Speedy Learns English

Now that my son has outgrown Speedy I need to sell him - that is the horse needs to be sold, not the boy. There is now officially no one in our house who is small enough to ride him. Sure, I do put training rides on him myself, but he is nowhere near big enough to be a regular mount for me. And grandkids, well lets just say I am hoping for some, but they are too many years away to justify letting this horse stand around.


I am praying two things. One that he will get a great home not far from me like his brother Spinner did; and two, that it will be a long long time before I ever have to sell another horse. It is heart wrenching to give him up. It isn't that I don't want another kiddo to love him, in fact that is my dream for him. What worries me is that once he is sold and the papers are signed I lose all control over what happens to him. My fear is that someday he might end up in a worse place than the one where he began.


In October I had the opportunity to send him for a month of English training. My hope is that the more rounded his training the better of a show pony prospect he will be. I am very pleased with the results. In fact, we found out that Speedy likes to jump!

Here are a couple of pictures of him with a little girl who recently came to try him out. He was a super star for her that day. I was so very proud of this little guy whom 2 years ago was starving in somebody's field!



I have a few ads out there and if he doesn't sell by Spring I may have someone ride him in a jumper show. Isn't there anyone out there who needs a pony who is practically perfect in every way?

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Happy Trails Foxy!

A am so pleased to share that the gal who has been leasing Foxy has decided to buy her. She also owns Spinner and I couldn't be happier with the home where they live!

Picture in your mind trees and a river bank and grass...

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A Moonlit Ride

A Moonlit Ride by Carol Herlihy

There's moonlight dancing o're snow covered ground
Enticing me out for a late night 'go round'
Donning jacket, some gloves, and a wool hat
I sneak out the backdoor, silent as a cat.

Emerging outside in the brisk winter air
A soft nicker of welcome from my sweet mare
She's chestnut and furry, a right jolly old girl
Oh, my pretty pony is always up for a whirl

With two hay strings attached to the halter for reins
she knows what we're doing, no need to explain
As we ease open the gate and head for the stump
I slide onto her back and pat her round rump

Into the forest so silent and still,
Are you ready to go for a wild winter's thrill?
The trails are all silver, with shadows in blue
Dark pines like sentinels, watching us two

Threading the woods on these ribbons of snow
Twisting and winding to the meadow we go
Prancing and jigging then tossing her mane
We dash away over the sparklingly plain

Her hoof beats fall silent in this white ocean expanse
Moving faster and faster, as fast as we chance
Wind tingles my cheeks, my heart's pounding away
Skimming over the snow, whichever which way

She brakes to a trot, sending snow all about
Her breath plumes of white as she exhales it out
Arching her neck and pricking her ears
Dancing and prancing, shedding her years

Back into the woods so silent and deep
no sounds mar the silence, all are asleep
the moon and the stars are our beacons of light
as we head back for home, its nearing midnight

I slide off her back and remove all restraints
then toss her some hay so I'll hear no complaints.
A pat and a hug plus a hard rub of the head
then it's back in the house and quick off to bed.

I came across this poem HERE and thought I would share. I haven't ridden at night in a long time. I feel inspired.

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Junior Apprentice Trimmer

Today Julie came out to trim Star and Delight's feet. Star was her usual wiggly self. She doesn't believe in just standing about and relaxing in one place.

The whole time I was holding her she was moving her head around getting into everything within reach. She thought she needed to make a call on Julie's cell phone and spent a lot of time trying to pick it out of her pocket. Then she tried to get eye level with the work Julie was doing on her front foot. I swear it looked like she was trying to learn what Julie was doing. Then she grabbed the hood on Julie's jacket and then the strap on the back of her chaps. Then she did it all over again. Can horses have ADD?


Then it was Delight's turn for a trim. Star was like a 3 year old child rather than a horse. She was there the whole time, getting into everything, busy busy busy. Delight just sighed. Being the mother of a few busy kids myself, I can relate.

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The "Off" Season

This morning I spent some time out in the pasture with Delight and Star. I haven't done that in a long while. It was a bit foggy and a lot cold. I expected to be breaking ice and filling water tanks. Some sort of December miracle happened however, and my kids had already completed that chore. I found myself with the valuable gift of free time.

I used a curry and went straight to their itchy spots, leaving the "start at the head and work your way back" grooming rule completely behind. If I spend too much time on one, the other gives me a gentle reminder by bumping me gently with her head.

My horses have a way of drawing me into their herd, grooming my hair with their noses and breathing into my face. They come close and press their heads and necks in for a hug. Their love and acceptance fills up the deepest reservoirs of my spirit.

I am thankful.

Sometimes when I am grooming one, she grooms the second, wiggling her nose all over her wither. Today the second turned around and groomed my back, so we three were a complete circle of happy groomers.

This is the "off" season for riding. The days are short and cold and the weather seldom cooperates even for a trail ride. But, it's the time to reconnect really. No training schedules, no time lines.... just time to be with my pony girls.

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