The Handy-Dandy Rally Guide A Basic Primer for New Pony Club Parents as They Face Rally Season Adapted from Mary B. Smith, former regional supervisor, Southeastern New England Region. The original article ran in USPC News. The mounted Rally season is here and it makes me remember my first Rally as a parent. It was a D Rally and my son, Greg, a D-1, age seven, was horse manager for Iron Mountain Pony Club. I think I spent the entire day with soaking wet feet (no dry shoes or socks), even though it didn’t rain the entire day, and with no place to sit comfortably (no chair). My head ached from the sun (no hat). I was cold in the morning and roasting in the afternoon (no jacket, no tee shirt). I had remembered to pack a cooler with drinks and a sandwich for Greg (but nothing for me!). I looked around with envy at the experienced parents, comfortable, with dry feet, in their lawn chairs with umbrellas for shade (or rain if needed). I remember thinking then that it would have been wonderful to have a checklist for parents to help them survive their first Rally. Pony Club provides a wonderful checklist for the Rally team’s equipment, but extra equipment (for parents!) is not listed. Greg is now a C-1 and 14 years old, and I am finally producing that checklist. It’s not complete, but at the very least, it will help. Things to Bring  Lawn chair  Blanket  Waterproof footwear and a change of shoes and socks. Grass is always wet with dew in the early morning.  Food, drinks, coffee  Backpack or large carry bag  Wheel chocks for trailer wheels  Cooler with ice, filled with stuff just for parents  Cell phone and charger  Warm clothes, cool clothes  Hat  Sunblock  Baby wipes  Camera, camcorder, and chargers  Small garden cart or wagon to wheel everything around in  Patience; a willing, helpful attitude Some Helpful Hints Rallies are long: Rallies usually fill a long day; don’t plan on leaving early for your child has to stay until the Rally is over. Offer your help: Come prepared to offer your help to the Rally organizers. It’s fun to be involved with helping a Rally run smoothly, and if enough people help out, the Rally may even end a little sooner! No nagging: At Pony Club Rallies, the competitors are on their own for the day; under the supervision of the horse management judges. Parents cannot talk to their children once the Rally has begun until it is officially over. If you do talk to your child, it could be considered unauthorized assistance and could get your child eliminated. Sounds scary, but the kids love it (no nagging allowed!). By the end of the day, they know that whatever they’ve accomplished has been done by their own hard work. Plan Ahead: Your truck must stay hooked up to the trailer if your trailer is being used by a Pony Club team as a tack room or as a tie trailer (to tie horses to). You cannot return to your truck or trailer once the horse management area has been closed to parents. So, take what you need for the day out of your truck before the horse management area is closed. Definitions of Some Terms Grounds/Barn Open: Be sure you’re at the Rally at the time you are allowed to arrive (on time but not before). Horse Management Area Closed: Parents, relatives, friends and non-competitors must leave the horse management area. The Competitors’ Briefing: This is when horse management judging starts for competitors. Parents are encouraged to come and listen to the briefing, too. This is a good time to offer to help the Rally organizers if you haven’t already done so. Neutral Zone: This is a designated area at a Rally where competitors and parents may meet (to talk, get lunch, etc.) during the competition. Parents may not contact or talk with their children outside of the neutral zone. Extra Equipment for Competitors           Duct tape and masking tape – padding for sharp edges on truck or trailer Clock (battery operated) Camera (and charger) Money for lunch (you can’t always reach your parents to ask them) Wagon to carry water Shoe polish for boots Chair or something to sit on in the barn while waiting for your turn to compete Bailing twine Sun hat Raincoat and jacket    Sweat pants and t-shirt to wear over riding clothes to keep them clean Extra shoes appropriate for wear around horses Highlighter to mark program with the times your team competes