This message is from: "Sarah Nagel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
- Original Message -
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> When you went on trail rides - do I understand that you just let the colt
> walk along with his mom/rider?? How long did you do this? Sounds like
such
> fun and great experience for the little one:) At what point did you
begin
> ponying?
>
> I am full of questions :) With such good information and advice I am
really
> getting excited!!
>
> Linda in MN
>
>
Hi Linda ... yes, I was fortunate, because where I lived at the time, was at
the very end of a lightly travelled road, leading to some very wide open
spaces. You would never want to take a foal out loose where there is
traffic or other hazards.
The first few rides were when Kasey (the foal) was about 3-4 weeks old.
They were short, in fact, the very first ride was just on my property. And
of course, Kasey stuck close to his mother's side. As we ventured further
each time, always on the road during the daytime, leading out to the open
fields, Kasey became more adventurous. He would often stop to look at or to
knicker to horses behind a fenceline one word from Ori and he came back
to her side immediately. There was no problem for the first 2 weeks or so
with him staying very close to Ori's side.I took him out frequently,
with a halter on him and a spare lead rope in my saddle bag or around my
saddle horn just in case I needed it for some reason. I also had the
company of a friend riding another horse to help in case I needed it.
Depending on the mother's attitude ... in my case, Ori is an older (18)
mare, seen it all and done it all kinda horse, so she's very calm under
almost all circumstances. (I found llamas make her a little nuts lol)
The foal picks up on the mother's attitude very much. If the mare is calm
(and she will be alot more attentive with a foal by her side and more likely
to react to things ... keep that in mind), then the foal will be calm.In
our case, Kasey was able to experience things, a car passing slowly,
irrigation ditches, barking dogs, flying birds, etc ... and he would look,
but because his mother was calm, so was he.
One ride, on the way home, it became apparent it was time for the lead rope
and ponying ... as Kasey was rambuncious (the first rides would of course
tire him and he would walk calmly home next to Mom) ... but this day, he was
full of himself, and was too far away for either Ori or I to be very happy
about it. Probably only about 50 feet, but we were uncomfortable. He also
just looked at us when Ori would call to him, toss his head and saunter in
the other direction with his tail up and out prancing because he was
such bigstuff. He laughed at me when I called him. Well.
Mandy Noonan was riding with me, thankfully, and as I kept Ori heading home
(no problem, she's always more than willing to walk quickly home lol), her
ears turned back to Kasey and she kept callling him. Mandy rode back and
turned him back towards home and "followed" him as he rejoined us.Mandy
stayed behind Kasey, he followed Ori, although not next to her side as
usual.
I then taught him how to pony by hooking him with halter and lead to Ori.
Had her saddled and tied the lead rope with a quick release knot to the
saddle horn. Then I led her around my property.He of course went where
she went, quickly learning it was no use to either lag behind her, nor to
move up around her head. We did this a few days, then I rode Ori, while
ponying Kasey off her, keeping the lead short enough that he couldn't come
around front of her. When he would do that, I would have to pull him back,
next to her side. Or turn her until he was alongside again, telling him
'good boy'. With some time and patience, he was ready to take on trail
rides again, but always being ponied until we were off the road. It didn't
take long.
Soon, we went to Chips, and joined Jenny Sanders and others for rides.
Kasey would be ponied until we were off the road and out in the woods, then
he was allowed his freedom again. He experienced deer, a moose crossing in
front of us and we think, a bear moving through the bushes once too.
Again, he took his lead from the mares in the group. Jennie's horse Serena
and her foal, also were doing the same. Kasey would often, when he was
loose, try and mount a mare, or act up. He would be kicked or nipped ...
He was full of himself.He enjoyed the rides, could keep up with the
group and I feel it was great experience for him.
By the time we were at Noonan's for a few months (I spent the summer
playing!) We were taking out larger groups of mares and foals, so they were
all learning to pony off their moms. For some reason, Ori was no longer
disciplining Kasey ... he would come around in front of her often and jump
on her neck. Well, ponying him off another mare did the trick. Gracie or
Lara would take care of him by nipping anytime he came up past their
shoulder.
