[♥ soft]

fun note: forelock isn't white because the white markings on the face aren't symmetrical uwu ♥

taming tolters may not be bred until
● all tasks are completed
● september 13th

username: ♡Suomi♡
Name: Shadow
Gender: Female
eye color: blue
dam: --
sire: --

[♡♡bunny♡♡]

I love her! Thank you, she's gorgeous

Name: Shadow
Gender: Female

Completed!
1. -First encounter
2. -Adjusting to the new home
3. -Introduction of the halter
4. -Meeting a friend
5. -Gaining your horse's trust
6. -First time with saddle
7. -Ground work
8. -First ride
9. -Free spot (first trail ride)

[feverrr]

why must you always kill me with gorgeous designs??

[♡♡bunny♡♡]

Meeting Shadow

When I saw the advert for untrained tolters, I couldn't resist. I had always wanted a bear run tolter, and now I finally had the chance to get one. I used to have a pony, but he had died a few years ago. I had kept all of his tack and the paddocks were still well kept, so I would be able to look after a new pony just fine. The next morning I woke myself up very early, and got ready. I put on a pair of my old jodhpurs and grabbed my riding hat and dragged myself into the car. I still had an old horse box and I attached it onto the back. Putting the address for the stables where the young horses were being kept into my satnav, I set off. I drove for about ten miles before I reached a large stables in the middle of the countryside. A stablehand dressed in jeans and a polo shirt came out to great me as I pulled into the driveway. She asked if I was here to see the untrained tolters looking for homes, and I followed her inside the barn. As I stepped through the red doors I saw about 30 stalls, each with a pony's head looking out towards us. They are all so beautiful! I thought to myself as we walked through. How will I ever pick just one. As we approached the end of the barn a particular pony suddenly caught my eye. She was a light grey pinto with sparkling blue eyes and her face was so kind and gentle I knew I could not leave her here. The stablehand saw me admiring the pony and told me she was one of the newest Icelandic ponies at the stables, and she had only been here a few days. I said that I would like to take her, and the stable hand put a rope halter over her head and led her through the barn. She didn't seem to mind being led, which was surprising considering she was untrained. I was thankful when she calmly walked into my trailer. The stablehand told me to care for her well and I promised to do so. Then I got into my car and drove home.

[♡♡bunny♡♡]

Shadow's New Home

When I arrived home, I jumped out of the car and ran to the horsebox, quickly unlocking it and opening the doors. I was anxious to get my new pony out of the box, but when I looked inside at her she was standing relaxedly, and seemed perfectly happy. I was rather surprised that she has travelled so well, but took a firm hold of the rope attached to her halter anyway and ushered her outside. She seemed a little reluctant and almost sleepy, but perked up as we walked. I led her around my house and into a big grassy paddock at the back, overlooking the lake. The grass was fairly long since I hadn't cut it since the start of summer, and I wasn't expecting to have a pony in it. In the little time I had had free in the past week I had worked in this field and managed to pull out all of the few remaining plants of ragwort and hemlock, but luckily most of the weeds had never grown since the first time they were removed.

The electric fence was still working from my old pony, and I was extra careful not to shock myself as I opened the gate. I led my new pony into the field and she immediately pulled her head down, pulling the rope from my hand. I picked up the rope quickly, but let her eat the grass. After I was sure she was not going to walk anywhere, I dropped the rope onto the ground and hastily shut the gate. My pony looked up at the noise and walked over to me. I petted her nose gently and she stood still, letting me pet her. I was thankful that she was a fairly tame and kind pony already. I slipped her halter over her ears and off her nose whilst she was distracted by the petting. At once she trotted off around the paddock, inspecting all the fences and then cantering over to look at the lake. She didn't seem to interested by it and soon went back to eating grass. She seemed happy enough, but I knew I would have to cut the grass soon or she would become overweight of eating it. I decided to let her run around for today, and it ws warm enough for her to sleep outside, so I would mow the grass tommorow. I walked back inside after a few more minutes of watching her. Next to my house was a stable, which was attached to the garage and next to the stable was a spare stall in which I had a feed room. I had bought new food for my new pony, a recommended feed for Icelandics. I mixed up a bucket for her and put it her field for her to eat if she liked. I filled up a water bucket for her too.

I made myself some dinner and went and sat in the dining room to eat, and kept an eye on my pony through the massive windows on two walls of the room. I did a bit of research as I ate, and managed to waste enough time that when I went back outside it was getting dark. I checked the water was okay and the food, and found most of it gone. I put up a small hay net for her, and said goodnight.

[♡♡bunny♡♡]

Introduction of a Halter

The next morning I ran outside to check on my pony. She was standing in the middle of the field, staring at the ground. I wondered what it could be, and walked around the fence to get a better look. Once I could see, I realised that she was staring at her shadow! as I watched, she started walking around, and then started cantering around the field, chasing her shadow. I laughed, she was so cute! Shadow..I thought, what a perfect name!

