HI Spy: Share your pony tales.

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What is your favorite pony tale?Are they angelic creatures who make wonderful teachers for aspiring young riders? Or are they more like the devil in disguise, just waiting to nip your sleeve, step on your foot or dump you in the dirt? If you haven’t guessed, we’re talking about ponies. Whether they’re good little ponies with hearts of gold or conniving critters who take advantage of unsuspecting humans, ponies have left their tiny hoofprints in the lives of many horse lovers. 

“My parents couldn’t afford to buy me a nice horse when I was a kid,” recalls Brenda Springer of Mesa, Arizona, “so I ended up with this barely broke, half-Arab pony cross named Shamrock that was maybe 14 hands. When I think back, it was totally the wrong thing for my parents to do, to just turn me loose with this wild pony. Thank goodness he was so small because it wasn’t far to the ground! After I’d come off about a dozen times my parents wised up and got me some lessons with a trainer and, amazingly enough, Shammy and I ended up showing in western pleasure and trail. We went from a couple of ragamuffins to winning a lot of ribbons. I must say, Shammy really taught me how to ride. When I outgrew him, it broke my heart to sell him. No matter how many great horses I’ve had, I’ll always love that little guy.”

Another benevolent soul was a pinto pony named Ladybug, who became a local legend on California’s A-rated show circuit. A suburban family bought her for just a few hundred dollars from a seedy nighttime auction. Once she was clipped and fattened up, little Ladybug blossomed into a fancy pony. She seemed perfectly happy to be ridden. When asked to jump, she did so in fashionable style. She even learned flying lead changes without hesitation. Eventually she ended up winning numerous pony hunter championships and endearing herself to a succession of loving families.

But for every Shamrock and Ladybug there’s a pony like Mikey who, the story goes, would lie down in the middle of a riding lesson if he became bored. Or Lulu who’d be gleefully galloping down the trail, only to stop suddenly and dive her head into the grass, thereby tossing her rider over her head. Every pony, it seems, is special in its own memorable way.

Which type of pony have you known? Whether it was a good pony or a bad pony—or somewhere in between—we’d like hear your special pony tale for this installment of HI Spy. Just click on Submit a Comment below. Some of the responses will appear in a future issue of Horse Illustrated.

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105 COMMENTS

  1. I dont own a horse or pony but when I get to be around them at the stable i work/ride at i see how they are truly diffrent then big horses. I love them so much. I see how they know they are cute and they show off. I think they are even maybe cooler then horses. I realy love how they act cute and cudly but yet realy nuaghty and stinkers. So they are there own kind.

  2. The barn at I ride at will always remember Penelope. She was a pony probably around 13hh. She was the sweetest animal on earth. Penelope would stand still while six kids groomed her circling around her. My favorite memory is sticking post it notes on her for the appropriate body part. We stuck one with the word hock on it on her hock and one on her dock. We even stuck one on her muzzle. Unfortunately Penelope had to be put down over the summer. R.I.P.

  3. My first pony was bought by my grandma, against my dads wishes. I fell in love at first site. He was extremely overweight and a shagy little shetland pony. He had to go on a diet, which he did not like at all, so we could ride him. He turned out to be a stubborn, willful little pony. He would drag me and my sister everywhere, I was afraid to let go on the thought he would run away and I would never get another pony. Rusty was a great riding pony. He taught me alot, I taught him a little. I love rusty, and will never forget him. I would not change a thing if I could.

  4. My pony, Pixie Dust, is one of the sweetest equines I’ve ever met. She’s easy-going, and seems to love everyone. She always tries hard to please. Even though she is a mare, she never acts mare-ish. I would’t trade her for a million dollars.

  5. I don’t own a horse or pony, but I regularly ride a pony in lessons. She’s a 14.1 Arabian mare, and though she acts extremely ‘mareish’ sometimes, she’s a sweetheart and a wonderful jumper! She is definitely my favorite horse at the barn.

  6. Our pony, Smokey, is half Shetland and half Gypsy Vanner. He was two years old when we got him, and in the last year and a half, he has learned so much, and proven he is worth his weight in gold when it comes to teaching my two girls (ages 4 and 8) about horsemanship and riding. He is easygoing and responsive, yet capable of extreme stubbornness: a great combination- if at times a frustrating one!

  7. The appaloosa pony I normally ride at lessons can be stubborn- planting her head down by the ground, curving towards the inside, wanting to follow the others and socialize. However, she has taught me how to be persistant. Last friday she kept trotting while passing one of her buddies (!) and we had a perfect canter around the arena. I ? U Easy!

  8. My first pony, a Fjord, had quite a different agenda then i did. I wanted to explore trails and jump big jumps. He wanted to drag me down the road to the nearest patch of grass. Even with different goals, he helped me master the basics that are essential today with my horses.

  9. When I was a teenager my job was to climb on the lesson pony, Tony (Tony the Pony) once in a while and give him a tune-up. He had the bad habit of trying to scrape the kids off on the fence if the lesson got a little long and he got tired. But I have to say, he was very sweet, as long as you weren’t riding too close to the fence line!

  10. Mathilda, a German riding pony at my riding barn, is a small pony with a big atitude. Her mood seemed to change every five minutes. Sometimes she would slide to a complete stop and flat-out refuse to move even one step. Other times she would start galloping at barrel-racing speed at the slightest touch. Mathilda was a stubborn and challenging pony to ride, but riding her was always a lot of fun. Mathilda taught me confidence and fortidude, I wouldn’t be the rider I am today without her.

  11. Growing up we had a small shetland pony named Bucky who was broke to death but seemed to enjoy taunting my brother. My brother used to ride Bucky bareback down the road or across the field at a canter. All of a sudden the pony would put his head down and off my brother would go. Needless to say my brother really didn’t get into riding.

  12. we have a pony at our barn that has the look of the devil in her eye yet she hasn’t bit or kicked anybody. She loves attention and follows you around with her nose in your back as your doing chores, you think she’s going to bite you but she never has.

