Vote for your favorite caption for this cartoon--

Write a caption for this --

Can you write the winning funny caption for this cartoon? Deadline is Thursday before the next newsletter issue. Email it to Contests@clubponypals.com

Look for the entries in the next issue's e-newsletter and vote for your favorite.

Winning caption gets 500 bucks, runners-up get 100 W bucks each. Captions should be short.

or draw a cartoon --

We are looking for cartoon artists, too. Draw one and email it to us by Thursday.

If it is selected, you can earn 500 Wiggins bucks! Hint -- for this contest, please draw your cartoon in black and white. If you want to enter, send your art to Contests@ClubPonyPals.com or mail it to:

Club Pony Pals
16654 Soledad Canyon Road #382
Canyon Country, CA 91387 USA

Envelope Art Contest! Win 100 Wiggins Bucks!

by Tamikia

by Lily5

by Gracielou0422

By Nyx

About my cat, died Nov 16 2009

You’re small, oh so small
So beautiful and weak
But in a month you’re oh so strong
You run around and leap

I touched your soft fur
But then you ran away
Where there was too much noise
You were gone for 4 whole days
Then I could always pet you

Your eyes are changing
From blue to green
And they dazzle in the light
You look at me with those sweet eyes
Full of love, kindness, need

You helped me recover from a bad experience
And I wasn’t afraid of cats anymore
You loved me, needed me, and always listened to me.

But then I got new games
And I saw you less and less each day
I will always regret the dreadful day
When you passed away.

I walk around and see you lying on the ground
I walk over and pet
Your soft fur
“Wake up Sunny” I say
But you don’t move.

I cry and cry and cry
“Its all my fault!” I scream
If I had known I would’ve
Been with you more

And every day
I still remember
When you were small, oh so small

This really happened to me. I had a phobia of cats before I saw Sunny.
The moral of this life story is
“You never know what you got until it’s gone.”

EagleGirl's Clicker Club Training Column

In the last column we talked about some things we can do during the wintertime, when the weather is cold!  We specifically talked about teaching our ponies "head down".  This a relaxing position, and can help calm an anxious pony. It should definitely be something every pony learns.  Before you get started, bear in mind that teaching "head down" is not something you will teach all in one session.  You will teach it very gradually, perhaps only working a few minutes a day.  You can do it while grooming your pony, or while just standing and "visiting" with him.  Or you can incorporate it into your regular clicker training session. 

There are several ways you can work on this, and ideally you should eventually use all of them.  My Welsh mule will put his head down when I apply gentle pressure to his poll.  I am working to help him lower his head when I touch the crest of his neck.  Another way to cue this is to have your pony follow your hand downward.  If you have already worked on targeting with your pony, then you are ready to begin this.  If not, you will need to teach your pony to target first. 

When using a target, you will gradually move the target lower and lower until your pony will follow it all the way down to the ground, clicking and treating each time he touches it.  Once his head is down, you will gradually increase the length of time before you click and treat.  It's probably best to have a long target, so you don't have to bend over in order to get it all the way down.  You can, however, use whatever target your pony is accustomed to, and you can bend or squat slightly if you can safely do that around your pony.  (But do be sure to eventually teach your pony to work with multiple targets.)  You can use your imagination when looking for a target.  A few things that come to mind are:  a plumber's friend (a. k. a. "plunger" - use a new, clean one!); a stick or yardstick with a paper stuffed sock slipped down over the end and secured with rubber bands; a flexible cat toy; etc.  Think about some of the things you could use as a long target, and write in to the Clicker Club and share your ideas! 

Before you begin, think about what your end goal is, to have your pony lower his head in response to a target.  Then break it down into tiny steps.  What needs to happen first?  Obviously he needs to be trained to touch or follow a target.  But once you have done that, think about the very first step in having him lower his head.  You will probably decide that you need to place the target below his muzzle a bit, and click as soon as his head lowers even a little.  If you continue to click for this, he will begin to offer the behavior more and more readily.  You will gradually move the target lower and lower. 

I find that when I am working, my mule does not always have the same picture in his head as I do.  In other words, I may think that I know the next step, but he will tell me in no uncertain terms that I have missed something.  How does he do this?  Simple.  He doesn't respond the way I thought he was going to.  So I have to observe him to determine what the next step might be.  I back up to the last point in which he was successful, i. e. when he did what I was looking for, then I work to repeat that success and reinforce the behavior.  When we are ready to move on, I take an even smaller step than I had previously attempted. 

