Re: New generation

[CMKSAGEHIL <CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com>]

Being raised on a cattle ranch, I grew up with the concept that the smallest
children were put on the biggest horses.  My Dad's theory was that the horse
would get us out of jams that we might not have the wisdom to remove ourselves
from otherwise.  His point was proven when a bull charged my brother, who was
mounted on a 16+ hh buckskin mare named Nosey that we all started on--the bull
hit the mare square on the chest, and lifted her whole front end off the
ground.  She grunted, twisted away, and got herself and my brother the heck
out of there.  My Dad came home white-faced and said, "This is why we don't
have ponies for you kids!"

We all developed strategies to get on Nosey when we were quite small.  I never
could shinny up her leg, but I could sure get her up to just about any sort of
a contraption, fence or hill and clambor on from there.  One of my favorite
pictures of myself from my childhood is of me on this mare, in a tiny western
saddle that my Dad got just for me.  I have one of those old horse-hair backed
saddle pads, and my feet barely reach the edges of the pad.  I had hours of
fun on that mare, and she taught me a lot.

The bottom line is that for a kid, it is the reliability that matters, not the
size.  Horses or ponies like that are worth their weight in gold, as far as I
am concerned. 

As to small Arabs--we have a real gem here in the NW that has gotten all of
the Westlake kids started.  Any of you who know WS Karamia know that she can
keep up with the best of 'em on the endurance trail.  I don't think she even
stands 13hh (I could be mistaken, but if she beats 13, it isn't by much!) and
the kids can saddle, bridle, etc. by themselves.  She is a real sweetie, and
always the first one to pulse down at the checks, so the kids have to wait for
their sponsors.

Heidi