  13. My third “horse”, Hammar, is a 14 hh Mustang. He’s tiny, so technically a pony, but he carries my 5’4″ body around just fine. Hammar is the most hot-blooded horse I have ever owned, but his intentions are always good. If he gets me into trouble, he is always the one to pull me out of trouble. He loves to jump and adores chasing cattle, donkeys or goats! Now he is 12 years old and calmed down a lot, but still has plenty of speed! I just hope he stays with me for a lot longer. He’s a good little guy.

  14. Misty, a black mare about 14 hands with a thick blaze was a camp horse that I rode. She’s very moody, and likes to pick on other horses around her. She loves to go fast and I could hardly get her to stop sometimes. But she’s beautiful, and I learned a lot riding her.

  15. I never rode a pony, but my Uncle did when he was little. He decided to take her out for a ride but she puffed up a whole whole bunch & he didn’t tighten the girth enough. He started at a walk, then went to a trot, then suddenly he was upside down with the saddle hanging on her belly with him still attatched to it riding upside down! Then the pony started to canter up & down hills! My grandma saw him through the kitchen window & ran out with an apple calling the pony’s name which made her trot up to her & my uncle finally let go & fell off, he was sore for a week!

  16. Growing up I lived in the middle of the city with parents who were terribly afraid of horses. Because of this I didn’t begin riding until I was about 10 years old at a stable about a half-hour away. It was a dream come true for me, and a horror for my parents. When I was 13 I started leasing my first horse who turned out to be an angel, but after leasing him for almost 2 years he was found to have a brain tumor and was euthanized. For the first few weeks after his death I felt hopeless, and then my riding instructor put me on a young paint gelding named Newton. Wow! In my first lesson with the new paint he tried to do everything from buck me off to bolt across the arena. I was horrified and upset with my new riding partner. He was too fast, too young, and too energetic. Needless to say however, I soon became wrapped around his hoof, and he became my favorite horse at the stable. He was energetic with smooth gaits and the cutest face! I cannot count how many times I landed in the dirt because of him though… and yet I have never ridden a horse who increased my progress so greatly. He was the best-worst horse I every rode.

  17. The pony I have the most memories of is Snowfox, who is still alive today, though his age is unguessed. He has memorized all the dressage tests through first level and can carry a nervous rider all the way through a dressage test and into the ribbons without any guidance. He is known to have a bit of an attitude, even at his age. At a recent show, he stopped in the middle of his “circle left at B” to relieve himself! however, he did the rest of the test so well he was the highest scoring horse at the whole show.

  18. I have a cute 31″ stallion who has the fiestiest personality packed into his little body. When he gets excited he squeals. The other night I woke him up from a deep sleep because I wanted to measure his girth. He squeaked when the measuring tape went around him and when I was done he started to bounce. I’ve never seen a big horse do that!

  19. I have to say all theses stories bring back great memories. When i was younger i had started leasing a little arab pony in the summer. His name was stormy. He was a stubborn little pony who would cause kids all sorts of trouble, but i loved him. We would be cantering down towards the bridge on trail, he would slam to a stop and stare at it with out warning. than try to do a few spins. After a while though he knew when i was on him that he wouldnt get eaten by anything like a scary bridge or bag flying in the wind, i found he really did not like the saddle that the owner provided for him and much more enjoyed bareback. After a few attempts i found that he just LOVED to go on trail bareback. he would be an angel for me. It was that summer, when i began to take part in pony parties he and another pony attended. We would trailer out to most of the time a suburb of the windy city. sometimes for birthday parties, block parties, or organization parties. I would get to the barn early for those two ponys, give them baths and make them nice and pretty. That is also where i met Don, and big scruffy bay paint shetland. He had little hooves, with 3socks and balck polka dots on on them! He was quite a brat….. would bite slobber and kick, but when taken to a pony party it was as if he knew that the kids hopping on him knew nothing aBbout horses. He would be quite the angel, would even trot down the street carefullyand smoothly. We would always joke about how all the little kids thought he was safer since he was closer to the ground than stormy but that was sort of oppisite! But the kids alwaysenjoyed their rides on those two ponies, and i was always happy to help. Those two ponies definatley left a hoofprint in my heart forever.

  20. One of the best jumpers I ever rode was a large pony who was faster over the course than most of the other horses. If you are lucky to have a good pony, they will do anything for you because they have a lot of heart.

  21. I have a pony mare in my lesson string that’s a tiny 10.1hh. She’s somewhere between 35 and 40 years old according to my vet, but she’s got absolutely no arthritis and she’s so full of spunk that she’s affectionately known as our farm’s “Vintage Hotrod”. Even though a bout with ERU left her blind (which is actually what allowed me to adopt her – her previous owners were going to have her put down) she still gives regular lessons and pony rides. I love her dearly and am so grateful for her continuing service to my lesson program. Ponies can be difficult, but I firmly believe that they are products of their environment and handling.

  22. I myself have never owned a pony. Always drafts, but I was reading over these great stories and my mom happened to pass by and told me one of hers. Way back when she was a kid, her father bought this 13hh shetland cross mare. She was of an untold age but it was quite clear, she was a handful. My uncle affectionately called her Mrs. Edd. I suppose that is why she was so spiteful. On a trail ride my uncle rode her on, he must of been about 6 or 7, they went out riding in the farm feilds. The group came back but my uncle hadn’t returned yet. My grandfather asked looking up the big hill behind the house, “Wheres Jody and Mrs. Edd?” As if answering that very question, Mrs. Edd came galloping down the hill. And there was my uncle, holding on for dear life, hanging under her belly. Mom said everyone had a good laugh afterwards. But Mrs. Edd never got any nicer.

  23. When I was 10 or 11 years old, I was riding this pony named Chubby. That was the first & last time I rode him, because he took off with me. I was literally holding onto the horn of the saddle because he was going so fast! What seemed like an hour, I was finally able to sit & make him stop. My instructor was so mad at Chubby! I had to ride a different horse, named Doc, & I never rode Chubby ever again! Now, I call that the “Chubby Experience!”

