>>> I agree with Anneliese, Skjoni is a very well-adjusted guy.  He's
unflappable on the trail, speeds up, maintains gait, and slows down when you
ask.

I forget sometimes how many people on the list have met and/or ridden Skjoni
and many of my other horses.  Anneliese and Cherie have ridden him.  Judy
rode him when he was in California, on layover, awaiting a hauler.  I can’t
remember if Laree actually rode him, but she certainly rode with Cary and
him on the trails.  I can’t remember if Trish rode him, but I think Cary
rode him on the trails once when she rode one of the others.  Christine
Schwartz rode him when he was with them. Sue rode him, at least in the ring
once.  Sue and Cherie were with us in the mountains when Cary rode him
almost 20 miles, with Skjoni leading most of the way for the lesser trail
experienced Kolur and Brenna.

I only remember Skjoni having one faux pas since he’s been here.  Some of
you remember that we sold him once (ok, *I* sold him, with Cary’s supposed
approval, but he was not happy when I actually did it) to our good friend.
To be perfectly straightforward with her, I told her what I’d been told:
that his prior owner had actually bailed off him many times – even though we
had no clue as to why.  I told her about it in an attempt at full
disclosure, even though we’d had him for almost a year and he’d NEVER done
anything remotely silly or dangerous with any of us.  My friend was riding
him in the ring here once when she sort of panicked.  She grabbed with her
legs, and having the good accelerator that he does, he sped up.  She
squeezed harder, and he kept going.  It was in the ring, she stayed on, so
nothing really happened even that time.    So, honestly, I blame even that
incident on his undeserved reputation from before we bought him.  I probably
should have never told her what I’d been told – I don’t know...  While my
friend owned him, about 8 months, her grandkids rode him, with no incidents.
She rode him on the trail and even took him to a little local show once or
twice. When she decided to sell him (she sold several of her horses to cut
back) Cary could barely wait until the words were out of her mouth that she
wanted to sell him before he said, I want him back.  It’s been close to
three years since he first came here, so I doubt he has many secrets left.
Barring bad health or some personal catastrophe, we’ll never sell him again.

Karen Thomas
[EMAIL PROTECTED]



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