We had trick ponies that would kneel down on command and rear up just like the lone ranger, hunters, other peoples naughty ponies and stock horses. At any one time there were up to 14 horses on our property. Over the years we have ridden off and on as the opportunities came up. About ten years ago I started to ride with a good woman called Val - who had a superb ex race horse called Lovelock who had been very successful in his day. We rode on a place called Terawhiti station which takes up all the land from the south west corner of the north Island to just south of Makara. It was about 12,000 acres of horse riding paradise.
I was lucky enough to get on pretty well with the bloke, who ran the place at the time -Allan Hobbs. Hobbsy is a horseman's horseman. He is a ex rodeo rider and he breeds and breaks in damn good horses.
I rode all sorts of horses that had been trained by Allan during the Terawhiti years. Val and I had many many great adventures riding the length and breadth of the station.
So when decided it was time to get a horse I turned to Hobbsy who now lives up the Kapiti Coast. And he has found me a wee beauty.
His name is Floyd. A splendid 12 year old gelding of about 14 hands - that makes him officially a pony. However while he is short in the leg he is big in the body. He has a bit of welsh and clydesdale in his history and he hails from up Gisborne way.
He has even done a stint as a Riding for the disabled steed.
He is not a slug , but is happy to wander along on a long rein - taking in the scenery.
He likes - carrots apples and food in general. - He is a equine gourmand.
He is a "good - doer" he will live on the smell of a lettuce leaf.
He comes when he is called and whinnies to let you know he is on his way.
He is a gate master - knowing just where to stand so you can open them.
He lifts his feet so you can check them.
And he is not fazed by barking dogs, mooing cows and silly sheep and alpacas.
He is alert but far from panicked when crossing bridges.
But he has been shocked on an electric fence and wont go within cooee of them.
He is a good wee man and I think we are going to have some fine adventures.
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2 comments:
Yum. Permission to use him for a pastel sketch?
I once got a lovely-jubbly treble in the UK with the last leg a jumper called Floyd. I will never forget jumping up and down in front of the telly urging him down the final straight. Fond memories.
Knowing Hobbsy, Floyd is probably so quiet because he is twice your age and knows more about people than people know about ponies.
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