Here, a Region 5 adult amateur shares the story of retraining a pony she pulled from an auction, to teach him trust and love over bolting and fear as they compete in both classical and western dressage!
By Amber Primm
I found Skipp To My Lou, affectionately known as Skippy, at an auction in 2020. Originally, I purchased him out of sympathy, and because he reminded me of a horse I rode as a kid. I had the single hope that he would become a quiet little trail pony for my daughter to enjoy.
I understood that horses at auction often came with their share of baggage, and I was prepared for the work ahead. My heart went out to him immediately. With the help of a friend, I learned that Skippy had been passed from home to home, and I was his fifth or sixth owner by the time he was just 13 years old. Despite his tumultuous past, Skippy had a sweet personality and a sharp mind, though he was reactive and prone to panic. He knew only two speeds: walk and gallop.
At the time, I was transitioning from the world of western pleasure with Arabian show horses into dressage. My initial intent was not to compete, but to deepen my understanding of horse biomechanics and training. I wanted to help horses become more balanced and comfortable in their bodies while becoming a more effective rider and horsewoman. However, as I delved deeper into dressage, I fell in love with the sport and decided to pursue competition.
Restarting a horse with a traumatic past like Skippy’s required a different skill set than starting a young horse from scratch. Beyond teaching Skippy to find balance in his body and respond to my cues with trust, I had to help him unlearn his ingrained reactions. He had been gamed and handled roughly, which left him mistrustful and unable to relax. When I was able to track down information about Skippy’s past, I was told that he was a sweet pony but needed to be ridden in a tiedown with a strong bit and that he could buck. While I never experienced him as a “bucker,” he did move with a hollow back and would brace, crow hop, and/or bolt into a gallop.
Additionally, he had mild kissing spines from those years of being used incorrectly with a hollow back. With careful and consistent work, I’ve gotten him to use his body correctly, greatly alleviating his discomfort – all thanks to dressage and bodywork.
Now, knowing what I do with images of his back revealing kissing spines, it’s clear to me that Skippy was simply running away from pain. Dressage has been instrumental in helping him develop self-carriage and proper muscling over his back, which has helped ease his pain. I also incorporate carrot stretches and Balance Through Movement Methods (BTMM) into his work routine, and have him regularly treated by an equine massage therapist and a PEMF therapy professional.
Through experimentation, I’ve learned that he’s most comfortable training in arenas that are very level, with consistent footing. We live in southern Utah where our arena options are very limited, as most of the arenas are set up for rodeo events with inadequate footing for dressage training, so I haul Skippy out three to four days a week to ride at the county arena, which seems the most comfortable for him. While he loves trail riding, I avoid steep areas because they compress his vertebrae and cause discomfort. Back injections didn’t work for him, but customizing his care and training with his spine in mind has made all the difference – Skippy is now 100% sound.
Our journey together includes both Western and classical dressage, and the transition between the two has been seamless for us. My background in the Arabian show horse world, where versatility is highly valued, prepared me well for this. It’s not uncommon for one horse to compete in multiple disciplines there. Additionally, I’ve found that there’s more common ground between Western and classical dressage than differences.
The biomechanics are the same; horses don’t know what dressage is – they only know that their rider is asking something of them. When we ask for movements that benefit their bodies and show them that the process can be enjoyable, it becomes a win-win situation. My little guy can half-pass like a fancy unicorn, or get ranchy and side pass to open and close a gate. Making a horse handy and useful is important to me, and to Skippy, it’s all one and the same – training, aka “dressage.”
For example, the difference between a turn on the haunches and a pivot might be significant to us as riders, but to a horse, they’re just different maneuvers with different functions. With clear communication and training, they can easily distinguish between the two. Skippy doesn’t care whether he’s wearing a Western saddle or an English one; he’s simply willing to work with me because of the trust and partnership we’ve built. We have a foundation together.
One of our greatest competition accomplishments together has been achieving our First and Second Level scores towards my USDF Bronze Medal. We accomplished this while also excelling in Western dressage, and achieving our Western Dressage Association of American (WDAA) Bronze Medal in the same twelve months.
Skippy’s versatility and willingness to learn have been nothing short of inspiring. He’s a can-do guy who agrees to try his best in exchange for cuddles and being told he’s the “goodest boy.” He’s taught me patience, resilience, and the value of building trust. These lessons have extended beyond the arena and into my everyday life, influencing how I approach challenges and relationships.
The most special thing about Skippy is his heart. Despite the hardships he’s faced, he has a kind nature and a willingness to try that never fails to amaze me. He’s a testament to the idea that with love, patience, and the right training, even the most reactive and traumatized horses can thrive.
At the end of June 2023, I had a riding accident on another horse of mine – a young Arabian who was my intended dressage prospect. Unfortunately, after extensive veterinary investigation with multiple specialists in different states, we discovered he was neurological, something I hadn’t been aware of before the accident. Tragically, I had to make the heartbreaking decision to euthanize him.
The accident itself was devastating: we were cantering when he tripped and fell, rotating over the top of me and breaking his saddle tree in the process. I ended up in an ambulance with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which has since left me with occasional vertigo and nerve damage on my right side. The lack of sensation, especially in my right leg, has been a challenge to overcome, particularly in dressage, where balance and precision are so vital. My left side has become overly dominant, adding another layer of difficulty, but with physical therapy and determination, I’m making steady progress.
In the aftermath, Skippy became my saving grace. After losing my dressage prospect, I allowed myself time to grieve before setting out for another young prospect, and during that period, Skippy stepped up in the most unexpected and heroic way. Despite his own challenges, he took care of me with a level of heart and understanding that I never imagined. Skippy has become more than just a fun horse to have – he’s the dressage partner I didn’t realize I needed all along. He’s my hero, right under my nose the whole time. For so long, I thought I was saving him, but in truth, he has been saving me, and I couldn’t be more grateful for him.
To anyone considering a pony as a dressage partner, or specifically a Pony of the Americas (POA), I would say: don’t overlook them! Ponies are intelligent, athletic, and often incredibly versatile. The POA comes from a mix of Appaloosa, Quarter Horse, Arabian, Shetland, and Welsh Pony blood. Each contributes to athleticism, a good mind, and that fancy pony element – which truly shines in my guy.
Eventually, I’ll turn him over to my daughter, but for now, I’m enjoying every achievement we reach together with this little dream-maker. Skippy has become so much more than I ever expected. He’s my partner, teacher, and a shining example of how generously forgiving ponies and horses are. Skippy is well-known and beloved in our circle, with his growing fan club, but to me he is my superhero.
