One week in KY: Caitlyn & Abigail McCord

TVPC member Caitlyn McCord was kind enough to send us this report of her and her sister Abigail's recent experience with Rally, Midsouth Pony Club Horse Trials and the Midsouth Horse Management Seminar. Thank you, Caitlyn, and congrats to both of the McCord girls for their representation of TVPC!

Caitlyn writes:

Abigail and I both thoroughly enjoyed our five days in Kentucky. Abby was on a scramble team of Middle Tennessee, Huntsville, and Tennessee Valley Pony Clubs. She had a great experience. While she was apprehensive about being on a team with people she had never met before, she made some great new friends. Being on a scramble team is something both Abby and I would recommend. Of the seven times I have been to Rallies and Championships, six of them have been on a scramble team. I am still great friends with the people I was on a scramble team with for my first Rally when I was 11 years old.

While Abigail was competing in Rally (where her D-2 team finished in second place), I was participating in the horse management seminar. Because I have been to Rally so many times, the seminar was not a big help to me; however, my mom loved it. I would highly recommend it to new pony club members because it gives them a look into what Rally is all about. We were able to watch tack room set ups, required equipment checks, formals and the goings on of the vet box. I really wish I had attended something like it before I went to Rally for the first time. It would have been a wonderful prep. My mom has been doing pony club rallies for years and she was happy to see how it all really works since parents are not usually allowed in the barns during competition. It would be advantageous for both parents and pony clubbers to attend in the future, especially if they are interested in any discipline of Rally.

The whole trip was a success. Abby attended her first eventing rally (she had previously been to polocrosse rally as a D-1 but it is much more laid back) and had a blast with her new friends on her team. I took my horse to the Horse Trials sponsored my Midsouth Pony Club and also had a great time. It was my horse’s first event and he did extremely well, finishing in fifth with some stiff competition. I would definitely recommend Rally, the Horse Trials, and the Horse Management Seminar to ALL pony clubbers and their parents. Next year we should hope to have more than one member of our club representing TVPC at Rally. It is a really fun and interesting experience that pony club offers.

Caitlyn & Charlie doing their dressage test.

Caitlyn & Charlie going cross-country.

Abby before dressage.

 

Abby receiving her formal inspection while horse management seminar participants watch.