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Good morning! Just got back from taking my son to look at a high school we're thinking about for him.

Then it's off to get his hair clipped for summer camp - our hairdresser just takes out her clippers and takes it all off -- takes all summer to grow back which suits him fine.

Had an interesting adventure this weekend - don't know if I've told you about my friend who has a menagerie in her back yard - goats, pigs, chickens, guineas, miniature horses, a mule, and an Arab pony. . . . anyhow, she broke her leg 8 weeks ago and is flat on her back in traction. She has always had problems with her bones and hadn't been able to ride much lately - now of course she's not riding at all. She loves this Arab pony and wants to keep her even if she can't ride her.

Anyhow, she called me in a panic last week - seems the girl who's been looking after the livestock told her the pony was ungovernable, was running away from her, was getting totally ruined, and she ought to sell her. So I volunteered to come out and give the pony a try . . .

I came all prepared with all my training gear and a big bag of treats . . .

Talk about the grand anticlimax! There is NOTHING wrong with the pony that regular work won't cure. She came right up to me at the gate, let me handle her, groom her (she didn't like the fly spray, but who does?) etc. So I took her out to the round pen and free longed her . . . she did perfectly, was very intuitive to commands (just lifted arms and voice), was a little sticky going to the right but did it when I insisted. So, I saddled her up and rode her off - not a buck in her, a few little starts and balks but nothing you wouldn't expect in a horse that hadn't been ridden for months. I'm getting rid of the horrible long shank curb bit, she doesn't need it, and I'm going to try to work her regularly to keep the kinks out.

The only thing that bothers me is that the round pen is TINY, and the paddock is fairly large but has trees, a run-in shed, and other obstacles scattered throughout. I guess I'm spoiled as far as having a nice big flat dressage ring to work in . . .

Heh. Methinks she might be scared of the pony. That happened to a girl in my barn. The mother bought her a young pony (first mistake) beacuse she thought that the pony would be good for her... it was an adorable jet black welsh, I think. So she was terrified of the pony, and of course the pony then became terrified of her, because fear breeds fear. She'd haul that poor pony about like no tomorrow, or run like the wind and go too fast. Finally it got so that the kid couldn't manage the pony. (Surprise) So my then trainer took me aside and asked me to do some ground work and schooling with him. I get this pony on the crossties and he's shaking and snorting and rolling his eyes All I had to do was give him a pat on the neck, and take it easy with him, and it was like someone let air out of a balloon. No problems. You could see this horse deflate and actually breathe again. We had some rough going in the ring because he had two speeds, stop and RUN, but consistancy solved it all.

I'm interested to see this pony of yours. He or she sounds really cute.