LpPaintedPonys.com
Title
LP Painted Ponys Home. People ponies for pony people.
Description
About Us
This section is an on-going project that we are working on. You can jump ahead to each section by clicking on the headers below. There will be pictures added as we backdate and update this history of our 30 years of involvement with equine.
Paula's Beginning
I was born into a Naval family and was introduced to my first pony in 1970 when we spent 3 months on my grandparents farm in Iowa. Then on to Hawaii, where I learned to ride under the direction of Kaye at Barber's Point Riding Stables. Our family spent a year learning, then decided to take the plunge when "Jet" was brought to the stables for re-sale. Our last year in Hawaii was spent riding "Jet" - a 15+ hh ex-polo pony that was a welsh/tb/qh cross. We rode for fun and I actually was able to show in several shows in western horsemanship and tried a few turns around the barrels. Surprised even myself when I placed against professional racers! When Dad left the service and we moved to Colorado, I spent 9 years riding, showing and loving grade horses, Paints, Quarter Horses and ponies (I learned that I liked a good ride with the addition of color). I tried just about every discipline during my teenage years and have many fond memories of everything from a bareback gallop through deep snow to watch a sunrise to showing in the Colorado Stock Horse Association. We raised our first foals - and I saw my first baby born in 1979 go on to another family and become thier treasured trail riding and play day winning mount. I rode western and did a little bit of turn-back for cutters, tried my hand at team roping (I never could master a heel loop), western pleasure, reining, and trail classes. I did the three main speed events – barrels, pole bending, and flag racing plus tried key hole, scurry jumping and rescue racing a time or two. I worked my way through basic dressage and jumping lessons given to me by three different local instructors in Parker, CO.
My sister and I participated in a new 4H club and competed at the County Fair with our Horse Projects in 1979, 1980, and 1981. A pony that we bred and sold in 1980 came back to me to be started under saddle, then was sold to a little girl whom she carried on to win big in 4H at the 1883 Colorado State Fair. Things slowed a bit in 1982 and in 1983, I happily left for a 2 year Associates program in Horse Management and training – only to be called back home one semester into the program while my parents divided everything during their divorce. For a few more years, I worked a variety of jobs while caring for the horses my mom and I still had.
