AS the summer starts to draw to a close, some Pony Club members may be taking their Irish Pony Club proficiency tests in the coming weeks.

For candidates going forward for assessment there are a number of things worth keeping in mind, both on the day of the exam and in the run up to it.

• Be prepared

This may sound very basic but success on the day often comes down to how well prepared you are. The more you prepare the less likely you are to get flustered when it comes to answering harder questions in either the riding or horsemanship element of the test.

Most branches of the Irish Pony Club or areas will organise training, especially for the higher level tests, if you can it is highly recommended that you avail of these training sessions. The majority of the coaches giving the training have experience examining and know the pitfalls to watch out for.

Make sure you practice everything, don’t rely on the fact you knew something for the last test you sat so you’ll automatically know it again. For the likes of bandaging the more you practice the more confident and capable you will be.

• Weather

If it’s a hot day, you may appreciate a clean, dry top to change into if you become hot and sticky after the riding section. The same goes for if it’s raining – a change of clothes will make you feel warm and comfortable again for the stable management phase.

• What to wear

Always dress neatly, different sections of each test will have different dress codes. Be aware of this in the lead up to the test and make sure you have everything you need. That said, don’t over complicate what you need to bring with you on the day, for instance choose one riding helmet, such as a skull cap that reaches all of the safety requirements with a neat hat cover that will be suitable for all phases.

Check all of your tack, know how it works and why you use it on your horse. This is an area you should know inside out and be able to show off in. Make sure everything is clean and fits correctly – there isn’t a worse way to start the test off than being told to go a change your tack.

• Be practical

You will always have to learn a certain amount from the book, especially for some of the higher tests such as the ‘H’ test where the level of detailed required for understanding different systems such as the digestive, respiratory and endocrine system is much higher than the average knowledge of these systems.

However, for the vast majority of horsemanship questions a practical response is often the best. Examiners are looking to see if they would trust you to run a yard for a period of time.

Show that you are confident and comfortable handling a horse. Simple things like remembering to speak before approaching a horse will all make to make a good impression.

Also, remember that the Pony Club tests are designed to build on the knowledge learnt in the previous test, they are not stand-alone tests. You should always trying to link the information together. Simple things such as the rules of feeding are relevant in almost every test – you might not be asked them directly but you should show that you know them by tying them into the answers of other more detailed questions.

For the riding element of each of the higher tests you will be required to discuss how you feel the horse is going. Practice talking about the horse’s way of going, what you like and dislike, and exercises you think will help improve the horse.

• Stay calm

If you do have a ‘blip’ at some point during your test, don’t panic.

If you do have a refusal or a pole down during the jumping phase of your test, this will not mean you have automatically failed. If your horse is acting up or is fresh during the test, try and settle them the same way you would if they were acting like that on a normal day – horses don’t know they are in a test!

It’s how you deal with the situation that the examiner will be interested in, so keep calm, take a deep breath and try not to let it affect the rest of your test. The examiner will take an overall view of your performance on the day.

• Be comfortable

Always start by knowing where you are going. Tests are the higher level are usually held in each Irish Pony Club area (there are nine of these) or held nationally.

This means that for the majority of candidates will be sitting their test in an unfamiliar venue. Get reliable directions to the venue, the Irish Pony Club head office, your local District Commissioner or your Area Representative will be able to help you with these.

If you are travelling with a horse to a test and using Google Maps for directions make sure to add time to the estimated journey time they give you because you will be going slower travelling a horse.

The ‘B+’, ‘H’ and ‘A’ tests all involve lungeing. There is nothing stopping candidates from bringing their own lunge rope if that is what they are most comfortable using.

Always remember to bring some lunch and water and have a good breakfast before you start your test as they can go on for quite a few hours. Stay calm and try to enjoy the experience as much as possible – no matter what the outcome is, the experience itself will teach you a lot.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your examiner and ask them questions as you go. There is no such thing as a silly question. If you are unsure or worried about anything, it’s best to raise it as soon as you can.

If at any point during the exam you are unsure about what has been asked of you, just ask your examiner to repeat or rephrase the question – this will in no way go against you or your overall test outcome.