Tack, Trotting and Tom Cruise with Marcus Capel | Talk Horse with Pippa Funnell and Tristan Phipps

This week we have Marcus Capel, Chief Executive of The Pony Club in the studio. He waxes lyrical with Pippa and Tristan on what makes the organisation quite so iconic. From muddy camp memories to creating future champions, Marcus shares how the organisation is evolving while staying true to its roots. Pippa reminisces about her own Pony Club days and Tristan’s dreams come true with honorary membership.

Plus, with Windsor on the horizon there’s a heated debate which VIP Pippa and Tristan are more excited about meeting.

And Pippa delves into the Pony Club Handbook to test Tristan on ponies 1-0-1.

Also – a massive thank you to Harry Hall our fabulous sponsors. They have given us an exclusive discount code. TH-HARRYHALL-10 – for 10% Off at HarryHall.com (when you spend £20+)

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A warm blood is not a pure brick, you know. So, would I be a warm blood or a thorough bread? Well, we had Tom Cruz. He was annoyingly nice. He shook hands with with the volunteers. It’s those Vicor Dibbly moments when ladies of a certain age were going, “Oh, like this. I would do that.” It’s quite a good message for those who are thinking about pony clubs. You could end up with an MBE and an Olympic medal. Welcome to Talk Course. our gallop through the highs and lows of the equestrian world. I’m Pippa Funnel. I’ve been aventing for over 40 years and I’m also patron for World Horse Welfare and the British Horse Foundation. And I love everything to do with horses. And I’m Tristan Fipps. You may recognize me from Maiden Chelsea. However, there is a better side to me. One that loves nature, the wilderness, and now all things horses. Today’s guest is all about grassroots and the youth. something I’m very passionate about and something perfect for you Tristan. So whether you’re a seasoned rider, a horse lover, or like me wanting to know more, this is the podcast for you. Do like and subscribe our pod as we want loads more people to hear about us and it really really does help. Saddle up, join our equestrian community and let’s talk. Hello Tristan. Hello Pipper. How are you? I’m fabulous. How are you? Good week. Very good week, actually. Very exciting week. And I think we’ve got an exciting week in the equestrian world to come, don’t we? But before we get on to that, a big thank you to Harry Hall One Club for sponsoring our pod again today. So, please do check out the discount code in the pod description. Yes, thank you, Harry Hall. So, how are we, Pipper? Yeah, very good. Really? Yeah. Good. Um, good week. Lovely weather. The sun is shining. Amazing weather. You look very tanned. Well, it’s only from the glare off the sand school. I’ve been doing a lot of coaching. That’s actually a good point. Do you have to wear sunglasses when you’re in the arena? Because it must be very bright. Not when I’m riding. No, I when I’m coaching, I will wear sunglasses. So, believe me, unlike you, the tan is only just my face and my hands. I’ve actually got a golf tan, so I’m similar. I’ve got a V-neck here. I’m not going to take my shirt off again in the podcast. I think I think once a series is enough of that. So, we’ve been blessed with this beautiful weather, but what comes with beautiful weather? Hay fever. Hay fever, but also quite firm ground. So, it’s a a big concern with horses. And there’s enormous work that’s done at the competitions with aggravating and airrating the spiking. They have special machines to spike soften it. Well, sort of it they have machines that spike in and sort of lift and shake. It’s very clever. So, so talk me through that then. So how much do those the conditions seasonally like you know do you have to train for harder ground or you know it’s horses horses for courses. Some horses like what we call on top of the ground when it’s a bit firmer and other horses like it when it’s the ground is softer from the rain and a bit deeper. Um so kind of like tennis players, right? Someone specializes in clay court. Yeah. Similar but they’re not they just got four legs and a lot more but but obviously you know with when the ground gets very hard you obviously the horses take more concussion. So that’s why there is a lot of work that’s done. And I mean that’s where the sport has improved enormously and come on a long way to 20 25 years ago because they have special machines that do lift the ground, shake the ground so it improves the ground conditions and obviously you know this is key this week because this afternoon will be the trot up for one of the biggest 3-day events in the world, Babon Horse Trails. And so you know the going is key. You know, there is people spend many years and and and looking after them is obviously imperative. Well, it’s interesting because we’re going to be walking the course tomorrow. So, what should I wear my stilettos or should I do I need my hiking boots? I don’t think you need stilettos. I would put good pair of comfy trainers cuz it’s a long walk. I’m excited for that. I’m really excited. There’s a lot of really cool events coming up. We must remember that that this is what stuff dreams are made out of. When I was little, a young girl, my dream was to one day ride at Babmonton Horse Trails. And you did that pretty well. And I, funny enough, I actually, the first time I rode at Babington was, I think it was back in 1988 or ‘ 89, a long time ago, but I had the most amazing partnership with my first horse, Sabi, and we came up through the Pony Club. I was on the pony club teams and came up and progressed into British eventing um and progressed through to to sort of this top of the sport. Amazing. So that is all about grassroots, right? It is and that’s why I say Pony Club because the Pony Club is something I’m absolutely passionate about and I think it’s something we really need to