  24. My first pony was a difficult little Fjord named Charlie. He bit, he kicked, he rolled over on me, and he made a sport of scraping me out of the saddle by going under the barn door, under a tree limb, and once by stepping onto the back porch and scraping me off on the roof. I can’t say that he is one of the animals I remember fondly from childhood, but he did teach me some valuable lessons about paying attention and being humble.

  25. My first horse, chamanche was an arabian gelding pony. He was the sweetest thing on earth. He was really old because we couldnt afford those 20,000-imgonnawineverything pony. SO we got a nice broke $150 pony! He taught me how to ride. If i wasnt balanched he would wait till i was. So maybe i didnt win first at any shows but i think i officailly learned how to ride on that pony!

  26. My first horse, chamanche was an arabian gelding pony. He was the sweetest thing on earth. He was really old because we couldnt afford those 20,000-imgonnawineverything pony. SO we got a nice broke $150 pony! He taught me how to ride. If i wasnt balanched he would wait till i was. So maybe i didnt win first at any shows but i think i officailly learned how to ride on that pony!

  27. When I was little, I begged and begged my parents for a horse. Especially a pony. After about 3 years of complaining (I was fairly stubborn), my parents finally let me get lessons from a family friend who bred and broke Quarter Horses. She had a little pony who was a sweetheart to everybody, but once I laid my eyes on him, he nickered endlessly! We had been best friends after that. After many lessons, I had put that poor pony through so much. One time I accidentally backed him up into an electric fence, and he whinnied, but didn’t move, but waited for me to ask him to move forward. About the time my first lesson on cantering came along, he passed away at 30 years old. I was devastated. He was the first horse I had ever felt was mine, and it killed me inside. But I could never forget him, I would get on my knees and pray every night for him to come back until I realized it wasn’t going to happen. I still think about him to this day, and I wish I could see him one more time.

  28. They know the difference. One pony I know, Spirit, is the stable owner’s daughter’s pony, and she does all kinds of crazy things with him. He’s awesome. He’s the fastest little thing for her when she’s doing gymkhana, and has won her so many first place ribbons that when she was off at a show and called back with the results, it was a surprise to hear anything below third. She jumps him, rides him bareback, and likes making him do this rear and launch thing that she taught him by teasing him with food. It’s the most fun bareback- almost all of us older girls have tried it, too. He will also jump double bareback with the girl and one of us over as high as about two and a half feet (we’d probably try higher, but we don’t want to strain the little guy). He’s notorious on the ground around us- he kicks his stall door and enjoys nipping us when we’re not looking and looking innocent when we do. But as naughty as he is, he absolutely LOVES kids. He has been a faithful lesson pony, camp pony, and trail pony,also giving pony rides to children so small we’ve had to have someone walk alonside to hold them on- and for those, he steps slowly and gingerly. He knows what kind of cargo he’s carrying. During summer camps, he was used as the object lesson, the kids dipping their hands in paint and putting colorful handprins on his already palomino paint body. He has the cutest face, but so full of expression. He is one of the best ponies I’ve ever known.

  29. “Whoa–look at that pony!”
    Not a pony, I think. A horse. A Miniature horse.
    “What on earth do you do with those little things?”
    Sigh. The same thing you do with any other horse–well, minus the riding. You become best friends–partners. You look out for each other. Work with each other. Set goals and accomplish great leaps with each other. Basically, you complete each other.

  30. As a barefoot trimmer I have done lots of horses but only a couple of ponies. Recently I was asked to trim a sweet little 12hh Quarter pony named Jack. His owner was really not sure how he would behave because as most ponies are he could be a little bratty. But Jack stood like a perfect little angel.
    As I was working on his front feet I lifted one tiny hoof onto the stand to put the finishing touches on his hoof wall. As I was bending over smoothing the sharp edge of his little foot I suddenly felt something warm in my right ear….Jack was licking my ear. I got a wet willy from the pony!

  31. There’s something special about ponies. Their pride, their dignity, the way that they can get away with anything. Don’t get me wrong, I love a big, powerful hunter, a sleek Thoroughbred, or a tough cow horse. But there’s something about a pony that just makes me want to own one again. I’m sure my mare would love a little ‘stud’ to “play” with!

  32. The only pony at our barn is named Faster than a Speeding Bullet, aka Bullet, knucklehead, and a few names not suited for public use.? The only time he wants to live up to his name is when we’re pointed in the general direction of the barn. He’s been known to step on people’s toes, sneak corn when we go past the bin, and be an escape extraordinaire at getting out of his halter. What he lacks in size, he makes up for in character. He’s 30 something, but it doesn’t hinder his ability to put up a supreme bucking performance. I’ve never been bucked OFF, but I have been shaken up pretty bad. The fact that he’s the only pony in the barn is fine with me. But I would never trade for all the world the lessons he taught me about sticking in the saddle, being smarter than the animal you’re riding, and even how to love his ornery self. I’ll miss him when he dies, and so will a whole lot of people.

  33. I have a pony that i started to teach my first student on … since she was an old lesson pony i knew she would be perfect. Who knew the little bugger would think to misbehave mostly everytime i taught her. One time i asked her to walk, and the pony (Lucy) took off under a bush and my student went flying off and Lucy galloped back to the barn. That was the last i used her … so then i decided to use Mindy. who hates everyone except me that rides her. After a few weeks on the lunge, i decided it was time to come off the lunge and walk around the ring a few times. Mindy was perfect, in a sense that now she will tolerate me and my student. The student is now trotting on mindy and learning to canter. Mindy is a dream that anyone would want to have in a stubbern horse!! LOL

  34. We aquired a pony a couple years ago to drive and when some cowgirls I know saw him, they said “O-NO, not THAT pony”! Great, right? Woody is mostly well mannered with us and he’s an agile little guy (I think he’d like cutting sheep or maybe chickens!), but there’s a story about him giving a previous owner a scar on his forehead. We don’t like to dwell on what may have happened. One thing is for certain, if you’re nice and fun and willing, so is he; if you’re not…well, let’s not dwell on it!

