Pony News, Views and Attitudes -- Vol. 2 Number 2 -- July 21-27, 2008

Mew WW Staffer
Needs Name

Lately there have been too many mice around the Wiggins Weekly offices! This week two new staff members were added. They came to work at the Weekly in an unusual way.

One Wednesday morning six weeks ago Pony Pal Carol D. sadly noted a stray female cat had been hit by a car on the busy street in front of her house. The next day she came home to discover a tiny kitten no bigger than a mouse plaintively mewing in the middle of her driveway. Only a day or two old, its eyes were still closed and its ears were crinkled flat to its head. The tiny kitten had crawled out to try and find its mom. That cat became known as the "Scout" and that name stuck.

Carol looked around and found there were three other kittens in a nest under a bush. She picked them up and called around to find an animal shelter than would take them. The kittens were way too young for any shelter to accept. They needed to be bottle fed every few hours. So for four weeks Carol and her family bottle fed the kittens.

They all survived, and this week Scout and his black sister came to live in the Weekly offices. The black female kitten does not have a name. That's this week's Club Pony Pals Problem!

Club Pony Pals readers and members are encouraged to write in with suggestions for a name for this kitten. Then Club members can vote on their favorite name next week.

Scout and his sister wrestling

Jeanne Betancourt Writes

Re: ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

WebMaster,

I loved the anniversary issue of the Wiggins Weekly. Congratulations on a year of great Pony Pal reporting.

By the way, I wonder if Pony Pal readers have noticed an anagram hidden in the books. What word is spelled out by the first name initials of Anna, Lulu, and Pam?

I join all Pony Pals in blowing out the first anniversary candle and make a wish for all Pony Pals to have fun adventures in the web world of ClubPonyPals.

Happy Reading and Gaming,

Jeanne Betancourt

 

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
USA

 

This Week's Survey

Who controls where you visit on the internet?

• I decide, no one tells me where I can visit
• My parents look at where I visit and we talk about it
• My parents tell me where I can visit, so I only go to those web sites
• My computer is set so I can only visit some sites
• I can't visit internet sites, I only can write emails (write an email back that says "only emails" if this is your answer)

Vote on this current survey here.

_________________________________________________________________

Last Week's Survey Results

 

Where in the world do you live?

 

Club Pony Pals Letters

hi, if i rode my horse to school i think all the kids would want to ride him...And no body would do their work... I would have to bring food and water to school with me...It would be a trip...Trying to get out of classes so i could go check on him....I would have to put him in the car loop and lock the gates so he could not get out unless i let him out or another person let him out....Trying to get him to get me to school on time would be another big trip....

Samantha

___________________

How Do I Send in My Picture?

hello my friend ksparky asked me to get her a club pony pal acct. i am still a pony pal lover so i told her that i had an acct an she said she wanted one so now. i wanted to know how do i send in a picture... please let me know pony pal steph

please add me to your list of pony pals. I hope that I have a lot of fun on here. I was wondering how I send in the pictures and letter cause I am new and I do not know how to do anything so can you please help me out a little bit please and thank you very much. thank you. Kalyn

Hi WebMaster!!!
This is Hannah.
I just wanted to ask how do you send your pictures and drawings in? Because i have loads of horse pictures I want to be put on the
Wiggins Weekly. Thanks for creating this site! It's the best!!!!!
Hannah

Dear Webmaster,
I hope you like my picture of the Pony Pals on their horses. I love to draw all sorts of things, but fairies and ponies are my favorites.
Daddy isn't sure how to scan and send you my drawing ( I'm trying tho !!! ) so he will send it in a pic format. ( I hope )
Hope it comes out OK !! I will be sending more, real soon.
Best wishes from Isabella
Albury, Australia

Dear Pony Pal Stephanie, Hannah and Isabella
If your computer has a scanner, you can use the scanner. Or you can hold your drawing up and have someone take your picture with a digital camera, so it’s a picture of you holding your picture. ;-) Take a look at Isabella doing just that below.
Doing either of the above makes a digital file called a jpg (say it jay-peg). Either way, then you attach your jpg to your email with the attachments box or line, and email it back to us here. An attachment is like a little package that’s part of the email.
Or you can mail it to us in regular US Postal Mail to
Club Pony Pals
16654 Soledad Canyon Road
#382
Canyon Country, CA 91387
USA
And we will scan the drawing in here. We look forward to seeing your art and photos! Master

___________________

Game Tester Emails

Hi,
Well I have to say I was very impressed!
It really showed you nicely what the riding experience was going to be like.
I love pony pals and I hope you guys can bring it to life! But I think I can count on you, OK?
PS. Don't let me down!
From Grace

Hey WebMaster!
I just wanted to say I would absolutely LOVE to be a tester for the game!!!
I can't wait until' the game comes out!!!!
I'm still not completely sure what the game is going to be like but I am looking forward to it!
Club Pony Pals is the best!!!!
Hannah

hi
my name is Danielle and I am a horse lover and i have seen your page in the horse and pony and been interested in joining the club.