You can also teach a pony to lower his head in response to gentle pressure on the lead or reins.  Again, you will move in very tiny steps, reinforcing each one until your pony has "got it", then taking the next little step.  You may find as you work that, just like my mule, your pony has a different idea of what he is supposed to do than you do.  When this happens, you will need to adjust your thinking and your actions.  You could be either moving too quickly, or giving unclear signals.  You might be missing some "baby steps" in the process.  Or he could just not be ready for what you are asking, for various reasons.  My mule was very fearful, so his training progressed much differently than a normal animal's would have.  You will need to let your pony guide you so that you can take the steps that he needs in order to reach your goal. 

To repeat, I want you to remember that the key to your being successful is OBSERVATION.  OBSERVE your pony.  Pay attention to what he does, and does not do.  Pay attention to his ears, his eyes, his nostrils, his tail, his muscles, his skin.  He will let you know if he is ready for what you are asking.  If he is not, back up to the last point at which he was successful, and work from there.  The most powerful tool you have in clicker training is not your clicker.  It is your powers of observation.  Use these well, and there is nothing you and your pony cannot accomplish together. 

Until then, happy clicking!
EagleGirl

Member Photo Gallery

from BuzzKiller

My cat is called Sylvester and he loves his photo being taken. The green bird is called BB (you say it Bib-Bee) and the blue on is Bobby they love watching me play CPP! And riding breyers!

from Keely

Abby, a new horse at my stable

Peanut

from Misspippy

Slew laying down in his stall in the morning :)

As I promised, the triple crown winners (Seattle Slew)'s grandson, Slew:)
I love him, and he loves the camera!

This is Barney, the FATTEST cat on earth. He suffered brain trauma after having an incident with a horse, in which he was kicked in the head:(. So know hes a bit loopy, and eats like there is no tomorrow. There are 2 other barn cats, but they were in the loft, and there was no way I could get up the ladder with a camera :)

Member Art Gallery

Harley the Horse
A Cartoon series by Nat2

by Vada Gandee 8021

The Western Adventurers Club

Western Adventurer's Club

by Maid Mairain


Click to Join the club on CPP

Our club has a new winning postcard in the gift catalog!
Send one to a pal today!

 

Dear Pony Pals Send in your photos, stories and drawings for our contests. e-mail them to Contests@ClubPonyPals.com or mail it to: Club Pony Pals 16654 Soledad Canyon Road #382 Canyon Country, CA 91387 USA The first printing of collectable stickers is almost gone. Get yours now, if you want a sticker and bookmark make sure and include a mailing address where we can send it. Please include your user name and the email address you used to register in your letter, too. Webmaster

 

Play These Games to Earn Wiggins Bucks

 

Play these to earn bucks! Each issue of the newsletter, the highest scoring

Scavenger Hunt
Winner gets 3000 Wiggins bucks,
next nine members scores below that get 500 bucks each.

 

 

Katy Rose

glitterific

AvantGarde

MaKK

shinabella

nippenose

baileyandscout

myhorseluv

Danielle Rose

OgleFarmGirl

PegasusRider

 

Pony Pal Derby
Race your pony to earn Wiggins bucks!
Each issue of the newsletter, the derby game's highest scoring player
earns 3000 Wbucks.
500 Wbucks goes to each of the next nine highest scores.

 

KateriAnne

RogueMustangMare

famoushorse101

polonut

huntereqprincess18

jazobott

Nat2

LillyLee

Artemis7

chelsea2

HannahAnna123

 

Math Games
High scoring players in addition,
subtraction or multiplication earn 500 Wiggins bucks,
next nine players who have high scores earn 100 bucks each.

 

Add Like Mad

wombat165

Nat2

Gypsy_Horse

KerBlang

Blily1234

Oxy

iloveponie

lolits99

biebs

jazobott

 

 

Subtraction Action

wombat165

ilovebantam

ziola

momomomomo

GoodSavannah

Danielle Rose

MaKK

horseponylover2000

Felina

taragrace

 

 

Multiplication Station

Paint The Wind

Gypsy_Horse

Vampgirl91

Allison365

gwenrenton

Chronixx

elliebear8

iloveponie

momomomomo

ilovebantam

This Issue's Cross Country Course Winners:

Cross Country North

Roczyrocz

9371

Holly777

mdo17

horseponylover2000

Cross Country South

cowgirl9400

mdo17

Healer

Emma12990

Mistywind9988

 

Pony Pal Thoughts for the Day:

"Home is where the horse is"
~ Britnie

_____________________

"Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that we don't just love horses for riding, we love them for who they are and that when we ride them we dont just ride them we borrow their freedom and their spirit. "
~ Whiskywoo and Lizzy1

_______________________

"A simple thing in life does not include a horse. A horse is a responsibility which soon turns into hard Work. If a horse owner is not prepared, That horse won't be either"
~ Shinabella