  35. I LOVE ponies! I have never riden one, I started riding when I was 13 so I was to tall by then, but I work part time at a riding stable, and one of the things I do is groom and tack up the ponies for lessons. So, there is this one pony, Magic, who is the most stubborn thing ever (and the smallest). What I think is funny is that I have an easier time putting the bridle on a 17.2hh horse then on her!

  36. Ponies aren’t just for kids! I am 32 years old and have owned my first pony for a year (I had a tall Thoroughbred most of my life). I am small and my 14.1 Connemara fits me perfectly. He is the perfect combination of cute, athletic and sensible, and we are having the best time doing lots of things I was scared to try with bigger, hotter horses. So grown-ups, you may still be able to find your perfect childhood pony in your adult years!

  37. I love ponies. They’re so sweet but, can be such a handful! I met a shetland pony named Wilbur and he was in his late 20’s and had a sweet temperment. (because he was very old). But, unfortunatly, several months later, he had to be put down because of a serious bout of laminitis. But, I have to say that ponies do live longer than horses do and they really do make great buddis.

  38. I used to ride a pony named Stride, and he sure could be a brat! One time he literally run me into a tree, my knee was black and blue for over a week lol. But I loved him, and had alot of fun times riding him.

  39. 2 or 3 summers ago, when i was about 12, i was training a draft cross mare named Helga. She would jump out of the ring ( a 4 foot wall)all the time and yank her head down every 5 minutes, leaving me with at least 5 brand-new blisters every time i rode her ! But, i still loved that little brat!

  40. I’ll never forget when my hubby had a very large palamino and we could not afford to purchase a second horse so we could ride together so instead we bought a little black hardy built stallion pony.The little pony was for me to ride along with him since I was only about 85 lbs. that worked out fine for us. One nice spring day our neighbours invited us to go trail riding with them so off we went with me on my pony. I was behind someone who was riding a very large mare. Oh my! Suddenly my pony decided it was time to show this mare his manly side with me on his back I was left very red faced!! You can go from there.

  41. I can relate! I learned to ride on two POA’s, a mother and son named Sassy and Sasper. Neither were mean, but neither were sure they should have to put up with being ridden–ever! Now, I struggle even more with my 14.2-hand Quarter Horse mare, Drem, who is far too smart for her britches!

  42. I have a “lovely” pinto pony named S’mores, with an overwhelming pony-tude that shouldn’t fit within her small stature. She can escape from anything, even the most tediously planned fortresses, and will greet you in the yard in the morning with pinned ears and flashing tail. But she is still a source of pride. She carried me through my first season showing, and the little “untrained” pinto pony showed all the big bay hunters up well. And then when I fell off and broke my arm, S’mores trooped right into the house to see me. Since I have outgrown her, she has been my favorite trail and gaming companion. She has taken up lessons, where her pony-tude serves us well in helping newbies learn their bounds. S’mores is bomb-proof and bratty, smart but cocky, and the most amazing equine I have yet to meet.

  43. The first pony I had was a little 2-year-old Shetland named Peanut. Upon reflecting I’m amazed that I lived to tell about him: he was trained to lead, and that was it. But me, being a dumb little 7 year old kid at the time, I would jump right on that little pony’s back with nothing but a halter and a lead rope. If I could get him to move forward we’d do pretty well, and our dog would entice him into ‘races’ with me on his back. Those were terrifying, but terribly fun at the same time. Unfortunately, we had only owned him for a year or so when he died–he had heart-related ‘episodes’ where he would totter so badly that he would fall over, and one evening we were too late to save him. But I loved that pony, and he just made me love horses all the more.

  44. My first horse was a bay shetland pony named Shortie that my dad got from some people who had to move. That pony was the meanest thing ever. It nipped,it kicked, it would rear up and then go over backwards. But of course if an adult was around Shortie acted like an angel but as soon as we were out of adult sight he went back to his tricks. Finally my dad got rid of him after he reared up and then fell on top of me bruising me from top to bottom. It was the only horse I’ve ever hated!

  45. My horse is a technically a pony, she’s 14.2. She’s my everything.Her name is Lucy and she is a mix of Paso Fino and an Appaloosa.

  46. Gee, its been fifty years ago!! My dad bought me a pinto pony at an auction. I will never forget, my mother looked at him and said “what did you buy that girl” (the pony was biting, kicking, but sure was fancy. Well, found out he had been gelded recently as wasn’t ready to give up on the testosterone, but we learned to ride together.He was gorgeous,and, he taught me to ride. My sisters a little less, as they didn’t get along with him. We had many good adventures, and, when my son came along, his first encounter was that pony. Thanks Dad, I am still riding today, showing two arabians and —- got another pony!! I currently own a Dartmoor too, and he is a jewel. So, you started me on a lifelong journey, and, in a large way you are still with me.

  47. My first pony was a 17 hand clidsdale named
    sam. No not a pony outside but on the inside a compleet sweety. I gess a 4 ft kid looked a bit strang on such a gient. the biggest chalinges were finding a saddel to fit me AND sam and mounting. My dad litaraly had to throw me on.

  48. When i was 11 and 12, i’d never had a horse of my own, so i’d always end up borrowing someone else’s pony. They weren’t using them for a reason! One bucked and reared in every class, I’d entered! Another one just wouldn’t ‘go’. And the last one was soo uncontrollable you’d be lucky if you made it out of the arena alive! I was so thankful when I got my own horse!

  49. One pony I rode for a long time in lessons was the most special little guy around. He was a Haflinger gelding named Hobbs. I had just started riding when I met him, and Hobbs helped me learn to canter. We also got two blues at my first show! I will never forget that little pony.