As I watched I remembered what I came to do. Cut the grass. But first I had to get Shadow into a stable for a while. I went back to the feed room and mixxed up some new feed, as well as put some fresh shavings into her stable. Then I grabbed the new halter and lead reign I had bought her. The halter was light pink, and had little gemstone in the browband the leadrope was a matching shade of light pink. I walked outside and quietly let myself into the field and approached my pony. She walked over to me and sniffed at the halter in my hand. I grabbed some mints from my pocket and let her eat one from my hand as I slipped the halter over her head. She shook out her main, and shook her head around for a minute, but didn't seem to mind it all that much. I clipped on the leadrope and pulled her gently towards the stables. I bribed her forwards with a mint, and eventually she realised that she needed to follow me. I lead her to the stable and let her of the leadrope and shut the door. I checked she had enough food and water. Then I went and grabbed my lawn mower to take care of the grass.

((ref for halter x, you can do the design differently to the picture, but I would like the colour to be light pink please ))

[♡♡bunny♡♡]

Meeting a Friend

When the grass was cut, I led Shadow back into the pasture. She looked around, and I guessed that she was confused by the lack of grass. I petted her comfortingly and unclipped her halter to let her run around the field again. I decided to introduce her to my only other pet, a brown goat call Jerry. I knew that horses and goats could get along well together, and it would be good company for them both.

I managed to catch Jerry, which is something I do not do very often and managed to lure her with carrots to the field where Shadow was grazing. I led her through the gate, keeping her on a leadrope so as not to scare the horse, and called out to Shadow. She looked up at the voice, and came trotting over to investigate. Jerry strained on the lead, trying to go and greet the horse, but I kept her close in case Shadow was scared, but the horse stopped a few metres away from us to stare. She spent a few minutes inspecting the goat, before daring to come a few steps closer. They sniffed at eachother, and I brought Shadow a little closer using a carrot. Jerry butted her playfully, and Shadow whinnied back, trotting away. When the horse returned to us. I let Jerry off of the lead. She galloped over to the other side of the field, and Shadow ran after her. They chased eachother around until they grew too tired to play, and settled to graze next to eachother.

[♡♡bunny♡♡]

Gaining Shadow's Trust

After a week had passed, I decided I needed to start bonding with Shadow, so we could start doing some groundwork. I walked down to the field, where Shadow and her best friend were playing. I called too her, waving a carrot in the air. She came trotting over immediately and nuzzled my hand which help the carrot. I put the halter over her head as she ate it, and led her out of the field. I shut the gate to stop Jerry who was following us. Once Shadow was tied up outside her stable I fetched the brushes. Grooming was a good way to bond with your horse, and I had only given her a brief cleaning when I had first gotten her. I walked back to the pony, and stroked her gently, and then began brushing her coat with a body brush. She was clean already, so after I had brushed her once all over I started on her face. She shied away from the face brush, taking a few steps away from me. I let her go, but held out a hand with some polos in to lure her back. She came to sniff at the polos, and I let her eat one as I groomed her. She shook her head and I stopped brushing, but when she stood still I started again. This time she let me, and stood still.

[♡♡bunny♡♡]

First Time with a Saddle

It was a sunny day, and it was time to start Shadow's training. I had taken her measurements and had an Icelandic saddle made especially for her. I had brushed her and tied her up on a long lead reign in the field. The saddle was leaning over the gate, and I untied Shadow and led her over. She sniffed at the saddle curiously, and I took the saddle pad and put it onto her back. She shook her back and it fell off, but I grabbed it before it could get trampled into the floor. I placed it on her back again, stroking he neck and reassuring her as best I could. I put a hand on her back, and she did not shake it off. I gave her a treat and patted her neck. Once she was happy with the saddle pad, I leant an arm over her back, leaning a bit of my weight onto her. She stepped around a little, and gave me a confused look. I patted her, and then picked up the saddle. I let her look at it and sniff it, and then I put it gently onto her back. I quickly gave her some treats to distract her, but she still shook her back a little, and stepped around confusedly. She turned her head to sniff at it. I wondered if she had worn a saddle before, or maybe she was just naturally a very calm horse. Whatever the case, I was thankful for it. I did up her girth loosely, and led her around the field with the saddle on her back. She kept turning her head to sniff it and look at it. After we had walked around the whole paddock, I gave her a treat and took the saddle of her back.

[♡♡bunny♡♡]

Ground Work

When Shadow had gotten used to wearing a saddle I decided it was time for some proper training. With a lunge rope and a saddle at the ready, I caught Shadow and led her to the outdoor school. She stood calmly as I swapped out the lead rope for a lunging line, and put her saddle over her back. Standing a few metres away, I tapped the floor behind her with a lunge whip. She started walking around me, and trotted when I asked her to. She seemed a little confused by the lunging, but happily went along with it. Once she was walking and trotting easily I dragged a few trotting poles into the arena. I allowed Shadow to sniff at them and bat them with her nose and then got her to walk over them on a short rope. I told the pony to stay, and walked back a few metres again. Then I started lunging her over the poles in walk and then in trot. She tripped a few times, as trot was not her best suited pace, but eventually learned how to step between the poles. I moved her down the school and out of the way of the poles after a while, and walked her around next to me to cool down.