B Certificate Written Assessment

B Certificate Written Assessment
This is the written assessment for B Certificate candidates. It is an open book exam so you may use your B Certificate Manual to refer to if you wish. This still needs to be your own work.

You will need to fill in your Pony Club membership number to do this assessment.

The expected time to complete this written assessment is approximately one and a half hours, but there is no time limit if you wish to take longer, unless your examiner sets one. It should be done in one sitting.

Each question is compulsory and you won't be able to go back to a question on a previous page once you click 'NEXT'. If you cannot answer a question, you will need to write something in the box (eg N/A) to move on to the next.

There are 45 questions. The possible marks for each question are shown as a guide, to help you judge how much time you might want to spend on each. The assessment is worth 130 marks.

If completing this as a hard copy and you need more room, continue your answers on the back of the sheets.

This assessment is based on:

       - the Pony Club Australia Syllabus of Instruction 2020, and

       - the Pony Club Australia B Certificate Proficiency Manual.

Candidates must have their C* or K certificate to attempt their B Certificate.

As well as the written assessment, candidates also need to:

·        Undergo practical assessment(s). The practical assessment sheets can be found on the PCA website under ‘Syllabus’.

·        Complete a journal in an appropriate format of the candidate’s B journey, covering riding, training and horse management (for a minimum of 12 months). If the candidate’s journal has been kept online, it can be submitted to the examiner by email.

Good luck. Let's begin!

First published in Australia in 2021

by Pony Club Australia Ltd

ABN 95 090 080 265

www.ponyclubaustralia.com.au

Copyright © Pony Club Australia Ltd 2021
Zones and Pony Clubs affiliated with PCA have permission to reproduce all or part of this document to use when instructing or assessing Pony Club members. Reproduction by any other organisation or individual, and for any other purpose, is prohibited, unless PCA has given prior written approval and received the appropriate fee, if any.

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I understand this test must be my own work*
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Clear

1. Horses don’t like living alone. This is because in the wild, their ancestors mostly lived: Select one answer below. (1 mark)*

A) In herdsB) Within sight of other horsesC) In family groupsD) With people
2. Horses have excellent memories, but there are limitations on how they can use them. Select true or false for each statement below. (4 marks)
1. A horse can reflect on happy memories *
2. You can teach a horse something once and he will remember it*
3. If a horse gets a fright on a riding trail, he will remember that spot next time*
4. If you jump a water jump at least five times, he will jump any water obstacle *
3. If we don't replicate the way a horse evolved as much as possible, (eg. contact with other horses) they can develop stereotypies. Give two examples of stereotypies.
1. *
2. *

4. Sometimes horses give up trying to learn what we are teaching them and enter a state of 'learned helplessness'. (3 Marks)
a. What can learned helplessness look like in a horse? *
b. Why does a horse resort to this? *
c. How can we avoid learned helplessness in a horse?*
5. Motivators we can use to train a horse include pressure removal, scratching or stroking, and food. Which one of the following two choices is correct? (1 mark)*

A) A good trainer will pick the one that suits their horse and always stick with that.B) A good trainer will use the most appropriate motivation for the situation and horse.

6. What part does ground work play in helping with training, and with minimising or avoiding the flight response? (2 marks) *
7. a. What does the term ‘on the bit’ refer to? (1 mark)*
7. b. Why is so much emphasis placed on having the horse ‘on the bit’? Select one below. (1 mark)*

It looks better.It’s the best position to have the horse balanced.To control the horse better.

8. Fill in the following table (4 marks)*

	Moment of suspension Put Yes/No	Symmetrical or asymmetrical? (Use S or A)
Walk
Trot
Canter
Gallop

9. It is important to know how each leg moves so you can give the aid to change pace or turn, for example, at the right time. In this photo what is each front leg doing? (2 marks).
1. Stance or swing phase? *
2. Stance or swing phase? *
10. In this photo what is each numbered leg doing?
a. Your choices are abducting, adducting, protracting or retracting
1. is *
2. is *
3. is *
b. This horse’s gait is a * because:
Please provide your 10b answer here.*

11. Your new horse for many days has been shying as you enter your usual dressage arena or the paddock where you exercise him. When he stops doing this, he is said to be: Choose one. (1 mark)*

A) HabituatedB) TrainedC) Exhibiting learned helplessnessD) On the bit
12. In the situation in Q11, explain what you might do to get your horse to stop shying on entering the work area. (2 marks)*

13. Looking at positive and negative reinforcement in training your horse, pressure-release is considered negative reinforcement – it is taking something away. In that case, what does the following mean? (3 marks)
‘So, when you use your aids it is not the aid that counts, it is the removing of the aid that is important.’*
14. Which of these is the best reward (positive reinforcement) for your horse when you are riding? Choose one. (2 marks)*

A) A strong pat on the neckB) Verbal reward such as ‘Good boy, you cantered!’C) A carrot or piece of appleD) A scratch near the wither
14 b Give a reason for your answer*

15. Explain how someone would use a whip as a negative reinforcer. (2 marks)*
16.Which one of these statements about self-carriage is INCORRECT? (2marks)*

A) It means a horse travels at the rider’s chosen speed and line without constant correction.B) The horse shouldn’t change direction or speed when you release the rein.C) It requires a firm constant rein contact to maintain self-carriage.D) Self-carriage is the aim for all equestrian sports.

