Conference noted::equitation

    Your header says it all.
    
    If you sell her, you will always live with it.  Riding isn't everything.  
    Love and relationships is what it's all about, and you can keep that 
    while driving her.
    
    Mary

    
    
    	Don't worry some horse grow up to their 6th year.... 
    
    	She might get stocky enough for you so you won't have 
        worry about her height.. 
    
    	I have a lot of friends who ride smaller horses than what
    	is considerd appropriate.. 
    
    	You can't tell how tall a horse will be .. Everyone said
    	that our foal would be smaller than her mother and she only
    	1 old and she is already talker than her mother.. 
    
    	Depends on food, care, and gene's .. she might have
        thoughbred in her background and grow too tall..
    
    	On the trail I see alot of people riding Arabs and they
    	look to small to me.. but, those horse do have spunk..
    
    	Everyone always has advise but, there is no real answer,
    	do what you think is best.. 
    	
    	

    Also, many pony breeds are *very* strong and can carry 200 pound men.
    
    Mary

    Do you have any idea what her breeding is? Is she actually a "pony",
    or a young "horse"? There are many pony breeds, the majority of which
    when fully matured are still too small to carry an adult safely. If she
    is indeed a young "horse" that just *looks* small now, you will
    probably be in luck. Could you be confusing the term "pony" with the
    term "filly" ?
    
    I agree with one of the previous replies that you can have just as good
    a relationship with her driving as riding, but if you are determined
    to ride, and this is actually a "pony", then you may want to consider
    getting an older experience and fully mature "horse" to ride (nothing
    personal, but beginners and green equines are often a treacherous
    combination). Perhaps you could keep your pony for driving and as
    a companion/stablemate for your riding horse? Small ponies dont
    eat much (generally hay only), and most can go unshod, and maybe
    you could find a local girl or boy who would love to spend some time
    around a pony to help you take care of her!
    
    Just a few thoughts, good luck! You sound like a devoted and loving
    owner!
    

    Thanks for replying back mary. I am hoping she is wide. Actually she is
    pretty wide and I know that I would fit. My weight now is 120 lbs. I
    hope she gets wider and I get slimmer.
    
    Carol

    Keep her! I weigh about 190 and have ridden/trained pony sized(14 hand)
    horses. Pony breeds are pound for pound stronger than horses. You'd be
    amazed at what they can do. 
    
    If you would like to know how tall she'll get, you can estimate her
    adult height. Her height at 18 months will be about 93.33% of her adult
    height. So, if you divide her height at 18 months by .9333, you'll have
    her approximate adult height. I got that info from Willoughby's "Growth
    and Nutrition in Horses". His numbers work real well for horses. We
    used his "all breeds average" to estimate adult height of newborn foals 
    and they were within 1/4 of an inch. I assume that the "all breeds
    average" would also apply to pony breeds.
    
    Good luck
    John

    Thank you all for giving me this most valuable information. It is very
    nice of all of you whom have written back to me to try to help me you
    all are very nice people. I hope that we can continue to note as being
    new at this I am sure I will make a lot of mistakes. In fact Shannon
    lets me know very gently when I do something wrong.
    
    Shannons mother is a Cob Pinto pony I beleive as that is what I am told
    she was, she is about 14 hands, but very sturdy and has a broad back.
    Shannons father is a Full grown Painted Pinto and stands between 17-19
    hands he is very strong and very muscular.
    
    Shannon herself is at eighteen months about 12-13 hands, she also has a
    wide back, she is very strong for her age. Hopefully she will get big
    enough for me to ride. I weigh 120 now, but I do not have much roon
    between my legs, and my legs are 30" so maybe I will make it.
    