promote. So, yes. So, I have here the manual of horsemanship. It’s a very large manual for those who aren’t watching. It looks like a a Bible. It is. Well, it is the Pony Club Bible. So, I’ve got just a few little qu a couple of questions. We’re going to do this before Marcus comes in. I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of us. We know people listening have quite enjoyed some of the quizzes we’ve done before. We’ve so enjoyed them, haven’t we? So, I’m I think I’m zero out of 10 at the moment. Um, so first question from chapter one. Okay. What is a warm-blood horse? Do I get to phone a friend? We’ll get 50/50. What is a warm blood horse? Uh, it’s a horse that is from the southern hemisphere originally. No, I actually need to look. No, actually, you tell me the answer. Well, I I I look at a warm-blood horse as as not a a purebred. So, like a thorough bread is a pure bread. and warm blood. I always would call it warm blood sort of with continental breeding. Okay. Um a lot when you say continental breeding, what you mean? Well, the you would call it Dutch warm blood, you know. Um so sort of I need to can I just I just want to get No. Uh oh, she’s failed the test. No, we haven’t. Cuz we breed warm bloods. I did get the not a pure breed, but stud registers. just makes me feel slightly better about myself. No, I’m just saying I’m just seeing what they say. I think the manual’s correct. Yeah, I need Yeah, we need we can bring it up with Marcus. Actually, if you see on page one uh Yeah. So, it’s a good thing we got this manual because I’m interested to actually hear what the Pony Club manual says a warm blood is. So, warm blood is not a pure breed. Not a Okay, fine. It’s not a pure breed, you know. So, would I be a warm blood or a thorough breed? Wow. Well, I actually say you would be Yeah, you you would be like a a stallion. I’m not a stallion. I sort of chased it. I wouldn’t say you’re I wouldn’t. Anyway, I just want you to call me a stallion on the podcast. That’s what I want. So, okay. So, I failed the first question on So, okay. Which of these words to describe a horse’s color is false? Pie bald. Go bald. Go bold. Gold, go bald or skew bald. The second one is false. Yes, it’s I gave it away. Pie bald is black and white. Yeah, large irregular black and white patches. Yeah, not bad from Tristan. Skew large uh large brown markings, white and any color color other than black. Okay, so a pie board is white and black and a skew board is any color. And then a goald is is someone that’s lost their hair. Okay. Right. What is the difference between a horse and a pony? The size. One says nay and the other says not today. Have you just put a joke book in there? Sorry. So real answers. Yeah. Yeah. Ponies are under 142. Ponies are under 142. Anything bigger is a horse. I didn’t mean how many like what’s what’s the human measurement like feet to like at the shoulder? Why why is it 14 hand? What’s the measure? What’s the a hand is that? It’s um 4 in. We’ve got a lot of better other ways. Surely make it 5’2 or something. I have to say actually I stand corrected because nowadays it is modern. They’re 128s, 1 38 148 the ponies. So, so it is it is measured in meters now. I think in the old days it’s hands. I think it has gone metric. So I’m ahead of the game essentially. So I think you are actually that seems reasonable. Handsome. So I’m not sure what whatise. What year is that published? The Pony Club meter book, not the Pony Club Handbook. Oh, Pipper. That’s that was one of your best ones, actually. That was very sharp. That was very good. Okay. So, we’re we’re talking hands, but I think it has gone metric. Okay. Okay. Let’s let’s be honest and reasonable here. I still think you’ve got to do a bit more work to get your Pony Club detest. That’s only page one. And we’ve got 400 pages left to go. Exactly. So, you’ve got you would need to swat up quite a lot to to get your pony club deep. I don’t think I’ve done so much revision in my life. Well, very excitingly, we have another competition for you this week. And since this week is all about starting your horse journey, Pippa has an amazing prize for one lucky listener. I do. And it’s really exciting, isn’t it? Always. I do. So Zepha, my publishers are giving the whole set, all 22 books of Pippa’s Ponytails. And to me, the reason why I wrote the books is for a little bit like the Pony Club. When youngsters, children read the books without knowing it, they’re learning. They’re learning all about the responsibilities they have when they’re involved with animals, not just horses, but dogs, but particularly horses and ponies. Yeah. So, um it’s really important I think, you know, when they when they’re reading that they take on board and I and I really want to try and um in the books put across the importance of having just good morals, just being kind, being polite. Thank you, please. And um yeah, above all the responsibility we have. So there lots and lots of tips of how to look after your pony, how you tuck up your pony, how you brush your pony horses, how the main characters, how how they’re taught is how I would teach. So it really is um that you’ve put into these books. Yeah. And I think really keen. Amazing. Wow. That’s a very special prize. Sorry I’m speaking to you as if you’re a child. I mean I’m Thank you. I’m not far off. But you know these books aren’t just for children. So, if you want to win this prize for a child, a grandchild, a niece, a nephew, a neighbor, or a 30-year-old man who’s learning about horses, and you’ve already got two books. And I’ve already got two. I want the other 20. So, I’m going to be entering. And a question is, what is the name of the farm that Till’s Adventures takes place on? And if you want to enter this beautiful competition, please send your answers to [email protected] with book in the title. Good luck, everyone. Good luck. So after all that, I think it’s