17. Name four advantages of having a horse who ‘parks’ well. (2 marks)*
18. When your training of your horse seems to stall, eg he becomes very heavy in your hands, you should: (Note: pick the LEAST likely response) (1 mark)*

A) Get your horse responding well to your leg and rein aids againB) Have the vet check him overC) Do some more ground workD) Work through the foundation responses under saddle
19. You want your horse listening and responding well to you whenever you ride. Describe a good warm up routine to help with this. (4 marks)*

20. When trying out a new horse you don’t know, there are ways to make this safer before you even get on. Give an example of how you might do this. (2 marks)*
21. Put these six steps in the shaping scale in the correct order by numbering them 1 to 6. (3 marks)

Rhythm   *
Proof   *
Straightness   *
Basic attempt   *
Obedience   *
Contact   *
22. In a warm-up area, who has right of way in each situation? (2 marks)

a. Rider Y and Rider Z are both trotting   *
b. Rider Y is trotting and Rider Z is walking   *
c. Rider Z is walking and Rider Y cantering   *
d. Rider Z is performing a shoulder-in and Rider Y is cantering
*

23. You have learned about the Five Domains of animal welfare that consider the horse's physical and mental needs. Which of his physical and mental needs are not being met in the two scenarios below, and why? (There may be more than one in each instance.)
23a. Horace the 16hh thoroughbred is in a stable with shavings on the floor, and access to a yard the same size as the stable out the back. He is fed hay at 7am and 8pm and is ridden once a day in a sand arena 10m away. He is rugged on cold nights and has a cotton rug during the day. His teeth and feet are done regularly. He is the only horse on the property. Horace is missing out on: (3 marks)*
23b. Rosie the 18yo Shetland lives in a small paddock as a companion for a bigger gelding whom their owner rides. Her feet are sore from laminitis because she ate a lot of spring grass before her owner realised and locked her up during daylight hours in a small corner of the paddock, which has no trees nearby, and reduced her feed. The water trough is in the bigger part of the paddock. Her feet have not been seen to as her owner can only afford to have the gelding trimmed and shod. Rosie is missing out on: (3 marks)*

24. Which of the following are stereotypies and which are training issues? Use ‘S’ or ‘T’
               (7 marks (3 + 2 + 2) )

a. rearing   *
b. windsucking/crib-biting   *
c. weaving   *
d. biting   *
e. bolting   *
f. shying   *
g. What causes stereotypies?*
h. What is the best way to fix a horse’s unwanted behaviours that relate to training issues?*
25a. How can our method of horse keeping contribute to an increase in a horse’s risk of gastric ulcers? (2 marks)*
25b. What is the best way to avoid your horse getting gastric ulcers? (2 marks)*

26. Why must we introduce new feeds to a horse slowly? (3 marks)*
27. What is one way to let a horse regulate his own salt intake? (1 mark)*
28. List four reasons a horse might not do well on just a diet of hay/grass? (4 marks)*

29. Your horse has been spelling for six to eight weeks. The length of time you would need to condition him and have him ready for competition, depends on the type of horse and the type of competition. Put the following in order of shortest conditioning time you would need, to the longest. (5 marks)

Eventing Showing Endurance Showjumping/Campdrafting Trailriding
1. * (shortest)
2. *
3. *
4. *
5. *
30. What would you check or do after bringing your horse back into work after a spell? List three things. (3 marks)*
31. What should you do while a vet examines your horse? (1 mark)

Go and make him/her a cup of coffeeStand out of the wayStand in Position 1Stand in Position 2

32. Mandy’s horse has a temperature of 39.5C and a resting heart rate of 40 beats per minute. He has no outward signs of injury or colic. He is standing calmly. What should she do and why? (2 marks)*
33a. Knowing how to take a horse’s digital pulse is helpful in diagnosing problems. Explain how you would take a horse’s digital pulse, and name one problem a high digital pulse could indicate. (2 marks)*
33b. What is a bounding pulse and is it a good or bad sign? (2 marks)*

34. Name three reasons you might need to bandage a horse’s leg, and for each, explain how you would apply the bandage. (3 marks)*
35. Name two conditions you need to watch for after rain, that might affect your horse (2 marks)*
36. Give four reasons a horse may be lame. (4 marks)*

37. Name two advantages of having a pre-purchase vet check when looking to buy a new horse. (2 marks)*
38. Current thinking is that a horse’s mane and tail should not be pulled, but rather trimmed if they need a tidy up. Feathers and whiskers should be left on and not removed just for appearance sake. Explain why this has come about. (3 marks)*
39. What type of clip is this? (1 mark)*

Blanket clipHunter clipTrace clipBelly clip
40. Name one advantage and one disadvantage of clipping a horse. (2 marks)*
41.Discuss the condition of this horse’s foot. What needs to be done to improve it? (3 marks)*

42a. Describe a situation where you might use studs in your horse’s shoes. (1 mark)*
42b. What is one disadvantage to the horse of using studs? (1 mark)*

43. Discuss the pros and cons of breeding your own horse compared to buying a horse that has already been ridden for a few years. Mention at least one positive and one negative of each.
(4 marks)
Breeding Pro*
Breeding Con*
Buying Pro*
Buying Con*
44. Explain how you would identify a dehydrated horse, and how you would treat it. (3 marks)*

45. Discuss the process of bringing your horse back into work after six months off due to injury. What things do you need to consider and work on? Length: 200-400 words (10 marks)*

You are finished! Well done and good luck.

Please submit your written assessment now. You will automatically receive notice of successful submission.

If you do not, please email info@ponyclubaustralia.com.au
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B Certificate Written Assessment

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