>>> Gat is the perfect mount for Alex--solid, dependable, hard-working--and they have a good relationship, so Alex won't have to worry about her horse, her jitters will only be from being a first-timer. I think she'll have a great time, and I hope Gat has a good time too.
That's the spirit - you're so right! I think I've told you that my daughter and her Arab proved to have a lot of talent - both of them - and they ended up winning a lot of ribbons and trophies over a period of a few years. But, I would gladly have traded most of the wins for a solid, dependable, and FUN horse at the beginning. We were lucky enough to find someone to help us with him and before too long he became a good safe kid's horse, in addition to having talent, but I wouldn't go through some of those initial scares again for anything. Life's just too short to spend time being stressed out when it's avoidable. As much as we love Thunder, and as proud as I am of their accomplishments, if I could turn back the clock, I would have bought her a more Falki-like horse for her "show pony." In the children's hunter classes a judge SHOULD give the horse/rider pair some credit for a good workmanship attitude, and the horse should get points for being safe and dependable. From the videos you've sent, I'd say that Gat more than compensates for her sometimes less-than-pure trot with those qualities...and those qualities are quite important to us moms. :) I hope they have fun...and if she places sometimes, that's just gravy. :) Karen Thomas, NC -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 269.5.2/766 - Release Date: 4/18/2007 7:39 AM "The greatest enemy of the truth very often is not the lie- deliberate, contrived and dishonest -- but the myth -- persistent, persuasive and unrealistic." "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer [] The video every Icelandic Horse owner should have: http://IceHorses.net/video.html [] Lee Ziegler http://leeziegler.com [] Liz Graves http://lizgraves.com [] Lee's Book Easy Gaited Horses http://tinyurl.com/7vyjo [] IceHorses Map http://www.frappr.com/IceHorses [] IceHorses ToolBar http://iceryder.ourtoolbar.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IceHorses/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IceHorses/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
