CARING FOR YOUR PONY
By: Sydney, 10, TX (AKA Cheyennes_Pride)

Every young horseback rider dreams of having a pony, or a horse, in their lifetime. Here are a few tips for caring for your horse or pony.

• Don’t be scared or angry around your pony. Ponies pick up on emotions quickly, and may spook or feel challenged and bite.
   
• Be sure to check your pony’s girth or cinch RIGHT before you mount. Sometimes ponies puff up when tightening the cinch/girth.
   
• WARM UP YOUR PONY PROPERLY! A stiff pony will do no good in the show ring, so be sure to warm up your pony.
   
• If your pony bucks, do NOT punish it. Your saddle may fit badly, or you may have tightened his girth/cinch too much.
   
• If a pony takes off on you, DO NOT grab his neck. You will lose balance and fall off. Get good balance, grab one rein tightly, and pull your horse in a tight circle as hard as you can. Horses cannot run while turning their head!

I hope this info helps you and your pony!

HORSES AND THEIR WAYS
By: caroline, 9, KY (aka horselover)

Horses are very unpredictable. You never know what they will do but they are really fun to watch and ride. The first time I rode a horse I didn’t want to get off.

I ride two fantastic quarter horses. One is named Trigger and the other is named Obie. I ride Trigger most of the time and she is a beautiful Palomino Quarter Horse. She has a mind of her own and sometimes doesn’t listen, but I still love her. Obie is a retired National Barrel Racing Horse. He is old but still has a lot of heart in him.

My trainer’s name is Brittney. She is a wonderful trainer. She was the one that taught me how to go around the barrels and it took me a while but she didn’t care, I think she is happy that I am there with her training with her horses.

One day my goal is to become a professional barrel racer like my trainer Brittany. I want to travel all around the country just to barrel race. The reason that I love barrel racing is that you get to gallop really fast around three barrels. I love the speed of a horse when it runs, gallops, canters, or trots. I hope you will like my Pets/Animals story.