Show off just how smart you are, by learning for these badges and proving to your instructor that you know lots about horses. These badges are smaller in size than the other badges, have a purple outside edge, and help you prepare for your D efficiency test. These cute introductory badges can be sewn on your Pony Club branch or centre shirt. You can start earning Mini badges from the age of 4, but some, due to their difficulty, are only for when you are a bit older, up to age 8 or 10. Be guided by the recommended age shown next to the badge. There are over 30 badges that you can do. You will be awarded the MINI BLUE CROSS equine welfare badge once you have completed the specific 10 badges required, and remember that once you have done 14 mini badges you get our special MINI GOLD BADGE. 

Download the workbooks, and get your instructor or a parent to work through it with you. Listen carefully to what they tell you, watch closely what they show you, and try it yourself till you get it right! Have fun!

Badge Name:   Bandages and Rugs
Description:   Which ponies might need rugs. To identify a tail and stable bandage.
Minimum Age:   N/A

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Badge Name:   Basic Needs of Ponies
Description:   To know what ponies need to live and be comfortable in summer and winter.
Minimum Age:   N/A

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Badge Name:   Beach Riding
Description:   Be able to help adults plan an outing to the beach and know what to take and who could help on the day
Minimum Age:   5

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Badge Name:   Birds (SA)
Description:   Recognise and colour the five most seen birds in South Africa test
Minimum Age:   4

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Badge Name:   Blue Cross Equine Welfare
Description:   Awarded to members who have successfully completed the following 10 Mini Badges: Horse Clothing; Care of the Foot; Feed Your Pony; Pony Health; Leading and Handling; Tack Cleaning; Saddlery; Mucking Out; Basic Needs of Ponies, Summer and Winter; and Pony Behaviour.
Minimum Age:  

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Badge Name:   Camping
Description:   To be able to assist with setting up and taking down a campsite. To have a basic working knowledge of safety and the Countryside Code
Minimum Age:   9+

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Badge Name:   Care of the Foot
Description:   Recognise and point to 3 parts of the foot Know how and why to use a hoof pick and skip bucket Know how and why to apply hoof oil Know if a pony is shod or unshod
Minimum Age:   9+

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Badge Name:   Colours & Markings
Description:   Be able to identify basic colours – black, bay, grey, skewbald, piebald, chestnut. Be able to identify facial markings – star, stripe, blaze, snip. Be able to identify leg markings – sock and stocking. In pairs, on a drawing of an outline of a horse, colour in the horse with the colour and markings specified by your instructor.
Minimum Age:   9+

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Badge Name:   Dressage Arena
Description:   To know the letters around a dressage arena.
Minimum Age:   N/A

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Badge Name:   Dressage Movements
Description:   The simple school movements that are used in an arena.
Minimum Age:  

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Badge Name:   Farming
Description:   Identify 5 farm animals: pigs, cow, hen, sheep & goat Match the animal to their housing eg shed, pen, coup, sty Name the animals young eg piglet, chick Name 3 pieces of farm equipment eg tractor, plough Make a basic model of a farm through pictures or visiting a farm
Minimum Age:   N/A

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Badge Name:   Feed your Pony
Description:   Feed from a flat hand. Clean and fill a water bucket. Recognise hay/haylage. Recognise chaff & salt. A basic understanding that water and fibre are essential to a pony’s diet.
Minimum Age:   9

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Badge Name:   Field Safety
Description:   To create awareness of the appropriate way to act when dealing with ponies which are turned out to ensure safety and welfare of both ponies and other people.
Minimum Age:   9+

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Badge Name:   Fire Safety
Description:   Knowledge of possible causes of stable fires. Know what to do if you discover a fire. Recognise basic fire fighting equipment. Be aware of what you can do to help prevent a fire
Minimum Age:   8

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Badge Name:   Gold
Description:   This Mini badge is awarded once the member has completed the designated number of Mini Badges. The list of badges must be supplied to the regional committee for approval, on the form supplied on the documents page of the website.
Minimum Age:  

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Badge Name:   Grooming
Description:   Recognise and use: hoof pick (assisted), dandy brush, rubber curry comb, mane comb, sponge, body brush and water brush
Minimum Age:   N/A

