Coming into the Christmas holiday period it’s popular for small ponies to be taken out of their everyday paddock and ridden intensely by the kids either at home or at community carnivals.
Our Christmas pony friends tend to be small, cute and white (named Sparkles) and dutifully walking in circles for all the children to enjoy.
While on my travels I take note of horses, donkeys, and ponies wherever I go and, without realising, I’m looking at their condition, where they are standing, how they are standing and the field they are paddocked in.
It’s inherent in my nature, but I try to do it without judgement.
I see ponies doing what is requested despite being a little bit sore. After all, they are wonderfully obliging animals.
I invite you to consider that just like you and me, when horses are put back into work it needs to be done in a considered way with a slow increase in work load. I think we can agree that we all need to ease back into work after a break!
You bring Sparkles, I’ll bring Santa
In this busy, festive time our maned friends do need massages for those sore muscles, trimming for those overgrown hooves and re-assessment if the saddle fits after a year’s stint in the paddock relaxing.
These are all services that I offer and need to be organised before the holidays to allow the pony to build muscle, gain flexibility, build an optimum hoof on which to trot, and have a saddle that matches both the pony’s back muscles and the grandson or daughter (now 1 year older) who loves going out for a ride.
If all of this is done, I can promise you that the experience for everyone will be a much happier and positively memorable one built on respect for the intense workload that Sparkles manages so gracefully.
Give me a bell and I’ll bring my Santa sack of equine services along to your home.
Happy Christmas trotting 🙂