Re: Ponies

[BMcCrary27@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/18/99 4:43:32 PM Pacific Standard Time, MBlanchrd@aol.com
writes:

<< I love horses.........but somehow, when I think of the equines waiting for
me
 when I make it to the Rainbow Bridge, I don't think Rocky is going to be
 there.........I sure hope not, because I may just kill the little
 blanketyblank..... >>

This reminds me of an opinion my husband always had about ponies (Shetlands):
never get one for your child to learn on.  He said they were obstinate,
opinionated, and taught kids bad horsemanship, because the child was always
fighting the pony for control.  With that in mind, our girls learned on a very
hot QH/TB cross gelding.  He was HOT with adults, but SOO gentle and careful
with the girls when they were small.  He always wanted to go one speed faster
than the adult wanted ... trot when you wanted to walk, canter when you wanted
to trot, and run flat out when you wanted to canter.  Most of it was our
fault, as we bought him as a 4 year old and didn't have the skill to train him
properly.  But he was the most honest and intelligent horse, extremely
sensible, and could be patient when he knew he should be.  As our daughters
became better riders, he livened up and treated them as mini-adults ... that
is, he speeded up his gaits.  But to see him take a 4 year old girl around the
yard was a treasure ... you could hear the brain ticking over ... "I must be
VERY careful, beacuse this is a small child".  Anyway, my husband refused to
have a pony to teach a child.  His early experiences were with a neighbor's
pony named Romeo, who pulled every trick in the book.

Barbara