Pony Progress Days

"Horse Progress Days" is a two day Amish organized event, featuring anything related to farming with draft horses. Every year, around the 4th of July, Amish from all over the U.S. and Canada gather near an Amish community and trade ideas and merchandise, all horse related. One of my favorite parts is the pony parade. Each morning, local Amish children drive their ponies to the event. They line up and parade them in front of a large crowd of onlookers. I can't imagine any event where 50, or so, ponies can be driven into one arena by children and not have a disaster. These children have been riding in horse-drawn vehicles since the day they were born. They've grown up watching Dad and Mom handle horses in almost every situation imaginable, and have learned how to do the same.

Do you notice how calm all the children seem to be?

Amish children seem to be like all children were years ago. I have a theory that goes like this: Children used to want to be adults, they tried hard to act grown up and strove to be like their dad, mom, older brother, or sister. Nowadays, our culture glamorizes youth. Even old ladies try to look like teenage girls. Why would we expect our children to want to grow up when many adults don't act grown up. We don't give honor to the aged like we should, instead we idolize immature singers, actors and athletes. Okay, maybe I've said too much, but all you have to do is go to one of these events and you will be wondering where the rest of us went wrong. 

As you can see, most of the carts or wagons have a group of passengers. These children were all very quiet and well behaved, to the point where it is stunning! They are smiling and having fun, yet they don't feel compelled to fight with each other or throw fits and temper-tantrums. I mentioned how well behaved the children were, to my Amish friend, and he humbly said, "Our children are children too, they have their moments." Well, if they do, they sure don't have them in public like most modern children do.

This tiny pony above started to act up just before I took this picture. He reared up several times and tossed his head. The little man driving didn't panic. He talked calmly to his pony and brought everything back under control. His little female passenger sat quietly without fear. They sure do have a cute load on behind. It looks like a miniature horse-shoeing-stocks with a horse loaded in waiting to have new shoes put on.

In this picture above, you can see the line of ponies and children waiting their turn to enter the arena. I wish my picture was a little more clear, but I can see about 25 ponies and carts in this photo alone.

More ponies and children wait their turn.

This photo above is from last year's pony parade.

 
The photo below, is one of my favorite pictures I've taken yet. These little Amish girls were walking a pony foal around like a puppy. I named this post, "Pony Progress Days" because these Amish children are making progress with their ponies, while the rest of the world seems to be falling apart.

Snowy Pastures

A little bit of snow is a good thing. Up until the past few days, Iowa has had about as mild of winter ever recorded. It rained a lot and my horses were having to deal with mud. When the temps drop below 32 degrees we get cold weather cement. (our mud hardens)

 I don't know how much these horses are able to find under that snow but they never give up looking for something to nibble on. I know this Amish farmer provides hay for his horses, but when horses have their fill of hay they like to look for an extra treat.

As I've said before, horses are as tough as buffalo and prefer to stay out in the weather unless there are subzero temps and wind. It was snowing the other day and my own horses (pictured above) didn't come inside until I called them in and fed them hay. The doorway (I'm standing in to take this pic) is always open and they have two sides of a barn they can enter at will.

There are two ponies in this field. A small white pony is standing behind this brown one. Ponies get really furry in the winter months and don't seem to notice cold or snow.

Walking the Pony

        Yes, that is a pony. I saw these little Amish girls walking this little pony-foal like a puppy dog.

        Both mornings, of the Horse Progress Days, I noticed there were a lot of Amish children driving pony carts toward the event. I wasn't too surprised because it is a rather common thing in Amish communities ... but it did seem like more pony carts than I would expect to see.

 When the event began I soon realized why all the pony carts. Both mornings started with local Amish children driving their ponies out into a field while us adults stood in a circle and watched. In the photo below, you can see them lining up with their little carts waiting for their turn. Some of the drivers were really young, (under five) but they usually had an older sibling along to help, (the older sibling may have been seven.)

