My First Horse (or pony if you prefer)

This past winter a member here on the forum posted about Harness Equipment for sale, below that information there was also a Guernsey heifer and a “5yr old percheron /morgan cross filly dapple grey started” for sale. After looking for a stallion to breed to for the past year, I had seen a lot of neat horses for sale, but this one commanded me to call about it that same day, and I wasn’t really looking for a horse. Looking back, with the oxen gone, I felt like a teamless teamster, I wanted a project, and here she was.

I was working in Florida to earn some extra pocket money, thankfully Bill was nice enough to hold the filly for me until I returned. She was small, but stout, a bit sassy and floated down the muddy VT driveway at a trot, sold! Wonderful Jen Judkins helped me get her to Neal and Bekah’s new place for a month of training. Though I have been using Sam’s horses for years, it had been a long time since I last started a horse under saddle so I was happy that they were willing to take her for a bit. Meanwhile I had a greenhouse to startup and a vegetable business to tend to. The adult me was excited to have her in very capable hands, but my inner 8 year old child could not wait to get that filly home.

Reva Seybolt, Emily Langer and a third party, that owned the 2 horse trailer, enabled me to travel in style all the way up to Neal and Bekah’s to pick up the filly. Thanks to everyone for your support, it is about time I finally have a horse of my own.

We have been working together now for over 4 months. The filly, now know as Little Bit (compared to the others, she is just a little bit of a thing), has become more aware of personal space, relaxes ground tied in the middle of the isle for a multitude of activities, rides, drives and most importantly can do all of this without separation anxiety. The last one is a big problem that the other horses suffer from, thankfully not Little Bit. I can ride all over til my heart is content, and when we arrive back home, she doesn’t head for the barn, she has to go visit the heifers and the hogs. Coming from a dairy farm, I am certain that she was quite relieved to see all the cattle here when she first arrived. She has little fear and when uncertain, her head comes up, she stands and watches until the situation presents itself as nothing to worry about. I have started learning a new skill because of her, doing my own feet. A neighbor has been mentoring me, but just last night I flew solo and reset her fronts all on my own.

Riding came easier to the filly than driving. We spent 2 months just trail riding at a walk to build muscles for her and me. We started to add trotting the day we had to help find some loose beef heifers, there is nothing like real work to develop good skills. We worked hard at relaxing in harness, and trying not to trigger her inner Morgan demons. In the last month, things have started to click and she has pulled small logs and even placed at our fair in the team log skid. Tonight we made it to a new chapter, hitching to a vehicle with a pole. Sam was going to help me but we had to wait for him a while. After some ground driving I drove her and her teammate (the huge grey gelding) into position for hitching. She was patient and content to wait and stand well. I banged the forecart around, and tried to make as much noise as I could, no problem. I ended up hitching them by myself, no one moved a muscle, Little Bit paid no attention to the weight of the back pad or the restraint of the now taught harness. Sam came, he said the rigging looked good enough, and we struck off down the drive way. Sam followed for 150′ and turned us loose. She keeps right up with the big horse and pays no mind to the new situation. We had some starts, stops and turns that lacked finished grace, but she just needs some miles and sweat under the collar. My goal for the summer was to cultivate with this pair. She was slow to start, but by gosh summer is not over and I have some storage crops that need thinning, we might just make it.

I want to again thank everyone that directly helped me with this chapter of “my first horse adventure.” I would also like to thank the forum family for being such a great influence, for the many detailed discussions, stories, pictures and support, it has been a wonderful almost 9 years with you all. Life is better when you have like minded people to share your interests with. To Bill who sold me this rather fancy little mare, on concrete with a level and carpenter square, she measures 14.1 hands, a pony in some circles, but with size #2 feet, a 76″ cooler, a 5.25″ bit, and a heart to match, she is all horse to me, just a little easier to mount from the ground 😉 Thanks for holding her for me, she has been a joy to work with.