  50. I started jumping lessons that were waaay to advanced for me at age 9.
    I was put, for most lessons, put on a tiny, sweet, fast and hard to control (well, when I was 9 I couldn’t control him) pony called Kiwi.
    He taught me not only what jumping was all about and how it should be done, but how tough but rewarding riding can be.
    I will always remember being thrown forward over his neck while he half galloped over a bounce of three 70cm verticals, and how he jumped a 90cm oxer with a scary filler with the energy and power of a million dollar warmblood, not a 18 year old 11 hh pony. Some days with him were really tough, he was VERY stubborn when he wanted to be. But we always pulled through. My riding school sold him last year, when he retired, still an amazing jumper and everyone’s favourite pony at 21. I really miss him, and I’ll never forget what he taught me.

  51. Junior isn’t really a pony, but a miniature horse. At auction he was broke to ride, great my little siblings can ride him. Well I wanted to do something with him. For a year I begged and pleaded that we needed a cart and harness for him. I finally found a sliegh, harness, and cart for him. The harness was so big for my little Class A mini I had to rig it with twine to stay up! I had him all hooked up in his harness when i thought,’That was way to easy.’ He must have been trained when I bought him because he knew everything! Well except the voice commands and how to stand still and not take off when I would get in! I have a few scars on my legs from his take off missions.

  52. When I turned 8 years old I received my first horse–a Welch/Shetland pony named Lightning. He was sweet and very lovey. About 6 months prior to this birthday present I had been riding a go cart around farm equipment and ran headon into a Combine. After multiple surgeries and a severely scarred face I began to withdraw and become very shy. Lightning soon became my best friend. We would go on long rides out into the country–taking, of course, a “saddlebag” with a lunch for me and an apple for Lightning. He gave me confidence as I learned to ride and care for him. It was as if he knew I needed him to get through this difficult time in my life. He and I grew up together and did all sorts of “tricks” and parades. Because of the unconditional love of a pony I grew to be a strong woman, wife, mom and nurse. That was 40 years ago and I have had many horses since then but he will always be the one who made me who I am.

  53. Ponies aren’t just for kids!! I am an almost 70 year old woman and I have been playing with ponies now for 20 years. My Pony-of-a-lifetime partner was lost 3 years ago to an intestinal twist, but for 15 years my little 11.3h spitfire pulled me around in a carriage or cart, won piles of ribbons and was my heart and soul. I miss her still, but play again with a mini, who takes me around my neighborhood and makes friends with all the little kids. She is technically a miniature horse, but to me, anything below 14.2 is a pony, and Ponies Rule!

  54. I had ridden for a few years already when Halfmagic, “Candy” (Quarter Horse, Buckskin, pony) came along. My dad was the king of NO but one day I finally got the nerves to ask him… wait beg, for this little mare. She was for sale and I had been taking lessons on her in an attempt to better learn how to ride and work with green horses, this was at the age of 12. My parent’s finally gave in and I can honestly say, it was the most memorable moment in my life. Other horses also came and went in my life but Candy was by far the best. She stole everyone’s heart at shows (not to mention blue ribbons), where ever she went, she was loved! That pony taught me more about myself and this life than even my parent’s have. She taught me to be humble, respect, responsibility, selflessness, and loyalty. Most importantly, she taught me to love like I never had before. She was my best friend and helped me through the hard times and shared the best ones with me. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t recall that pony… it broke my heart when I finally sold her. She has a great home now with a little girl but that pony can never be replaced!

  55. I swear to god i bet my first word was “Horsie” because i have always loved horses. I started taking lessons with a lady near me and found this 19 year old horse that was fleabitten grey. He was 14.3 hands high and had scars all over his face. i could tell he had been in a trailer accident and was serriously headshy. He was always scared of men and people wearing hats or gloves. But i have brought out the best in him and have showered him in hugs and kisses. Now i own this Horse and keep him under my wing at all times. I have won 41 ribbons with him and still competing. He is Now 20 and is being ridden every day. He has gotten very happy and will have a VERY good life with me. P.S. im twelve.

  56. I ride a pony that isn’t mine but she teaches me lessons about what not to do to her. the best thing about her that was she only listend to me!
    her name is beauty number 2.

  57. My pony Fudge is my best friend, but he is the ornriest in the world! He once got spooked at something when he was tied to a gate. Then he took off and pulled the gate with him. That almost killed my sister. I love him SOOO much though! 🙂

  58. i also got to ride his friend Wrangler.If Buttons is not in his stall wrangler tares down his stall door to get to buttons.Next to wrangler there is a pony named wesley he brooke down his stall door and more bad things

  59. My welsh pony cross, Dandy, is 6 years old but you would never know it. He is so sweet and affectionate, and is also extremely calm and confident. Once, when I was grooming him in crossties, someone walked by and accidently dropped the large dustpan they were carrying and it clattered to the floor right by his hooves. it made another horse standing nearby jump out of its skin, but Dandy just looked at it and then nuzzled the person, asking her to pet him, as she bent to pick the pan up.

  60. My Chincoteague Pony, Piper, looks like the cutest, sweetest little pony around. With her funny, long, mule ears, her stocky build, and her puppy dog eyes, anyone who saw her would think, “Awww, such a sweet, adorable pony!” Well, she can be sweet, but for the 1st year and a half that I had her, “sweet” and “darling” and “good- kids horse” wasn’t in our vocabulary. I hadn’t been riding very long, and was inexperienced (and being 10, going on 11 didn’t help) when she came into my life. We would be walking in the small arena, or out on the trail, and randomly, she would spook at air. I wasn’t a very “sticky” rider back then, so, of course, I’d always come off. But what was worse, was we’d go over a tiny little cross- rail, she’d throw in a crow hop, and I’d fly off. I got to the point where I could eventually stay on those tiny bucks; but that didn’t satisfy her. The crow hops got bigger. Eventually, you could say she had me “trained” that we’d go over a jump, she’d lower her head, and I’d jump off. Well, we finally got over that, as I got bigger and stronger. Now, nothing she can do will scare me. She can run as fast as her legs will carry her, and I won’t budge. She can buck and twist and turn, and I don’t move. She has taught me to be a strong, quick- thinking, sticky rider. We now have a strong bond 2gather, and she doesn’t do those tricks she used to do. Maybe throw in 1 here or there, but now, 2 years later, her and I are getting ready to go Novice in eventing this year. Now I can say she’s increadibly cute, adorable, and, yes, now well behaved… for me anyway… but oh well. whatever she might do, I’ll always love her, no matter what. She’ll always be my Piper.
    (to see her, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2pzvXMC1_0)

  61. I know ponys’ are stubborn sometimes but my pony Daisy was a dream come true to me.Daisy always had some attitude when we took her from the pasture,but that didnt stop her from being my baby girl.I did have some insadents but she always showed me that she loved me.I regret selling her now because i finally realised that she was my dream pony.And i stilll love her,and in my heart i know shes still part of me.

