Based on the Olympic Modern Pentathlon, the Tetrathlon is the newest of the of the Pony Club Queensland disciplines. Consisting of five phases: riding, running, shooting, fencing and swimming, the Pony Club Tetrathlon is a challenging competition combining sound practical horsemanship and general athletic ability. (Fencing is excluded because of the complexity and time involved in learning).

The scoring system is similar to the Modern Pentathlon in that competitors score positive points according to the standard of their performance in each phase. In the running, swimming and riding phases, competitors have marks deducted from the optimum score, according to their performance standard. In the shooting phase, positive marks are awarded for shots on target scales, such that scores are commensurate with those of the other phases.