Pass Them On

Pony Pro Hadley Vandermyde recently purchased her new pony Tutti Fruity. We have now seen this pony succeed with three young riders over the past five years. When you have the pony that will give multiple riders the confidence, courage and skills to grow and continue, LET THEM!

If you’ve been into the horse and pony world long enough, you’ve had the opportunity to experience that special one - the heart horse. The one that gave you the confidence to continue and grow, the one you never want to let go. But you really should consider letting them go!

Too often, we hear about THAT pony - the one who did all those things for you or your child. The next thing we often hear is, "we're never going to let that pony leave." This makes us sad to hear. Unless the pony has fulfilled its ability to continue, we want to ask you, why you're making that choice? Is it really for the pony?

As your child moves up the ladder, are they really going to give that pony, who is now a pasture pet, the attention it deserves? Are you going to notice when the pony gets fat, sassy or potentially founders because it's not getting conditioned or used anymore? Is that really the life a good pony deserves?

By making the choice to retire the pony who isn't ready to be retired, are you maybe robbing another child the opportunity to feel the special magic a pony like yours can provide?

By choosing to keep this pony, are you really teaching your own children who have outgrown them the process and the circle that keeps this industry going?

What would have happened if the owner before you had chosen to keep the pony as a pasture pet? Wouldn't your child have missed out?

What joy are you robbing the next person of? Not to mention the joy that you feel when you see the next person succeeding? What about this life lesson alone...teaching your children how to give back, let go and cheer for the next person? That can be a hard one.

What about your pony, IF they are still capable, who loves it's job, loves kids and still has plenty of life left in them? Is it maybe a disservice to that pony to not keep it's joints lubricated and it's mind going?

Maybe selling the pony is the best option for you. Maybe you're not comfortable with letting the pony go, as we know there are lots of unknowns and we loose control once the pony is someone else's ownership. What if you did some lessons, leased the pony or made another kind of arrangement with a family that had a good reputation who you trusted to take care of the pony? You can include a contract that gives you the ability to bring the pony home if you feel any kind of neglect. Maybe you do this for a fee, maybe you just do it for free.

When the horse that brought me back my confidence and taught me to win again at the Pro level no longer could compete, I gave him to a family that use him for high school rodeo for a few years with the agreement that when they were done, he came back to my house. They took GREAT care of him. Did they do everything exactly like I would have, no, but they took great care of him and I got to experience watching him help the next person like he did me.

I also had one of those oldie but goodies when I was little. His name was Wheels. An 18 year-old retired barrel horse. He'd seen the sights and heard the noise. As a peewee rider, he taught me how to stay present when I rode. Without that horse, I couldn't have ridden the next retired pro barrel horse that went blind in one eye and got too slow for the big shows. That horse taught me how to win at the youth level. The list goes on with rope horses, goat horses, etc. Without people willing to "pass them on", the Performance Pony Company likely wouldn't be here today, because I probably would have taken an entirely different path in life. It really does start with just one special pony.

That's why we know its important to find ways to pass them on. The industry is booming in some ways and shrinking in others. Because of the costs, less and less horses and ponies are getting bred than in the past. Less people are involved in rodeo and the horse industry. Less kids are breaking and riding ponies to get them to that stage where they're really good. So if we can find ways that keep our ponies safe but allow the next generation to experience the magic of a good one, I really want to encourage you to consider it.

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand getting attached to an animal. I completely understand retiring one that is old, crippled, unhappy and can't continue to perform comfortably or safely. But it's really important to ask ourselves WHY are we really keeping them and what joy, lessons and opportunities could we bring the next person if we let that pony go?

So please, if you have one of those special ponies "retired" in the pasture, pull them out, put a few rides on them and let them go on to the next rider, however you see fit.

Haiden Spray from Oskaloosa, IA riding Tutti Fruity. Her family purchased Tutti from another family who used her for high school rodeo. This pony gave Haiden the confidence she needed to go from a cautious, timid, slow lope rider to a full blown hustle to win cowgirl. Now that she's outgrown Tutti, she's passed her on to a younger cowgirl and Pony Pro, Hadley Vandermyde! We are so thankful she made that tough decision and she is too!