Pony Tails September 2025 Issue by Horse Council BC

PONY TAILS

SEPTEMBER 2025

A Letter from Alice

Hello readers!

Back to school, and back with... WHAT?! ... Another issue of the Pony Tails Kids Club Digital Magazine!

This September edition is all about the joys of learning when it comes to horses. When we’re at school, we study hard in order to do well and gain new knowledge. The same work ethic can be applied to horses; whether riding or just taking care of them. Even when we’re adults, it’s important to keep learning and discovering new things. That’s what makes us better equestrians, and better people in general!

Want to brush up on your horsey education this fall? Check out EquiMania! It’s a children’s program brought to you proudly by our partner Equine Guelph. Follow the link below to learn more:

https://thehorseportal.ca/equimania/

Stay curious kids, And always remember to pat your pony!

Signed,

Alice the Pony

Horse/Pony Breed

of the Month: KNABSTRUPPER

HCBC member Angie and her horse

The Knabstrupper is a magnificent spotted warmblood breed that can do it all! Originating from Denmark, these horses are suitable for riding, driving, vaulting, and are even used in circuses! They are considered to be at risk/endangered, making them a rare beauty to encounter. Check out this brave Knabstrupper gelding getting desensitized to the blow-up unicorns!

What breed do you want to see featured in our next issue? Reach out to Alice at ponytails.alice@hcbc.ca and let her know!

Interactive Story Feature: Test Your Knowledge

Quizzes don’t have to be scary... they can be fun!

Follow along with this interactive story to show off your horse expertise.

Alice at the Fall Fair

Every September, Alice the pony and her horsey pals looked forward to their favourite seasonal event: the local Fall Fair! Their town had hosted the carnival for longer than anyone could remember, and it brought the entire local population together in the middle of one big farmer’s field. There was Ferris wheels, spinney rides, cotton candy, and face paint. There was dunk tanks, whack-a-mole, and candy apples galore! But most importantly, the Fall Fair hosted a famous livestock show that Alice never missed. Her and her person Kira had been competing in the show jumping competition for the last FIVE years, along with a few other horses and riders from their barn. This year was a very special year, because it was the first time that Kira and Alice would be competing in the Accumulator division. This show jumping class was unlike any other: because each jump you had to jump got a little bit harder. With every new obstacle, the height of the jump or the difficulty of the track increased, making it all that much harder to clear. Alice and Kira had been showing all year on the local circuit with the hopes of building up their skills enough to give it a try. Now, the leaves were falling, and the time had come - they had better be ready!

[Speaking of ready... are YOU ready for a pop quiz?]

1. What kind of animal does the term “livestock” include?

a) Marine life, like fish and dolphins

b) Bird species, like flamingos and parrots

c) Farm animals, like horses, goats, and cows

d) Reptiles, like snakes and lizards

2. How would you describe Show Jumping to a non-horseperson in one sentence?

a) Competing against the clock with no jumping errors

b) Turning tight around barrels.

c) Like gymnastics on horseback.

d) Drivers sit in a vehicle drawn by a horse

Kira unloaded Alice from the trailer on Thursday morning, one day before the start of the fair. Kira felt the crisp autumn air on her face as she led Alice down the ramp and onto the grounds. They had been to that exact field several times before - but this time was different. The excitement and nerves that both rider and horse felt made it an exciting new place full of opportunity. Kira put Alice in her stall with a bucket of water and fresh hay, then headed in the direction of the rides and booths. Once they were alone, Alice turned to Oliver, the chestnut horse who was stalled next to her. “I’m nervous.” she admitted, “how are you feeling for your dressage test?” Oliver pawed the ground in anticipation. “More ready than ever! We are going to NAIL our freestyle routine. Same with you and your Accumulator class. You’ve been practicing all yearyou’ve got this!”

Alice gained newfound confidence from the kind words of her friend. “You’re right!” she agreed enthusiastically, “we didn’t take all those extra lessons for nothing. We can do this!” The conversation between horses continued with great enthusiasm, as they talked excitedly about their gameplan for the competition ring. [While they discuss strategy... are you ready for another quiz?]

What is your favourite attraction at the fair?

a) Cotton candy, caramel applies, and all the yummy food!

b) Duck pond, ring toss, and the other games!

c) Ferris wheels, bumper cars, and all the cool rides!

d) Petting zoos and animal shows!

e) All of the above!

The next day, the crowd was ginormous, and the fair was in full swing. Families from all over the province had driven hours to check out the carnival. Hundreds of people wandered the grounds, enjoying all the many attractions and vendors. Over at the animal showgrounds, the horse show was well under way. Alice and Kira spent that morning competing in their other showjumping class. In the Power & Speed, they successfully made it through the first half of the course with no jumping faults, allowing them to proceed with the rest of the jumps and secure the win. Kira walked Alice back to the barn afterwards with a beaming smile. “See Alice? We’re fiercer and more competitive than ever! That Accumulator class is OURS.” Alice strutted all the way to her stall with pride. Even if we don’t win, thought Alice, getting to fly through the air over those jumps with Kira is worth it There’s no better feeling in the world!

Alice spent the evening reflecting on her riding journey with Kira. When Kira had first bought her, she was a shy girl who never spoke during lessons. Now, her and Alice had grown together, both in their skill and in who they were on the inside. Alice used to be scared too: she would often refuse jumps, thinking there was no way she could ever clear them. But with Kira’s trust, the pair had blossomed into an incredible partnership. Whether they were first or last tomorrow, Alice couldn’t feel anything but proud of how far they had come as a team.

