by Shelah Wetter
January 18 2023
Aaby Lavway and her Hackney pony Truly A Surprise (AKA Tol) win PNER 'Champion Junior Best Condition Horse' as well as several other awards in their first season in endurance.
Aaby's story starts In my lesson program as a shy, small, blond haired blue eyed little girl. Little did I know what awaited her. She spent several years riding lesson horses. Then she moved on to leasing a couple of big strong and stubborn been there done that geldings who taught her a whole lot about how to handle horses with big personalities and opinions. They happened to be the perfect predecessors for the small but mighty Tol.
Tol is a Hackney pony bred by the same farm as the infamous Flash. Surely they grew up together. Tol came to me a year and a half ago as a very, very green broke 13-year-old who, like Flash, grew up in a huge pasture with minimal handling. I have a long history with the Hackney pony breed and also I have a habit of buying ponies I can't ride... Well, because they are cute and absolutely irresistible. I knew I would have to find Tol a kid at some point, or maybe get him pulling a cart well & sell him, as all of our horses must have a job.
Aaby's parents weren't quite ready to purchase a horse in the fall/winter of 2021 but she very much wanted to be a part of our endurance team... And I happened to have a half wild pony I couldnt ride... So I told her if she could ride him she could come along... And the game was on!
When Aaby and Tol met, he was absolutely terrified of her. She had to start from the beginning with him, as if he'd never been ridden at all. It took many months, but Aaby persisted and at just about 7 months since they started working together, they did their first endurance ride together. Still just a touch wild, I held his halter every time she had to mount or dismount. EDRA 30 mile endurance ride was a success and they earned the coveted award JR Best Condition. At the second ride they did their first 50, Tol didn't look tired at all. And 2 weeks later again they did a 50. Tol finished strong and bright eyed. Not a puff or a sore part on him. They again earned Jr Best Condition.
They have been working hard to be ready for the next ride season, watch out 2023, here they come!!
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