Saturday, January 14, 2006
How (Not!) to Acquire a Pony! (Fat Orange One)
Had been looking for AGES for pony for eldest daughter, none were even remotely suitable & was beginning to despair! Mentioned this to friend, who casually replied "Oh, I've got a pony staying at my place, dunno if he'd be any good though, he's quite old & hasn't been ridden for quite a while...!"
Drive over same evening with YO & eldest daughter to have a casual look at pony!
Pony is in stable, as has 'gone to bed'! Friend hoiks pony out of stable & as it is pitch black outside, brings him to stand by feebly lit barn, where pony stands blinking in the light, looking mildly confused & still chomping on his last mouthful of hay!
We all stand peering uncertainly at hugely fat, grubby orange, football-shaped creature before us, who simply stares back with a kindly & interested expression!
Eldest daughter steps forward nervously to pat him, (has had horrible fall & confidence is now pretty much non-existent!), pony stops chewing, taking on an even more interested expression & child is soon smiling, stoking & patting him with gay abandon!
Sit child briefly on pony to check size, pony (who hasn't been ridden for several months!) just stands there, blinking happily back at us!
We all unanimously agree we 'like' this pony & arrange to fetch him the following day! (Should add, we DID know pony's prior history!)
Pony turns out to be one of the most kindly, fun-loving, cheerful & enthusiastic little ponies I have ever met, who not only restored eldest daughter's shattered confidence but took her younger sister from a nervous, wobbly "I'll just trot round then, shall I?" to a confident & enthusiastic child, who jumped her way to a fistful of rosettes in her first season of competing!
Our lovely, friendly, furry football......Fat Orange One!
Drive over same evening with YO & eldest daughter to have a casual look at pony!
Pony is in stable, as has 'gone to bed'! Friend hoiks pony out of stable & as it is pitch black outside, brings him to stand by feebly lit barn, where pony stands blinking in the light, looking mildly confused & still chomping on his last mouthful of hay!
We all stand peering uncertainly at hugely fat, grubby orange, football-shaped creature before us, who simply stares back with a kindly & interested expression!
Eldest daughter steps forward nervously to pat him, (has had horrible fall & confidence is now pretty much non-existent!), pony stops chewing, taking on an even more interested expression & child is soon smiling, stoking & patting him with gay abandon!
Sit child briefly on pony to check size, pony (who hasn't been ridden for several months!) just stands there, blinking happily back at us!
We all unanimously agree we 'like' this pony & arrange to fetch him the following day! (Should add, we DID know pony's prior history!)
Pony turns out to be one of the most kindly, fun-loving, cheerful & enthusiastic little ponies I have ever met, who not only restored eldest daughter's shattered confidence but took her younger sister from a nervous, wobbly "I'll just trot round then, shall I?" to a confident & enthusiastic child, who jumped her way to a fistful of rosettes in her first season of competing!
Our lovely, friendly, furry football......Fat Orange One!
# posted by JAK : 14.1.06
