Gail, my instructor, had told me about the pony named Gizmo before. I'd seen him in the paddock with Alf and Freddy, but I'd never really been interested in him.

Sighing, wishing I could ride Alf, I dug my lead rope out of my riding bag and headed into the "pony paddock". I leaned out and kissed Alf's fuzzy orange forelock, and looked around for the small bay pony.

He was standing at the far end of the stone wall, one leg cocked, looking at my with half-hearted interested. My spirits sank even lower. I felt no connection to this pony. His conformation was rather off, with short, thick legs, a large head, and a medium length back that sank into his round belly.

Deeply disappointed, I clipped my leadline to his halter and started walking. He avoided the stone ramp and walked around it on the softer ground, which annoyed me.

In the barn, he clipped nicely to the cross ties. He was very sweet to me while I tacked him up, and I found myself warming up to him. I used a small saddle and a size 38 girth.

When I lead him into the damp arena, he fought me as I tried to mount. He walked away, pulled at the reins, turned sharply. I grew angry at him. Trying to start off, he immediately pulled at the reins and tried to trot.

The lesson was not the best ever. And I missed Alf! I was not glad that Gail put me on him…until Gail told me that Gizmo was green.

Shocked…I thought he had simply been misbehaving. And he was a rescued paso fino? It suddenly occurred to me that he had actually been trying hard this entire time. I felt awful that I had disliked him. As we continued, I noticed more how hard he was trying. As he refused crossrails, jumped a set of cross rails, bucked, I grinned hugely.

I am proud to say that this first ride has lead me into my fourth month of leasing him. I have taken him cross-country four times. I have jumped him over two feet. I have fallen off him 6 times. I have jumped him bareback and one-handed twice.

He's hardly even the same pony. He could hardly jump crossrails at first. People told me that he would never jump, because paso finos cannot jump. I have proved every person wrong. He is still the sweetest pony I have ever known.

He still tries harder than any other horse. It sickens me to know that he was abandoned, and amazes me that he still is so sweet to people. He follows me around the paddock now.

He still spooks at anything and everything, and he still refuses, but I would never give up on him no matter how difficult he may be to ride.

Some people can hardly believe he is the same pony. From the pony that refused trot poles to the pony who jumps vertical bounces bareback, and 1' verticals from a canter.

I'm so proud of my baby boy for everything he has taught me. We have taught each other so much that I can now ride in my lessons and do bareback what the other girls do in a saddle.

They jump in a saddle, I do it bareback. They post in a saddle, I do it bareback. They do leg yields in a saddle, I do it bareback. I have discovered that riding a green pony does not limit you, but that it truly expands your riding.

And I have also learned to never doubt what a pony can do, because people said he would never jump. He jumps cross country, is never limited by the height of jumps.

He needed a confident rider. And I needed a challenging pony.

Through the painful falls where I have held back tears and got back on to jump after being told to stay on the ground and make sure I was alright, to him cantering his first crossrail and forgetting to pick up his feet.

I have taught him to bow perfectly, and he has taught me to spend time with and care for your horse, because it will help you overcome trust obstacles.

Never doubt what a horse can do because of the improbability. And never skip over a horse who can't jump six feet--because those horses are who teach you the most and always remember; those trusty school ponies and six foot jumpers were once green horses who didn't know anything.

Gizmo, I love you, and I always will. You're my little Energizer Bunny. <3

By Audrey Weyler, age 12

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