Engela

It was quite sad that I couldn't lease Engela. I loved how cute she was and how unique she was. But, her owner was unbelievable. Her owner would let me ride Engela whenever she needed help, or whenever there was a day available. It was like leasing two horses at once.

 I rode Engela frequently throughout the summer, averaging 2-4 times a week. Her owner was more than happy to let me ride her horse, and it was the one of the best things ever. I grew a bond with my little potato pony, and we spent so much time together. We would canter the hills, and go over little jumps together. 

Since I was riding her so much so often, I decided to enter a show with her. We entered the Garrod Farms Buckle Series Horse Show! I took a big leap by entering her in seven classes. We entered various poles, crossrails, and flat classes.

Here is a video about the show day!

 

Kassian

After my test rides on Engela, the irresistible Fjord pony, and Kassian, the regal Lipizzan/TB cross, a conclusion was made on who I was going to lease. I loved them both, but my instructor said that I would learn more on Kassian. So then my adventure with him began.

It was the best choice I could have made. He was difficult to earn my respect, and our first month was hard to get through. But, he is such an intelligent horse. He is a character and I love that about him. I've been leasing him for 2 or 3 months now, and we've done my first Pony Club Camp, and my first dressage test on him. I look forward to growing with him and  bringing out his full potential! 

My First Show With Kassian~

United States Pony Club West Championships

For the last week, I have been away in Washington state, representing the Middle California Region in Pony Club Quiz. Quiz is an activity in Pony Club where you demonstrate your knowledge in horses by doing a written test, demonstrating, answering questions orally, and identifying things. You work with your team and individually. After the Saratoga Pony Club Junior D Team (my Pony Club and team) took first in the Mid Cal Qualifying Regionals, we then were qualified to go to West Championships. 

My team was made up of my two best friends from Bay View Pony Club, and another Saratoga Pony Club member. I was the team captain, although I only found that out when I got to the competition grounds, so it was a surprise. We studied for hours together and apart for two months. We were also fortunate to have an HB rated Pony Club member who works for Cavalia come and help us study for the Championships. We were prepared. The competition was spread over three days. We OWNED the written test, and the oral questions. We did exceptionally in demonstrating our knowledge of horse care, and identifying tack, horse breeds, colors, markings, tools etc. 

The results were literally unbelievable. Our team took first. We were the best of the west side of the US! Our team score was over 100 points ahead of the second place team. OVER 100!! 

All of our hard work paid off, and we were so happy. We each received a medal, a ribbon, a shirt, a custom painted plate, and two bags of horse cookies. 

Mid Cal Junior D Team ~ The BEST of the West! <3

Engela and Kassian!

My search for a new lease began again. My instructor had two ponies in mind. There was Kass and Engela. Kassian (aka Kass) was a 14.2hh Lippizan/TB cross, although he just looks like an overweight Morgan! Engela was the roundest little Fjord pony. She stood at 14.2hh as well. I test rode them both.

 I rode Kass first. My instructor told me that his personality was similar to Prima's. He was very smart, pulled tricks on you, and was a very testy horse. It was one of the hardest rides yet! He would not go forward, was always slowing down, cutting corners and not paying attention. His tail swished a lot. By the end of the ride, the tail swishing had died down, and he was more sensitive to my leg. He was a very calm horse with great manners on the ground. His owner was training him in the Parelli method and he was not easily spooked. My instructor told me that it will take time for him to respect me, but when he does respect someone, he can collect nicely and move forward, and be a very nice dressage horse.

I then rode Engela. She was a little sassy mare, and would try to push you around at times. But, her respect was easier to obtain. After our warm up of her trying to pull me around the arena, I put her in her place, and she was a very easy ride. She had a tiny trot and a sproingy canter. She was so fun! I loved how unique she was. She had experience in jumping, driving, western and flatwork. She was also very calm and was just a sweet little girl.

I loved both horses so much! It was a hard choice. 
 

''Imagine This'' Quiz!

Imagine this......

