it heals it welds the splint bone to the cannon bone by building up calcium deposit.

Is that too much information? or just perfect?

It will *really* impress the examiners if you are able to call it the "interosseus ligament" ;)