The Pony Club is the backbone of UK youth equestrianism — 280+ branches, 35,000+ members. If your yard hosts a branch (DC, instructor, equine resources), you’re juggling: membership renewals, achievement badges, rally bookings, certificate prints, parent-volunteer rotas, fundraising. Most branches run on a single overworked DC and a few dedicated parents.
The admin volume
A typical 80-member branch runs annually:
- 15-20 working rallies
- 8-12 fun rides / events
- 4-6 official tests (D, C, C+, B)
- 2-3 camps (residential + day)
- Membership intake / renewals (rolling)
- Finance reconciliation (membership fees, event fees, sponsorship)
That’s 60-80 admin events × ~30 minutes each = 30-40 hours/year of pure paperwork.
Where the time goes
Membership
Manual register, Excel spreadsheet linked to bank statements. Members miss renewals because nobody remembered to chase. Each missed renewal = £25-40 lost revenue + hassle.
Event bookings
Email + WhatsApp + paper sign-up sheet at rallies. Names get typed twice, missed, allergies forgotten.
Achievement records
Each badge attempt: form filled, sent to Area Office, certificate printed, given to child. Lost forms means re-take.
Reconciliation
End-of-year branch report to area: financial, membership numbers, events held. Reconstructing from receipts and notes — full weekend.
What good software does
- Single member database with renewal status, contact details, age, achievements
- Online event booking (parents log in, book, pay)
- Achievement tracker per child (badge attempts, dates, examiners)
- Auto-reminder for renewals, tests, vaccinations
- Financial reporting in standard PCAA format
Specific UK Pony Club requirements
- Safeguarding: every adult helper requires DBS check, recorded with expiry
- Test results: must align with PC achievement levels and feed into national records
- Camp regulations: night supervision ratios, activity risk assessments, medical forms
- Insurance: PC blanket insurance applies to members at recognized events; non-member guests need separate cover
What Hovera offers Pony Club branches
A free dedicated tier for non-profit branches (under 100 members):
- Member database with renewal tracking
- Event booking with per-event payment (Stripe/GoCardless)
- Badge tracker
- Camp module: medical forms, supervision rota, daily checklists
- DBS register with auto-expiry alerts
- Annual report export in PC format
Cost: £0 for branches under 100 members, £15/month over.
Get the PC branch package — write “Pony Club branch” in the email subject.