You are the pony, and your owner is riding you. What your owner has in mind is to get you to have a cute little headset and to engage your back and hindquarters. You are a bit new to this concept of movement, but you have achieved it before. Your rider asks you my playing with the reins a bit, applying her leg and engaging her seat all at once. You respond to this by speeding up. Your rider continues to apply those same aids but with more rein to prevent you from moving forward. You respond by slowing down. Your rider adjusts her aids a bit until you finally decide to step up more with your hind legs and round your back a bit. 

One of two things can happen:

-Your rider instantly releases the pressure and gives you a pat
- Your rider keeps applying the pressure so you continue to carry yourself that way

What do you think would be the correct option? Why?

Comment with your answers, short or long! :)

Cody

My next lease was Cody, the same Cody that was an option for me when I was first on the look out for a horse to lease. He was a 16 year old OTTB and was 16.2hh. The great thing about him was that he did Western as well, but not as well as he did English. Another cool thing was that his stall was right next to Prima's! It was perfect. He was a sensitive and honest horse. He had no tricks and was just very simple to work with. 

 We took many lessons and improved together. He was especially tense and hollow backed, but eventually, with lessons together, he he began to  willingly stretch down in the walk and trot. Cody also took me through my D1/D2 Flat/HM rating. He was a great PC mount! I improved so much when I was with him. We received many compliments from others around the barn. We were great together. Although he became a nervous wreck in situations including crowds or shows, he was still a fun horse.

We entered the Halloween Contest at Garrod, and won the "Cutest Costume" Ribbon :)

For eight months we improved together, bonded, and became a team. But then came the last month of my lease with him. 

The first big spook was quite a shock. The normally calm Cody only had the occasional hiccup at crowds and loud noises. I was just putting on the girth, when he blew up. He was yanking back on his halter and violently jerking his head backwards. His feet shuffled. I tried to calm him, but it did not work. He yanked off his halter, threw his saddle, stepped on my foot then took off to his stall. It was a very scary experience for me. 

After about a week or so, I started to feel a bit more comfortable with him on the ground. He did it again. This time he broke the metal snap on his lead rope, threw his saddle, then bolted off. This time was especially confidence shattering for me. I followed everything his owner told me to. I was confused. I then saw that he did the exact same thing with another leaser. This was not good. 

He continued to do mini spooks when I was handling him on the ground. It was too much. I was getting too afraid of him. My lease with him ended after nine months.

Lessons and Prima

Hi Everyone!

I'm Emily and I've loved horses since I was very young. It was my dream to take riding lessons. My dream came true on my 9th Birthday. My first lesson was at Garrod Farms Stables, on a horse named Pablo. 

I took Western lessons for two years once a week. I had a different mount each lesson.  I soon became good enough to start leasing a horse! My instructor gave me a list of potential  leases. They were Shatan, Cody, and Prima. Shatan, the hyper, old Arabian wasn't available, and Cody, the OTTB, was all leased out, but as you will see, my relationship with Cody would not end there. 

Prima, a pretty, young, paint western pleasure mare was left. She was a 10 year old Paint mare who was 15.1hh. My first ride with her was pretty funny actually. I was not used to such a clever horse! She was very testy and tried to pull many tricks on me on our first ride. She had a jog that felt like you were on a cloud, and a floating lope. I loved her affectionate personality and how fast she caught on to things. I had to lease her.

She was a spectacular first lease horse. She taught me so much. She was forgiving and tolerant, bombproof and kind hearted. She took me through my first show, my first bareback rides and my first gallop. We went over some speed bumps along the way, my confidence wavered at times. She would test me every now and again. She taught me how to really take control and to not let fear and doubt take over your common sense. To have a stellar relationship with her, you HAD to prove yourself to be in the lead, and she would respect you.

After a great summer of showing her Western, I became interested in English riding. I then joined the Saratoga Pony Club! I rode her in a couple Pony Club lessons, but I quickly realized that English wasn't her thing, and I would need an English horse to progress. I also really wanted to become a versatile  rider. It was time for a new lease. It was sad to leave her, but I wasn't going to be too far away :)