The Irish Pony Club

Since Jan 2009 Instructors have not been included on the Instructors Register unless they have undergone Garda Vetting and hold a Child Protection Course Certificate and First Aid Certificate. D.C's are asked to inform all instructors you use to teach of these requirements.

Please note any Instructors used that are not on the IPC Instructor's Register will not automatically go on the Register. They must apply and fulfill the necessary criteria if they wish to go on the register. The Instructor's Register will be included in the 2012 Year Book.

CLICK HERE APPLICATION AND CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION IN INSTRUCTORS REGISTER

Child Protection & Code of Ethics Courses

Please encourage all your Committee members and particularly Instructors to attend these courses. Details of venues and times for Child Protection courses over the next few months can be gotten from your local Sports Partnership. See the link below for a list of Sports Partnerships in your area. Please contact them directly for information on upcoming courses.

Network of Sports Partnerships

Training Committee
Chairman Tony Ennis, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary (067-29179/086-8617698)
Area 1 Derval Diamond, Newcastle, Co. Wicklow (01-2819017/087-2579206)
Area 1 Susan Patterson, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow (059-9721962)
Area 1 Daphne Nolan, Jerusalem, Carlow (059-9145231)
Area 1 Gráinne Sugars, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin (01 4589236/087 2214801)
Area 2 Anthea Rainsbury, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath (044-9340365)
Area 2 Caroline Geoghegan, Ballacolla, Co. Laois. (086 8349052)
Area 3 Faith Ponsonby, Mullinahone, Co. Tipperary (052-53680/087 2929449)
Area 4 Bridgette McCarthy, Avoca, Co. Wicklow (087 6743449)
Area 6 Bryony Perceval, Ballymote, Co. Sligo. (087 2352264)
Area 5 Nicky Kelly, Borlin, Bantry, Co. Cork (027-66138)
Area 7 Kay Nolan, Navan, Co. Meath (041-9825653/087 1321464)
Area 8 Liz Scott, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway (090-9644229)
Area 9 Jill Moran, Askeaton, Co. Limerick (061-392140)

Criteria for inclusion in the Instructors Register in 2011 will be as follows:

• All new Instructors must fill out an Application Form, send references, sign the IPC Leaders Code of Conduct and agree to abide by the Code of Ethics & Good Practice for Children's Sport
• Instructors already on the IPC Register must sign the IPC Leaders Code of Conduct (see attached) and return to IPC office.
• All Instructors must have attended a Code of Ethics Awareness course and hold a Child Protection Certificate (Irish Sports Council)
• Must have First Aid certificate
• Must attend In-service Training within last 2 years with an HSI affiliated discipline (i.e. IPC, IPS Dressage Irl., Eventing Irl. etc. incl. Equestrian Skillnet AI Refresher/Intermediate Instructor Refresher courses)
• Instructors will be required to have completed Garda Vetting procedures, application form attached
• Instructors are asked to pay €10 to be included on register annually (€10 should be sent to IPC office by 15 Dec 2010 if you wish to be included in the Register with copy of Child Protection Certificate, First Aid Cert & signed Code of Conduct) Those who pay registration fee will receive a copy of the Who's Who and Guidelines to Competition (includes information re Dressage Test for current year) ect.
• If you registered for 2011 and sent the relevant information i.e. Garda Vetting, signed the Code, sent copies of First Aid & Child Prot. Certs - you do not have to send them again - just send your €10 reg. fee (which covers postage & printing only) & details of courses attended during the year
• Those that have not attended training in the previous 2 years will be put on a supplementary list and not included on the Register.

Trainee Junior Instructors

DCs are asked to please note, if you use B & H Testers to instruct at rallies or camp they should do so only under supervision of a qualified Instructor and they must be 18 yrs. old.

Health & Safety

The recommended number for a ride is 8 per Instructor, maximum allowed is 10 (in an emergency only). It is the responsibility of the DC to ensure every venue used for Pony Club activities is safe.

Instructors should also be aware of potential hazards and if not happy about facilities should ask for adjustments. Tack Inspection must take place before all riding activities.

Accident Report Forms - DCs and Instructors should have Accident Report Forms available to record any potentially serious accident, please note the information required and forms must be signed by the instructor and witnesses. Any accident requiring medical attention should be reported to IPC office by the DC on the relevant form.

FIRST AID- all instructors should complete a (preferably Equine Specific) First Aid course and a refresher course at least every two years. DCs are recommended to have a qualified First Aider attend all Pony Club activities. (See attached information re BHS Equine Specific First Aid courses).

BHS Equine Specific First Aid Courses

The British Horse Society Ireland are running a number of Equine Specific First Aid Courses throughout 2010

Please check the BHSI Ireland website for dates and booking information of all courses.

www.bhsireland.com

SKILLNET COURSES

The Equestrian Skillnet is an enterprise led network which delivers work based training programmes to people involved in the sport horse industry in Ireland.
Training is subsidised, with many courses running at 50% less than their normal cost. Members of the network also benefit from sharing knowledge and experiences with fellow course participants, all of whom will be from an equestrian background.
Training is both certified and uncertified and each course delivered is tailored towards the equestrian enthusiast.
For more information on the Equestrian Skillnet please email Enda Hogan or telephone 045 854521.