time to bring on today’s guest. Would you like to introduce them, Pipper? Marcus Capel is the chief executive of the Pony Club. And the Pony Club is obviously a worldwide organization um that many many kids come up through, myself being one of them. So much is learned in those days. So I’ll be really really interested to hear a lot of what Mark Marcus has to say. Absolutely. So let’s talk a horse with Marcus Cable. Marcus, welcome. Welcome. The first question is always the same question now in talks because we’re always longing to know where it all began for you. Same question, different episode. Very different answers each time as well. Yeah. But often Pony Club is in there. Yes. And I’ve been listening to a few of the podcasts and you’ve got some great stos from Pony Club have come up, you know, come up through great careers. So I was born out in Zambia. Mom and dad were teaching out there. Uh, dad tried to get me into ponies. They’re not a horsey family. Just part of the the kid experience. Apparently, I liked uh grooming them and leading them around Larka Center rather than actually riding them. So, wasn’t until I grew up then in West London in Hillington. And uh it wasn’t until I met my wife Bella when I was 20. She’s pony club through and through and she taught me to ride. So, it’s all her fault. She got me into always. There’s always a woman. Absolutely. Um, and yeah, her mom being DC, she’d been all through that. And she is such a brilliant horsewoman and uh uh yeah, she got me riding when I was 20 and I think a couple of months later my first uh first event and I was so used to canering up in my strups. I know I can see by the look in your face there that Well, I’m when you said you she got you riding at the age of 20 or something and then a couple of months later you were at your first event there. There is hope. Absolutely. I think arrogance of youth and you know being being young and sort of fairly fit. It was great. But she had a lovely old gray mare, lovely Irish mayor that would uh just looked after me. She did drop her shoulder and I came off quite a few times, but um had a lot of fun. That was up in up in Scotland and we helped with the local branch, the painter club up there. That was the peoples and tweed. So actually taught Scott Brash when he was a little tiny tiny tacker with his wife with his um sister Lee and they were doing manta games with the people’s tweed and then we came down to um uh to Somerset. We got married and it says a bit about our families. Uh we’d gone to see um an unbroken four-year-old for Bella to to ride. We’re going it was a stud, beautiful stud farm up in Dalmi up in Arg. And uh there’s this little tiny little pony thing stuck its head out. And Bella, she’s really really instinctive. She went I really like that. I think we should get that for you. And it was this she’d bred lots of um fos and sold them as foss. And these were a couple of yearlings that had been left. And this was a tiny little funny roony colored thing. And Bella just her her witchiness she said. So as a wedding present, Bella’s mom brought us an unbroken for an unbroken yearling. So came to work today. My parents pony horses. She was she was actually her dad was 173. Her mom was 162. She was just a little run. And Bella said, “You’ve now got three years to get yourself riding well enough before I’ll let you, you know, bring that one on.” And uh my parents bought essential heating for our wedding present. Two very important parts. But Bella’s mom was so supportive and Yeah. And that was my my little Foxy who then we went right through. We won the the riding club show jumping nationals and then I I went up to the old twostar eventing on Foxy and then we had a lot of homebreds from that. So that’s the journey started. Um but we moved down to Exmore which is beautiful where we live and it’s stunning. We get the horses and ponies get so fit. Um but it is a long way. So my first three day was actually a serious acceleration. You moved from Scotland down to Xmore. Was that that was that’s where Bella’s family’s from. So that’s where her mom was down there. So I I was working as an oceanographer up in Scotland and I I’d taken Bella up there. Um so crazily my first three day was actually Blair. So we drove up from XML to Blair via the Pony Club Championship. What year was that? I was probably there too. That would have been 90. Anywhere we go back. Yeah. Yeah. I think I was there. Yes. Yeah. I think I can remember walking. Yeah. Um and uh Yeah. So that that’s where it all started with with Bella teaching me to ride. But the Pony Club, I volunteered with the Pony Club for 30 odd years now. And that was that was there on a It shows it says a lot again on our on a when we got married on the way to honeymoon. We were going to France and we had to go via a pony club practice on a pony club show on the way to the ferry which we missed because we were too late for having been to the pony club show which start as you meet. I should have known 30 odd years later. So Bella’s mother was DC. Yes. Down in in down. Yeah. So the West Somerset and we’re the Devon Somerset branch. So better got me in helping out. So I ended up you know master the horse at camp and doing all the fun things and organizing and obviously very much I mean volunteering. Yes purely volunteering within the sport of eventing pony club. I mean we underestimate the huge amount of volunteers. Absolutely. They’re amazing people. Uh I’ve just you know I’ve just been in Northern Ireland and the um the the official steward for the show jumping Janet 50-year cubit. So we give a cubit award which recognizes 20 years of volunteering and we give the bar for 30 years, 40 years or 50 years. There are people who have been in for such a long time. But there also the the new generation that come in. There’s so much we’ve got thousands of thousands of people who give up their time. Um and