My First Pony

By: Kili Crawford

What could possibly be cuter than a child with their first pony? A right of passage for all equestrians, being paired up with your first equine partner is an unforgettable moment. Kissing that first whiskered muzzle, brushing out long flowing locks, and spending afternoons exploring trails are undoubtedly what sparked a long time love affair with horses for many of us.

So, we thought it would be fun to check in with the next generation of the industry as they go through this very important milestone.  First up, we have Jax Weakly with Popcorn. Jax’s mom, and AQHA amateur competitor Kaleena Weekly, began the search for the perfect pony when Jax turned one. Kaleena used the power of social media in an effort to find the perfect pony that would be, “super safe and super cute.”

Thinking back to the previous AQHA World Show, Kaleena remembered a pony that Cooper Smith had brought to the show. Jax had been able to ride the pony and loved it. At the time, it was too early to buy a pony for Jax; but, after a month of no luck in finding a suitable match, she contacted Cooper to see if he knew of another pony that might find a forever home in the Weakly household.  As luck would have it, he did! Cooper connected Kaleena with Angela Dowell, who happened to live close by to the Weakly’s home in Illinois.

Popcorn had been used as a lesson pony, as well as at parades and children’s parties. “Popcorn was perfect,” Kaleena says. Because of all his prior experiences, Popcorn was super safe on top of being very small, and he was an “adorable Paint pony.” Kaleena explains that Popcorn acts more like a dog, letting cats and kids (by accident) walk under him without even flinching, and he follows Jax around like he’s the best thing in the world.  He has even taken Jax to his first rodeo where they walked the barrel and pole pattern while being the “perfect gentleman” for the then 8-month pregnant Kaleena. “We’re blessed and excited to have Popcorn in the family, especially with the arrival of Jax’s sister! I’m sure she will love taking him over!”

Up next is Shade Sheldon Geiger with his pony, Puffwheat Billy. Their story is a little different from Jax and Popcorn, because Puffwheat was in the family before Shade was born. Shade’s mom, Lindsay Geiger, explains that her husband bought Puffwheat as a 2-year-old, for $50, long before they had Shade. Puffwheat was a stallion and very wild at the time, so they gelded him and started handling him almost every day. He has since gained a spot as the barn mascot. When Shade was born and finally met Puffwheat Billy, “it was love at first sight,” Lindsey says. The pony now follows Shade around everywhere, and he lives in their front yard with their miniature bucking bull named Jasper. “Shade rides that pony almost every day,” Lindsey says.

The hardest part about getting Puffwheat broke for Shade was finding small enough tack. For a while, the best they could find was an old English saddle pad, because that’s all that would fit him. Puffwheat Billy is now six years old and has come a long way in the four years the Geiger’s have owned him. “He’s the sweetest little guy ever,” Lindsey says.

Finally, we have Syda with Lollypop. A unique story with a happy ending, these two soul mates had a rough beginning.  While in holding at a slaughter pen, Lollypop, who was blind in one eye, was saved by a local horse rescue. From there, she was adopted out to a lady who used her as a party pony that traveled to kid’s birthdays. Lolly didn’t particularly like this job and was retired and put out to pasture. Meanwhile, Syda was born with a cyst on her lung and suffered from an immune system crash.  Syda’s mom, Heather Hager, had AQHA horses and competed with them as well as being a welcoming face at local, Colorado horse shows. An avid animal lover, Syda found herself unable to go to the barn due to all the dirt. Whenever she did go, the dust would cause her to be sick. As Syda got a little older, her immune system started to get stronger, and the doctor gave her the ok to go back to the barn. Heather decided it was time to get Syda a horse. However, Syda insisted that she didn’t want a big horse; she wanted a pony. At the time, Heather knew of a pony sitting in the field and asked if she could purchase her.  After a few calls, Lollypop became Syda’s new pal.

In an attempt to make Lollypop a surprise, Heather got to the pasture early to catch her and bring her in.  However, Lollypop had other ideas. Untrusting of most adults, she ran away and was impossible to catch. Fast-forward an hour later, Syda and her dad drove up, but Heather had yet to catch Lollypop. Syda jumped out of the truck, ran right up to Heather, and asked, “Which pony is mine?” Heather pointed her out, handed the halter to Syda, and stepped back to watch. Syda proceeded to walk right up to Lollypop and haltered her.  From that day forward, it’s been hard to separate these two.

At this point, Lollypop had very little training, but was very kind and safe for Syda. However, Heather decided that Syda and Lollypop could both benefit from some professional instruction. That’s where AQHA trainer Miya Childers came into the picture. Miya took on the task of training both horse and rider. Because Lollypop was too small for Maya to ride herself, she utilized ground driving to help out. There doesn’t seem to be a single thing that Lollypop won’t do for her little girl. You can find Syda and Lollypop going over bridges that some big horses are scared of as they try to show the big kids how it’s done.

Heather says she often looks outside to see Lollypop and Syda going on their daily walk. “She treats her just like a dog,” Heather says.  Syda now rides Lollypop every day and with her big imagination she cannot wait to compete in “a big race.”  Syda is confident that she and Lollypop will be a great horse racing team! Syda, who is now 5, and Lollypop, who is now 7, will go on to do great things as they have just started to compete.

There is certainly something very special about the unique bond between a child and a pony. They teach each other so much: unconditional love, how to overcome frustration, and how to successfully navigate through life, while balancing work and fun. There’s no limit to what these tiny teams can accomplish when they work together. I know, for one, I cannot wait to see all these little cowgirls and boys in the show pen soon!

Show us a photo of you with your first pony by emailing B.Bevis@EquineChronicle.com.