Proof That Sometimes the SIM is just Mean...

[Josh Lamp I]

Ponying a horse is where you gallop beside a pony with the rider on the pony holding a strap attached to your horse, its for horses that are tough to handle for the most part.

[Kay O. Johnson]

IRL "ponying" can be done with or without a rider. I have seen it used mostly with younger horses to keep them in condition and get them used to the track and the sights and sounds before they are actually raced. But it is also used for hard to handle or nervous horses with a rider.

[Josh Lamp I]

My point was it has nothing in common with working in company, rider or no rider.

[Paul Heinrich]

If Larry's got the characterization of "training with a pony" right in the sim, then it will probably help confidence about as much as gelding. I would like to see this added to the FAQ (along with "longe horse") for those of us who have no experience with training horses in real life, and don't know intuitively what these actions mean in terms of process or outcome.
ETA - Working the longe line is there, must have skipped past it somehow.

[Nena Olson]

In my head, that is what Training With a Pony does. If it adds experience, I can imagine that it's them working together, simulating a race so the horse get's experience what a real race would be like. Besides, it's not going to hurt him anymore than a gallop or work would and it may work *shrugs*

[Marzy Dotes]

I always take the training as doing what it says in terms of how it helps. Some training being more useful before the horse races esp. those which help it gain experience.

Being an off-season for me, I've had fun with the training trying new things. It's been interesting.

[Josh Lamp I]

How you got that what i explained would add any confidence is beyond my comprehension.

[Landon Alexander]

Marzy, you are awesome!! Great story. Made me laugh.

http://www.simhorseracing.com/featurera ... leID=11797

[Nick Gilmore]

I get what larry's saying. You're not trying push the horse forward as much as change it's action.

Example....a horse's running style is causing her to hit her front legs when she runs. Tried all different kinds of bandages and patches and nothing worked. Trainer took bandages off front legs and put them on behind where she'd never had them on before. It changed the way she moved and she didn't hit. Stuff like this works once and if you get lucky and have a smart horse they figure it out and you can go forward. Sometimes it's only that once and you bet when you can, lol

[Landon Alexander]

Windrunner has been training quite well on the farm leading up to the Steward's Cup. He has gone for few shedrow walks & galloped with star racemare Wineberg this morning. Vet seems to be pleased. I plan to ship him over to the track tomorrow night.


I'm not sure about putting blinkers on him for SC. I may try that technique next season in any easy spot and see what happens if a sim miracle doesn't occur this coming Wednesday.

[Nick Gilmore]

Best of luck Landon, another trainer would have gelded long ago...lol

[Landon Alexander]

Windrunner

[Chris Everett]

He doesnt look guilty for his 2nditis!

[Marzy Dotes]

8)

[Juli Stettler]

He just really doesn't want to get his picture taken...