Growing up

After spending the first month with the baby horse learning to adult horse, we added some more things to the mix.  She learned to tie, lunge, got her feet trimmed, was body clipped, got a bath and learned how to wear a blanket. A few of these things she still needs to be familiarized with more, but she will when the time comes. 

a little fuzzy but you get the ideaThen came the surcingle. I tried one from a borrowed pony harness, but it was too small. As in about 3 inches shy of the buckle on the girth reaching the end of the billet strap. Bummer.   

We had an audience for our first attempt. The boorishly ignorant and negatively bitter person- otherwise known as MB, the miserable bitch was "hoping to see a rodeo" as she put it. My pony flinched once or twice the first time I put the saddle pad and surcungle on, but after that, she didn't give a rip. She is learning to trust me and figuring out that I'm not there to hurt her. I put things on and took them off her back, multiple times from both sides. She stood like a champ and endured the torture became slightly bored with the lack of entertainment. 

I am just not a fan of the MB and her ways. After some thought I decided that if she ever told me again that she's "hoping to see a rodeo" that I will tear her a new ass. Is she hoping to watch me get hurt? Just  becuase she's afraid of her own horse doesn't mean she should be watching for others to get hurt. 

I graduated Mazy to using a full sized surcingle. I had to if there was to be any long line work going on. As my little princess moved around and got used to the surcingle, she arched her back here and there acting like she may buck but never did. 

 She did get a little playful and spunky but then promptly acted like misbehaving would be too much effort.  Good pony!

She's really starting to shape up nicely and when I look at the photos, it doesn't seem like the same pony She looks a lot thicker in the photos but maybe that's just me.  

            

Standing quietly in the lines. She is learning to focus on me and that Whoa means stop everything now and relax.          

Miss Mazy is  really starting to shine like a copper penny and has developed dapples across her body, mostly on her upper hip, over her back and sides.

Her shoulders are starting to fill out and develop some nice muscling.  

And then I get photos like this one and whle it's not perfect, it shows my pony working in a very relaxed and balaced nature. She's going to make a nice driving and later- hunter pony over fences. 

All this hard work is wearing me out... As usual, my pony gets a few rest breaks in between to help keep her mind fresh and body relaxed. I am really love, Love, LOVING her thick gorgeous tail. 

Confirmed

Before Izzy coliced and had to be put down, I had purchased a harness for her in hopes that she would some day be a driving horse. I mean it looks like so much FUN! Obviously that was one of those things never meant to be. The  harness has been sitting on the living room floor, all boxed up and ready to be shipped back for a refund. Then I got Mazy, and while the harness is still in the box on the living room floor, I intend to try it on her if the weather ever decides to cooperate and stop f'ing raining.

The other day I had a moment of complete and total honesty with myself and a friend of mine when the following words came out of my mouth. "In all honesty..... I don't think Izzy was going to make it as a driving horse. Or maybe I should say I had my doubts. She may have, but it was going to take a lot to get her there."   There. I said it. I had my doubts. That was last week. 

Fast forward to this week and I get a text message from a friend of mine who knows horses well and knows nothing of this conversation. "BTW I think this pony might just have a little more potential than Izzy!" 

Great minds think alike much? I just found it odd and amazing at the same time, that we had not spoken in months and this topic had never been discussed between us- or anyone in fact, yet here we are. She was confirming my thoughts from last year and a couple thousand miles between us. 

I was seriously thinking to start Miss Mazy in harness before I start riding her. My friend had started one of hers in harness and drove the horse for 5 years before getting on him. Nothing wrong with that. She had also had the horse dragging stuff all over the yard and had even put him to a plow before ever putting him to a cart. When the day came to finally put him to a cart- they went down the road to a neighbor/trainers place and to his surprise and chagrin- everyone survived the whole ordeal.  

I'm looking for things my pony can pull and drag around. We should have a nicely groomed arena when I'm done. No reason she can't drag it and help make it nice for everyone. When it comes time to put her to a cart, she should have everything nailed down. Here's hoping anyways.