The Pony I Never Had

From my first lesson it was planned that I would be an eventer, it is the barn my parents chose when they were looking at buying me lessons for my birthday. As soon as I learned to trot around correctly I learned to canter, as soon as I learned to canter I was taught to jump. By the time my parents bought me my first horse I was coursing cross country fences in the back field and taking dressage lessons with the dressage clinician who was brought in every month. Eventing and showing is what I was taught to do from day one and I wouldn't trade my background for the world. All of my western-raised friends find it so funny though how uncomfortable I can be in a western saddle and how foreign the thought of riding without a real purpose (showing) is to me. Well I now have found the joy in riding a "broke-not-trained" horse (this is what we call a horse that is broke to death but never ridden in a true program/arena environment). The funny thing is that I've found this joy in a 13.2 hand grey former hog-hunting pony package! Yes, laugh it up - I am 5'8" tall and absolutely LOVE riding this little pony. We got her to teach lessons on about three weeks ago from a lady who had her as a barrel and poles horse for her child; prior to this my little Lacy pony was a hog huntin' fool down in Louisiana (no, I'm not kidding). One of the first days she was at the farm Elizabeth had me tack Lacy up in western tack (since that's what she is used to) and take her out - I had a blast! For the last couple weeks I've been trail riding this little pony head and am (finally) actually feeling comfortable in western tack. Today I hopped on her bareback - I've never had a horse that I could literally hop on bareback from the ground! This may have to be my chuck wagon racing pony next year - Snowy River Race competitors watch out! LOL!