it it’s it’s incredible. But I think the Pony Club starts a lot of people off on that journey. They come in as a parent. That’s you know. So I I came in as a as the boyfriend then the husband and then my boys and then Yeah. That’s my journey growing up. But I think what’s so lovely, I mean before we talk obviously about kids joining the pony club that it it’s such a open thing for anyone cuz because there is a thing isn’t there with at the end of the day with horses or ponies people see it as elitist. You need money to to to be involved to keep horses ponies but actually you really can follow it. And so there’s a huge anyone listening out there is an opportunity even if you live in the middle of a town somewhere you can’t get access to horses or there is this opportunity to be part and like you say that you know people think of horse of the world as privilege but I’ve got friends who who’ve started just coming and helping cooking at camp at Pony Club and just helping out organizing and now they’re on national committees and they they’ve had their own horse journey not being a rider themselves that have been so involved. Um, but we couldn’t run such an amazing organization without the volunteers and all of the sports, the question of sports rely on people’s energy, enthusiasm and the skill, the depth of knowledge and skill that we’ve got um out there was just amazing. But it does help bring people in as well. So yeah, give it a go. You know, turn up, offer to help, whether it’s holding a ring rope or doing the parking and then you might end up doing a bit of the cooking or the catering and then you next thing you’re a ring steward. then you’re a judge, then you’re training a team or whatever. You know, there’s a lot of journey in there for everybody. It seems to be very much like the kind of pony club is this foundation of the equestrian community and kind of everyone seems to is that what you say kind of how would you describe? I would love everybody to have had a pony club experience. I mean, I would I would it’s I think you’ve talked before about that horsemanship. The pony club stands for fun, friendship, horsemanship, and sport. And that’s it in a nutshell. Um it’s the allround equestrian athlete. It’s learning to have fun with the pony. Learning to have all of the care and treatment that goes in. Yes, there’s a whole scale of achievement badges and tests that you can do as well to prove your to prove your your knowledge and skill, but it does develop the whole rounded equestrian athlete. And I think if you if you try and become a great equestrian without it, you’re definitely lacking something. And I think the pony club really helps that all round horsemanship. And I guess what what you always kind of come back to as well is instilling this idea of doing right by the horse as well. And I think it’s really important that as an organization I do think you can see it sadly more and more that youngsters now branch out and specialize. Not all of them at all but but certainly quite a large amount at a younger age branch out and start thinking right I’m going to be an event rider or I’m going to be a show jumper or I’m going to be a pure dress rider because I don’t want to say in my day, but actually in in my day eventing you couldn’t there weren’t pony teams. So when I was younger you were in the pony club because you couldn’t start eventing until you were 16. You came into eventing at the age of 16. So until that point it was all through the pony club. And I sadly and I will say it because this is one of the main reasons why I do really promote the Pony Club because you know unless you’ve got parents that are very knowledgeable or you serve an apprenticeship with very experienced people, how are you going to gain that knowledge? And I’m staggered the amount of youngsters I come across and I ask them simple basic things to do with horses, stuff I would obviously building too too technical for you, but you know, a lot of people don’t know and and and it’s frightening. You’re absolutely right, Pipper, and thank you so much for banging the drum on that because that whole basic horsemanship is so key. But we’ve we’ve got to really focus on the care and looking after the horse and pony and that relationship and developing and understanding. Um, which to be I’m plugging your books here, Pippa, but having read those, I love the way you go back. I all 22 of them. There’s 22. The the joy of traveling. I did do the audible. I did do, you know, magic spirit through the audible um version and I give top tips at the back. Yes, I was about to say competition and win all 22 at the moment. But but we we’ve been around 96 years now. We’ve got our centinery coming up. You look good for that. Feeling young. There’s that whole wealth of of knowledge that’s developed and systems develop and we we um treasure that heritage and really respect because there’s so much knowledge in there. but also looking forward. So, we’ve we’ve got 132 achievement badges, for example, which are great fun. They can be done in an afternoon at camp uh with or without the pony. It might just be looking at plants, looking at the environment, looking at the nature side. And we’ve rewritten our we’ve got a ladder of um efficiency tests from the E test right through up to the the highly privileged A test, which um is just shows your knowledge that’s come up. Those have all been rewritten with a greater emphasis on welfare. So at the E test, it’s front of a pony, back of a pony. What makes your pony happy? Your C test rider is a good competent rider. They can jump a jump. They’re all round. Your B tester, you’d leave in charge of your yard quite happily with all your horses or ponies. I never got my B. We should put you through it. Actually, we should do that. But alongside all of that learning, you’ve got all the fun bits as well. And we’ve got we do nine sports in the Pony Club. So