| Abrazos Adventure Portales New Mexico offering family and individual recreation to Portales, Clovis, Cannon AFB and the surrounding area with horseback riding and lessons Wendy Toombs owner/instructor 575.607.7344 MEET TARGET |
Target is a cross between a pony and a horse. I laughingly refer to him as a
‘porse’. We bought his mom the summer of 2003. The previous owner did not
know she had been bred. In February 2004 her belly began to look really big
and April 3 Target arrived.
His mom had been treated badly and we had to corner her to catch her (still
have problems). The mare has great influence on the baby and that was not a
habit I wanted in him – see a human and run as far as you can. I started what
we refer to as halter breaking as soon as he was born. I would catch mom, tie
her to the fence then work with him. They were penned in a very small area at
the time. By the time he was five weeks old, when I entered the pen mom
would run away and Target would come to me.
Since he didn’t have playmates I put beach balls in with him. He enjoyed
playing with them. There was a feeder hanging on the fence inside the barn
with just enough room underneath to store a ball. After a few days, when I got
ready to feed at night, I found the ball or balls stored under the feeder. He put
his toys away.
Another foal was born that summer (still have her – Goober) and she and
Target roomed together after being weaned (taken away from their moms).
When they were two years old I needed to put them into a group. I told Ray I
wanted to put them in with the mares and he thought I was crazy. They had
lived on the other side of the fence for over a year and all were acquainted. I
tried it and it worked so I have a confused small gelding living with the girls.
I has been interesting to watch the friendship between Target and Goober. It
has lasted even putting them into a large group. They spend at least 50% of
their time together. Tongue in cheek I refer to them as the ‘twins’.
Granddaughter Kelsea had the experience and was a size to ride Target when
he was two years old and needed breaking. I pulled him out and spent a
couple of weeks in preparatory work then we put Kelsea on him. He handled it
just fine and after about 45 rides he went into the school with the experienced
riders.
He has a bit of ‘pony ornery’ about him as well as ‘kid’ mentality yet. He can be
ridden by lighter weight adults and will work better for them.
This year, 2009, he decided he is ready to lope with a rider on his back so we
are starting to do that. Right now he prefers to use the left lead.
‘porse’. We bought his mom the summer of 2003. The previous owner did not
know she had been bred. In February 2004 her belly began to look really big
and April 3 Target arrived.
His mom had been treated badly and we had to corner her to catch her (still
have problems). The mare has great influence on the baby and that was not a
habit I wanted in him – see a human and run as far as you can. I started what
we refer to as halter breaking as soon as he was born. I would catch mom, tie
her to the fence then work with him. They were penned in a very small area at
the time. By the time he was five weeks old, when I entered the pen mom
would run away and Target would come to me.
Since he didn’t have playmates I put beach balls in with him. He enjoyed
playing with them. There was a feeder hanging on the fence inside the barn
with just enough room underneath to store a ball. After a few days, when I got
ready to feed at night, I found the ball or balls stored under the feeder. He put
his toys away.
Another foal was born that summer (still have her – Goober) and she and
Target roomed together after being weaned (taken away from their moms).
When they were two years old I needed to put them into a group. I told Ray I
wanted to put them in with the mares and he thought I was crazy. They had
lived on the other side of the fence for over a year and all were acquainted. I
tried it and it worked so I have a confused small gelding living with the girls.
I has been interesting to watch the friendship between Target and Goober. It
has lasted even putting them into a large group. They spend at least 50% of
their time together. Tongue in cheek I refer to them as the ‘twins’.
Granddaughter Kelsea had the experience and was a size to ride Target when
he was two years old and needed breaking. I pulled him out and spent a
couple of weeks in preparatory work then we put Kelsea on him. He handled it
just fine and after about 45 rides he went into the school with the experienced
riders.
He has a bit of ‘pony ornery’ about him as well as ‘kid’ mentality yet. He can be
ridden by lighter weight adults and will work better for them.
This year, 2009, he decided he is ready to lope with a rider on his back so we
are starting to do that. Right now he prefers to use the left lead.
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Target with his 'twin' Goober. These two were born the same
summer with Target being two months older. When they were
weaned they lived together for over a year before joining the
mares' herd. While together they developed a very strong
friendship. When it came time to have them join a group I
thought it might work putting them in with the mares. They had
lived across the fence since weaned and they all knew each
other.
Ray thought I was crazy but told me to go ahead and try it. I find
it interesting that their friendship has remained strong as they
joined the group and kept on maturing. 2009 they are both
going to turn five.
I have nicknamed them the 'twins' because where there is one
the other is not far behind. This holds true when catching either
of them also.
They do a lot of playing together so that relieves the grouchier
older horses in the herd.
summer with Target being two months older. When they were
weaned they lived together for over a year before joining the
mares' herd. While together they developed a very strong
friendship. When it came time to have them join a group I
thought it might work putting them in with the mares. They had
lived across the fence since weaned and they all knew each
other.
Ray thought I was crazy but told me to go ahead and try it. I find
it interesting that their friendship has remained strong as they
joined the group and kept on maturing. 2009 they are both
going to turn five.
I have nicknamed them the 'twins' because where there is one
the other is not far behind. This holds true when catching either
of them also.
They do a lot of playing together so that relieves the grouchier
older horses in the herd.