  62. My brother and I had a pony as a kid that was the sweetest thing you would ever want to know. We had lots of fun with her. She would ride great and do anything that was asked of her except ride double. When we wanted to have our own rodeo, we would crawl on her back and try to ride double and sure enough she would throw us every time. We would lay on the ground and laugh and our pony would be standing there waiting for the next round. We never did get very good to stay on very long.

  63. I learned to ride on minatures and I either was thrown off and then I got back on, or the other minature would just stand there and refuse to move, no matter what, until I got off and then he would amble off across the yard or field, very frustrating.

  64. There used to be a pony named Skittles at the barn I ride at that used to do anything to make you fall off. He would zig-zag at the trot, rub you off walls and jumps, gallop then duck his head, and even run up to a jump as fast as he could go then stop and duck his head. Even in the field he was impossible to catch. One time he was supposed to go to a pony party and I was supposed to catch him. After trying for over a half hour to catch him, they decided to take another horse. He would get soooo mad when you wouldn’t fall off. Skittles taught me how to stay on and I will always appreciate him for that.

  65. My first pony named Lady Bug was GREAT! Except for one thing, BAREBACK! She was a great little pony, if she had a saddle on. But as soon as you took the saddle off she would toss you right away!

  66. My best friend is a pony. He’s a little bay, and he’s the picture of a naughty pony! His trot is the roughest, and he’s hyper! But I love him so!

  67. I used to ride a little pinto pony for barrles…he was the CUTEST lil’ thing! Except his short little legs really hurt when they’re goin’ I got bruises!! He also bucked but not very much… now there are 2 little ponies at our barn who are called the ornery ponies…they’re mean! Then there is Cheerio, she loves my gelding!

  68. Dynamite sure fits my ponys name!!He’s so onry but so cute at the same time !!He fraaquently bites(ow!!!)and he hayes his ears touched.He’s so darling though and I adore him!!!

  69. My pony is what we call a perfect match. He’s a beautiful sleek 8 year old bay pony named Twix. the only problem is that after a bath he’s so awful that not even with my mom’s help can we graze his safely! But through thick and thin he’s always been there for me. he also has this perfectly waved jet black tail that’s so thick that when me and my friends separated it we got 5 thick tails with a little bit left over. there was even one time that we won CHAMPION for my pony hunter division but when we hung it on his stall he ate the yellow part of the ribbon completely off. But I love him He even jumped a 4ft 3in jump for me. But don’t think that he just babys me, He’s had his moments but I know he loves his job and that he loves me as much as I love him.
    I LOVE YOU TWIX!

  70. The pony at my barn, Missy, is an ideal, cute looking pony that is short, very fat, and white, with a short puffy mane. But she has an evil glint in her eyes. Everyone at my stable has a story about her: Mostly Bad. Like on my first trail ride when Missy bucked and the saddle slid down her neck with me, creating my unsteady dismount, but she isn’t ALL bad. Like on a few months back, by stable ahd a small, schooling Dressage show, and I entered her in two tests. When beat Warmbloods and Arabians, in which we captured two first places! But note here: Don’t judge a pony by they’re cover!

  71. As a senior citizen who has fragile bones, I have now started raising miniatures and ponies. I have 7 ponies now the tallest is 40″. As I play with them in the pasture I wonder how did I ever survive without them. In the morning when I open the door of the house they are all there to greet me. Yes they nip at my shirt when I’m in the pasture or knock me out of my chair when I’m sitting with them, but they all have instilled their tiny hoofprints on my heart.

  72. When I started leasing I rode a golden (well, grey) oldie named Buster, who was an amazing pony. He got a little simple for me, and I moved up (or rather, down!) to 12.2 hand QP M&M (which is long-debated to stand for Mischief Maker, or Merry Mayhem). The little devil had so many lovely habits- rearing and bucking and tweaking out one moment, dead lazy the next. A year with M&M taught me to never anticipate things, and to build a relationship before you hop on. M&M had a baby in March, which stopped my riding her, and now I have a new horse, Lance. Sierra (the baby) calmed M down a lot, but she’s still liable to blow up if things get to boring for her!

  73. There are only two words to describe the notorious Cookie Crisp: cute but rotten. I started him in April of this year. He is a 13 hand, 14 year old Welsh Pony with some habits: fence scraping, stopping dead in a leisurely gallop, bolting when he gets frustrated. (Just to name a few). But when he wants to, he can jump anything! He is a brilliant show pony, and he is always in the ribbons!

  74. At my barn, I was assigned to Mac, a 12 hand paint pony whose cute and crazy. He bucks at the canter, nips at me while I pick his feet, tries to stomp my foot when I get annoying, but I still love him! He is quirky and quick witted, and reminds myself of what living life to its fullest really means. He enjoys every second of everything and makes things exciting. I wouldn’t trade Mac for all the horses in the world!

  75. At the barn I used to ride at there was a pony named Shannon. Shannon was over 40 but still gave lessons to kids. She was all white so every kid wanted to ride the pretty pony, but she wasn’t for novice riders! Since she had been around for so long she knew a lot of tricks! One was if the rider stopped paying attention she would start to fling her head and the poor kid would nearly have it’s arms ripped off! Or she would be cantering and just stop and stare at something, the kid riding her would sling into her neck then she would continue to canter and the kid would fall back into the saddle slightly shook en up. Sometimes when Shannon was jumping she would start to jump then slam her feet back down most kids stayed on, but the unlucky ones kept going without the pony!

