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| If you're a new visitor and want to start at
the beginning of the story....click here! |
| The
decision... |
|
Dear Diary,
After a long and hard debate, I have finally decided to put
Buddy in showing retirement. This means that I won't show him
anymore because I am getting just a little to big for him to
carry me with a saddle easily in the show ring. I was worried
that he might feel sad and abandoned during the show season because
he wouldn't be getting as much attention as he used to get. But
then I looked in his eyes and I knew he was getting tired of
the showing routine and just wanted to go on leisurely bareback
rides with no goal in particular but to enjoy my company and
attention.
|
| Horse
hunting & Buddy's job... |
|
Dear Diary,
Well, I'm on the horse hunt yet again. But I think It's going
to be pretty hard to find a horse to fill Buddy's shoes. He is
one in a million. My family and I are going to see three horses
for sale today and I'm going to post up "Horse Wanted"
ads in all of the local feed and tack stores. We also have decided
to keep Buddy with us for as long as he lives. He's earned a
nice retirement. And besides, my dad is intent on restoring a
pony cart and harness for Buddy, so I know he'll have a new job
in life... pulling his pony cart around the yard.
|
| Found... |
|
Dear Diary,
I'm a lucky girl allright. I have my dream pony, now I'm getting
ready for my dream HORSE to come home. Her name is "Imperials
Bit o' Pine" (Registry names are always kind of funny.)
But I'm going to call her "Lady". Well, I should be
going because I've got to go help build a stall for Lady! :)
|
| Getting
to know each other... |
|
Dear Diary,
I just got in from my first lesson with Lady. It was wonderful.
The former owners of Lady wanted me to get to know the specific
way she was trained, so they are letting one of the women who
trains at the farm she came from come and show me the ropes of
Lady's "buttons". Lady was trained as a reining horse
but didn't enjoy her work, so her owners used her as a trail
horse for their daughter. But now the daughter is going to college
and they wanted Lady to have as much attention as she had gotten
when their daughter was there. And, TAADAA! We bought her. I'm
going to help pay for her feed by doing lots of extra chores
and odd jobs.
|
| Balancing
act... |
|
Dear Diary,
Lady is now officially signed up as my 4-H show horse. I'm
getting ready for the big show season ahead by signing up for
shows, hunting for good deals on western show clothes, and practicing
like crazy. All while trying to balance schoolwork and track
practice. And let me tell you, it's an exhausting job... ...b...y...z
z z z z z z z z z z z z z
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| The
countdown... |
|
Dear Diary,
It is now officially two days, 15 hours, 48 minutes, and 21
seconds before the first horse event of the season. I'm going
to a 4-H clinic on showmanship and equitation (fancy terms for
showing from the ground and riding). I'm nervous with anticipation
because lady has never been to a large function outside of her
home. She has no show experience but we've done all we can as
far as her training. All I can do is get her to as many functions
as I can with lots of other horses and new experiences so she
can gain experience. Eventually it will all be "old hat".
|
The
beginning of the story!
Buddy comes home... |
|
Dear Diary,
I took Buddy out for the first time today. It was so exciting!
It felt good to have my first pony that was trained well enough
so I could actually work with him and not be in danger. I've
had so many bad experiences with horses I considered quitting
and almost turned in my riding helmet for good! But, mom convinced
me to give it one more shot. That's when I met Buddy. We think
he is a Shetland-Welsh mix and is 11 hands, 1 inch tall. He used
to be a speed and action show pony. He's a little bay with a
tiny fleck of a white star way up on his forehead. He's very
smart. I decided to lead him and do ground work with him first
to see what he was like before I rode him in his new home. He
was wonderful! I can't wait until we build our riding arena,
then I can ride him.
|
| A
new arena... |
|
Dear Diary,
Today I came home to see our new arena being built. It's so
exciting! The arena is being made of a special plastic coated
wood. The special material is much safer than regular wood because
if something were to run into it, it would just snap in half
as opposed to a wood fence that would crack and splinter and
could cut and jab you or your horse. I can't wait until the arena
is finished!
|
| First
ride... |
|
Dear Diary,
The arena is finally finished! I got out Buddy today, but
instead of a ground training lesson I rode him with his new saddle.
He did really well, but he still has some training problems.
I can't wait for my trainer, Misty, to come and get Buddy and
I started on the rode to better performance. Misty has studied
with a certified John Lyons trainer. The John Lyons training
method is based on the partnership of the horse and rider. The
rider makes it as simple and easy as possible for the horse so
the horse is happy an willing to do what you ask. Misty will
teach me how to train in the process of training Buddy and I.
|
| First
lesson... |
|
Dear Diary,
Today was my first lesson! I was so excited! Misty taught
Buddy and I so many things - from "yielding" the horse
to teaching the horse to respond to the way you are riding and
at what speed. It was great, but I'm sure tomorrow Buddy and
I will both be sore!
|
| Off
to a seminar... |
|
Dear Diary,
Just got home from a great seminar called 'A Healthy Horse'.
It was great. The seminar had people from nearly every field
of equine health. There were veterinarians, a nutritionist, a
farrier, and even a horse dentist! I learned sooo much! But the
biggest thing that stuck in my mind was learning about horse
dentistry. Most people don't know how important it is to take
care of their horses teeth. A lot of old horses could live much
longer, healthier lives if their teeth are taken care of. Most
people think their horse loses weight just because of old age,
but the horse could simply not be getting enough nutrients because
they couldn't chew very well. Look for a horse dentist near you!
I sure am. I want Buddy to be able to chew and eat without pain
for the rest of his life.
|
| Shut
Down... |
|
Dear Diary,
Today for my lesson, Misty showed me how to begin to teach
Buddy to learn to do what is called a 'shut down" That is
when the horse learns to move around his front feet in a pivot
and eventually stop and be calm. the shut down cue is used when
YOUR HORSE IS ACTING UP OR GETTING EXCITED. WHEN THE HORSE IS
NERVOUS YOU CAN USE THE SHUT down cue and he'll be under control
and calm. I'm off to go practice!
|
| Winter
Coat... |
|
Dear Diary,
Well, Buddy is doing just fine. I left one day for school
in late August and kissed a shiny slick miniature horse, then
I came home to find a brown fur ball in Buddy's stall one cold
day and poof! Buddy becomes a walking shag carpet.
|
Click here to continue the story!
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|
 The United States Pony Club
Manual of Horsemanship : Basics for Beginners/d Level
by Susan E. Harris, Ruth Ring Harvie
List: $17.95
Our Price: $14.36
You Save: $3.59 (20%)
Availability: This title usually ships within 2-3 days.
Paperback, 305 pages
Published by Howell Book House
Publication date: March 1994
Dimensions (in inches): 0.87 x 9.23 x 6.18
ISBN: 0876059523
Check out these titles! Readers who bought The United
States Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship : Advanced Horsemanship/B/Ha/a
Levels (The Howell Equestrian Library) also bought:
|