Rating Information
Important tips for ratings!
1. Know all your material! If you're not sure, get someone to ask you the questions and you try to answer. Be sure (parents make sure) you've done your prep guide! (See links to prep guides on website)2. Know your riding standard! Links to the rating standards are on the website. Your Pony Club instructor will be able to tell you whether you can meet the standard. Those going for D2 - remember you will need to canter and jump an 18" fence and you will need to ride in the open. Everyone, even small riders, needs to know how to tack up, even if they need help from the rater to actually do it.
3. Come properly dressed! You must be clean and neat plus wearing a properly fitting helmet, boots with heels, a belt if your breeches have belt loops, hair off your face, and a collar shirt. Your pony club shirt will work fine if you have one, or any other collar shirt. If it's cold and you need to wear a sweater or jacket, make sure it fits well and has no hanging parts that could catch. No jewelry.
4. Your tack must be clean and in safe condition! All your tack, including bit and stirrups, should be clean with no broken parts and no cracked leather. The bit cleans up nicely in the dishwasher. Clean bits are expected for ratings and are better for your horse/pony. Special note to anyone borrowing tack: get it ahead of time so you can clean and oil it before the rating.
5. Your horse/pony must be clean and well groomed! If it's warm weather, that means bathed. If it's cold weather, no-one expects your horse to have a bath, but there should be no obvious dirt, hay, or other foreign material. Hooves should not have caked-on dirt. Eyes, nose, and mouth should be free of dirt, snot, goop, etc. This step should be accomplished BEFORE the rating begins (there will be no time for this at the rating).
6. Show your rater what you know! Do you your best at the rating and listen to your rater, who is there not just to test you but to help you learn and succeed. Speak up and be proud of what you have accomplished, and also be open to learning something new. If you have prepared well, you will have fun and pass with flying colors! You will also know what to work on for your NEXT rating. Good luck!