Re: RC: Re: Pony Power

[Linda Cowles <lindac@gilroy.com>]

Yeh, Mickie... it really works well, doesn't it.

From the time Gav was a year old, he was ponied on easy trail rides and
camping trips... he liked going in the trailer so much that he'd get
demanding when I'd unload horses after a trail ride, so I'd throw him in
the trailer, run to the grocery store, buy carrots, feed him a few and
trailer him home. I worked to preserve the "Do something with the baby!"
attitude, even if he was a bit of a spoiled brat about it!

He wanted to be saddled and groomed after someone else had a lesson in
the neighbors arena? Fine, brush him and throw the Keiffer Wien on him -
who cared that he was only 16 months old and it looked comical?? Take a
picture! He thought he was VERY cool! It was just horsie dress-up. He
wants the bridle? It REALLY didn't fit him, but, bit up the baby. He'd
hold Cammie's 5 inch bit in his 3 inch mouth with that huge dressage
head stall hanging lose all over his head and look like "See, I AM a
horse!" 

Yep... he am a horse.

It was attention. That's all he wanted. He learned to be my partner in
crime... that's all I wanted. Play the game, baby. Ten or 15 minutes of
"pretend I'm a real horse" every weekend went a LONG way with him. 

I didn't start riding him until he turned 4, and then it was LSD. He was
easy. I did send him to a professional trainer for 30 days though - e
was a spoiled brat and **I** didn't want to get stuck instilling the
work ethic in him!!! He wasn't that spoiled, but he had my number. He
still does!

  -- Linda


Mickie Newnam wrote:
> 
> April,
> That's a great system. I did that with a gelding I raised, from the time he was
> around a year old, I think. By the time I got on him he was quiet, partly
> conditioned, and road-safe!
> Mickie
> 
> April wrote:
> 
> > My friend follows the same principle with her 2 year-old QH.  Takes him on
> > rides with her.  She rides her older horse and ponies the 2-year-old.  By
> > the time she gets him broke to ride, he'll be very familiar with trail
> > riding.  Not to mention the conditioning he's been building slowly.
> >...
-- 

  Linda Cowles      
  Lion Oaks Ranch  
  Gilroy CA



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