Pony News, Views and Attitudes -- Vol.2 No.23 —December  15-21, 2008 PAGE 2

Letters to Pam

 

Hi Pam C!

My, name is Tori and i love horses !!! My mom had a pony when she was a little girl but now we can't afford to have one; I am 10 yrs old and have been riding for 5 years. I am an English rider and do not really like Western riding unless i am trail riding with some friends. My mom works at (a) Therapeutic riding center {but also Teaches Academy lessons} and i love working with the kids with special needs !!!! I also LOVE bonding with some of the horses . In order for the horses to be used in lessons {Therapeutic Lessons} the horses have to be trained to tolerate many things like having balls thrown from their backs and kids in wheel chairs ETC . Right Now I am Teaching a little pony {His name is Tater and he looks just like Acorn though a bit smaller} how to use reins, He is really different than  the pony that i usually ride {is name Is Baron Von Tish} so its harder. Though it makes me a better rider!!!!!! Well better go! Bye {email me back ,PLEASE}

Tori

 

Dear Tori

 

You sound like a great rider! How fun that you get to ride and that you love horses. Me too.

 

I ride English mostly too. I don’t care what kind of saddle I use as long as I ride, though.

 

Your mom is really lucky you can help her.  It is hard to find a good rider who is small enough to ride a pony and help train it. My mom has me ride Daisy or Splash when they get too “full of it” so they learn to behave.

 

Baron Von Tish sounds great.  What a funny name! What kind of pony is he?  What color?

 

How did your mom get to give therapeutic lessons?  Did she have to go to a special school for that?

 

Write back!  It is so great to hear from you.

Pony Pen Pals,

 

_________

 

 

Hey Pam,

It started snowing up here. We got out of school early on Thursday. Rocky is doing good. He said he's hungry. He's always hungry. I could feed him 100 pounds of food a day and he would still be hungry. I am going to ask my mom if I can start up riding lessons again. It's been forever since I've seen Sam. Sam is a retired thoroughbred gelding. I Love Sam. I married him. Ok, so I didn't technically marry him but, you never know. I haven't seen him in forever. I'm gonna ask for lessons as soon as my mom gets home. Well, That's about all I have to say. Except I really wanna go back to Disney World. I'm almost homesick from that place. Have you ever gone. I think it would be a great pony pal field trip. I just wanna say if you ever get to go RIDE SPACE MOUNTAIN. It's the best ride in the magic kingdom if you ask me. Give Lightning a hug and a cookie for me. Ur number 1 fan,

Gabby 

 

Dear Gabby

 

Lighting hardly ever turns down hugs and cookies. This time was no exception. Maybe Rocky is who people had in mind when they say "hungry as a horse." Glad to hear you might be able to re connect with Sam. Thoroughbreds are wonderful horses, my mom really likes JB.

 

Lessons on a familiar horse are cool. When I ride Daisy or Splash, it's like resuming a talk we had going before we went to do different things.

 

It has been really cold and icy here. It rained and then it all froze, so there is ice, ice everywhere. I helped my mom chip out the barn doors so the horses could go out to their paddocks. They were funny! JB just stomped on it. Lightning sniffed at the ice and ever-so-carefully walked out. Daisy and Splash followed, just as careful. I don't think horses are natural ice skaters. They had to paw at the ice to break it. Then they nibbled at the stubby grass underneath. 

 

Pony Pen Pals,

________________

 

Dear Pam

Glad Fat Cat is microchipped. Whiskers was a Grey Tabby. We don't know anything about his parents. When Pets Inc. found Whiskers and his brothers and sisters in 2000 they were abandoned. Even if Whiskers had survived it would have taken him a long time to get better and we would have eventually had to put him to sleep. Please tell your dad that I said thanks for the info. A new vet's coming out on 12/29/08 to take Cimmaron's blood and to do Annie's teeth instead of on Hanukkah. Her name is Dr. Katie. I'll be there if Mom doesn't have to work.