  76. Bobo was the best pony in the whole world. He was my favorite pony ever. I rode him for two years and he won Grand Champion Pony Hunter, and Grand Champion Cross rail Hunter. I loved him soo much. He loved going to shows and he loved to show off. He got excited about jumping.He had one bad habit of head butting you, and if you were my height he would hit you right in the stomach. One day he got very sick. He was sweating all over and he could barely walk. He died yesterday morning of an unknown sickness. It broke my heart. He was 22 years old. He never acted like he was old and he died so quick. I miss him so much.

  77. Good ol’ Terra. She’s 23, and NEVER has acted her age. She’s faster at a gallop than my six-year-old, and standing at 13 hands, can out-trot any big warmblood. If I take her somewhere (trails, parades, gymkhanas)she does passage the entire time and acts like a two-year-old Arab stallion. But she’s never bitten, kicked, reared, struck, and never tries to buck you off. I have a real soft spot for my firey little skewbald POA

  78. My favourite pony was one named Eclipse. She was a super-fat dapple grey mare at about 14hh. I loved her so much! She would grind my leg into the fence, give short bucks at the canter, and my personal favourite trick: Hold a nice round canter up to a meter-high fence, about ten feet away break into a mad gallop, make a grinding halt and then leap from a standstill wildly and just make it over. I was laughing the whole time. My trainer wasn’t, though. I never owned her, but she was one of the best teachers. I knew she loved me when on one of my last rides with her, I fell off twisted my ankle. She stood there with big liquid eyes staring down at me and protectively kicked at any horse that came towards me. I was so amazed when she knew I couldn’t get in the saddle and she kneeled down. After all those years of bumps, bites, and abuse. My pony friend actually loved me the whole time.

  79. I had a Section A Welsh Mountain Pony that my mom got us for a Christmas present when I was 10. She was a beautiful bay with a lovely mane and tail. Her name was Little Red. We did just about everything with her. From rounding up cattle to rodeo, and drill team. She was very pretty in the cart too.
    I had taken her to a gymkana not far from my house. There were a lot of big quarter horses and TB types that would come for the jackpot barrel racing.
    Well I used my babysitting money along with my sisters to put up the entry fee of 60.00. That was a lot of money. We were last in the class. The best time turned in was a 14.3 on the clock, but a 3bar Texas Dandy gelding. We turned in 14 flat and Little Red and I won the jackpot from 15 other horses.
    That little mare could sure turn around those barrels. I don’t think I’ve had that much fun in years. Mom only paid 50.00 for her. We had her for over 20 years.

  80. Where I ride, there used to be a welsh pony/shetland pony mix mare, Munchkin. When I first went there, Munchkin tried to bite me and clearly hated me. She would lay her ears back at me. Then I decided to see if I could win her trust. I gave her apples and stroked her whenever I went. One day I decided to give the mare, Mandy across from her stall my last apple, Munchkin started to scarpe her hoof, and nicker at me. I went over to her and she nuzzled my arm and let me pet her head. Munchkin was my favorite pony, but unfortunatly she was sold. 🙁

  81. We have a shetland at the barn were I ride. He has a horible habit of bucking, and no one can get him to stop. He was trained to buck. but he is so gentle. one day my sister decided to try and sit on him. He surprisingly didn’t buck. So she tried to put my 3 year old brother on him. He bucked and he went flying off. He was right as rain, but no one in my family has ever tried to ride him again!

  82. When I was 11, I had 2 halflingers. They were type of ponies that you could just hop on their backs, ride around whenever, and even take a nap on. But they had their naughty side too. Like one time when I had my younger cousin over to ride one summer, whenever she tried to get on the older one he would sit down and just look at us as if to laugh at us. We tried for what seemed like forever, then we eventually gave up on it all. And of course after we walk away he stands right up and starts grazing.

  83. I have been around a bunch of ponies, my most favorite was a welsh/Shetland cross named Jelly Bean. This mare was 21 years old and the moodiest old bat I had ever met, But as soon as my gelding laid eyes on her he was in love. Now my gelding is 17.1h and she was just about 12.h. Nothing funnier in the pasture than those two. Everyone at the barn would laugh and call jelly bean a cougar because of the huge age difference. Charlie 5 y.o and Jelly Bean 21. Cranky as she could be but she let me move her around and wasn’t afraid.

  84. i rode a pony named Archie he was my favorite pony ever but i think this horse is actually a large pony yeah he is his name is fiddler he is a idiot even if you love every horse you see you would not love fiddler here is one story of why i hate him and happy he is leaving on a lesson horse named Secret it was the end of the lesson and fiddler was in the pasture next to the ring on the long side and i was cooling down Secret the lesson horse at a walk and on the long side fiddler came up and bit Secret on the neck Secret Buck which sent me flying into the air i broke my arm and could not ride for 2 months and missed an important show i go to every year i was so mad at fiddler and now i can’t stand him

  85. My pony gives me a daily laugh. He is always doing something that makes him look so cute. My favorite thing about my pony is when we go to shows, we often compete against several horses. People always say “who is that pony? He is so awesome!” Just seeing his little pony face hanging over his door makes me smile!

  86. I just bought a yearling mini this Jan. His name is Mischief and it fits him PERFECTLY. He is still a little stallion and I have him penned with a few of my goats. It is so funny to watch him “herd” the goats and pretend like he’s the boss. Otherwise, he’s a total sweetheart and he thinks I’m his mom. He likes to follow me around like a puppy. I am going to be showing him this year at some local halter shows. I can’t wait to see how he is going to turn out!

