The girls are continuing to make great progress in their training. In fact, LT loped today under saddle for the first time!
Like most of the training milestones with these horses, this was remarkably drama-free. We did some ground work first, asking the horses to move forward. When this was happening smoothly on the ground, we asked for the transition under saddle. And off she went!
Let me just take a moment to talk about what a great little horse LT is turning into. First of all, she is cute as a button. She’s a truly lovely shade of sorrel with an adorable face, and a mane and tail that look like they’ve had salon highlights. She is pony sized, sturdy without being stocky, and has a nice amount of energy and go. She does move like a pony, but her gaits are surprisingly smooth and her transitions are coming along beautifully.
Although ponies are often considered as mounts for kids, they are gaining popularity as casual trail horses for smaller adults, especially women who might find larger horses intimidating. And mounting a pony from the ground is a breeze! They fit in smaller trailers! They are easier to groom and tack up because you can reach everywhere, and don’t have to hoist your saddle over your head. Ponies are usually easy keepers, and this one promises to be all-around fun. I am so excited about what a nice little mount LT is going to make for some lucky purchaser!
Dolly has been showing a bit of hesitation in picking up her trot in the last few training sessions, so we have been encouraging her confidence at a walk and on the ground. Today, it paid off! She picked up her trot beautifully with a level head and smooth forward movement. She did very well, and it’s not going to be long before she’ll be loping as well.
