This message is from: Ronni Taylor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Another Height & Weights Thing
R.Taylor
Shandy is a 13 hand, 900 lb Fjord mare, who is now
doing hippotherapy at a ranch for cerebral palsy
children in Texas.
Prior to that, her trainer, who is 6'2" and 255
pounds, used to ride her on pack/camping trips in the
Gila Wilderness. Yes, he looked like his toes were
down to her hocks, but she could carry him on every
trail, through every river when the other trail horses
balked or simply couldn't make it.
At one point, the trail slid off the mountain. So
short little Shandy looked up to the ledge about 3
feet above the slide where the trail doubled back,
turned uphill, put her feet on the ledge and "Muscled
up" to the higher trail with those great Fjord
shoulders.
The men teased Ron about how he looked on her, but
none of their horses could DO what she DOES. At the
end of that particular ride, Ron had to switch her for
one of the pack horses. Shandy packed out 3 mule deer
carcasses 16 miles to the horse trailer.
At least in trail riding, it's function, not fashion -
and Fjords do it all!
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