  87. When I was real little (6 or 7) I rode a tiny pony. Lizzy. I was trotting only half way round the ring, thinking she wouldn’t go any faster. So I let her have her head and barely steered I tought she was so good! But on that first turn, she made it too sharp, and was going WAY too fast. She turned and I kept going. All the way into the steel-barred gate. I still have scares on my back, and old helmet. Boy, was she sold quick after that or what!?

  88. When i was about 7 i rode this little Chigotege pony named Sassy. And boy was she a handfull! it took me about two years to get the hang of riding that little thing. And personally i think it helped me in training my even more insane 7 year old horse/pony!

  89. One of the first times i ever rode a pony it was on a little guy named Peanut. He was used to carrying a little girl being led around the pasture so when I tried to get him to do something I got bucked off! He actually ran me over too! But I still love ponies!

  90. Ponies are truly the equine clowns! At my old riding center there was a tiny, petite stallion named Ransom. He was bright chestnut and was adorable, I was 7 and I towered over him! Ransom would just trot around the ranch throughout the day and watch the goings-on. I walked over to pet him while another student was (unsuccessfully) trying to mount a mare (who happened to be standing by Ransom. Now, the mare happens to be 15.3hh and the pony being 7hh. Ransom perked up and trotted around, strutting his stuff for the mare. He squealed loudly and bumped in to her. She ignore him at first, then started to walk away from the mounting block. Ransom started racing back and fort. I noticed the mounting ride clinging on for life to the mare’s saddle, screaming for her to ‘woah’! I helped the kid down and we had to go catch Ransom, who was racing excitedly around. Eventually ALL the students were chasing Ransom! It was chaos until the teacher caught him!

  91. My pony aka the pony I learned on, has bolted with me on him about 10 times!! One time he ran all the way to the main road!! Thankfully he didn’t bring me with him!!! He flies like a butterfly but stings like a bee!!

  92. The pony I leased, Spot, was a shaggy monster at first. If you wanted to bridle her, she reared, if you saddled her you were in for some squashed toes, and were squashed against the nearest surface. When asked to canter, she bucked, and if there was grass, look out, you would be over her head. However naughty she was (and those are only a few examples, don’t get me started on trailering, baths, blankets, and longelines), she had a certain style that made her a great jumper and hunter. Once you told her she had to go over the jump, she would overjump with fine style. Shows were hysterical, she would race around the course, jumping high with perfect form, albeit on the wrong lead. My funniest memory would be after she returned back to our family, two years later, from being leased. I decided to take 12.2 Spot out for a bareback hack in the corn fields. I am 5’6″, my feet hung down by her knees yet she couldn’t wait to get going. It took me fifteen minutes to get on, each time I would attempt, she would start moving before I was fully on. Once on, we trotted off and soon were jumping the small irragation pipes. Spot was alot better mannered and I wished I could enlarge her. Spot is a pony I will never forget.

  93. One day at the fair, I was showing my pony, Blossom. We were in showmenship. She started sucking on my pinkie. However, she didn’t make it where no one could see, she made it sooo noticeable! Everyone was laughing!

  94. My local stable got a pony last fall named Bingo. (Cute, right?) When he arrived, his mane was shaved all the way down. Once it started growing out again, it looked like he was growing a Mohawk! Everyone loves playing with his mane, even though it’s growing out. We keep begging our ridding instructor to cut it back again, but he wants to see Bingo with a full mane first.

  95. I once had this little white mixed breed pony. She had a heart of gold until I took out my riding tack. I couldn’t catch her for anything. I had to think of ways to out smart her as she would run from the barn after I fed her. I would have to switch things around on her just to save time in catching her. Sometimes there were days that wouldn’t be able to even touch my little pony. On the days that I was able to get a hold of her, she would take me everywhere without argument.

  96. I used to ride an adorable, tiny, and very smart pony. One day, I was riding outside and I had just started cantering(but only on the lunge line) and I was riding off the lunge line. I was trotting and the pony decided he didn’t feel like trotting anymore. He started cantering and ran right out of the arena. He cantered straight on to the rode! Luckily I fell off in time to not be dragged on his “escape”. No harm was done to the pony but it was one day I’m sure I will never forget!

  97. When I got out of high school a friend of my uncles that I had known for years as well offered to let me have one of her horses. It was my dream horse a young Thoroughbred mare and the most beautiful horse ever. Trick was she had never been ridden. With the help of a few people we got her riding and oh the fun we had I loved her. But we had so many fights and she always wanted her way and because our personalities were exactly alike we didn’t always get along well but no one doubted we were best friends. I broke my wrist from a fall off her and then broke my jaw in an accident at school so for 6 months no one rode her. When I could ride again she did nothing but run away, I was scared of getting hurt and decided it was time to move on. I found a trainer willing to trade her for one of her horses or ponies. I went to her farm and rode a pony she had there and fell in love. I brought her home that week and even though she was well trained and listened she was going to test me and make me earn her respect. We have had our battles too but non so bad as my first mare. We haven’t reached the level of respect and friendship as my old mare yet but in the 7 months she has been my pony I have learned so much about riding, myself and gained so much confidence back that I had lost. I find myself no longer looking at the nice fancy horses but instead looking at the scruffy and sleek ponies out there. I may never own anything but a pony again after this.

  98. My pony is my absolute dream horse! No, he isn’t black like the Black Stallion but his temperment is perfect for me and he loves to try new things. He’s this girl’s best friend!

  99. my friend owns a cute little pony. And i went to a show with my friend and i decided to play a prank on her, so I swung up on to Digger, the pony, and away i went! i loped in circles, just out of view of my friend. But Digger is curious, so when he sees a mini pony he darts to the left to get a better look. i fall onto his neck, and my head hit right between his ears. luckily he wasnt hurt but he gave me a headache! I love horses and ponies , so this experience is something that i will cherish( and learn from ) 🙂

  100. MY little Pony is named “MY Poker Face.” I fell in love with Jack, as we call him, when my friend invited me to jump bareback for the first time. He had not been ridden in over a month but we took off and jumped 2′ without a problem! He easily executed lead changes and roll backs. He is the perfect pony. If only I was shorter, or Jack taller!

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