A Girl and Her Pony

February 5

I was home this past weekend, and I spent all day at the barn on Saturday- eating taco bags and watching Alexis and other people work with a horsemanship trainer.
Ahhh, Nora.

The cutest pony I have ever seen. She's adorable. Nora likes to be in charge, but isn't mean, loves carrots, and will stare you down while batting her eyelashes and oozing cuteness to get food. She and Alexis are so cute together. They're both blonde, and they like to keep their 'rooms' neat. She's sassy, but Alexis is a great match for her, so she is able to take the sass in stride (usually). Nora is short and well-built (aka- a bit chubby. aka- a tank.), while Alexis is skinny and getting taller. They're quite the pair.


I may be tall, but I really like ponies. (Side note: Ponies are not baby horses. A baby horse is a foal. Pony = equine who is under the height of 14.2 hands. Hand = 4 inches. Translation: 4'10" at the withers. Withers = tall area where the neck meets the back.)

Anyway, back to the clinic. Alexis worked Nora in a round pen, doing what is called 'join-up.' I could go look up a fancy definition for you, but it's basically the establishment of a relationship between person and horse.

You ask them to trot and canter in a circle around you, using your body language, much as horses communicate. Then you take the 'pressure' of your body language away. You stop asking them to move away from you. You stand still, and they will come to a stop.

At this point, they should look at you and realize that it really is better to be with you in the middle of the pen. Walk over and scratch them all over. This is symbolic of how horses treat each other- they nibble on one another.

Turn around and walk away.

If the connection has been made, if you are joined up with your horse, they will follow you. Everywhere. In circles. Changing direction. Stop. Go. It's really amazing. Alexis and Nora have done this before, so it didn't take long before Nora was licking and chewing. This showed that she was ready to stop trotting around by herself in a circle, and that she wanted to stop and be with Alexis.

Here are some more pictures from the second time Alexis joined up with Nora.

*Scratch, scratch.* Ohhh a little to the left, Mom!

 Wait for me!!

 

I love Alexis' face in this one. Her smile. The feeling of knowing Nora was walking behind her because she trusts Alexis and wants to be near her.

 Then stop and rub on them some more.

 Look Mom, no hands!

Come on fatty, you can turn that tight!

Can I just have a carrot now, please?

 Ahh, finally. I can stop chasing this crazy girl around the pen. Phew.

I really like this picture of Nora for some reason. (Forget about the darkness, grain, and blurriness.) Nora just looks good. She's got a nice free moving trot, and her ear is cocked toward Alexis, listening to her. I liked it so much, I went to town editing it. (Maybe because I don't want to work on my Physics homework? Shh, don't tell anyone!)

 

I love you, Alexis. Can I keep your stuffed animal? I mean, Nora?

A Girl and Her Pony.