New Blue Cross Welfare Badge for the Pony Club

The Blue Cross has introduced a brand new Pony Club badge in recognition of exemplary equine welfare. The Blue Cross equine welfare achievement badge will be awarded to Pony Club members who have demonstrated a thorough understanding of equine welfare by taking a total of ten Pony Club badges with care and management themes.

“The Pony Club is an ideal welfare flagship because of its long tradition of teaching excellent horsemanship and its track record of consistently high standards of care,” said Kerstin Alford, director of equine welfare at The Blue Cross. “The equine welfare achievement badge has been devised in collaboration with the Pony Club help highlight the importance of equine welfare in all aspects of equine management.”

The Blue Cross equine welfare achievement badge will be awarded to Pony Club members who achieve a total of ten Pony Club badges which involve the responsible care and management of horses and ponies. These include Bandaging and rugs; Care of the horse’s foot; Feeding; First aid; Handling and grooming; Lorinery; Mucking out; Perfect paddock; Saddlery and Shoeing. The Blue Cross equine welfare achievement badge can also be awarded retrospectively, at the discretion of Pony Club district commissioners, to commend past members for their achievement of ten appropriate badges.

In addition The Blue Cross is offering to provide training to Pony Club instructors on making equine welfare engaging and relevant for junior and senior members. If you are interested then please contact: Kerry Doyle 01993 825501 EXT 370 or email kerry.doyle@bluecross.org.uk.

For more information, visit the Pony Club website.