         When the arena (us adults were the fence) had about 30 pony carts, the children drivers lined up in a big semi-circle. The announcer warned over his microphone, "Children, make sure you have a good hold on your ponies, we are going to have a little surprise!"
         An Amish boy came riding in on a mama pony with a pony-foal at her heals. The foal had a miniature rider on board, a doll dressed like a little Amish boy.  (It may have been the pony-foal in the top photo.) That little foal ran in circles around its mama with its miniature rider and all of us laughed until our bellies ached. An adult Amishman ran in circles after the pony-foal to try and catch it and we laughed even harder!

 The amazing part was that all of the young drivers kept their tiny steeds under control. They seemed to be expert handlers and no doubt they have a lot of experience.

        During this two-day event, hundreds of Amish families passed by my "book selling table" most of the children noticed my large toy horse. Many of those children wanted to look at it closer and some wanted to pet its mane and tail. One very pleasant family came by, and the daddy held a little boy about 16 months old. He pointed and said something in Dutch, Mama interpreted for me, "He said,'There's another horse!'" They were such friendly people I took the liberty to say, "I'm surprised at how much Amish children love horses. I thought everyday use would cause them to loose interest." The daddy told me, "Every time we hitch up a horse to go somewhere, he (the toddler) has to pet the horse before we go!"

        At first I worried that my toy horse may cause troubles for parents, if children began to throw a fit because they wanted the toy. Guess what ... that never happened. The Amish children stood right next to my table looking at the toy horse and the books. They all had their hands down at their sides unless they asked for permission to touch the horse. Many tiny little Amish girls stood looking at the toy with big eyes, until I asked, "Do you want to pet the horse?" They wouldn't speak, but nodded their heads politely. I set the horse closer so they could reach it.

        Many young Amish boys stopped by and looked at the covers of my books for a long time. I asked them if they wanted a bookmark but they usually didn't take one, until someone taught me how to ask in Pennsylvania Dutch, then almost every one smiled, took a bookmark and said, "Thank you" in English.

        It seemed fitting, that as I was leaving the event I saw these little girls walking their pony.

Amish Children (and Ponies)

      Amish children seem to love their ponies! I drive by Amish homes everyday on my way to work and I regularly see Amish children riding or driving their ponies. I know that they often use them as a means of transportation, but I've seen too many riding around the farm to think that it is always about being practical.

     These Amish girls are taking their ponies over some jumps. The paint is a half draft yearling filly, she is learning the ropes while having fun.

We passed this group of Amish children driving a pony along a busy road in Indiana.

The oldest child looks about 7 or 8 years old.

        One cold fall afternoon, my son and I were waiting to meet up with some friends. We were in a car-pool parking lot near an Amish farm. We noticed a couple of children in a pony cart taking laps around their barn. I didn't think too much about it until we got out of the car and realized just how cold and windy it was. I was very impressed that those little children were taking a "joy ride" in that cold wind.

         One of our family ponies, Dusty. Two of my daughters are in the cart with some family friends. This picture was taken when we lived in Virginia, years ago. Our neighbors there were Old Order Mennonites. (They drive buggies but the men don't have beards and the women wear patterned dresses.)

         I stopped to take a picture of this herd of Amish draft horses (above) and a boy came around the corner of their buggy shed, riding a pony. (If you zoom in close you can almost see him) I can't help but think that his whole world is about horses. Obviously his dad farms with horses, they drive horses on the buggy, and he rides a pony for entertainment in the evening.

  I'm fiends with the oldest of these three Amish girls. They love their horses and ponies and I know they ride just for the fun of it, even if they also drive a buggy for transportation. They love to take their ponies over jumps.

This littlest sister is soooo cute... and her pony is cute too!

 There is nothing quite as cute as little Amish children, especially when you see them with their ponies. It's no wonder they become horse experts, they work, play and live with horses and ponies all day!