Middle of Nowhere Pony Club Reigns

In what was expected to be their last mounting lesson of the season due to unknown future weather, members of the Middle of Nowhere Pony Club enjoyed the beautiful morning on Sept. 17 riding and guiding their horses through an obstacle course that was set up in the arena outside of the Valley Ridge Runners Saddle Club.

This group, which includes 13 members, four riding instructors and a seven member board, is in its second year and according to District Commissioner / Point Person Elizabeth Shipstead the success of the club over the last couple of years is due solely to community support. "We couldn't do any of this without the generous support the community has provided to us," graciously stated Shipstead.

The membership year for the Middle of Nowhere Pony Club goes from January to December and the mounting lessons are typically May through September, weather permitting, and 45 minutes in length. The other months include meetings at Calgary Baptist Church to learn about unmounting activities which includes learning the parts and care of a horse, grooming tools, finding the horse's respiration rate, parts of and what a good saddle entails, among other topics. "Anyone can ride horses but knowing the parts of horse and how to treat the horse are important learning tools. The horse comes first and they do so much for you," explained Shipstead.

To be a part of the Middle of Nowhere Pony Club, owning a horse is not required which draws some of the members to the group in order to encourage their love for the animal. "We didn't own any horses when we first started and now we have acquired some horses," stated Amy Fast, whose three daughters, age 12, 11 and nine, have been in the Club since the beginning. "I grew up riding and though we ultimately left the decision up to the girls, I knew how much riding changed my life and I wanted my girls to have that experience as well." Jerry Pinder, whose daughter Fallon is also in the Club, stated, "She kept asking for a horse and kept asking but we don't have room for a horse, so thought this was the next best thing." Fallon admits she loves horses, and when talking among the other members, that was the consensus on why they decided to join the Middle Of Nowhere Pony Club.

All horses utilized in the mounting portion of the Club are donated by the four instructors as well as Shipstead. "We do our best to provide the horses needed. The horses range in age from six to 20 and have been vetted to ensure safety and calamity for the kids," stated Shipstead.

The origin of the club started two years ago when Shipstead started researching different programs that are out there with the goal in mind of having a structured program as well as guidelines. Shipstead herself has ridden for a long time however admits she doesn't know what she didn't know so decided to just go for it and start researching in order to bring horsemanship to the community. After researching and determining what would work best, she met with other interested parties and got the program off the ground. "Our board members are from all walks of life and they also bring a wide range of horses. We are blessed with good horses. Most of them are ranch horses, and they are so sweet and tolerate," said Shipstead.

The parents who watched their children during the obstacle mounting session on Sept. 17 were in awe of how the instructors have handled not only the kids but the horses as well throughout the year. "The volunteer riding instructors are honestly irreplaceable. They are totally volunteering their time and they are so full of knowledge. They are a true blessing," stated Fast. The instructors were also impressed at how much progress had been made throughout the year by the kids involved. "I am really proud of the progress you have made this year," stated one of the volunteer instructors Emily Redfield at the conclusion of the D1 mounting session.

The Middle Of Nowhere Pony Club is currently associated with US Pony Club for not only insurance purposes but also because of their structured learning program through the different levels. At this time the Club has two different levels, D1, which is the highest and then the younger kids are considered unrated members.

In addition to the program laid out by US Pony Club, Shipstead is also invested in teaching land conservation and giving back to the community. "One piece is that kids who don't have horses aren't familiar with the day-to-day activities associated with caring for a horse. We would love to be able to partner with someone willing to provide us with a covered arena which would give the members an added piece of up keeping the facility as well as responsibility," expressed Shipstead. "The biggest hurdle so far is that we would love to ride further into the fall but we struggle to find a covered arena."

Shipstead could not commend the community enough for the countless support and donations over the past two years. "Due to the generous community, we have been able to send kids to QuicRally, which is a knowledge based competition as well as a Pony Club Summer Camp for three days in Missoula. We also had a Horsemanship Clinic by Hannah Rasmussen at the Fairgrounds at the beginning of summer. It has been cool to see their confidence grow," explained Shipstead. "The Valley Ridgerunners Saddle Club has also been so supportive of us and they have really taken us under their wing. They have been great to work with and Larry Meland has been awesome tilling up the arena when we need him to."

The Middle of Nowhere Pony Club is open to those of all ages, as long as they are able to follow instructions. The cost is $180 for the year, which gains access to the US Pony Club website as well as helps cover the necessary insurance. They are welcoming new members for the new year starting in January.

The Club will be hosting their Fall Fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 1, with doors opening at 5 p.m. There will be a live and silent auction including the opportunity to win a Traeger grill. Music will also be provided by Chisholm Christensen as well as dinner with a taco feed. All proceeds will help the Club continue their mission to further education around horseback riding and horsemanship in the area.