Our program is called PonyPros because we teach kids to develop horses. We are the “pony professionals.” In this video, you’ll see what an awesome job our students can do starting colts. For this year’s field trip to Mt. Dragon Pony Acres, we brought 8 students ages 9-15 and started colts and broodmares ages 3-11.

Sion is a 3 year old Section B Welsh. He was started by 11 year old Maddie during our 3 day field trip to the Evans breeding farm. Sion had never been ridden or ground trained other than the 3 days we were there last year. The Evans ponies are taught to stand tied as foals and get their feet trimmed but are otherwise unhandled. Sion and Maddie were able to do phenomenal things together. The footage in the video above was taken over our 3 day visit.

Last year, June 2010, PonyPros spent 3 days working with Sion as a 2 year old. At that time, 13 year old Elizabeth did ground work with him, had him carry a saddle, and sat on him. Then a year later, August 2011, Maddie, age 11, gave Sion a colt start, riding him bareback, then saddled. Maddie rode him at a walk, trot, and canter as you see in this video. Sion was handsome, loving, and playful. Maddie also rode Sion through water and trotted a small jump (we don’t jump 3 years olds, but it gave him an object to step over). Isn’t it great what nice ponies and kids can do with proper guidance?

Here is a video of Sion’s interactions last year as a 2 year old:

This field trip was a total experiment. Normally we have the kids do a ton of groundwork first but nowadays they’re pretty good riders and we wanted to see what ridden work we could accomplish. This year, we set the goal of having each kid trot a jump on their pony in full tack by the end of the 2.5 days. In part, we wanted to see if more traditional photos and video would better help the breeder find homes for her ponies in this tough market. In the past we’ve done footage with balls and tarps and bareback riding in more of a NH style.

To start the colts, what we did this year was basically go out there and ride them. We had the kids hop next to them, lay on them like a surf board, then turn them left/right and back up using the reins on the ground, tap lightly with a crop to teach a go forward cue, then hop on. All 8 kids were trotting their ponies by the end of the second 2 hour session. 3 of the 8 kids were cantering their ponies by the 3rd session – proof positive that a natural approach can be successful even when a traditional outcome is needed.

The PonyPros tell you how to develop communication and relationship with your pony using the terrain of your natural environment. Great video for kids and pony-lovers!

Photos from our awesome field trip to work with youngstock at Evans Welsh. We took 2 coaches, 3 moms, 9 girls ages 8-13, and colt started 11 ponies and did halter training with 7 yearlings.

The PonyPros give an overview of their 3 day colt starting process with Evans Caron, an 11’2h, 3 year old Sec B Welsh mare. Kali discusses the various exercises that went into the process and how everything came together so Caron could have a great first experience with being ridden.

PonyPros took 9 youth PonyPros, ages 8-13 to Mt. Dragon Pony Acres! On this field trip, each of the young PonyPros started a colt and worked with a yearling on ground skills. It was a very successful and exciting trip!

Mt. Dragon, home of the “Evans” prefix, is a premier Welsh breeding farm, featuring stock imported from the Netherlands, Scotland, Wales, Great Britain, Canada, and all across the US. Their ponies range in size from 11h-14h, with most being 12-13h. Mt. Dragon Pony Acres is in Joseph, Oregon, a great location for all kinds of outdoors adventures in various micro-climates!