you can do your your jumping, your dress, your eventing mantra which is a brilliant all round running, shooting, swimming and cross country. You’ve got endurance, you’ve got polo, polo cross, you know, pony racing. There’s a lot of opportunity to have a go at a lot of different things with your horse or pony and have a lot of fun with that way. Um, and talking about privilege, I will come I’m going to do do a plug here because a lot of people think pony club or you have to own your horse or pony. We’ve got 30 or thousand members in the UK, 100,000 worldwide. Um, but of the 30,000 in the UK, 20,000 will be what we call a branch member. So, traditional volunteerrun committee that organizes a branch and organiz. But 10,000 of our members will learn to ride um at a a center and they these are linked centers, commercial centers that that are linked to the Pony Club and they’re all Pony Club members so they can all do all of the area competitions. They can do everything. But that’s really opened the doors and brought in opportunities in whether it’s inner cities or farflung Wales or whatever. There’s a riding center and often that’s the first um first point for I think Dampard you had on she she learned to ride at a center. So it’s a real accessible way to get people into horses and ponies and as you said about that being surrounded by the depth of knowledge if you’ve got coming not from a horsey background you need to pick that up from somewhere. So you need that support whether it’s at the center or whether it’s a you know a bunch of really knowledgeable volunteers at the committee level at the branch level. The great thing about the pony club is you’ve got that support there whether it’s for yourself as a young person coming in or if it’s uh for your parents uh the help and care for your horse or pony as well as all the fun you can have with it. Amazing. I think you know for listeners out there and things um and when we talk about that opportunity for youngsters they don’t necessarily have to have their own ponies that it’s just it’s so good for kids brains they isn’t it I mean h how do you find ways to get them out of iPads computer games all the probably point for you as well because Marcus was a headmaster as well so obviously the education element yeah 20 odd years a teacher down next and passion is about kids getting out and about like there’s so much um to life getting them fit, get them active, um learning to graft, learning to work, you know, you capture that in your books as well, you know, with that routine. Um and yeah, I I I love young people learning and young horses learning. I love working with young horses and the similarities there, the consistency, the opportunities that building up their experiences, building their knowledge. It’s really exciting. So well clearly you’ve got a a passion for education and inspiring and and so and in 2019 you became the CEO of of the Pony Club. Yes. So how did you what was the decision you made to transition into leaving your role as a as a head teacher to It was a very very difficult one because I’d always you know like I said volunteered for 30 odd years for the Pony Club and that was at a local level also at a national level. So I’d become chairman of Mount Games. Um and it was an opportunity uh I finished teaching in 2018. It’s one of those wakeup moments. I had a bit of a bit of a bad fall off a horse and my Bella was like, “For goodness sake, you’re you know, you’re killing yourself just and um I promised my dad to take him back to Zambia.” Uh and I said, “Right, we’re going to do it.” So, we spend a few few months out in Zambia. Uh Pony Club was um I helped organize the championships and then there’s the opportunity um to actually the the CEO role was there. So, I was interim uh for quite a while and we we had a new trustee board and we got ourselves sorted. Uh there’s quite a lot of work to do with the staff and there’s a bit of restructuring. Um but I was so passionate about the organization. I loved it. I was you know I said I’ll give you 24/7 whatever of my life to actually you know help and we’ve got such an amazing team of of staff and volunteers. It’s a very small staff uh just 20 odd uh in the office in in Warshire. Um but we’ve got about 10,000 volunteers approximately and it is sorry it is world you’re running the worldwide part of it. Are you allian? We’re in a Pony Club international alliance. Um, so there are and we’re all we all work really closely together. So the governance know I’m just UK, right? But so South Africa, Australia, um, New Zealand, Canada, the States, Ireland, Hong Kong, we’re in a in an alliance. So there’s opportunities for our members to do exchanges. Um, we’ve got a China exchange coming up shortly. I’m running the International Mic Games Exchange this year, which I’ve done every um, of the year. So really, really exciting. Um, I’m intrigued on something. I think, you know, you’ve alluded to kind of how we’ve got this generation of maybe people a little less connected to the outdoors. This techn is coming through. How do you see the future of Pony Club transpiring? Do you feel like there’s as much uptake with kids these days and young people get involved? Like, how do you get people motivated to kind of take the leap of faith? Thank you for that opening because it’s it’s really really key. Our place is the um you know the youth development charity that we are is getting more and more people touch points with horses and ponies as you know less people getting outside um there’s less opportunities for people to be connected with nature we’re doing a lot of work supported by British equestrian um going into um not traditionally horsey areas so madrassas the Muslim after school clubs um we’ve got a project I think it’s 15800 kids have experienced something to do with horses and ponies we’re trying to link them up with local centers as well so they can