Tewantin Noosa Pony Club

28/05/2026

26/05/2026

You ask your horse to move forward, but they plant their feet.

You ask for canter, and they rush, pigroot or pin their ears.

You ask them to stand quietly, but they paw, call out, fidget or pull back.

It can be easy in those moments to say the horse is being naughty, lazy or stubborn. But unwanted behaviour is information. Labelling a horse as naughty, lazy or stubborn can stop us from understanding the cause.

The Pony Club Australia Horse Welfare Policy is clear that using terms like naughty, lazy or stubborn to describe unwanted behaviour demonstrates a lack of understanding.

That does not mean people are trying to do the wrong thing. These words are common in horse communities, and many of us have heard them used for years. But they can lead us down the wrong path.

When we call a horse stubborn, we may stop asking whether the horse is confused, worried, uncomfortable, in pain, tired, overwhelmed, or responding to unclear aids.

The Policy reminds us that horses need clear and consistent aids, and consistent expectations for their behaviour. When aids are unclear, or expectations change from one day to the next, the horse’s world can become confusing and worrying.

Good horsemanship means looking deeper. Before we label the horse, we need to ask:

❓ What is the horse trying to tell us?

❓ What part might our timing, pressure, training, handling or environment be playing?

❓ How can we make the right behaviour easier for the horse to understand?

Understanding the cause helps us support the horse, improve safety, and build better partnerships.

05/05/2026

🌱 Is chopped fibre in bucket feeds more than just filler?

Research indicates it may play an important role in how horses consume and respond to their feed.

🔬Including chopped fibre has been shown to slow intake rate and increase chewing activity, supporting saliva production and buffering within the digestive system.

There is also evidence that slower consumption can influence post-prandial insulin responses particularly relevant for horses with Equine Metabolic Syndrome and Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction.

This highlights that feeding management is not only about nutrient composition, but also rate of intake.

🔍 Practical implications for ration design are worth closer consideration.

👉 Read more to explore the research behind this.
🔗https://askanimalweb.com/why-you-should-be-feeding-chopped-fibre-in-the-bucket/

05/04/2026

Are you looking for a relaxed and fun Pony club? TNPC is holding a muster on Sunday 12th April 2026 at our grounds in Tewantin. We have Melissa Flood for flat work and Megan Simpson for pole work. A third session will be Gymkhana events. Come along and see what TNPC is all about. Message the club for more details.

24/03/2026

The rain stopped just in time for our March Muster. Members and visitors enjoyed Flat work, jumping and obstacle lessons with Helen ABC Equine and Kyrie KdJ Equine. Congratulations to Bella and Evie on being awarded Rider of the Day . Big thanks to Hay Guy Sunshine Coast for donating the prizes.
Next muster April 12th, All welcome.

24/03/2026

The rain stopped just in time for our March Muster. Members and visitors enjoyed Flat work, jumping and obstacle lessons with Helen ABC Equine and Kyrie KdJ Equine . Congratulations to Bella and Evie on being awarded Rider of the Day awards. Big thanks to Hay Guy Sunshine Coast for donating the prizes.
Next muster April 12th. All welcome.

10/01/2026

It’s time to get your float, tow car or truck checked out, before the weekends get taken up by all the 2026 events.

Tyres have a year made date on them and they suggest to have them replaced from wear & tear after around 5-7yrs. This is just a guide to help as it all depends on how much you use the float, kilometres, storage, wet or sun areas etc. The tyre shop are the ones who can assess your tyres for you. Bearings are very important too. Make sure your car is legally allowed to tow the weight of your float loaded, as all those extra rugs, brushes, feeds etc add up very quickly. It’s not so much the power or pulling, it’s the power of stopping at this unexpected times.

This could be a good time to learn how to change a tyre, in case your by yourself or somewhere that doesn’t have a service station.

Also check with your insurance company about breakdowns, as most of them won’t tow the float with a horse in it. Most tow truck drivers aren’t familiar with the extra care horses need when being towed.
Have you ever stood on a bus without hanging on? It can be a bit unsteady, so how do you think the horses would cope.
Remember that when your taking corners when towing.

One of the other big factors is checking the flooring for weak spots, water damage, rust spots (specially manure area) & wiring. For those with aircons, fridges, gas bottles etc, check for leaks or if they need cleaning.

It’s always been a good saying some grandparents might of said- “A stitch in time, saves nine”. Meaning = Check now and have fixed, instead of being stuck on the side of the main road with horse on the float and getting someone to help pickup horse, get a tow truck for float and car or something much worse.!

That’s why it’s also good to have spare water and feed in your float, for if you have a problem.
For the car- water, oil, jumping cables etc.
For you water, snacks, spare set of clothes, medical kit etc.

Everyone loves their fur babies, so take care and don’t put it off.

05/01/2026

01/01/2026

TNPC is welcoming new members for 2026. The first muster for the year is Sun 18th Jan. Come along and see our lovely grounds and find out everything you need to know to become a member. We are looking forward to a great year.