"Bad Pony"

In my years in the Army, I was always told that you can always learn something from everyone in your Chain of Command. You can always apply what you learn to your style of leadership.

The same can be said for ponies. Good ponies can help you learn and build your confidence but may not make you a necessarily good rider. Bad ponies can make you quit riding altogether, or if you choose, they can make you an awesome rider. This weekend, our little bad pony taught Autumn, my nine year old daughter, a very valuable lesson. He taught her humility, maturity and the determination to reach and strive for her goals. This weekend, she went to her very first "Big" pony club show on her normally very good and obedient pony Ranger, who happens to be ridiculously old. He must have been having a really bad weekend because he did not want to be there. He made that known clearly. He jumped out of the dressage ring 3 times in one test. She handled herself with the maturity most adults could not possibly muster in the face of such defeat and embarrassment. She beamed exiting the arena, noting to us all that she finished the test despite his earlier leaps to exit the arena and escape the horror of having to do yet another dressage test. Then she gave him offerings of treats and carrots. She lectured him. She schooled him in the arena. She took him for a walk. He happily ate the clover buds she found for him. She loves him even when he is bad.

The next day, we put him in a Kimberwick bit to offer her more control. What a difference! She had better control but despite that he still managed to leap out of the same ring. Still yet, Autumn persevered and completed her test despite the elimination. She came out smiling once again noting that she had much better test this time and was glad to offer him a pat. The "Little Stinker" warmed up fine and then still made her work so hard for it. I found myself hating him. Why couldn't he just do what he knew to do?! The pony club offered to let her jump despite the elimination. Surely, he'd enjoy doing this. He's been jumping all weekend whether we wanted it or not. So Autumn went in after a decent warm up and wham! The stinky pony strikes again.

Then, I saw my little 9 year old girl with her tender spirit mature into a determined "mini adult". Autumn reached into herself somewhere...I don't know where and found the ability to match the pony's every effort to trot out of the arena and blow the pattern. Her courage, determination and grit were astounding. She wrestled that pony around the ring and made him jump every jump and made him do it despite his behavior. She came out of that ring with the BIGGEST smile on her face reflecting the satisfaction of a job well done. She worked so hard for her participation ribbon. She is my Grand Champion! Wow! I learned a lot from that pair this weekend!