actually physically get out there working with Red Wings or World Horse Welfare. So, so we’re going going into those um those spaces. Riding is a sun sport. So, you know, there’s Muslim communities and we’re uh we’re working really hard whilst valuing all the traditional work of the pony club in terms of the teaching the horsemanship and the actually extending those opportunities for wider base of people to know something about a horse. They might never get a chance to ride or have that opportunity, but maybe their kids will or maybe their friends will or that exists. I think it must be quite difficult cuz I think so many people don’t know that these things exist or they haven’t got access to but as soon as they have that moment then that all clicks into place and then you know the whole world opens up. Well, if we can look at riding as potential activity or starting with before the riding bit, let’s get them learning a bit about horses and ponies. you and you know doing that sort of bit the horsemanship developing and then just getting them outside and you get them in a pair of wellies get them out and there and there are the opportunities uh I don’t know whether you heard the episode with Adam Short who was from the who now grooms for Tom Mccuan and did groom for William Foxpit but he was from inner city Newcastle um and so the opportunities there for them if they join the pony club to learn there are opportunities going forward there plenty of jobs cuz I know for sure we struggle to find people. There are less and less people coming into the industry but probably because as youngsters they don’t feel there is a way in. You’re absolutely right. Love your horse but not the high costs? Say hello to the Harry Hall One Club. You’ll get public liability and personal accident insurance included in your membership from just £5724 per year, making horse ownership more affordable. And did you know they even offer horse box and travel insurance? How handy is that? Friendly, fussfree, and full of shopping perks. Join the club that’s got your back in and out of the saddle. Harry Hall One Club, making horse ownership more affordable. I think it’s also really important to mention it’s not just about the kids being happy because I think it’s really important to mention how actually ponies love it completely like so fun friendship horsemanship sport the first bit is fun and you and you see those the JCB championships in August three and a half thousand competitors will be there doing all of those different sports and those horses and ponies just enjoying themselves as well we’ve also got the horse and pony care at champs, uh, which is great. A lot of our centers members who might not own their horse or pony, they’re competing on an equal level there and it’s all about the care, but it’s you ask them about and straight they’ll say, “Oh, it’s, you know, this pony that loves this. They like that. They like it when I tickle them here. They like if I scratch the withers, they like that piece there.” And it is that variety. Like I say, there’s so much you can do. And they do love it. Horses and ponies love it. So, we’re so lucky. So going back to my youth obviously it was so much friendships and many of my friends now I was in the pony club with them my good good friends my true friends and we did used to have a lot of fun at pony club camp with all the other activities but I do remember I don’t know whether it’s different now but there were probably about 55 or 50 girls and there were only two boys shock we used We used to have it at Belch the hop houses. So we were all in our dorm. Obviously the boys had their the two boys had their own dormatory. Well their room and then all the girls were in the hopous. O and um yeah I mean we used to just What did you I’m wait don’t encourage her. I know. I don’t want to encourage kids, but but it’s a lot of fun. And I’m sure there’s a lot of tales, water fights. And I mean, yeah, that’s what it’s all about being a kid and just being outdoors. And like I said, my my boy Jack’s 32, Rury’s 28, and they’re still riding now. And they’ve just, you know, they go on holiday and they’re all pony club friends from around the world. They’ve made all these links and but yeah, a lot of tales from camps and their rallies and the fun that the things they get up to probably don’t want to know about. But also like it’s hard as fun. You know, being a kid these days is quite hard. It seems it’s a safe space to be a young person and, you know, take the risks in a managed way. Get off your iPhone and go to Pony Club. Be outside. I I loved my days playing outside in the woods and I wish I had gone to Pony Club. We have we have Pony Club discos at Christmas. We have Pony Club quizzes. We I mean and I I remember I mean I actually used to be quite competitive cuz even we had well I am competitive because even you know you got points you had you had teams at camp and you got scored on how well you cleaned your tack and we just you know and I learned I bet you of course and we had to plat our own ponies and they had to be really but I bet you were helping all the others as well cuz you’d want to get good marks for everybody. So it’s a whole team thing. Exactly. And it is about the team. my and my whole early team experiences were on Pony Club teams. You know, that was the introduction into wanting to be part of a team and there’s I’ve said it before, there’s no eye in team and you but it does come from the fun, the laugh you’re having around there of I’ve got a great and some DCs when they’re running the camps, they actually take the phones away and or actually the young people say we don’t want the phones here. We don’t we want a space that people aren’t recording everything that it isn’t going out on social media just like you say throwing in the river or whatever it is it might be you know just running around the cross country course