SubscribeGift a Sub
Enable cache 100

HI Spy: Share your pony tales.

Are they angelic creatures who make wonderful teachers for aspiring young riders? Or are they more like the devil in disguise, just waiting to nip your sleeve, step on your foot or dump you in the dirt? If you haven’t guessed, we’re talking about ponies. Whether they’re good little ponies with hearts of gold or conniving critters who take advantage of unsuspecting humans, ponies have left their tiny hoofprints in the lives of many horse lovers. 



“My parents couldn’t afford to buy me a nice horse when I was a kid,” recalls Brenda Springer of Mesa, Arizona, “so I ended up with this barely broke, half-Arab pony cross named Shamrock that was maybe 14 hands. When I think back, it was totally the wrong thing for my parents to do, to just turn me loose with this wild pony. Thank goodness he was so small because it wasn’t far to the ground! After I’d come off about a dozen times my parents wised up and got me some lessons with a trainer and, amazingly enough, Shammy and I ended up showing in western pleasure and trail. We went from a couple of ragamuffins to winning a lot of ribbons. I must say, Shammy really taught me how to ride. When I outgrew him, it broke my heart to sell him. No matter how many great horses I’ve had, I’ll always love that little guy.”



Another benevolent soul was a pinto pony named Ladybug, who became a local legend on California’s A-rated show circuit. A suburban family bought her for just a few hundred dollars from a seedy nighttime auction. Once she was clipped and fattened up, little Ladybug blossomed into a fancy pony. She seemed perfectly happy to be ridden. When asked to jump, she did so in fashionable style. She even learned flying lead changes without hesitation. Eventually she ended up winning numerous pony hunter championships and endearing herself to a succession of loving families.

But for every Shamrock and Ladybug there’s a pony like Mikey who, the story goes, would lie down in the middle of a riding lesson if he became bored. Or Lulu who’d be gleefully galloping down the trail, only to stop suddenly and dive her head into the grass, thereby tossing her rider over her head. Every pony, it seems, is special in its own memorable way.

Which type of pony have you known? Whether it was a good pony or a bad pony—or somewhere in between—we’d like hear your special pony tale for this installment of HI Spy. Just click on Submit a Comment below. Some of the responses will appear in a future issue of Horse Illustrated.

See more HI Spy Questions.

Cindy Hale

Cindy Hale’s life with horses has been filled with variety. As a child she rode western and learned to barrel race. Then she worked as a groom for a show barn, and was taught to harness and drive Welsh ponies. But once she’d taken her first lessons aboard American Saddlebreds she was hooked on English riding. Hunters and hunt seat equitation came next, and she spent decades competing in those divisions on the West Coast. Always seeking to improve her horsemanship, she rode in clinics conducted by world-class riders like George Morris, Kathy Kusner and Anne Kursinski. During that time, her family began raising Thoroughbred and warmblood sport horses, and Cindy experienced the thrills and challenges of training and showing the homebred greenies. Now retired from active competition, she’s a popular judge at local and county-rated open and hunter/jumper shows. She rides recreationally both English and western. Her Paint gelding, Wally, lives at home with her and her non-horsey husband, Ron.

View Comments

  • I dont own a horse or pony but when I get to be around them at the stable i work/ride at i see how they are truly diffrent then big horses. I love them so much. I see how they know they are cute and they show off. I think they are even maybe cooler then horses. I realy love how they act cute and cudly but yet realy nuaghty and stinkers. So they are there own kind.

  • The barn at I ride at will always remember Penelope. She was a pony probably around 13hh. She was the sweetest animal on earth. Penelope would stand still while six kids groomed her circling around her. My favorite memory is sticking post it notes on her for the appropriate body part. We stuck one with the word hock on it on her hock and one on her dock. We even stuck one on her muzzle. Unfortunately Penelope had to be put down over the summer. R.I.P.

  • My first pony was bought by my grandma, against my dads wishes. I fell in love at first site. He was extremely overweight and a shagy little shetland pony. He had to go on a diet, which he did not like at all, so we could ride him. He turned out to be a stubborn, willful little pony. He would drag me and my sister everywhere, I was afraid to let go on the thought he would run away and I would never get another pony. Rusty was a great riding pony. He taught me alot, I taught him a little. I love rusty, and will never forget him. I would not change a thing if I could.

  • My pony, Pixie Dust, is one of the sweetest equines I've ever met. She's easy-going, and seems to love everyone. She always tries hard to please. Even though she is a mare, she never acts mare-ish. I would't trade her for a million dollars.

  • I don't own a horse or pony, but I regularly ride a pony in lessons. She's a 14.1 Arabian mare, and though she acts extremely 'mareish' sometimes, she's a sweetheart and a wonderful jumper! She is definitely my favorite horse at the barn.

  • Our pony, Smokey, is half Shetland and half Gypsy Vanner. He was two years old when we got him, and in the last year and a half, he has learned so much, and proven he is worth his weight in gold when it comes to teaching my two girls (ages 4 and 8) about horsemanship and riding. He is easygoing and responsive, yet capable of extreme stubbornness: a great combination- if at times a frustrating one!

  • The appaloosa pony I normally ride at lessons can be stubborn- planting her head down by the ground, curving towards the inside, wanting to follow the others and socialize. However, she has taught me how to be persistant. Last friday she kept trotting while passing one of her buddies (!) and we had a perfect canter around the arena. I ? U Easy!

  • My first pony, a Fjord, had quite a different agenda then i did. I wanted to explore trails and jump big jumps. He wanted to drag me down the road to the nearest patch of grass. Even with different goals, he helped me master the basics that are essential today with my horses.

  • When I was a teenager my job was to climb on the lesson pony, Tony (Tony the Pony) once in a while and give him a tune-up. He had the bad habit of trying to scrape the kids off on the fence if the lesson got a little long and he got tired. But I have to say, he was very sweet, as long as you weren't riding too close to the fence line!

  • Mathilda, a German riding pony at my riding barn, is a small pony with a big atitude. Her mood seemed to change every five minutes. Sometimes she would slide to a complete stop and flat-out refuse to move even one step. Other times she would start galloping at barrel-racing speed at the slightest touch. Mathilda was a stubborn and challenging pony to ride, but riding her was always a lot of fun. Mathilda taught me confidence and fortidude, I wouldn't be the rider I am today without her.

Recent Posts

Emergency and Natural Disaster Preparedness with Horses

Each year, hurricanes, wildfires, and severe storms force thousands across the country to evacuate their homes. When preparing for a…

7 hours ago

ASPCA Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week: Xanthus

Welcome to Horse Illustrated’s weekly installment of the Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, offered in partnership with the…

1 day ago

Equine Affaire Massachusetts 2024: Four Days Just Isn’t Enough!

The crisp New England autumn air was filled with excitement as Equine Affaire returned to the Eastern States Exposition in…

2 days ago

A Royal Wrap: 2024 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Synopsis

Things have gone quiet now in Toronto at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds on the waterfront of Lake Ontario after…

2 days ago

Vet Adventures: Lady Catherine de Bourgh

It was late on a Saturday when the photo popped up on my phone. It was a laceration at the…

3 days ago

Ultimate Guide to Ulcers

Equine ulcers are a significant concern for many horse owners. Ulcers can affect all types of horses and have a…

1 week ago