    Shannon listens very well. She sometimes does try to push her weight
    around or pull away when she thinks I am not consintrating, she has
    tried this three times already but I had her under controll much to
    

    If her mama was a 14H Cob you should have no problems with Shannon being
    too small. Especially, if she is almost 13 H now. She'll mature to be
    about 14H. That reminds me of  another thing I remember from the book I 
    mentioned earlier. Foals, especially crossbred foals, are more
    influenced by their dam's size than their sire's...So, even though her
    daddy is tall doesn't mean that she will be.
    
    Now, at 14 H people are going to TELL you that she is too small for you!
    But, don't believe them! They tell me that my 16.2H horse is too small
    for me!!!

    John,
    	Thanks for that bit of info, I hope that you are right about maybe
    she will be big enough for me to ride. What kind of horse did you say
    you had? Are they hard to saddle train, I do not think shannon will be
    I have had a small childs saddle just sit on her back, and she didn't
    mind.
        Would you know of a good place to take some riding lessons. Which
    is better western or english, I have riden a couple of times but it was
    western. Also some people tell me that western saddles is more weight
    for the horse to bear. I don't want to over burden shannon.

    Which way you ride is largely a matter of personal preference combined
    with which sports(if any) you  might compete in. It would be pretty
    silly for me to recommend English if you wanted to compete in barrel
    racing! :-) If you're just going to ride out on trails for fun, the
    choice of saddle is purely personal. Lots of trail riders like Western
    saddles because they can tie raincoat, lunch, canteens etc onto the
    saddle. But, English riders who go ride with hunts ride as long as
    anybody else so I don't see that there is a real difference.
    
    True, a Western saddle(40 lbs) is heavier than and english
    saddle(15-20) but the Western saddle is supposed to distribute the
    rider's weight over a larger area of the horse's back. Pay your money
    and take your choice! :-)
    
    My own preference is english for several reasons. The main one is that
    I don't like the way most Western saddles make me sit. Of course, there
    are a lot of english saddles I don't like either! But, in the english
    saddle, I can stand in the stirrups when we gallop full out! I can't do
    that in a Western saddle and I never learned how to sit in them without
    bouncing at the full gallop...Maybe that's why western riders use the
    lope(a real slow canter)...
    
    I can't be much help with a good place to take some riding lessons. I'm
    in Seattle and I assume you're in the east. You can look at the
    directory note for INSTRUCTION for some help. I think that's 4.79 
    (reply 79 of note 4; If you're new to notes, just type 4.79 on the
    command line)
    
    Shannon sounds like a jewel! Have fun with her and make sure that
    whoever you choose to train her will treat her as kindly as you would.
    
    John

    Hi Carol.....your pony sounds great.  What color is she?  Paints and
    Pintos are my favorite breed, besides Icelandics.  Icelandics are
    one of the pony sized horse breeds someone mentioned earlier.  They
    range from 12-14 hands.  I'm 5'6" and have ridden an Icelandic who was
    probably just 13 hh and she had no problems.  She is conditioned well,
    but I'm not sure what her weight limit is (probably mine???? ;^).
    Icelandics have a horse sized barrel w/ pony sized legs, so your legs
    don't really look silly.
    
    If you really love this pony mare, then keep her until you are certain
    whether or not she'll meet your needs.  You may want to look into an
    Austrailian Stock saddle, they have the security of a western saddle,
    and the size and weight of an English.  It is a great trail saddle.
    We use Icelandic saddles on the Icelandics, but they are similar
    to english but have a different tree and weight distribution (hunt seat
    saddles don't fit right, but certain dressage saddles come close).
    
    Good luck and have fun!
    
