by Kelly Wilson
“I’m sure you’ll hold your own,” Kelly said.
“My plan is to beat you both,” Amanda said confidently. “Charlie and I are on a winning streak.”
“Good luck with that,” said Vicki. “Dandy is by far the best pony I’ve ever owned. He’ll be a champion in no time!”
Chapter 19
Leap of Faith
AFTER THE LUNCH BREAK, the girls returned to the arena for the jumping classes. This time the riders entered the ring one at a time and jumped around a course. The first class was Eye Opener, a chance for all the ponies to jump the course and have a practice.
It was lucky that this round wasn’t judged, because Dandy was very spooky, hesitating at many of the jumps. Then at the brush jump, a natural obstacle filled with branches, Dandy leapt over it like it was a Grand Prix fence, and Vicki lost her balance on landing, falling to the ground.
“That hurt,” Vicki said to her pony, as she gingerly rose to her feet. “The way you’re jumping you’d think you were at the Horse of the Year Show. Next time remember the jumps are only 50 centimetres, so I can stay on.”
Leading him from the ring, Vicki waited for the next class, hoping they’d be able to jump around clear.
The rider class was next. Vicki would be judged on her position over the fences and how well she rode, and she was relieved when the judge said they had to jump only the first three jumps. Happy she wouldn’t have to jump the brush, Vicki and Dandy trotted into the ring and halted, saluting to the judge like she’d been taught to do at Pony Club.
Picking up a canter, she and Dandy approached the first upright. Safely over, they continued on to the next, before turning and jumping the last. Vicki circled and brought Dandy back to a trot, then a halt, again saluting to the judge.
“Good boy, Dandy,” Vicki said proudly. “That was perfect!”
At the completion of the class, Vicki was called into the ring as the winner, with Kelly second. As the red ribbon was tied around Vicki’s arm, the judge said, “Congratulations — it’s not often the same person wins both the flat and jumping rider classes. You’re going to go a long way.”
Moving on to Twinkle, she placed a blue ribbon on Kelly’s arm. “You two are the cutest combination! Most kids your age are still on the lead rein.”
“Thanks!” Kelly replied with a toothy grin. “Twinkle’s the best pony.”
The next class was Open Hunter. This meant jumping not only the brush, but also a wire jump, so Vicki was very nervous. They’d practised it only once at Pony Club, and Vicki wasn’t sure if Dandy would jump it on his first attempt.
Knowing she would get nervous watching the other horses compete, Vicki offered to go first. She gamely cantered into the first jump. Soon they were approaching the brush, but unlike in Eye Opener, Dandy jumped it effortlessly, placing one canter stride between the two fences. Continuing on, they re-jumped the first three jumps before turning and approaching the wire.
Three strides out, Dandy hesitated and fell back to a trot. Urging him on, Vicki kept him straight and he jumped it clear, although rather awkwardly.
“You are such a brave boy,” Vicki said, as she gave him a big pat.
Although they’d lost all chance of placing because Dandy had trotted, Vicki was incredibly pleased with her pony. She waited outside the ring to see how her younger sister would fare.
Twinkle jumped around clear but fitted two canter strides in between the brushes — Twinkle’s little legs just couldn’t make the distance. Kelly was thrilled to place third.
“Well done,” said Vicki, leaning over to pat the little grey pony. “I’ve never seen Twinkle jump so well!”
The last class of the day was Tip ’n’ Out, a competition to see who could jump the highest. The jump started with just a pole on the ground, and each round it was raised a further 10 centimetres for the riders who jumped it clear.
Up and up the jumps went. When Dandy cleared 70 centimetres, the highest he’d ever jumped, Vicki leant forward and gave him a hug. Riding over to her mum and dad, who stood watching from the sidelines with Amanda, she asked, “Do you think I should finish? I’m really happy with him!”
Her mum shook her head. “He’s jumping it so easily — why don’t you keep jumping and see what he’s capable of?”
“If we clear the next height, it’ll be the highest I’ve ever jumped on any pony in my life,” said Vicki.
“You’ve got this, kiddo. Remember to keep your legs against his sides to keep him moving forward, and look up,” her dad said.
Turning around, Vicki headed back to where eight other ponies stood waiting for the jump to be raised.
“You’re still in!” Vicki said when she saw Kelly waiting with Twinkle.
“Yeah, but I’m pretty scared,” Kelly said with a worried look. “I’ve never jumped this high!”
“Me neither,” said Vicki. “But if Dandy can do it after learning to jump only a couple of months ago, I’m sure Twinkle can too.”
“You go before me, then.”
When it was her turn, Vicki asked Dandy for a canter and approached the fence, careful to follow her dad’s advice. At the base of the fence she felt Dandy gather his legs beneath him, soaring over the pole with plenty of room to spare.
“We did it, Dandy!” Vicki cried out. “We’ve just beaten my personal best!”
Dropping back to a walk, Vicki turned to watch Kelly approach on Twinkle. Very gallantly they cantered towards the jump, but at the last second Twinkle darted sideways and went around it instead.
As she trotted past Vicki, Kelly flashed her a grin.
