Ski-Joring!

So we just had a blast with Lilly pulling Evie in her sled all over the beanfield. While Mimi's work pulling Evie was much appreciated, it still meant Mom had to trek through the snow to lead the wee pony. Evie doesn't tire quickly from sled rides and Mimi and I were getting tired.

And it was then that I wondered: "Hmmm, wonder if Lilly would cooperate?"

A 15-minute training session and I had a fully ready "sled-joring" horse!

Mind you, Lilly came here just last fall not having been ridden even ONCE in over 10 years, since she was a baby. She had the typical stock horse broodmare resume that was "60 days of riding as a two-year-old" and had been making babies since then (how many times have you seen that in an auction catalog?).

But Lilly had two huge things in her favor: #1-She was started by Dale Simanton, mastermind behind the Gate to Great/Horse Creek Thoroughbreds. And #2-She had been the only non-Thoroughbred Dale had owned for the last several years because she was, well, Lilly. She is just truly great horse to be around. He knew, without question, that she would make a great family horse for us and so with her breeding career behind her, she came to live at Dalarna Farm.

And under saddle, Lilly has never been anything but perfect. She loves to go places and her only saddle "vice" is that she has reverse "barn sourness"--she pulls to leave and gets slow and stodgy when she realizes you want to go home.

She is actually easier for Evie to ride than Mimi because she listens better--she is so kind, so patient and so careful with Evie on her back. Lilly IS the perfect horse...for all reasons and all seasons!

Moral of the Story: Every horse, even green-broke former broodmares, have something to offer! And some, like Lilly, have a whole LOT to offer!