I live at west Auckland in new Zealand
that would be great have a great day
Danielle

___________________

Hey Webmaster,
thanks 4 putting my picture i did on paint
on the front of the website!!!!!!!!!!
And thankyou 4 also putting a picture oh my
horse!!!!!!!!
samantha in N.S.W in Aus

Dear Jeanne Betancourt,
Hi I am Mikal. I live in New York and I love your books. The books you write inspire me to like horses. I like drawing like Anna, I like wild animals like Lulu, but I think I am most like Pam, smart and an expert on horses. When I first heard about your books I got excited and read them a lot and haven't stopped in a long time. I think Snow White is a very pretty pony. Acorn knows a lot of tricks, and Lightning is cool with that upside down heart mark on her forehead.
Thanks to you I am thinking about being an author. Before I finish this letter, I will give you one tip, keep writing and I hope your next book will be a great best seller.
Sincerely,
Mikal

Member Adventures

Riding is Not Just Competing

I gave up riding at 21 because I frankly couldn't afford my own horse. I had always ridden other folks horses with a strong emphasis on competing, competing, competing. Sadly the local scene was poisonous!!!

I threw in the towel at 21 with the WORST taste in my mouth for the horse world (though never for the animals themselves).

20+ years later I found myself with an opportunity to ride again (non-competively). I simply cannot do justice with words how riding again made me feel. It was like discovering a limb I didn't know I had lost. A part of me that I didn't know I was missing.

In the last five years I managed to stumble across Sox. For the first time in my life I"fell in love" with a horse. Very likely because there was no pressure involved. And yes I'll admit freely, no financial pressure either. Sox has become a "free lease" deal for me. I realize not EVERYONE is as fortunate as I have been. But in my own defense I worked at it. I rode the Barn Owner's horse for two years, I volunteered for hours of free manual labour. I was just soooo happy to be breathing horse sweat and leather again. When the barn owner purchased Sox it became abundantly clear he did not "fit" their working barn program. The obvious choice would have been to resell him. In the interim I fell in love. I worked and worked and worked at making Sox a "solid citizen". In part it has worked. He is completely trustworthy on the ground around a lesson barn. But he will never be a lesson horse.

They have given him over to me completely (bless them, THANK YOU!!!) I suspect in EVERY sport there are cut-throat folk. PUHLEASE don't let them ruin horses for you! So yeah, I concur, enjoy lessons, volunteer to help with therapy programs, reclaim the JOY!!!! In time things have a way of working out.

I wish you only the best (and in my mind that's a supportive environment and good horses that will help rebuild what those bad experiences have broken for you).
Splash

P.S. It's just a schooling show, it's just a schooling show........Why is it I grew up on competing but in my old age I've become a "nervous nellie"?

By the time my division started I was reasonably relaxed. We placed two 4th's in a field of 8. A sixth in a field of 11 and FINALLY a first in a field of 11 riders! It seems both Sox and I needed the previous three rides to pull ourselves together, LOL. We won in Open Road Hack. Sox and I finally settled down and quit arguing and he didn't put a foot out of place. I was still shocked to have placed first. It is hard in a field that large to judge how well the others are doing. I was just attending to my own business and trying to keep
Sox well placed on the rail.

I'm very pleased for both of us. Sox got multiple scratches and hugs and treats. We need to work on consistency and I didn't warm him up long enough or appropriately. Is it just me but are all warm up rings that chaotic!!!???
Thanks everyone for your support!
Splash

 

LETTERS TO PAM

Hey Pam, I am not sure if they have ride and tie, because I don't compete in events because we don't have a horse float and bookie doesn't like events!!!!
Love from Samantha in
Australia

Dear Samantha in Australia

What is a horse float? Is it a kind of a boat? Do you live on an island?

Here in Wiggins we use horse trailers to move our horses. Write back and tell me more.

Pony Pals,

P. S. Bookie does not have to like events to be a good horse.

________________________

LETTERS TO LULU

hey Lulu,
how are you? Have you been to Mt.Morris lately? How's Anna and Pam? Your pen pal!!!
Samantha in Australia

Dear Samantha

Pam, Anna and I rode to Mt. Morris this week. Anna's dad almost has the Mt. Morris ski resort monument finished, it is all there except for the brass plaque. It is really impressive.

Its kind of secret where it is right now, the Ranger says he will make an announcement to the paper before it gets dedicated and they will hold a ceremony.
Your Pony Pal,

____________________________________________

My grandma and I read your letter and she said to tell you to remember that "each day is a gift." My dad left on Friday and I miss him already but he promises to send me emails every week with pictures from where he is working. He already sent me an email from the airport.

Hug your grandmama for me and remember to tell her you love her every day. Those of us who don't have lots of grandparents have to take care of the ones we have.

