Vanity's Bonfyre (Peanut)

Peanut is a very fun pony. He is fabulous on the trail bareback in a halter and keeps an easy-riding pace trotting around the arena. He is light on the aids and has a playful temperament. Peanut is riding walk, trot, canter, and cantering small fences with child riders. He is currently leased by Maddie, age 10.

Peanut loves to trail ride. He jumps right in the trailer and walks off ready to ride. He is confident, stays with the group, will lead or follow, and doesn't rush or jig. He has no trouble with bridges. We haven't found any water to cross yet but he has taken everything else in stride so we suspect he'll do well with crossing water also. Peanut enjoys standing on rock pedestals when asked and also likes to back between trees or weave around sagebrush.

Peanut is very steady trotting around the arena bareback or with a saddle. He is still working on taking the lead to the right but is great to the left. What we like best about him is that he listens to the kids. He follows the rail, goes into his corners, and trots straight to the jump or pole. He is very rhythmic and doesn't constantly speed up or slow down. He takes the canter when asked but his default is only to go about four strides unless asked for more. We have set up his training so that the walk is his default gait and he is always ready to come back down to a walk. That said, it would be easy to see all his fanciness and push him too much. To be a good kid's pony, he'll have to be ridden like a kid's pony and rewarded for things useful to a kid - trotting lazily, cantering lazily, stepping over jumps, etc. He's a show pony and will learn what you teach him.

Peanut has a naturally level topline. He's just starting work on a little collection. His lease student rides him a loose rein, long and low, which is his natural carriage.

Peanut is great for teaching kids to jump as he won't "jump" unless you ask him to, but will simply step over the jump. He is also awesome for longeline lessons. He's very good about staying out on the circle and not getting ahead of the handler.

Peanut can be a bit mouthy and, as his breeder says, always has been. He wasn't hand-fed treats, was just born that way. Mouthiness is particularly common in super fancy ponies and horses it takes athleticism and smarts to be fancy. To us, it is a fair trade for a mount who has a gleaming coat 365 days a year, can jump the moon, and is responsive and discerning. Peanut generally mouths your coat or gloves but is not a biter. He is less mouthy with more turn-out time and exercise.

Peanut does great with the Parelli games. He is primarily a med-high spirit left brain extrovert. He plays at Parelli Level 3 including jumping a barrel from a standstill, sidepassing anything, backing through chutes, carrying a tarp while crossing a tarp, and playing with a big ball. He also lays down on cue and will let a child play the Friendly game with a stick or straddle him and rub him all over while he is laying. Peanut has a very good circling game and is great for longeline lessons.

Peanut likes consistency during his lessons with a little extracurricular play at the end. We do clicker games like Targeting or Stick Together at liberty. Play helps keep Peanut motivated and engaged and encourages a bond with his handler, but predictability in the lessons help him stay grounded. If you ride him all the time with no play, he loses that special spark, but if you make things fair, he is really beautiful in action.

Peanut really enjoys getting out to new trails and trotting courses - anything that engages his brain. At the same time, he thrives with structure and predictability. For example, he whinnies when he sees his lease student coming and seems lonely on days when she is busy. He likes belonging to someone and knowing that there will be someone there to keep his lustrous tail brushed out and take his blanket on and off.

Peanut plays all day long with his paddock-mate, Wallie. They put on a great show for the barn. Peanut will make a young rider feel very special.

Videos:
2010 Maddie Kneeling On & Sliding Off Peanut
2010 Peanut Trotting In-Hand
2010 Peanut Natural Horsemanship Online at Show
2009 Teaching Peanut to Lay Down
2009 Innovate/Bucket Game with Peanut

2010 Photos:

2009 Photos:

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