“It’s OK — I didn’t really want to jump it anyway.”
Now the jump was raised again, this time to 90 centimetres. Only three ponies remained in the competition.
“Do you think we’ll be able to clear it?” she asked Dandy, as she stroked his neck. “It’s pretty big.”
Approaching the jump Vicki tried to keep a steady canter, but a few strides out Dandy fell back into a trot. Keeping him straight, she urged him forward again with her legs.
“Come on Dandy, you can jump it,” she said as he took off. As if in slow motion Vicki felt Dandy tuck his legs, stretching as he tried to clear the jump. Before she knew it they were on the other side, clear!
“I can’t believe you made it, Dandy!” she cried. “You are the best pony in the world!”
Vicki was so caught up in her conversation with Dandy that she didn’t notice the other ponies drop the rail. When the judge walked towards her with the red ribbon she was shocked.
“Did we really win?” she asked in disbelief.
“You certainly did,” the judge said. How long have you had your pony for?”
Quickly Vicki told her the story about how Dandy had been captured from the wild and how she’d tamed and trained him. The judge was obviously interested in the tale.
“You should be incredibly proud of your hard work,” she said. “He’s a lovely pony, and I’m really impressed by your riding. Just keep doing what you’re doing.” The judge gave Dandy an affectionate scratch behind the ear.
“Thanks so much — I love jumping and hope to be a Grand Prix showjumper one day,” Vicki said, unable to contain her excitement.
Vicki cantered out of the ring, her red ribbon fluttering in the breeze. As she completed her lap of honour, she imagined she was riding a mighty show jumper at the Horse of the Year, after winning at the biggest event in the country.
With a grin, she shook her head. Now wouldn’t that be something.
Squeezing her reins, she slowed Dandy and bought him back to a trot, then a walk. Riding over to her family, she couldn’t stop smiling.
“Thanks for believing in me and helping me tame Dandy — it’s been the best year of my life!” Vicki said to her parents.
“You deserve it, kiddo,” her dad replied. “You’ve worked hard for it.”
Dismounting, Vicki threw her arms around Dandy’s neck. “From the first moment I saw yo
u galloping in the mountains, I knew you were special.”
Her mum pulled Vicki into a hug. “I have a feeling you are both destined to be champions.”
Dandy
Just Fine ’n’ Dandy is a real pony and this book is based on events that really happened!
Dandy is a 13.2-hand, chestnut Welsh gelding, with a blaze, three white socks and a large brown birthmark on his right hind leg. He was born in 1992 in Northland, and was mustered in 1996 when he was four years old. He lived with our family for six years, being tamed by Vicki and then ridden and competed by all three of us, before we eventually outgrew him and he went to a younger rider. He was a versatile all rounder, competing in Pony Club events, dressage formation rides, cross country, showjumping and game competitions, recording many wins. He was also awarded Supreme Champion Show Pony multiple times. You will meet Dandy’s best friend, Cameo, in the next book in the Showtym Adventures series and find out more about his ongoing adventures!
Characters
Vicki has always shown talent for riding, training and competing with horses. She has won national titles and championships in Showing, Show Hunter and Show Jumping, and has represented New Zealand internationally. Dandy was the first pony she trained, when she was nine years old, and then 20 years later she won the World Championships for Colt Starting. When she’s not riding she loves to learn as much about horses as she can, from farriers, vets, physios and dentists.
Kelly has always been creative. She loves horses, photography and writing. Although she competed to Grand Prix level when she was 16, now she only show jumps for fun, and also enjoys taming wild horses. Her favourite rides are out on the farm, swimming in the river, or cantering down the beach. When she’s not on a horse, she is very daring, and loves going on extreme adventures.
Amanda is the family comedian and can always make people laugh! As a child she was always pulling pranks and getting up to mischief. Amanda began show jumping at a young age and competed in her first Grand Prix when she was 12. In 2010 she won the Pony of the Year, the most prestigious Pony Grand Prix in the Southern Hemisphere, and since then she has had lots of wins up to World Cup level. When she’s not outside training her horses or teaching other riders, Amanda loves doing something creative — she has already filmed two documentaries and is writing her first book.
Mum (Heather Wilson) grew up with a love of horses, although she was the only one in her family to ride. She volunteered at a local stable from the age of 13, teaching herself to ride when she was gifted an injured racehorse. Although she only rides occasionally now, her love of horses hasn’t faded over the years and she is always ringside to watch her daughters compete. In her spare time she loves painting and drawing anything to do with horses, and as ‘Camp Mum’ is popular with the young riders who attend Showtym Camps.
Dad (John Wilson) grew up with horses, hunting, playing polo and riding on the farm. His family also show jumped and trained steeplechasers, so he has loved horses from a young age. He hurt his back when he was in his twenties, which has limited his horse riding, but he enjoys watching his daughters ride and is very proud of their success. When he’s not fixing things around the farm, he can be found gardening or creating stunning life-sized horse sculptures from recycled horseshoes.