Your Pony Pal,

____________________________________________

Dear Lulu,
Hi! Sarah here, You asked me about the trail ride I went on on Friday. It was different then my other trail rides.
I was on a huge, beautiful, palomino horse named Whiskey. It felt like I was in the sky when I got on top of him. Then, something scary happened!
Another big horse named Little Joe (there's nothing little about him) tried to attack and kick my horse! I was okay though. It made me kinda flashback on when I got thrown and what hapened with my mom and I started panicing. I wanted to get off. But the lady that was leading the trail hooked my horse to a lead rope and led my horse while riding her own horse, and I decided I would come if I stayed on the rope. Then I learned how to trot on a trail and I had so much fun that I decided I could make it without the rope! It was really fun. I was glad i went.
Thank you for the advice about my horse. I love talking to you! -Sarah

Dear Sarah

What a wonderful adventure story! Thanks for writing. Pony Pals,

____________________________________________

Hi Lulu!
I have always wanted a pony.
My mother say's that we could afford a pony, but we just don't have the right amount of land.
I really wish I could come to Wiggin's for a whole summer!
Snow White sounds like the sweetest pony you could ever wish for!
I am a BIG fan of the PonyPals books, and I hope Jeanne keeps on writing much more!
I have played so many other horse games that I will cut those off just to play the new PonyPals game!
PS. Please tell Pam and Anna that I think they are really cool and that their pony's are very adorable!
Write me back!
From Grace

 

Dear Grace

Thanks for writing. I will tell

Your Pony Pal,

Picture It

The story so far....

Picture This started with Meredith out in a field in an ATV and Squirrel the horse looking at her. When they got back to their barn, Summer was was there writing a note. Summer finished the note, got on her pony and galloped away. The note warned that Pongo the appaloosa foal was missing in the Darkwood forest. Meredith found Squirrel the horse, tacked up and loped out to Darkwood forest.

In the forest, Meredith heard a strange noise, looked for it and then saw two girls on a piebald and a dapplegrey pony. One girl was named Sunshine and her pony's name was Piddles. More girls arrived on ponies that were chestnut, dun and white. It was the Pony Pals on Lightning, Acorn and Snow White.

At the sound of frightened whinnies, all the girls rode to where they thought the sounds were coming from. They found Pongo the foal stuck in quicksand. The girls and the Pony Pals had some ideas about how to rescue Pongo but there were no boards nearby.

The group needs a Pony Pal Plan!

Bobby writes:

Pongo is so afraid and so tired and he can’t pick up his legs.

The Pony Pals, Summer and Meredith start to make a plan. Pam has a spare halter and a long lead rope in her saddlebag.

If they could only put that halter on Pongo, they could lead him and help him pull free of the quicksand.

Summer got off her pony and poked down into the quicksand with a stick. It was not really deep where she could reach.

The Pony Pals decide to try and get to Pongo by tying lead ropes on to their waists. The third Pony Pal can wrap a rope around her saddle tie down.

A pony is much heavier than a foal. If the Pony Pal
backs up her pony after the halter is on, it can pull both everyone out all at once.

Pam is the tallest girl there, so she...

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

 

LETTERS TO ANNA

Dear Anna, Did ya'll have a good 4th of July? We did. Did you get the pictures of Annie that I sent you? Please answer my question. Please respond PDQ the second after you get this E-Mail. Sincerely, Cayce

Dear Sir or Ma'm, Is Anna mad at me? She never responded to my E-Mails
in the newest issues of Wiggins Weekly. Did Anna get the pictures of
Annie that you forwarded to her? I E-Mailed Anna and apologized for not
E-Mailing her the pictures of Annie right away. Hope Anna will catch up
in Math during the school year. Please answer my questions. Please
respond PDQ the second after you get this E-Mail. Sincerely, Cayce
Dear Anna, I'm sorry if I did anything to make you mad. Good luck with
getting caught up in Math this year. Please respond PDQ the second
after you get this E-Mail. Sincerely, Cayce
Dear Anna, I'm sorry for not E-Mailing you the pictures of Annie right
away. I couldn't figure out how to send them to you from my Laptop, but
I figured it out eventually. Hope the Webmaster forwarded the pictures
of Annie to you. Please forgive me. Please respond PDQ the second after
you get this E-Mail. Sincerely, Cayce
_______________________
Hey Anna,
Yes i do draw ponies
and i love it!!!!
Can you send me a drawing
of Acorn please?
Samantha
_______________
Hi,
Anna!
I always thought that Acorn was the cutest, but Pam's and Lulu's pony's are very cute too!
I just always thought of Acorn as a police pony.
So cute but determined to solve the mystery!
I don't own a pony of my own, but I do know that they will always be in my heart.
Let's stop that sad stuff though.
Even though you are dyslectic, I still think you are as smart as anyone else!
PS.Tonight tell Acorn that I love him and give him an apple.
From Grace

Dear Summer

M ike the wind. He can cross a brook without b still while I do it.

Pony Pals,

Pony Pals Thought for the Day

By Gladiola Montana

A clear conscience is a restful pillow.