just having fun outdoors that it is a more of an old fashioned traditional opportunities but there’s a great great benefit just being outside the physicalness of it as well so have you got any tales that you could tell us though about your pony club experience kind of have plenty of falls I can hardly remember that far back and I I mean, you know, I was one that used to hack and I mean, I used to hunt in the, you know, I was at Irish Pony Club and we used to hunt and and my days were I mean, people know obviously my main cross country colors were always yellow and that never changed because our cross country colors for the Pony Club were yellow and and I I I kept kept that. It’s quite a good message for those who are thinking about pony clubs. You could end up with an MBE and an Olympic medal. No. Well, there’s lots of opport you know they have and one of the things that I think too is is has really helped me is the old system of pony club rallies where you have to go one behind the other a space of the equivalent to two three horses or ponies between and that’s how I teach a group of riders now literally in that sort of format like we did in the pony club there’s a real remit you know you see the the uh discipline of controlling your pony SP and and the balance as well and you’re working as a team and your awareness around of yourself. It’s so good then when you go to competitive environments you’ve got a collecting ring and you’re aware of people around you because you’re used to that and you practice. So many other benefits as well. You’re definitely missing out here on I know I’m quite jealous actually. I’m upset. I am going to say something. I never ever kissed any boys in the pony club. Did you carry out with boys for a reason or I didn’t kiss any girls either? I No, I never kissed a boy in the pony club. I waited until I was out of the pony club before I started kissing boys. I think folks on the ponies. Yeah, I Yeah, I kissed my pony. But actually, you go then where where I love pony club. You’ll see these young people, they’ll go out, they’ll go out in town or they’ll go on holiday, whatever, and they’ll always support each other. And you know, whenever you go, like I said, my mom and dad aren’t horsey at all. My dad, why are you spending all your time? So, your grandsons, they’re out there. There’s a whole community around them that’s going to look after them. They’re going to have a load of fun. But it is safe. Yeah, you know, there’s a lot of people are going to scoop them up and look after them. And I think that’s that’s what’s so great about the Aventing family. We talk about the Aventing family and it really is a community. And I think the equestrian world, same thing. It’s it’s a close-knit world and there are so always people looking out for you. And I think when I go back, I mean, my greatest friend like William Fox, we were in rival pony clubs. So we right from before we even got into British venting I did used to think who’s that long lanky tall guy around and I always used to think he’s so tall he could look over the ramps of the trailers when people were changing in the back of the trailers cuz in those days we didn’t have fancy lorries and um amazing stories so we’ve decided it is too late for me to join pony club or isn’t it’s not 25 is the is the yeah so but actually never too you and volunteer. Absolutely. Come back and volunteer and there’s there’s lots and lots of roles and I don’t think he should be volunteering necessarily. I read you read me three book questions from the book and I don’t I’m not sure you should be at Pony Club Camp if there’s sort of a whole lot of game might help my recruitment drive Pipper. I think that’d be I’m taking manly. We’ve discussed the stories in the past. actually throw it forward a little bit because we’ve got a very exciting show coming up which Pipper and I are very exciting doing a live show at the Royal Windsor Hor Show. At the Royal Windsor Horse Show and we hear that you’re going to be there with a lot of and what we would love to do is we’re slightly concerned cuz there’s a prize. No one’s going to be there. Four four people can get front row seats at the live audience of us doing a live podcast. One’s your husband, one’s my girlfriend. And we’re really worried it’s just going to be four. So, can we get your Pony Club friends will be there in in force. We we’ve got the Dax sponsor the Pony Club Mountain Games and they’ve been with us 40 o more than that and it’s just a lovely lovely opportunity for them to ride in the castle in front of the royal family. It’s just it’s a superb show. I say it’s a bit the best garden party in effect. But we’ve also got Traflin show jumping and and dress sergeant home internationals taking place. So we got a really good presence in there and over the years we’ve been fortunate enough to be involved with the pageantss and things celebrating with the Jubilees and that’s been a huge opportunity with um we had um Tom Cruz when he came in and did the thing with and Alan Titch Marsh. So actually the main man himself the main guy probably more so Alan than Tom which is Oh you see I I think I sorry Alan I’ll go for Tom. Yeah I’ll have Alan. You can have Tom. Someone was annoy he was annoyingly nice. I was stood there and one one evening and um this tap on the shoulder. I stood at the gate outside the arena and excuse me my principal needs to come through. And I said, “Well, I’m sorry. I’ve got 30 principles out there. I’ve got 30 pony club members. I’m keeping an eye on making sure they’re fine.” And it was tapped. No, my principal’s and it was Tom Cruz and his and Okay, step back. He came back. He was annoyingly nice apparently. Yeah. Does his own work? But he c he shook hands with with the volunteers. It was those Vicor Dibbly moments when ladies of a certain age were going like I would do that. But it was Yeah. But again, what what an opportunity