    Michele
    	

    Your horse has at least two years of growing before she reaches full
    height, and at least a year before you can consider riding her. Enjoy
    watching her grow! My four year old gelding has grown over one inch
    this year, and filled out by 100 lbs, be patient and she will grow.
    Sandy
    

    Hi Michele,
    	My Shannon is mediam brown, and she has white socks, white at her
    shoulders and a lightening bolt down her left side of her rump. She is
    actually very pretty. In fact when she was at the horse farm the only
    way I could tell her from her mother was the white lightning bolt. She
    also has strips on her hoofs, which was different.
       Where are you located? I have never heard of Austrailian Stock
    Saddles??? I am from New Hampshire and I do not know if we have them
    here? I am very inexperienced and do not even know how to go about
    buying a saddle. My friend said to buy one that feels comfortable
    when I am sitting it it. 
       Shannon is such a dream, I was really very lucky to have gotton such
    a gentle pony. She does have her moments when she is testy, but she is
    intitled to have her days, just as I am. I beleive she would never hurt
    me.
       Shannon is very advanced in some of the things she can do. She
    already can pull a cart, and she really listens very well, but than I
    do reward her when she does things well too.
       Shannon is only afraid of one thing and that is the sight of a whip.
    I have never and will never use one on her, but I am afaid maybe
    someone might have been in her eyesight with a whip and possibly it
    frightened her.
       Thank you for getting back to me , I will appreciate any help you
    can give to me.
    
    Carol

    Hi john,
    	Yes I am back here in the east. But it is very nice back here and
    there are many horses. I am gonna take your suggestion and try both
    when I go to look for a saddle. Shannon can't be ridden until she is
    almost three years old according to the lady that owns the barn where
    Shannon is stabled. The owner raises champion Arabians. So I really
    have lots of time to spend looking for just the right saddle. I will
    only be ridding Shannon for pleasure, the people at the stable said I
    should show her in the pony cart circuit, they said she would make a
    very nice show. I do not know yet, I am all so new to this. I really
    love her very much she is more my friend than my pet. I do not want
    to make her work. As far as I am concerned she is just perfect the way
    she is now. She is so gentle she even lets me brush her teeth.
    	Hope to hear from you again. Thanks for being so helpful.
    
    Carol    

    Sandy,
    	Yes I understand she can not be ridden for at least three years, or
    should I say that's what I have been told. Shannon has grown about an
    inch this year, I am hoping that she will be able to carry me. I have
    also considered just keeping her, and taking riding lessons somewhere
    and than by the time I am ready she might be too. I am afraid I have a
    great deal of patientence with Shannon, but not with myself, I am
    always wishing her to grow overnight. I see her abiout four times aweek
    each time thinking she has grown a bit overnight. I am very anxious.
    	What kind of a horse do you have sandy? Do you have any tips for
    this new begainner?
    
    Carol

    
    	Carol, you said you `don't want to make her work' by showing
    	her. You would be surprised that some horses LOVE to show off 
    	and get very excited about going to shows!! I'm sure she will
    	let you know what SHE likes to do. As long as you both have FUN!
    
    	Sherry
    

    SHERRY,
    	I did say that I was new to this and you are proubly right, as she
    kinda like to prance around, she may want to be a show pony. How will I
    know what she really likes. When I said I didn't want to work her I
    mean't I wanted to do easy things with her. She is so much more than a
    pet, and I really care about her. Any other hints will be appreciated.
    I really do not know what I can and can't do with her, I don't want to
    push her. Thanks for all you help. It was very nice meeting you.
    
    Carol
    
    

    Carol-
    
    You are right to take things easy with her, as she is at
    the stage for growth, and "pushing" her could cause injury
    or inhibit her growth.  She can reach her full potential
    with the proper exercise and diet, so make sure she is getting
    the food she needs to help her reach her full potential.
    
    Re saddle:  You need a saddle that fits both you AND your horse.
    
    Lynne

    Carol
    
    You will find adds for Austrailian stock saddles in most horse
    magazines.  There is a note in here somewhere with the names
    of the companies that sell them.
    
    Is Shannon registered?  If not, she can be registered in the PtHA, and
    this month (till January 15th) the National Pinto Assoc is having
    a registration incentive special.  For $50, you can register any horse
    which displays enough color.
    
