Pony News, Views and Attitudes -- Vol. 1 Number 48 -- June 16-22, 2008

NB Pony Pals
Barn Party

Garland rides surrounded by Nick, Brandy, Michael and Nick's mom at NB Elementary's Club Pony Pals Barn Party. Read more about their party below in the year-end article
from NB Elementary.

Pony Pals Game News

Club members who wrote in to the Webmaster were able to try out the new online game based on the Pony Pals books this week. Testing is still going on and game developers want more people to sign up.

"Everyone who plays sends us in a note telling us about what they like or don't like about the game. We've gotten lots of letters and a bunch of people joined the Club just so they can test our game," riding instructor Jane Crandal said.

"Right now this game is pretty simple. The biggest question for testers is whether it matches what they see in their head while they read the books and whether it is fun to play. Mostly everybody who writes back seems to like it," Crandal continued. "For everyone who asked, yes it will be in 3D!"

Game Reviews

• i played the game and really like it. but if i can make a suggestion put a little bit more stuff . club pony pal steph
• I think the game was very cool. I like the fact that it kinda teaches a little bit about horses, too. I can't wait to see the final game! Sarah
• It is fun to play this! Robin
• i like the game, but i think it would be a lot cooler if it was 3D, other then that it was cool!!! pony pal charity
• Even is it was just a test, the game was so cool. I can't wait to play the real game! Summer
• We just tried your game and we liked it very much! It was fun to see the ponies and pick them! We liked to groom them, too! Sophie age 7 and Isabelle age 5

 

This Week's Survey

What kind of Pony Pals items would you most likely want to buy if they were available?

• Pony Pals plush pony toy that will come to life in the game
• Items for your online pony to use (saddles, bridles, pony treats)
• Pony Pals cup
• Pony Pals T-shirt
• Pony Pals mouse pad
• Other...

Vote on this current survey here.

 

Last Week's Survey Results

Where would you rather watch a Pony Pals movie?

Other places Club Pony Pals members will watch the movie included:
on the on the computer, in the car on the road and anywhere.

Club Pony Pals
Letters & Drawings

Hello Web Master!
Thank you for posting my last e-mail! I will take some pictures of me and Kizzie! Kizzie is a bay pony of America [POA], even though she isn't white she has the same attitude! I really love the Wiggins weekly! Please let me be a game tester! I will call some friends and tell to be game testers, I really want the game to work! Thanks so much!
Bye!
 

Dear Pony Pal Jasmine

Kizzie sounds great, we look forward to seeing pictures. Like everyone else who wrote, we sent you the information about becoming a tester. There's a lot going on with the game, some of it kind of "secret business stuff " that grownups are working on. More about all that soon soon, but the game is still looking for testers. Thanks for the offer to invite your friends, we'll look for their letters.

WebMaster

______________

Hi, I'm Jeanne! Thanks a million for letting me test your game! It's so awesome! But, I have 2 little questions.
#1. Do I get to meet the Pony Pals?
#2. I saw an add on the bulletin board. It said,"LOST PONY. If found please call:561-......" If I were to find their pony, how would I reach them? And will I be able to interact with other players? Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Jeanne

Dear Pony Pal Jeanne

You are such a great game player to notice those things! #1 Yes, soon you will be able to pretend to be Pam, Anna or Lulu, or to play as a fourth Pony Pal and ride out on trail with all three Pony Pals at once. Testers are trying an early stage of the game and all those parts are not built yet.

#2 Yes, there is a pony that's run away and is living in the woods outside Wiggins. That's another part of the game that will become clear to players as the game grows outward.

Thanks for writing.

WebMaster

"Snow White"by Chelsea, age 9

Dear Ma'am, Hi I'm Cayce F. Could you please add Jeanne Betancourt's address and her E-Mail address so fans can write to her?
I'd like to join Club Pony Pals and I'd like to sign up for the Wiggins
Weekly please. Please answer my question. Please respond ... the second after you get this E-Mail. Sincerely, Cayce

hi i love pony pals i wood love to be in the club. brenda

Please sign me up to receive the free Wiggins Weekly E-Newspaper. Thanks!
Annalise

 

Dear Pony Pals Annalise, Brenda and Cayce (alphabetical order)

Thanks for your letters. Welcome to Club Pony Pals! You can write to Jeanne Betancourt through the WebMaster at Club Pony Pals. Let me know you would like your letter forwarded and I will do it.

Write back and tell us more about your adventures, with or without a pony.

WebMaster

 

Picture It

The story so far....

Ponigirl writes:
In the picture it looks like the horse is saying, "What's that? Is it edible?"

Pam Crandal writes:
Meredith tells her horse, "You silly, I'm learning to drive…."

NB Elementary writes:
"You'll hurt my feelings. Why are you riding that funny little machine instead of me?" whinnies Squirrel.

Pam Crandal writes:
Meredith laughs. Then she says, "You are too big for me, Squirrel. I want a pony. Then I would ride with the Pony Pals, and...."

Summer F. writes:
"I'm not too big!" neighs Squirrel. "I'm just the right size!"

Lulu Sanders writes:
Meredith thought Squirrel was funny. She looked very serious. Really she was trying not to laugh. Then she said, "Some little ponies want to be big horses. You're lucky to be so big. "

Summer F. writes:
"I am not too big!" yelled Squirrel. "See, I can lay down and you can just hop on!"

Anna Harley writes:
Squirrel sniffed the ground with his nose. He pawed the dirt and bent his front legs. Then he bent his back legs. Whump. He was on the ground. "Its nice down here," Squirrel thought. "While I'm down here I'll ...."

