Princess was given to me by a friend who raises Welsh ponies and wanted princess to go to a good home. Princess is a Fell/Cross and was not getting as much attention and time as she deserved. I was looking for a companion for my gelding Tempa, so Princess came home the same day Tempa did. Dec. 17, 2001.
Princess was extremely fat when she came home. She had been living for about 8 years at the farm, eating lots of grass, and unfortunately foundering as much as twice a year. She was also in the sun alot so instead of being black, she was orange
Here she is a few days after being home.
This is what i dealt with the first spring she was home. She had to be clipped. Can we say Cushings pony?
After being clipped and losing some weight over the winter.
she was so fat and had so much fur. it was obvious that she needed a different life style and diet. She has a dry lot here and I control what she eats, which was definitely needed in her case. She got barely any grazing, time, but some as she also needed to be out for exercise. Her owner claims she rarely if ever saw her gallop.
here she is getting a little grazing time with Tempa and then enjoying a good gallop
The new diet and dry lot in combo with exercise has done well for Princess. The vet is very pleased that she sheds out completely on her own.
Princess is a good girl. Well trained. She can pull a cart, she can be ridden bareback and with just a halter and lead rope and the only thing I've found that she does not like and spooks just barely at is the flash on a camera. She loves to lick people and give you kisses if you bend down near her mouth. And she loves to stick her tongue out at you when you are taking a picture
Princess also loves to wear her hay on her head and will parade around with it.
I was worried how Princess would react when I was forced to put Tempa down in the winter of 2009. They had always been together, even if during the past 8 months she and Tempa had been separated by fence so that i could control what Tempa was eating. She was depressed for some time and would spend alot of time by Trouble's paddock. Then suddenly this amazing personality sprouted that didn't shine nearly as much when Tempa was there. Suddenly I received very enthusiastic greetings from her at all times of the day. I'd see her bucking and running around when it was windy or she was feeling good. She took naps when she felt like it.
She had become content, without Tempa and suddenly her and I developed a similar bond to what Tempa and I had. She was no longer the pony only interested in eating. She wanted to be scratched and loved.
I bought her a new lighter saddle. English instead of western. And her and I have enjoyed several rides together.
While Princess is not as energetic as tempa was or as lean and beautiful. She is special in her own way and am I forever grateful of my friend to give me this wonderful pony.
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