Pony Baloney

How about an update on Pony Baloney since there is no training and almost no outside time today. Wind gusting to over 40 mph. Sand blowing into the eyes. I tried to do some weeding with the hula hoe but finally gave up.

I have worked with Pony for over a year but he just seemed so jumpy and nervous. Jerky, can't put him in a stall, can't tie him. Practically leaps like a deer when you try to yield fore and hind. I may not be the best trainer but I really was doing nothing to cause this. Really !

I've been trying a supplement for Pony. I'm not big on supplements since they often just cost a lot of money but don't really do anything but after trying to work with Pony for over a year, I was ready to try something.

He is actually a reasonable amoulnt better after 3 weeks on the magnesium/calcium/b-vitamins/probiotics. They call it UlcerAide. It is relatively inexpensive and I am not recommending it for your horse. I am just saying I am glad to have found something that might be helping.

Whereas I could not tie up the Pony at all, now I have successfully tied him briefly.

He hated being touched but I can now rub on him and hug him over his back. I am able to brush him some.

He now has no problem going into the stall to eat his special food. I haven't tried closing the gate yet.

He is looking less like I want to bite you.

He is still a bit jerky and jumpy but when I tell him to go away he is slower and less deer like. He is still impatient. He is kind of pushy although he is not horrible.

I do feel that Pony was in a bad situation and some of his problems are due to that. However, my feelings of not being able to help Pony are diminishing. I certainly hope we can progress to giving him a job.

I bought a harness for him quite some time ago and was thinking about just selling the harness and maybe finding Pony a home. Now I feel like, let's just see what happens. Maybe he can still be a cart horse. I have the pony sized buggy picked out in the catalog and would love to be able to call a friend to say "Hey, I'm getting the pony out. Want to go for a drive?" That is why I bought Pony. So I had a horse big enough to haul two people.