Isabelle M. writes:
"... just eat some of this clover. Hey when are you getting on?????!"

Anna Harley writes:
Meredith looked at Squirrel decided maybe jumping on without a saddle or bridle could mean problems.

Isabelle M. writes:
"Ok Squirrel I will go home and see if I can find someone to ride you."

Anna Harley writes:
Meredith drove off to the barn. When she got there she was really surprised because she found...

Summer F. writes:
...A girl sitting in a stool. She had dark blonde hair, and was petting a dapple gray pony with a black mane and tail. "Who are you?" Meredith asked.

What happens next? Write in and tell us -- you can help write this new Club Pony Pals e-story!
Send your e-story idea to WebMaster@clubponypals.com

 

We want your drawings or letters! Send them in to the Wiggins Weekly.

email WebMaster@clubponypals.com

or mail them to

Club Pony Pals
16654 Soledad Canyon Rd. #382
Canyon Country, CA 91387

LETTER TO PAM

Hi Pam. How's Lightning. I can't believe when I said "one of the pretty ponies," she would make herself dirty! Dose she like getting groomed, or does she doesn't want to be a pretty pony? I wonder why Woolie won't let the ducks nest. Luckily he isn't a hunting dog like our family redbone coon hound, Sunny. One time, I found a hawk eating a snake, but Sunny chased it away. My mom told me that nobody could ever see a hawk eating in their own backyard! The ... hawk may come back, after all, he knows we have yummy snakes for him! ... So, how are the school ponies. Is Daisy still lazy? Is Splash still on the dash? How is your brother and sister? How is Fat Cat? How is Lightning? Tell your dad I said, Happy Fathers Day!
Summer F.

Dear Summer
Sometimes I think that ponies are magically attracted to dirt. I'm lucky that Lightning is a chestnut. White ponies like Snow White are the hardest to keep clean. They are magically attracted to mud holes, mushy green stuff and its really hard to get the dirt out of their coat. Dark ponies like Acorn and Lightning are easier to keep clean because their coats don't stain.

Woolie likes to bark at anything that moves. My Dad tells me that some trainers use ducks to train sheepdogs to herd sheep! So when Woolie barked at those ducks, he was trying to herd them. Ducks don't herd well, though.

Hawks are so wonderful. We see them in the woods sometimes here, too. Hawks eat snakes all the time, that is one of their foods along with mice and smaller birds. You're lucky that the hawk eats snakes instead of you finding them in your back yard!

Daisy and Splash are fine. Lately Daisy has been balking when students take a lesson on her. My Mom had me ride her a couple of times when she was giving group lessons and let her student ride Lightning. Daisy is smart and when I ride her she behaves. Mom said she was lucky I was here because can make her be good. Ponies are very tricky and it can be hard to find good riders who are small enough to ride a pony and can make them behave. Splash is really good, no problems there. Fat Cat just chased a mouse down the hall, so she's doing fine, too.

I'll tell my Dad "Happy Father's Day" if you do the same.

Pony Pals,

 

 

Dear Summer

Thanks for the note. We are getting ready for a show next weekend and spent Saturday practicing! Pam doesn't want to compete, but Snow White loves to jump but I'm going to enter. Our trail ride was just back to the stone walls by the Wiggins Estate to practice jumping, then back to Crandals for more jumping! We haven't seen Melissa for a while. I'll write her and see what she's doing. My Dad's coming to visit this summer, I sent him an email saying "Happy Father's Day" last week. Write back and let me know how you are.

Your friend,

LETTER TO ANNA

Hi Anna. Is that trick you and Acorn been working on done? How is he? What have you been doing today? How is Miss. Wiggins? Is Picasso and Beauty okay? How is Beauty's foal? Can you tell me the name of Beauty's foal? Thank you.
Summer F.

Dear Summer

Acorn and I have learned a lot of tricks. Right now I am teaching him to stretch out his front legs so I can get on bareback.

Acorn sometimes does this when he is stretching. If he will do it me when I ask then I can get on without a saddle anytime I want to ride.

Everyone is fine at Ms. Wiggins Estate. Beauty's foal is named Miracle from Mike Lacey's suggestion. He is fine, too.

Pony Pals,

NB Elementary End of Year Pony Pals Barn Party!

To attend this party every student had to read a Pony Pals book and pass their RC Quiz about what they read. Many thanks to Mrs. S. and all the NB Elementary students for reading and writing to Club Pony Pals this past school year.

Alma's brother gets a ride led by Michael.

Madison gives Hunter a ride.

Ethan stands watch while Mrs. S. greets the Pony Pals as Michael leads.

Garland, Madison and Brandy make some new
four-footed friends.

Meredith is behind the wheel again!

Mrs. S (a mom) and Michael help Sadie have a good ride.

Mrs. C, parents and kids watch the riders

Nick finds a creative way to keep riding in the barn.

Two Pony Pals Thoughts for the Day

I didn't start riding until I was already 19, but because of my size, I have always been "stuck" with the ponies and/or smaller horses in any school string I have ridden. I have learned more from those ponies than I ever would have on one of those big old schoolmasters the tall people get to ride! At 5'2", I have a long history with ponies, since I am often the only adult short enough to ride them!!!
I love the buggers, just because of the challenge they present.
But when a pony is going great, there is nothing better in this world to ride! Inch for inch, they are some of the most athletic equines! By Sandy B.

______________________________________

The scruffy pony may be dirty outside, but in the heart, it is a clean as the friendship of the Pony Pals, forever. By Summer F.