Children & Their Ponies

Yesterday, was a very bitter sweet day for my daughter, Sierra, and my family.  As all kids grow out of their shoes, they also grow out of their ponies.

Sierra & Mascot Snowball (her feet touching ground, so holding herself up-not all weight on Snowey)

 Bell, has been my daughter's pony for the last 5 or 6 years.  She was exactly what Sierra needed when we bought Bell. 

At that time, we only had our mini and now my mascot, Snowball and Sis.  A month earlier, I had purchased a little palomino pony named Lady.  Lady & Sierra got along wonderfully.  I trusted Lady to let Sierra walk around the property unescorted by me.  However, Lady's previous owners must not have wormed her, as when I wormed her, she colicked.  This seemed to go on for a gutt wrenching month.  She would be fine one day, and then not the next.  When the vets came to see her, they had told me most likely the worms died, blocked her intestinal track and when things would move to that area, is when she'd feel bad.  I kept thinking we were going to get her through it.  I'd stay up with her to the wee hours of the night, walking her, nursing her, hoping we'd pull her through.  However, when I returned from work one day, Lady was standing in the field, drenched with sweat and barely able to walk.  My husband was in Germany at the time, so when the vet came, and told me I could either put her down or by morning she would be gone.  That her temperature was thru the roof, and she wouldn't survive.  This decision had to be made by me, and I just did not want to be the person to make it.  My vet was kind enough to stay with me even though it was past midnight while I agonized over making that call.  I didn't want her to suffer any longer, and had to hold her as he gave her that shot.  Something I hope I NEVER have to watch again.  Puts a lump in my throat even writing about it today. 

Luckily, the kids were going camping with my parents that weekend, so I waited until they returned home to tell them and  I was able to get Lady taken care of before they returned home. 

With that aweful experience, and seemingly the kids not riding a whole lot, I thought, why not purchase a smaller trail horse that was laid back enough for my kids and hubby to ride.  Which I did, and we bought Lacey.  However, Lacey, although laid back, her height intimidated Sierra.  Any quick movement by Lacey, scared her.  So I knew I had to move back down to pony size, and my husband inherited Lacey all on his own.  Which he enjoyed up until this year when Sis had to be laid off, and he offered to sell Lacey in order for me to get a backup barrel horse.  Lacey went to another loving family and is giving another little girl some great confidence!

Lacey

So, once I realized I had to move back down to a pony size for Sierra, the search was on.  Not an easy task, as Sierra was quite timid at that time.  Actually, still is today that I have to be very particular about the animals I put her ontop of, as I feel one mishap, and that would be the end of her riding. 

I found Bell.  (at that time, they just called her Roaney Pony-which to me was too general.  It was around Christmas, therefore, the kids called her Jingle Bell).  She was exactly what Sierra needed.  Never a wrong move.  When we would go trail riding, and the other horses wouldn't move forward for a fear of something or other, Sierra would be called up front to take Bell through first.  Bell never hesitated.  Bell walked in the parade this Memorial Day, and with all the sirens going off, and hussle bustle, never flinched.  She is the perfect step up pony from a lead line pony for any child!  Which, in my mind, a family should NEVER keep such a wonderful animal that can give a child such joy.  I believe they should be passed on to other kids to learn and to get that comfort level on the back of a horse.  As otherwise, once outgrown, they waste away in a pasture.  Although, these ponies and horsese are part of the family, once outgrown, it's nice to find the pony another little girl or boy to teach them the ropes. 

It took Sierra probably about a year of wanting to move up thinking she was #1 too big for Bell (Sierra is about as tall as I am now..5'4"), but yet not wanting to sell Bell.  Everytime I felt like she was wanting more of a "barrel horse" and I'd mention, you could sell Bell, she'd tear up, and tell me she was just fine trail riding.  Then, with the creation of TEAM DO3, my husband selling his trail horse to get a barrel horse and learning how to barrel race, my son, Shane moving up to a faster barrel racing horse from his pony, Sierra was feeling a bit left out of the crowd. Even though I'd tell her, she was still apart of the Team, being a pledge member by pledging hourly time in the saddle, she wanted to participate at the barrel races.   I'd always keep my ears and eyes open, to find that one special horse that I knew wouldn't scare Sierra but yet would know the pattern, take care of her, teach her more, and allow Sierra to progress at her own speed-allowing her to be in the arena as a TEAM DO3 member.  When I saw a friend post Penny's video online, I knew, THIS was the horse for Sierra.  I showed Sierra, and that was what put her over the edge of saying it was time to move on and sell Bell to another loving little child. 