How-tos
The most important thing about owning a pony is to learn as much as you can about their care and training, so you can make their life as fun and easy as possible! In each book in the Showtym Adventures series, we will expand on key lessons Vicki, Amanda and I learnt on our journey to becoming better horse riders. Some lessons we learnt by making mistakes; others from observing our horses and learning from them — and some knowledge has been passed down to us by others. We hope you enjoy these top tips!
How to tie a pony
When Vicki tied Dandy up for the first time she made sure to use a quick release knot, like her parents had taught her when she was a young girl. That way if he were to panic, or get a leg caught over the rope and pull back, Vicki would be able to untie him quickly and safely.
Follow the diagram below to learn how to tie a quick release knot:
Here are some top tips from Vicki about tying up your pony:
Tie your pony at a safe height. The rope should be tied at about the same height as your pony’s back. If you tie your pony too low it can get a leg over the rope, or get its head stuck underneath the rope, and panic.
Tie your pony at a length that’s long enough for it to be comfortable, but not so long that the rope droops down — otherwise the pony will be able to step over it.
Do not tie up your pony with the bridle. Instead, use a good quality, properly fitting halter and a lead rope.
Only tie your pony to objects that it cannot move or pull over, like a tree trunk or a strong post. Never tie your pony to something it can drag, like a large tyre or horse trailer that’s not attached to a vehicle.
Tie your pony to a piece of twine that is tied to something sturdy. This way, if your pony pulls back to break free only the twine is broken, reducing the chance of injury to your pony.
How to use a rope halter
Rope halters can be a good tool for training your pony, allowing you to communicate quickly and precisely by applying pressure to the lead rope. If your pony pulls on the rope, the halter becomes uncomfortable. If your pony yields to the pressure, it can be rewarded instantly by softening the halter.
When Vicki first used her birthday rope halter on Dandy, she didn’t realise there was a right way and a wrong way of fitting it. At the Colt Starting clinic the trainer showed her how to correctly fit the halter to Dandy’s head, so the rope halter sat high up on his nose, just below the cheekbones.
He also showed her how to tie it correctly so the knot was around the loop of the halter and the end of the rope faced away from Dandy’s eye.
The diagram opposite shows the correct way to fit your pony’s rope halter.
TOP TIP
Rope halters should never be left on your pony in a yard or paddock. When you are not with your pony, it is important that a halter can break if it accidentally gets caught on something. Rope halters are too strong for this, so can potentially cause injury.
How to reward a pony
Ponies learn well from being rewarded. There are four main ways you can communicate to your pony when they have done something well:
Use your voice to praise your pony.
Release any pressure from your hands or legs as soon as your pony makes the tiniest effort to correctly respond to your instruction. For example, when Vicki was working with Dandy at the Colt Starting clinic, the trainer taught her to release the pressure on the rope as soon as Dandy showed any sign of stepping forward.
Pat or stroke your pony’s head or neck.
Feed your pony a treat.
How to feed your pony a treat
It is important to only feed your pony treats in small portions. If you feed it treats all the time it can start to expect them and can become pushy or nippy. Horse bites hurt so make sure to hold your hand flat, with the food or treat on your palm (take a look at the drawing of Vicki feeding Dandy on page 70). This will keep your fingertips away from the pony’s mouth, making it less likely for you to be bitten.
Top treat ideas:
Grass
Hay
Apples (Dandy’s favourite!)
Carrots
TOP TIP
Another great treat idea is to fee your pony a small handful of its normal feed, such as pellets of chaff.
Thank you
Dandy’s story is made special because he was the first wild pony we ever encountered. Our memories of him are remembered through the eyes of young children; although he was mustered from a mountain and unhandled, I’m sure he wasn’t as wild as the Kaimanawas, Mustangs or Brumbies we have tamed in recent years. But to us he was the wild stallion of our dreams — just like the ones we’d read about in our favourite books. As the first pony Vicki ever trained, Dandy has taught u
s countless lessons, many of which stood Vicki in good stead when she won the World Championship of Colt Starting in America. So thank you Dandy for helping to define our formative years with horses!
Dandy’s story, and the entire Showtym Adventures series, is based on true events from our childhood. First and foremost, we have to thank our parents for allowing us the opportunity to own ponies, even when it made no financial sense do to so. Every success we have had with horses has been because of their sacrifices, and we are so appreciative that they passed on their love of horses to us.
As young children we learnt that we had to work hard for what we wanted, and since we valued riding above most things, we didn’t mind the hours of hard work required to keep our dreams alive. We are thankful our parents encouraged us to wholeheartedly chase our dreams, and never told us it was impossible to change our circumstances. We never heard the word ‘No’; rather Mum and Dad would ask, ‘How were we going to make it happen’. We developed a strong work ethic because of their support, and always looked outside the box to solve problems.
Because we couldn’t afford well-trained ponies or riding lessons, most of what we learnt was from our ponies themselves — and often the hard way! Through this process of trial and error, we learnt compassion for our ponies. They were our friends and we treated them as equals.
There were many times, however, when we were ignorant and made mistakes, but we hope our ponies understood that we always had kind intentions. The past two decades have been dedicated to learning as much as possible about our four-legged partners; we know so much more now than we did at the beginning. We also realise that our current understanding will be a shadow of how much we’re going to know in another 20 years!