Let's face it. Everyone loves my pony. And why not? His color and build makes him stand out everywhere we go. When people get around him and get to know his personality, he's totally in his element. Kat loves attention and plays it up to get it from whoever he can.
Naturally when we changed barns a few months ago, he has again been the center of attention. Part of this is because there are a few families at the barn with kids. The kids adore him and he adores them too, but he is not a 'kids pony' in any sense of the words. You might be asking "What does she mean by that?"
Kat has always been good around kids from the time he was a baby. When I bought him all those years ago, we figured his age was around 6 months old. My daughter was still young and would go in his stall armed with a brush and a hoof pick. She had this thing about cleaning hooves and he would stand there patiently while she did each one. He soaked it all in while she brushed him head to toe.
Last week at the barn I was approached by one of the women that boards there. I have yet to figure out why she even has a horse. She has other boarders feed him, turn him out, bring him in and she only cleans his stall when he's not in it. She also doesn't ride him so the horse has quite the easy life when you think about it.
She told me that the kids at the barn would love it if I brought the cart out and drove them all around on it. I told her that's exactly why I DON'T bring it out. She looked at me a little puzzled by that statement. Then she starts asking if he is trained to be ridden and if I have a saddle for him? No and No. I have had kids on him and while he never did anything wrong, he has made it clear every time that he didn't really care for the idea, so that's that.
Her last statement on the idea was that "It's to bad the kids at the barn don't get to play with your pony, ride him and enjoy him."
I just agreed with her that "Yes, it's too bad." There's no point in going any further in the discussion with someone like that. He's my pony and Kat has more than earned his keep. If I never drive him again (which is up to me) and all he does is eat and shit to live out his days, so be it.
My friend from the last barn was asking "Why is it all of a sudden Your responsibility to entertain everyone else's kids? He's a competition pony, not a kids pony! Obviously she's clueless. Besides that, Kat is such a cool pony because of all the work and training you put into him. Why let them ruin that and him? "
I'm sure she will try suggesting this again. When she does, I'm just going to flip the conversation on her. If she thinks the kids at the barn should have a horse to ride and enjoy- Why don't she let them use hers? Besides- their parents each have a horse, why aren't they riding them?