Sierra & Penny (registered name Penny Pooper!!)

So, first and foremost, I wanted it to be an easy transition, therefore I posted Bell on Facebook, hoping that in my community of barrel racers, somebody would be looking for a safe pony for their child.  I also listed her on Craigslist, just to be safe, as we have a 5 stall barn-so 6 horses in that, was a bit hectic!  Luckily, fellow barrel racer was looking for her daughter.    Her daughter Claire seemed to fall in love with Bell from the start. 

Bell & Claire

Sierra was riding Penny in the arena, and when I told her Bell was going to head to her new home, I knew that the tears would start.  She rushed out to their trailer, to say goodbye, and got me and almost everybody else crying as well.  I know it was bitter sweet for Sierra, as she even said so after, to know that Claire loved her so much alaready (wanting her to sleep in her bedroom with her), but yet, not wanting to say goodbye to her first pony that was all her own.  (Snowball was shared by her and Shane).  Luckily, Claire's mother and I compete in the same areans alot and hopefully will see her at plenty of barrel races in the future as we watch Claire grow up and build confidence on good old Bell's back.  Then, with a new sibling on the way for Claire, Bell will have yet another kid right behind Claire to show the ropes as well! 

Sierra cried most the way home.  I told her that night as I tucked her in bed, that I was about the same age when I had to sell my first pony, Ebony.   I told her it was no doubt a very sad day for me too, but as with Bell, I knew she had to continue with destiny of making little kids have great experiences on the back of a horse, so they can grow up to be crazy horsewomen and men like the rest of us! I told her I would come to work, and print the story I wrote when I was in high school about Ebony.  That is what I did.  Below is that story! 

Ebony SurpriseAt age five, I used to sit with my jar full of pennies and count them to see if I had enough money for a horse. My mother would come into my room and find me crying, and ask me what was wrong. I would look up, eyes full of tears and say "I’ll never have enough money for a horse".

My Breyer horses were as close as I would come. My parents got divorced, and we moved in with my grandmother. One day my step father told me we were going to go and look at a truck over the weekend. I wasn’t too thrilled.

The weekend came, and we drove out into the country. Each time we would pass horses in a field, I would ask to stop so I could try and get them to come over to the fence. When we pulled up into the driveway where we were supposed to look at the truck, I noticed that the owner of the place owned horses. I jumped out of the car and ran to the fence calling at the horses in the pasture. A lady came out of the house and started talking to my mother and stepfather. After they looked at the truck, the lady asked me if I would like to walk through her barn and see some of her ponies. Of course, I ran to her side.

As we walked through the barn, I stopped at each stall, got up on my toes to peek. When I came to the last stall, a shiny black pony nickered at me. My mother asked me what I thought of her and I said that I liked her the most. Then she said, "Look, there is a sign on her stall". I looked, and read out loud:
　
　
　

Me & Ebony meeting her for the first time.  My mom in background.

Hi Jackie!

My name is Ebony Surprise.

John and your Mom bought me for you.

I hope you will LOVE me as much as I am going to LOVE you.

YOUR HORSE, Ebony Surprise

I couldn’t believe my eyes. The sign was saying that she was mine! I looked up at my mom, and ran over to hug her.

We went to get her the next weekend and took her to a boarding stable not far from my grandmother’s. I’d go out every weekend and after school to ride her. I met a cowboy at the stable, named Rusty, and he taught me all about being a cowgirl. He always would make me get back on her when I fell off, and told me not to be afraid. You see, Ebony was only three when I got her, so I didn’t have the training abilities that she needed to become a well behaved pony. So to say the least, she threw me off a few times.

Eventually we moved Ebony to a place of our own. I rode Ebony on the trails with my girlfriends and their ponies everyday. Then eventually, Ebony became too small for me . The day came when I had to sell her and buy a horse. I sat in my bedroom and looked out the window crying as I watched the trailer drive her away. To this day I wish we had the room to keep my Ebony Surprise.

In Loving Memory of Rusty.