Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Do you remember your first pony? Well, that is for those of you who were lucky enough to have had one it's a dream come true ... hmm ... dream or nightmare?
But what exactly is a pony - a small horse with short legs? Yes, true. The official definition of a pony is a small horse that measures less than 14.2 hands (58inches or 147cms) at the withers; horses are 14.2 or taller, although there are some variations.
When you think of a pony what springs to mind? A cute, little fluffy thing with your even cuter child sitting sweetly on top? Lovely, but there is a whole lot more to ponies. Do you know there are nearly 100 different breeds of ponies and that there is one called the Zemaitukas or Hokkaido pony? No, neither did I.
Ponies must not be confused with miniature horses as they are a completely different thing.
So, as I say, for many children owning a pony is a dream come true. However, that dream can quickly become a nightmare if the pony becomes spoiled. Ponies are generally considered intelligent and friendly, although they can also be 'stubborn, naughty and devious'.
But, the difference of opinion is often the result of the individual pony's degree of proper training - or lack of it! People, including some trainers, sometimes let ponies get away with being naughty because they are so 'cute'.
Without proper training ponies quickly learn bad habits. All children who are around ponies should be taught how to handle bad habits, and learn to be consistent when teaching a pony that bad habits are unwanted - however, this can be hard as children generally have the attention span of a pea!
If you are thinking of buying a pony, have a good look at it first. If it's being sold very cheaply, ask yourself, why? Don't take on someone else's problem.
The best advice here is to take an experienced trainer with you. Initially don't take the child as they will simply want the prettiest or cutest - you don't, you want a safe and reliable pony!
A pony that is 15 or 20 is not too old, and the advantage here is you can buy a well trained pony that may have been round the block a few times. But that does not mean he will actually look after your precious child.
Don't just go and look at the pony once, go several times. Take the pony on a trial basis, although this may not always be allowed, or possible. If you can't, once you have found your potential pony, take the child along and ensure he/she can ride and handle the pony.
Look out for any bad habits - like biting and kicking - that could have been masked previously.
See if you can catch the pony and tack it up; see how the pony reacts to you when you groom it, will he allow you to pick up his feet, for example?
See how the pony behaves in his stable. You are buying an animal for a child and, as with children, you need to know your pony has good manners, as well as being safe and reliable. Ponies are quick to learn bad, as well as, good things. Once at home, you need to establish boundaries and rules.
All of us like to pamper our pets, but keep the giving of treats as a reward for good behaviour, or if you simply want to give a treat do it in the pony's feed bucket. You will be teaching your pony to barge and bite if you give him treats every time you see him.
Also, be careful how many treats you give. It is potentially dangerous to overfeed a pony as it can lead to serious health problems.
However, it is also very important to nurture the relationship between your child and his/her pony.
Ponies are so very versatile, and are used in all equestrian disciplines, dressage, jumping, gymkhanas; they are used for pretty much anything, but above all to enjoy and have fun on.
If you are considering buying a pony, perhaps you should first consider leasing one. It gives all the benefits of ownership without the liability and expense, an excellent way of teaching your child how to look after a pony. In Bahrain, most of the riding stables offer a leasing option for both horses and ponies, and it's well worth discussing this with the stable owner.
It often happens someone has a pony they have grown out of, that they don't want to sell. Another common occurrence here is when children go off overseas to school, leasing becomes an ideal choice for both parties.
So, dreams come true.
Personally, I had to wait a very long time before I was lucky enough to have one of my own, in fact, not until I came here to Bahrain ... Although it does go to prove dreams can come true even when you're not a child any more! On that note, I'm off to ride my horse.