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Badge Name:   Horse Clothing
Description:   Recognise at least 2 types of rug, eg stable, turnout and summer sheet Recognise at least 2 types of exercise boot, eg tendon, overreach and travel Recognise a tail bandage Know how to fasten a rug Have knowledge of how to measure your pony to fit a rug
Minimum Age:   N/A

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Badge Name:   Leading and Handling
Description:   How to put on a head collar, lead and tie up a pony.
Minimum Age:  

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Badge Name:   Learning Theory
Description:   What a reward is for a pony and when to give a reward.
Minimum Age:  

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Badge Name:   Mucking Out
Description:   Recognise and use manure scoops/skips/rubber gloves/yard brushes/wheelbarrows Be able to skip out a stable safely when pony is tied up Asist with sweeping the stable yard and correct storage of tools Assist with picking up dropping from paddocks as part of a grassland management regime
Minimum Age:   8

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Badge Name:   Pet Sense
Description:   Be responsible for the daily care of a pet for one month. Explain how and when you feed and clean it’s home. Take photographs of your pet during exercise, play and training, if appropriate. Explain how you would recognise if your pet was unwell or injured and where you would get help and advice
Minimum Age:   N/A

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Badge Name:   Plaiting
Description:   Explain why you might plait horses’ manes or tails. Know how to make sure you are safe when plaiting. Show how to plait using baling twine and a plaiting band. On a drawing of an outline of a horse, draw on plaits and colour in the picture.
Minimum Age:   8

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Badge Name:   Points of Tack
Description:   Show and Name: Bridle: reins & noseband Saddle: stirrup, girth & pommel. Note that this badge was previously called mini SADDLERY.
Minimum Age:  

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Badge Name:   Points of the Pony
Description:   Show and name six points: ears, eyes, nostrils, mane, tail & hoof
Minimum Age:   N/A

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Badge Name:   Poisonous Plants (SA)
Description:   Find and identify 4 poisonous plants eg privet, acorn, oleander and pig ears Draw, label and colour a picture of each or pick samples, press & label
Minimum Age:   9+

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Badge Name:   Ponies Teeth
Description:   That ponies have two types of teeth which grow throughout their life and need to be checked every year for sharp edges.
Minimum Age:  

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Badge Name:   Pony Behaviour
Description:   To recognise when a pony is angry, happy & sad To understand how ponies live in the wild as part of a herd To have knowledge of safety around a pony, eg where to stand, how to approach the pony and the reasons for this
Minimum Age:   8

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Badge Name:   Pony Health
Description:   To know if your pony has signs of good health.
Minimum Age:  

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Badge Name:   Rider Safety
Description:   What it is safe to wear around ponies, where it is safe to walk around ponies, how close it is safe to ride to the pony in front.
Minimum Age:  

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Badge Name:   Road Rider
Description:   To have knowledge of: basic signals (left, right and thank you) Safety equipment – (hi viz, tack and boots) Where to ride and what to take with you (cell phone, hoof pick)
Minimum Age:   8

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Badge Name:   Saddlery
Description:   Show and Name: Bridle: reins & noseband Saddle: stirrup, girth & pommel. NOTE that this badge is being re-named as POINTS OF TACK.
Minimum Age:   N/A

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Badge Name:   Sequence of footfalls
Description:   Learn the amount of beats for each pace. In a group of four (one person per foot), shake a bottle of pebbles when that foot should touch the floor for each pace
Minimum Age:   N/A

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Badge Name:   Tack Cleaning
Description:   Know why you should clean tack, the tack cleaning equipment needed and how to wash a bit and brush a girth.
Minimum Age:  

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Badge Name:   Wellbeing
Description:   Personal Wellbeing, including: To understand that it is important to drink enough; To know which snacks to eat or not to eat; To know how to avoid sunburn; To know that being kind to people makes everyone happier; Inclusion, treat everyone equally; Listen to and respect other people’s opinions and values and cultures; Respect the roles of people who help us; Recognising achievements and challenges.
Minimum Age:  

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Badge Name:   Working Dogs
Description:   To recognise at least 4 working dogs, eg spaniel, Labrador, terrier and German Shepherd Have knowledge of what a working dog does eg gun dog, guide dog, police dog Collect pictures from a magazine or draw the working dogs and say what job they might do
Minimum Age:   N/A

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Badge Name:   Yard Safety
Description:   To create awareness of the appropriate way to act on a yard with a number of ponies to ensure safety and welfare of both ponies and other people. This is an ideal precamp badge.
Minimum Age:   9+

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Our achievement badges, with a dark blue outside edge, cover a series of topics revolving around many subjects to do with horses, horse care, competition, and safety. Some are highly recommended to be done as preparation towards your efficiency test certification, in particular the D+ and C tests but there are also some that introduce C+ topics. Others are for widening your knowledge and interests.