Spicey's dead. She died yesterday. She must have died while I was taking a nap due to waking up early by accident. When Mom got home she went down stairs to check on Spicey and found her dead. Mom's theory is that Spicey must have gone to sleep and never woke up. Spicey got a tumor on her lungs. We had to take her to the vet on Friday because she was short of breath. Spicey's breathing changed on Monday, and by Friday it got worse. My sister said that even if I had mentioned the fact that Spicey's breathing changed to Mom that by then it was too late. My sister's an Ex-Vet Assistant to. Spicey's breathing went back to normal and she ate a little bit, but she was weak yesterday morning and her ears where cold.

   Spicey 

 

We tried to warm Spicey up by covering her up with a towel, but she refused to stay under the towel. Spicey liked being cold. We were going to take Spicey to the vet today to decide what to do with her next. Even if Spicey had survived it would have taken her a long time to get better and we would have eventually had to put her to sleep. On Thursday I took some of Spicey's lose fur out and put it in my Memory Box. After Mom called Aunt Loretta to let her know about Spicey she buried her at Grandmama's house next to Lady. Since we live near the river the ground's to hard to have Spicey buried at our house. 

We're lucky we managed to get Whiskers buried at our house. Whiskers was creamated and he's buried under the big Rock in our back yard. Whiskers loved that Rock and I could usually count on finding him there.

Friends,

Cayce

 

Dear Cayce

 

Thanks for writing. Your story about Spicey reminds me of when Ms. Wiggins' favorite old pony Winston died. We were all so sad. Ms. Winston was away. But we knew we did everything we could to help Winston reach the end of his life without suffering. Caring for Spicey was a kindness you could show her.

 

My dad tells me that most people don't like to think about death. But he does constantly because his job is to help sick and injured animals. Each day on this earth is a gift to us. My mom said that's why it's called "the present." How we spend each day is partly up to us.

 

Funerals, for humans and our pets, are a way for people to recognize that a life has ended. I hope we all have long and enjoyable lives -- pets like ponies, dogs, cats --and people alike. 

Friends,

________________

 

Hi Pam

I am turning 10 June 9, how old r u and when's your birthday? I want to be a vet someday like u do. I want to know if Lulu has told you about me. Can you warn the Webmaster that I can get impatient about the trail. When exactly do you think the trail will be ready? How will I get to the trail? Lulu will tell you my name. I live In Canada. I really want to live around you.  Can I be the 5th Pony Pal? or was it the 9th? Oh well. g2g ttfn l8r.

Emily

 

Dear Emily,

 

We are almost exactly the same age.

 

Lulu said you wrote to her, she said you were nice.

 

My mom says you can ride out on trail very soon.

 

You really want to be a vet? That would be cool. My dad says that it really, really helps a future vet if they are interested in math and science. Both are a big part of studying human or animal medicine.

 

Do you want to be a horse vet? My dad really likes horses and small animals too. Some veterinarians only treat horses, others only take care of small animals. What do you want to do?

 

Pony Pals,

________________

 

 

Hi Pam

how are you? There are 2 questions I want to ask you.
1. What was your first pony's name?
2. I've been a member for about a month now, but when I ride my pony all I can do is ride around the paddock. I can't go on any trails. How do I get trails?
from Stevie25
P.S. I hope you can help me.
P.P.S. I'm a BIG fan!!!

 

Dear Pony Pal Stevie25

 

I don’t remember when I rode my first pony – it was probably mom’s horse a long time ago. I will ask my mom. There have always been a lot of ponies here because my mom teaches so much. I will ask her who my "first" pony was. I can't remember when I wasn't sitting on a horse or pony, with my mom when I was really, really little.

 

My mom says that a lot of great new stuff will be in the trail riding game. It is not connected to the paddock yet. With Pony Pals all over the world now, the Webmaster wants to make sure that ClubPonyPals trail will play on as many different computers as possible. But it will be ready soon.

 

Thanks for being so patient and a big fan, too. It is cool to have so many new visitors to Wiggins.

 

Pony Pals,

 

 

 

 

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