Monday, May 5, 2008

Let me start with the Pony Princess (Day 1)


First on my list is the Pony Princess. Stats: real name "Potter's Girl", barn name "Ginny", five years old this month. She was a PMU foal, 3/4 Paint, 1/4 Percheron. Her dam was an unregistered breeding stock Paint mare, apparently as wide as she was tall. Her sire was a 1/4 Paint, 1/4 Percheron black-and-white stallion named "Hairy Potter".

Ginny got the Percheron hair and bone, but her dam's height and width. Well I guess she was guaranteed width from both parents. I think she has finally passed the "pony" mark heightwise but not by much.

She is an attention whore, pouter and show-off. So much personality stuffed into that fat little body! I adore her. She is lazy by nature which is at war with the show-off trait. Sadly, her width exacerbates the pain I have in my legs. Oh I don't believe I mentioned the other challenge I face in my riding -- I am just shy of 5'7" with about a 26" inseam! So on Ginny I look like a kid on a Thelwell pony -- legs stuck out from the horse's side. Since she is lazy it would be oh-so-helpful if my legs were even ON her sides. Additionally, the stretch she forces me into makes my lower back stiff, so I'm sure I am giving her mixed signals -- I tell her to go forward, she does, and presumably FEELS all the pain and tension in me that is telling her "stop". And she sure is willing to stop. Her idea of fun would be for us to stand somewhere that people could come up and pet and praise her.

Ginny had 30 days of training in the summer of 2006, as a 3-year-old. The trainer, who was small, young and talented, had her doing WTC. Since then I have ridden her only a few times, mostly at a walk.

Yesterday was Day 1 of the Summer of 2008 plan. I rode Ginny for about 10-15 minutes. I could definitely feel the positive effects of my exercises! I was able to follow her movement with my seat much more easily, which gave her a reward (comfort) for walking forward. Sure, she did stop frequently, but I was able to keep her moving more of the time. We even did a little bit of a jog! She got lots of praise and some hand-grazing.

I don't hurt today any more than usual so I plan to ride her again today. I'm sure I'll be able to increase the time in the saddle, if not today, then soon. My goals for her are to be walking and trotting reliably (no unplanned stops) by the end of May. I have signed her up for a trail-riding clinic with Jon Ensign that is June 13-15. Right now that would be impossible -- I think I'd have to be able to spend more than 15 minutes on the horse, what do you think? I am hoping it will be possible after a valiant effort in May.

1 comment:

furnacelady said...

So on Ginny I look like a kid on a Thelwell pony.....

Well that made me burst out in laughter! Remember how popular that Thelwell stuff was. When I was in my late teens and early twenties I ran a tack shop. I still have a Thelwell coffee mug that has survived over the 20+ years.

Ginny's a sweet looking mare. She's not fat, she's just ah, big boned and well sprung!

Keep at it, the more you ride the better you'll feel. I promise!

There's a ride next weekend here in Ottawa for TROTT, an association for the disabled. We had so much bloody snow this year that at least two arena's in this area collapsed under the weight. The ride is to raise funds to rebuild their's. My riding buddy and I are thinking of joining it. K