Many of these topics were started in the Mini Achievement Badge program, so if you have joined Pony Club as an older member, look at those first to see what you might have missed and should do now. Or just check out the Mini program as a refresher.

Go to the documents page for a list of where the various achievement badges fit in with relation to the efficiency tests.

You can also aim to earn your PONY CLUB BLUE CROSS badge. This Equine Welfare Merit Badge is awarded to any member who has passed all of the following Achievement Badges:

• Bandaging & Rugs
• Care of the Horses Foot
• Feeding
• First Aid (Equine)
• Grooming (previously Handling and Grooming)
• Lorinery
• Mucking Out
• Perfect Paddock
• Saddlery
• Shoeing

When you hold this badge, it means you know enough to be able to safely look after a horse on your own. This is an achievement to be proud of!

We have workbooks available for these badges. But also discuss the topics with your riding instructor, your branch or centre instructors, or other horsemen or horsewomen that you respect, to get more information and more ideas on the topic. Everybody has ideas around how to do things better; listen, discuss with your pony club friends, watch, do, and learn!

Have fun with the workbooks, which can be requested from your branch or centre and delivered into your email inbox. You start here with your journey to being a true horseman or horsewoman!

Achievement Badges currently Available:

Click here to view the full list of Achievement Badges.

These square badges cover the various types of competition undertaken at Pony Club and provide guidelines for competing successfully. There are two levels offered. The Introductory badges, with a pale blue edge, will help you to understand the basics of a particular competition discipline. This badge assumes you are just starting out in the discipline, and helps you to prepare to start competing. The Competition badges, with a yellow edge, assume that you have some experience in the discipline, and are either about to start or have already started, competing in that discipline. The badge will help you understand the rules of the discipline, and give you some guidelines about what is expected from you as rider, and your horse; in order to be successful in competition.

The disciplines, in which these competition badges are available, are:

Dressage
It is a good idea for you to complete the Dressage Arenas Achievement badge as your first step in this discipline.
Intro to Dressage
Dressage

Eventing
Intro to Eventing
Eventing

Mounted Games
Intro to Mounted Games
Mounted Games

Show Jumping
It is a good idea for you to complete the Building Show Jumps Achievement badge as your first step in this discipline.
Intro to Show Jumping
Show Jumping

Tetrathlon
Intro to Tetrathlon
Tetrathlon

There are four sets of progressive tests, bronze, silver, gold and platinum; and a certificate is provided as you go through the levels. These are optional tests and can be taken between efficiency tests, to help you prepare. The syllabi of the progressive tests allow you to progress in small steps from one efficiency test to another, and as such are an excellent way to ensure that you have covered everything you will need to know in Riding and Road Sense, as well as Horsemastership, before you attempt the D, D+, C and C+ efficiency tests in turn.

 The Progressive Tests are voluntary, and allow you and your Pony Club Branch committee to assess your progress towards the next efficiency test.

Study and pass the Bronze Progressive Tests (level 3, then 2, then 1) before attempting the D test.

Study the Silver Progressive Tests (level 3, then 2, then 1) before attempting the D+ efficiency test.

Study the Gold Progressive Tests (level 3, then 2, then 1) before attempting the C test.

Study the Platinum Progressive Tests (level 3, then 2, then 1) before attempting the C+ test. Congratulations, you have completed all the progressive tests!

PROGRESSIVE TESTS INFORMATION

!!! Note NEW TESTS in OCTOBER 2023. See below !!!! These new tests have now been implemented.

A primary focus for the South African Pony Club is the structured training we provide, to encourage gradual and repetitive learning which will be retained by our members. We have tried-and-tested methods of teaching and learning, and our Efficiency Test Awards are a record of how far our members are in the learning process to becoming knowledgeable horsemen or women.