for young people to be part of the show like that. So, we’ll definitely come and support you. And yeah, we’ll have all all the members will be there and we’ll bring a bring a bit of an entourage to to cheer you on as well. So, and for all our listeners who who aren’t involved in the Pony Club yet yet to come down to the Royal Winter Horse Show and see what it’s all about. It’s going to be a great day out. So much going on. So much fun. all the glamour of the ruins the horse show. You know, you’re there. You know, I’m this is this is informal for me. I normally have a big badge suit and tie. Um we camp on site down by the river and um so all the officials. So we’re in various caravans and tents and things and to take an assortment of suits to last the whole week camp in the morning. I’ve come out and a DJ had gone up to the castle from the tent. Yeah, you sit around the campfire and go. There might be a little few cups of tea and things consumed. It’s actually really nice because the members are camping on site as well and uh and you get the um you know granny running the kitchen and doing breakfast at 6:00 in the morning and things and yeah, you must you must come down when you’re there. down to the camp. We should actually I think we should but yeah the camping is a big part of it and whether it’s at Windsor or whether it’s you know the annual camp or whether you’re doing a TRAN weekend or you know it’s it’s part of that whole fun bit. Yeah. It is fun and I think I think you know myself other riders that have come through the pony club I think it it’s important that we do get to meet some of the kids because I remember when I was that youngster being inspired by someone who I really look you know looked up to and things I think it it makes it real for them and I think it’s really important that each and every one of them if they really do have a dream they’re Yeah. Exactly. Pursue that dream. And that’s where the dreams begin at the Pony Club. Yeah, that’s a beautiful nice natural I think punctuation to our amazing episode here. But there is one thing I want to ask you just before we round off. We always want to try and have a takeaway for everyone at home. Um, obviously you spent, you know, a life with horses. Now, every person has a different story, but what advice would you give to people who live alongside horses or with horses who have that connection to kind of carry on and inspire them in that journey? Enjoy enjoy the privilege of being at one with an animal and enjoying that relationship with a horse or pony. Whatever that might be, whatever your level is, just Yeah. live every day and enjoy it. Enjoy that relationship with a horse or pony. Very good. Thank you so much, Marcus. Thank you. Thanks very much. Thank you. Thank you. He’s a play club badge. So, I’m glad that have I earned this badge, though. I’m sure you sure you still got yours in private place, hippo. Oh my. That is I feel like I have I haven’t deserved this badge, but you haven’t. That’s up to Marcus to decide. An honorary member there. I think I should take it back until you’re ready. It’s going on. It’s going on. Well, this is it. I’m in now. Ah, suits you there, Tristan. It looks beautiful there. Yeah. Nice and shiny. That’s a serious bad. Yeah, wear it to winter and wear it with pride. I think you should wear it on your next Maiden Chelsea episode. Absolutely. Absolutely. I think a few of them could do with a bit of discipline at the pony club if I’m honest. But that’s a conversation for another that’s another story. So I thought that was brilliant. I’ve got my Pony Club badge. You’ve got your Pony Club badge. I’ve got another one. But I’ve I think that’s the easiest anyone’s ever earned that badge. I think Yeah. Yeah. I’m going to wear it with pride. I really really um thought he had so much to say and I I really really hope that there are many listeners out there that might think if they’re got children that they really will think if they haven’t joined the pony club actually maybe it really is worth it because there is so much to be learned when we’re younger and it’s so easy every everyone wants things immediately now and and sometimes we forget that it is about having fun. And I think it’s really really important that with youngsters, um, children and horses, that we’re not trying to run before we walk, that we actually give children the chance to really enjoy and learn just through being with their ponies. And I I I just it’s it’s just the most remarkable organization. And I and I really I think he was a wonderful wonderful guest and and really could put across you know what what the Pony Club has to has to offer. Yeah, I think it’s amazing how you know the future of the Pony Club seems to be in great hands and it’s all about fun but as you say and we come back to it time and time again on the pod is doing right by the horse and it’s great to see that that is going in a in a great direction and you know there are amazing organizations like Pony Club who are getting as many people as possible inspired and connected to these amazing animals. I thoroughly enjoyed that one. Good. Yeah, I did too. And um you know, it’ be great to to see the Pony Club in action at the Royal Windsor Show. So, if you’ve loved us talking horses, make sure you join our community by subscribing so you never miss an episode. Absolutely. And please do leave us a review. It really does help us spread the word. And also do check out the podcast subscription and our socials for lots of fun things. competition’s discount code for Harry Hall. And of course, thanks again to Harry Hall for being our sponsors today. Remember, we really, really do love hearing about your horse stories. We love suggestions of guests. So, please don’t be afraid to get in touch. Our email is [email protected]. And join us next time because we’ve got so much more horse talk to share with you. Bye. [Music]