    You might want to join the NEPtHA, New ENgland Pinto Club, they have
    shows all summer with a lot of pony classes.  We also have clinics
    and functions.
    
    I can send you forms if your interested.
    
    Michele

    Michele,
        I would be very interested in the forms. Shannon is not registered.
    I really hate to sound stupid....but I am so very new to being a horse
    owner that I really know almost nothing other than how to groom her,
    talk to her, walker her, and tell her she is my best friend.
        I do not know if she even qualifies for color's. I might have to
    send you a picture of her, so you can voice your option on if she
    qualifies or not. 
    
    Carol

    About not wanting to work Shannon too hard and making things easy for
    her:
    
    When it comes to exercise horses and ponies need LOTS of it to stay
    fit. Especially if you want to go on long rides/drives on the weekends.
    By "long" I mean more than an hour or so. Two hours is a long ride for
    a horse that gets little or no exercise during the week. Well, just
    think how you sore you would be if you suddenly went out and
    walked/jogged for 2 hours! 
    
    The horse or pony is no different. They need exercise to stay fit enough 
    to be able to enjoy your time on the trails, etc. Don't think that
    asking her to work (i.e. exercise) will ruin your friendship either. 
    My 17 yr old mare has been many miles with me. Those long hours in the
    saddle have taught us to be so tuned in to each others attitudes and 
    reactions that we almost have mental telepathy. I know what she is going 
    to do before she does it. She knows what I'm going to ask her to do as 
    soon as I think about it.
    
    Somewhere in between "pushing" a horse in its training and physical
    conditioning is a happy middle ground that is right for you, your horse
    and the amount of riding/driving you want to do for fun.
    
    Whatever you do, HAVE FUN! 

    
    sure send a pic to NRO5/F2 and I can verify.....I'll also be sending
    you information on the registration and clubs.  I learned by reading, 
    hanging out w/ friends w/ horses and asking lots of questions.
    
    send me your mail stop and I'll send the info to you. 

    Michele,
    
    	My mail stop is.....
    
    	Carol Meunier
    	MKO1 2/E 33
    
    	I will be waiting for the info, and will send you a pic of Shannon.
    
    
    	Thanks
    
         c

    Carol,
    
    Another thing that I forgot about earlier: You mentioned that Shannon
    is frightened by the sight of a whip. 
    
    I think that that is something you should teach her not to fear. She
    will see lots of them in her life even if you choose never to use with
    her. She will see them being used with other horses/ponies.
    
    Whips are simply tools. Most of us use them as an extension of our arm
    for ground work or as an extension/substitute for a leg when riding.
    True, some people use whips in abuse ways. But, that doesn't mean that
    the tool should be abhorred anymore than hammers should be abhorred
    because some people use them to commit murder rather than to drive
    nails!
    
    Show her a whip. Let her sniff it. Then stoke her chest and neck with
    it. After she accepts that, stroke her with it all over her body. Stop
    whenever she acts frightened. After a while she'll realize that you
    aren't going to hurt her with it.
    
    Don't have her tied up when you do this. That would just make it more 
    threatening. Just a halter and leadline are all you really need besides 
    the whip.
    
    Actually, if you want to see some VERY positive use of a whip, rent or
    borrow some of Linda Tellington-Jones' video tapes. She has several on
    basic groundwork, working with foals/young horses and even saddle
    training. All low key and not traumatic for either horse or human.
    I went several of her workshops a couple years back. At the week long
    one, there were several people that knew NOTHING about horses...One gal
    was from New York City and her only exposure to horses was seeing
    mounted police and the horse-drawn cabs they have there. In a couple
    days, she was as good at the groundwork as those of us who had spent
    our whole lives around horses...Most tack shops rent video tapes these
    days. Lots of them have one or more of the Linda Tellington-Jones
    series.
    
    Bye for now..."Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night"

    Michele,
    	Shannon's pictures are on there way to you. I just sent them out
    this morning, please let me know when you receive them.
    
    Carol