As a member, and as you proceed through the tests for E to A level, you will be awarded a certificate, and a circle of felt that you wear behind your membership badge. The colour of the felt is changed to reflect your test level achieved. Each test builds on the previous one, so none (except the very first) can be left out. Each test has a Horse Care and a Riding component. There is a recommended minimum age for each test, although for some of the higher tests we do advise that you be older than that age so that you have a greater chance of being successful. Being older means more opportunity for gaining practical experience, and gives you the required maturity level to cope with the examination stress! At levels B and A you are qualified to work in and run a livery yard, and at A to even be employed at a breeding establishment. Our training teaches you to be able to take responsibility for the welfare of the horses in your care.

Our riding coaching is informed by the German Scales of Training, which has produced many well trained horses that are reliably a pleasure to ride. Not only will you learn to assess the stage of training in a horse, but will learn how to progress a horse through the stages, from just-backed, to a competitive athlete. here.

We are happy to be able to inform you that SA Pony Club is the development partner of EQASA and as such we are able to apply for Recognised Prior Learning in respect of their Modules 1 to 3 from our B and AH tests. Furthermore, if you have your C+ test, you are not required to have an assessment done by a CEEPSA registered coach for the ridden entrance to EQASA Module 4.

Note that the Mini Badges, the Achievement Badges, the Advanced Achievement Badges and the Progressive Tests support the members learning and progress through all the efficiency certificates. Keep track of where the badges and the efficiency certificates fit together. here

The complete list of efficiency tests follows.

Please note that the syllabi of the Efficiency Tests have changed at the end of September 2023. Any tests done from 1st October 2023 onward, MUST use the 2023 syllabus in order to be valid. Look under View Test Information, at the new 2023 syllabus files.

This section gives some information helpful with Efficiency test preparation and details the compulsory badges and certificates that have to be completed before certain efficiency tests may be done.

As you proceed through the efficiency tests in our training system, there is periodically a compulsory, prerequisite badge or certificate in Road Rider safety that you have to complete before continuing. The syllabi for each test may be found in the Documents page on the website.

These are:
The Mini Road Rider badge (at D test), a workbook for this may be obtained in the Mini Badges training page
The Road Rider Achievement badge (at C test), a workbook may be obtained from your Regional committee
The Road Rider Certificate (at C+ test), a study manual may be obtained from your Regional Committee, and you must submit the nomination form (obtainable from the Documents page) when you are ready for assessment

Efficiency Test Preparation

C+ and B tests

You should at this stage be completing a logbook in which you record your activities every time you:

• Apply a Stable and Exercise Bandage
• Apply a Poultice to a horses foot
• Take the vital signs of a horse. Temperature, pulse (including digital pulse), respiration
• If possible, treat a wound or carry out first-aid on a horse, under the supervision of a veterinary surgeon or other suitably qualified person
• Carry out activities which will help you to develop an eye for assessing a horses conformation and way of going. This could include scribing for a showing or dressage judge, attending conformation clinics, etc

You should also at this time ask to be given access to our Advanced Badges Workbooks and study material.

AH test (2023)

Complete the A level logbook (available on the Documents page) as part of your preparation.

• The Lunging Certificate is compulsory

In order to qualify for this certificate, candidates must:

1. Successfully complete a minimum of 10 supervised lunging sessions.
2. Details of each session are to be recorded in the logbook provided, and be signed off by a qualified instructor
3. Once (a) is complete you can apply (through your branch DC, who will contact the regional tester) to do the Lunge test. This assessment is made up of a theory and practical exam
4. On successful completion of the Lunge Test a further 10* lunge sessions are required after the assessment before the certificate will be awarded. (* The number of sessions will be reviewed from time to time)
5. If candidates are not successful on the day, the initial 10 supervised sessions must be repeated before being assessed again

Nomination Forms

When a member is ready to attempt an efficiency test above the C level, a nomination form must be sent from the Branch DC or Centre Manager to the Regional Testing Co-ordinator. Nomination forms (for C+, B, B+, AH, and A Riding) can be downloaded from the Documents page

Horse Care Only Route

Should you be pursuing the Horse Care Route, please note that you will still need to complete the Lunging Tests, and will only be allowed to attempt AH subject to a satisfactory riding assessment being carried out by an AH Test Examiner appointed by the National Committee of the South African Pony Club.