Post by Shawn on Apr 12, 2012 11:32:15 GMT -5
The one I've wanted all my life!!! Not the mean rotten Shetlands that my uncle would bring to us to break for his grandkids that never rode them anyway. I know the guy loved us, maybe he was just trying to keep us out of our parents' hair. 
And anyway, she's not really mine, she's DD's. ;D
DD is 8 and this is the story of HER pony.
Skittles the pony has a vague and slightly sad history. We bought her from a lady named Sara. Selling her because her 7 year old is needing a horse that knows lead changes, etc. for 4H.
Anyway, her known history starts when a farmer found her in his pasture with his cows. He tried in vain to round her up for 6-8 mos. Finally called a horse rescue group and they got her and put her in a smaller pen. Worked on getting close to her and finally one of the kids jumped on her and announced she was a fabulous riding pony. Sara bought her from them after some time and has spent a great deal of time getting her to trust her. She has obviously been hit/abused in some manner. She’s very protective of her off side. Sara could saddle her with just her lead lying on the ground, but I can’t … yet. She is extremely nervous of anything flapping or touching her unexpectedly.
At this point you may wonder why I bought her for an 8 year old! I watched both her 7 year old and Sophie working with her and riding her bareback and with a saddle last Sat. for about an hour and a half. I knew she wasn’t nearly as afraid of the kids as adults. She has such a kind eye and gentle demeanor about her that I know she has great potential. Plus, Sara said she had never bit, kicked, bucked or done anything stupid. At most she would shy slightly and turn and face something. I’ve noticed that her left eye has a bit of a cloud on it, I’m wondering if she can’t see everything real clear from that side and that’s why she turns and faces things head on. Luckily, it’s not on her bad side, or that would probably be a double disaster.
Since the ad was on CL before vacation, and Sara said she turned away four families because the kids were too young, or inexperienced, and as I watched Sara watch Sophie, I knew Sara was trying to find the right kid for this horse as much as we were trying to find the right horse for our kid.
I knew in my heart that this might be a fabulous thing for Sophie, the bull in the china closet, to help her learn to slow down, have patience, and to get the tremendous satisfaction that comes with seeing an animal bloom in front of your eyes. So that’s why I bought her. I only paid $300 for her, so figured I’d blown that much on worse ideas!! LOL
Anyway, I figure she won’t eat as much as a big horse and that’s always good. She’s already acclimating nicely to our place. Sophie gets her out every day and hand grazes her in the yard, brushes her and gives her treats. They’re coming along nicely. She rode a bit, with me leading her in the yard on Sat. and then on her own in the corral afterward. She seems exactly the same as last week.
She’s sequestered with the cows in the corral as of yesterday. Up to then she had been by herself next to the cows and the mares were across the fence. Hopefully, now that I found out last night she does know what electric fence is, I can turn her in with the mares in the pond area so she can get more acquainted. Apparently Star likes her as she relentlessly knickered to her the whole time Sophie was riding in the yard.
I’d like to take them riding for a short while this weekend if it doesn’t rain the whole time. Sara said that she has only cantered once, when she was trying to catch up on a ride, but otherwise when the kids ask for faster, she just trots faster.
So we shall see.
And now what you've all been waiting so patiently for ... the pictures!!
Sara said her vet and farrier thought she was Hackney. Any thoughts on that? Based on her teeth, she's 12 or 13. And I know she can use a bit more weight, we're working on that.
And anyway, she's not really mine, she's DD's. ;D
DD is 8 and this is the story of HER pony.
Skittles the pony has a vague and slightly sad history. We bought her from a lady named Sara. Selling her because her 7 year old is needing a horse that knows lead changes, etc. for 4H.
Anyway, her known history starts when a farmer found her in his pasture with his cows. He tried in vain to round her up for 6-8 mos. Finally called a horse rescue group and they got her and put her in a smaller pen. Worked on getting close to her and finally one of the kids jumped on her and announced she was a fabulous riding pony. Sara bought her from them after some time and has spent a great deal of time getting her to trust her. She has obviously been hit/abused in some manner. She’s very protective of her off side. Sara could saddle her with just her lead lying on the ground, but I can’t … yet. She is extremely nervous of anything flapping or touching her unexpectedly.
At this point you may wonder why I bought her for an 8 year old! I watched both her 7 year old and Sophie working with her and riding her bareback and with a saddle last Sat. for about an hour and a half. I knew she wasn’t nearly as afraid of the kids as adults. She has such a kind eye and gentle demeanor about her that I know she has great potential. Plus, Sara said she had never bit, kicked, bucked or done anything stupid. At most she would shy slightly and turn and face something. I’ve noticed that her left eye has a bit of a cloud on it, I’m wondering if she can’t see everything real clear from that side and that’s why she turns and faces things head on. Luckily, it’s not on her bad side, or that would probably be a double disaster.
Since the ad was on CL before vacation, and Sara said she turned away four families because the kids were too young, or inexperienced, and as I watched Sara watch Sophie, I knew Sara was trying to find the right kid for this horse as much as we were trying to find the right horse for our kid.
I knew in my heart that this might be a fabulous thing for Sophie, the bull in the china closet, to help her learn to slow down, have patience, and to get the tremendous satisfaction that comes with seeing an animal bloom in front of your eyes. So that’s why I bought her. I only paid $300 for her, so figured I’d blown that much on worse ideas!! LOL
Anyway, I figure she won’t eat as much as a big horse and that’s always good. She’s already acclimating nicely to our place. Sophie gets her out every day and hand grazes her in the yard, brushes her and gives her treats. They’re coming along nicely. She rode a bit, with me leading her in the yard on Sat. and then on her own in the corral afterward. She seems exactly the same as last week.
She’s sequestered with the cows in the corral as of yesterday. Up to then she had been by herself next to the cows and the mares were across the fence. Hopefully, now that I found out last night she does know what electric fence is, I can turn her in with the mares in the pond area so she can get more acquainted. Apparently Star likes her as she relentlessly knickered to her the whole time Sophie was riding in the yard.
I’d like to take them riding for a short while this weekend if it doesn’t rain the whole time. Sara said that she has only cantered once, when she was trying to catch up on a ride, but otherwise when the kids ask for faster, she just trots faster.
So we shall see.
And now what you've all been waiting so patiently for ... the pictures!!
Sara said her vet and farrier thought she was Hackney. Any thoughts on that? Based on her teeth, she's 12 or 13. And I know she can use a bit more weight, we're working on that.
I think you've got a great match there! 
I hope she and your daughter have a blast. I had a thought, that eye, could be an injury, could be moon blindness. When the vet's out for something else, maybe have him/her take a look? 
Then one day I practically backed over her! So now, I can pretty much catch her. We got a pony cinch and pad and she is so darned cute in it. Got to finally go for a "real" ride down the road and into the hay field last weekend. She skittered sideways a bit when something in the yard scared her, but DD stayed on. Albeit with a bit of a scared face. But once we got going, everyone did just great. She follows right along, trots to catch up and was not afraid of anything out there. I'm hopeful we can get her out every weekend and keep the progress going. DD was feeling so much better about things that she rode her around our very scary 
