Sierra

I love this picture of N and Sierra. N is being a very irresponsible rider. She has been sitting watching a clinician for so long she is stretching her legs, while chatting with her best bud A. She doesn't have a hold of the reins. She's basically being a kid. lol. Sierra is a black and white horse/pony we picked up for N to ride in the fall of 2002. She was so striking. We would always get lots of comments on her. N loved her SO much. This picture is taken at a clinic we went to the spring after we bought her. You can't tell from the picture, but she is VERY over weight in this picture. She was what is called an "easy keeper". The second winter we had her I gave her about a flake of hay a day and she survived quite well. Most horses take much more than that, especially in the climate we live in.




This is a picture of N doing barrels with her. If you notice N is looking in a different direction that Sierra. After the first few months we noticed she didn't really LIKE to run barrels. We were trying everything we could think of to calm her down. She would practice fine at home, but once we got to the show she would fight N in the arena. At one show N actually got thrown into a fence. Sierra went to the trainers after that and fought her as well.




The 2004 season had us using her for poles, barrels and plug but by the fall she was used just in one class. Junior Pony Plug. The class consisted of anyone 16 years or younger riding a pony (measured) into the arena, around a barrel and out. In the picture about you N is the middle girl, S the smaller and myself - well, duh - the mom. N and Sierra took Grand Champion in the class at the year end awards. N was very happy, but it was a bittersweet award, as the decision had to be made whether to keep the horse and switch to trail riding only, or sell her and find a more suitable horse to run speed events.

N decided to sell her, and after about 6 months we sold her to a nice lady who drove by and stopped to see if she was for sale. She liked how she looked in the field. She is now used as a true pony. She spends hours walking around on a halter while kid after kid ride her. She is happy and N is happy for her.