One of the new clubs at the annual spring registration night was the Dancing Hooves Dressage Association and pony club. Dressage Association president Melanie Patton, also the district commissioner for the pony club, says the pony club is brand new, something the club is just starting up. At this stage the association is trying to determine if there is enough interest to keep it going.
Dancing Hooves is currently in its eighth year of operation, says Patton. The association has hosted sanctioned shows. As the number of riders declined over the years, Dancing Hooves has begun to ride for other organizations which hosts shows by video, Patton reports. Now, instead of paying high fees to bring a judge in, the club video tapes everybody and send the tape off to places like the international riding academy and Working equitation USA which are much bigger organizations and hire judges with more experience, Patton explains.
If there's enough interest in the pony club, which meets once a month, the club would offer a monthly group ride and work on safe, proper riding. The club also proposes to try new disciplines like jumping, trail, working equitation and do theory work as well, Patton lists. Both English and western riding is offered.
While ideally members would own their own horses, the club will offer mounts to people who don't. Some riders rent a horse, others lease and some just borrow a mount, Patton says.
There is no membership fee to belong to Dancing Hooves. Fees are charged at events entered by riders. There is, however a membership fee to belong to the Canadian Pony Club.
Neither Dancing Hooves nor the Pony Club have age restrictions. Anyone who enjoys horses and riding is welcome to join at any age within reason. The oldest member entered in a dressage competition was 88 years old. "We just offer something for everyone," Patton says.
Dancing Hooves works on the classical aspect of dressage. But the association also spreads it across all the other disciplines Patton points out, including western pleasure, hunter pleasure, show jumping, trail, cross country, and, most recently, working equitation.