What’s the best part about riding?

a) Winning!

b) Showing off!

c) Having fun and loving the sport!

d) Falling off!

On Saturday morning, Kira and Alice were practicing in the warmup ring before heading into the big arena to compete. Everyone from the barn was sitting in the stands, ready to cheer them on. After landing one last warmup jump with ease, Alice and Kira lined up by the ingate and waited their turn. “Remember what I told you about thinking ahead” reminded Coach Steph, who was standing next to them. “As soon as you land jump 5, you better be looking over your shoulder for jump 6. That turn comes up really fast”. Kira nodded with determination, giving Alice a pat and hearing her coach call out “good luck” as she walked into the arena. At the sound of the buzzer, Kira and Alice picked up a canter and headed to jump 1. It had a nice, long approach and was set very low, allowing the pair to tackle it without issue. The second jump was a bit higher, followed by a bending line to a larger oxer (a wider jump made with two poles). So far, none of the obstacles had managed to get the better of Alice and Kira.

[But will these quiz questions get the better of YOU?]

1. Where should you be looking when you’re riding?

a) Behind me

b) Forward and ahead at what’s in front of me

c) At my friends standing in the middle of the ring

d) At the sky

2. What makes the Accumulator class different from other jumping classes?

a) There’s no winner; everyone ties

b) It’s slower than other jumper classes

c) You have to ride without stirrups

d) It increases in dificulty as you complete the course

Jump number 4 was taller than all the previous ones, and jump 5 was right after it. Kira did as her coach had instructed, and turned her head over her shoulder to complete the rollback turn to jump 6. Alice cantered tightly around the corner so that her footprints formed the shape of a tear drop. They managed to find the center of the next jump, and Alice cleared it with several inches to spare. “Nice one!” Kira exclaimed, already calculating their approach to jump 7. They skillfully overcame the next three obstacles, battling both physical and mental fatigue as the end of the course drew near. Now they had only one jump left. The whole audience held its breath, knowing that whether or not they cleared the last fence would make or break their score.

Do you think Alice and Kira end up winning the Accumulator?

a) Of course - they’re destined for that podium!

b) Not this time... it’s too good to be true.

c) It doesn’t matter - they’re having way too much fun to worry about winning!

And... they cleared it! Alice and Kira won! With 55 points and not a single jumping fault, they managed to be champions of the day. Kira felt immense joy and pride as she took her place on the podium, hugging and high-fiving her fellow competitors. She smiled and waved to the crowd as her and Alice completed their victory gallop, with their 1 place ribbon sash flying in the wind. Back at the barn, Alice got spoiled with carrots and praise, and stood proudly with her head outside her stall as the spectators came to pat and congratulate her. st

Later that day, Kira took Alice to a sunny spot where she could graze and overlook the fairgrounds. “What a great weekend” she remarked, reflecting on all of their success. “We worked hard, focused, and made our dream come true. I couldn’t ask for a better pony than you Alice.” Alice popped her head up from the grass to nuzzle Kira’s cheek. Through wins, losses, falls, and triumphs, the pair were happy to be by each other’s side.

The End!

(Answers to the quiz are written upside down at the bottom of this page)

c, a, any of them, b, d, and c

ANSWERS (in order of appearance):

Activity of the Month: JUMBLE WORDS

Ready to show off how smart you are? Flip to the next page and try to unscramble all of the horserelated words.

Horse Themed JUMBLE WORDS

Super HARD!

All of these letters can be rearranged to spell a word related to horses... can you unscramble them to figure it out?

(Don’t worry if you can’t... the answers are upside down at the bottom of the page)

Horse Sizes:

ORHES YNOP IMAINTREU

What horses eat: AHY RGIAN RGSSA

Horse gaits: LAGLPO RTOT TERCNA

Coat Colours: YBA IAPTN ALOPIMNO

Disciplines:

SUJMEPR IENNRIG

UGTNLVAI

Brushes: RURCY BMOC ADNYD OFHO ICPK

Famous Horses: IHSKCTDEA RASETICERT LVARGEO

Industry Roles: IDRER OCACH ERRIATN

Sport Organizations: ORHSE CILOUN CB

QTEUSIRANE ACDNAA IEF

Sport Organizations: HORSE COUNCIL BC, EQUESTRIAN CANADA, FEI

Famous Horses: HICKSTEAD, SECRETARIAT, VALEGRO | Industry Roles: RIDER, COACH, TRAINER

Disciplines: JUMPERS, REINING., VAULTING | Brushes: CURRY COMB, DANDY, HOOF PICK

Horse gaits: GALLOP, TROT, CANTER | Coat Colours: BAY, PAINT, PALOMINO

Horse Sizes: HORSE, PONY, MINIATURE | What horses eat: HAY, GRAIN, GRASS

ANSWERS:

HORSEY FACTS OF THE MONTH: INSIDE THE HORSE’S BRAIN

Horses may not be able to read and write like us, but they’re still super smart! Get schooled on these interesting facts about the horse’s brain.

Vaccinating

1.5 pounds

is the average size of a horse’s brain. That’s not quite as big as ours, but is pretty huge compared to most land mammals!

5 out of 8

horses against West Nile Virus is important for preventing diseases that affect their brains is the level of learning ability that horses have demonstrated according to psychologist Robert M. Gagne’s 8-stage hierarchy of learning. Pretty genius!