“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”
Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken
The Connemara Pony
While not exactly rare, Connemaras are certainly not one of the most common pony breeds in North America. They are Ireland’s native pony breed- heralding from the rocky, rugged west coast of Ireland- Connemara. Though previously, the Connemara pony’s origins were lost in the mists of time, new DNA methods are helping to clear those mists. There is no question the Irish Hobby had a huge influence, and was a definite precursor, to the Connemara Pony breed as we now have it. In fact, the Irish Hobby was the precursor to both the Connemara and the Irish Draught. It is also a very important piece of what became the American Running Horse, the precursor to the American Thoroughbred. A fabulously athletic horse with endurance, stamina, strength, and a good temperament, the Irish hobby’s genetics are found in many modern day sport breeds. The Connemara pony itself was required to be a versatile, tough, and rugged individual- the same pony often working on the farm, hunting across the rocky landscape, and driving the family to mass on Sunday, all the while raising a foal at foot to provide additional yearly income. Perhaps because of their constant closeness to their people, Connemaras have developed to form a strong and lasting bond with their chosen humans. Of course, they have the famed Irish “fifth leg” and are amazingly athletic. Size rarely seems to matter as they happily tackle the same tasks horses hands taller often to struggle to complete. There have been many Connemaras throughout the years who have amazed and thrilled audiences with their exuberance and desire to perform. Especially noteworthy is the Connemara/Thoroughbred cross of which there have been several stellar individuals competing at the top of their chosen disciplines. Is it any surprise that an incredible athlete would be pulled forth from the depths of the Irish Hobby ancestry on both sides?
“…listen close to me- Anything can happen, child, anything can be.”
Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends
In a sea of giants, why choose the little guy?
Does size truly matter? Connemaras are smart, agile, and game. They want to get to the other side of the jump. They want to master that shoulder-in. They want to gallop the water complex. The best part of Connemara ponies is their innate curiosity and willingness to “go and do” with their humans. The same ponies who are shown in the 3’6″ jumpers one day, carry a kid around a 2’6″ halloween derby the next. The same pony stallion who covers a mare in the morning, gives a lesson to a junior that afternoon- a group lesson that includes two stallions, two mares, and a gelding or two. These ponies who are competitive in open competition turn around and hack bareback with halters and lead ropes around the show grounds each evening. They are simply fun. We’ve taken our ponies swimming in the Atlantic Ocean…and in our pond. We’ve galloped through flooded ditches…and jumped over them. At 18 years old, our broodmare, Wildwych Dreamtime, took a six month “break” from being a broodmare and turned her hand to being a jumper pony- she maxed out at 1.20m, was a rockstar at 1.10m- not bad for a not quite 14.1 hand life long broodmare who, yes, was in foal during those six months. Our ponies have been on TV sets and movie sets, at snoball stands, churches, picnics, large and small hunter jumper shows, Connemara shows, and Horse Trials across the south, attended clinics (dressage, eventing, hunter/jumper, and groundwork), participated in game days and moonlit trail rides, given all levels of group and private lessons, galloped cross country- both for fun and in competition, been decorated for costume classes or just for fun at home…the list goes on and on. Connemaras LOVE to do new and interesting things with their humans. The more you ask of them, the more they find to give. Below are some pictures of our ponies doing “all the things” and having a blast.
Sly on set
Porker and Fintan
Fintan, Hopeful jumpers with Avery Wegmann
Halloween Costume 2018
Groot at a clinic
Fintan on cross country
Porker with his year end Championship goodies
Dreamtime
Lee with Syd
Skatholm Rose in the short stirrup hunters.
Porker and Gabrielle
Sly
Fintan and Avery
Sly at a dressage clinic with Leif Sorensen
Sly at the Region 4 Connemara Show
Pony play
Porker “helping”
Porker, Winter 2018
Sly at the Region 4 Connemara Show
Porker and Bella with Gabrielle and Sydney on Amelia Island, FL
Porker and Fintan
Porker and Fintan
Sly on set
Morning chat with the munchkin dog
Blue Rock Fintan
Sly and his two sons, Porker and Fintan
Fintan, Summer 2018
Sly at the Leif Sorensen clinic in October 2018
Sly, Playing with Avery
Sly and Avery #nofilter
Sly and Sydney in his first derby
Sly, Playing with Avery
Sly and Avery, Dior and Gabrielle
Sly at the Leif Sorensen clinic in August 2018
Bareback rides at the Louisiana Spring Classics
Fintan, December 2018 with Gabrielle
Halloween Horse Show fun- Costume Class
Sly-When you live at a barn with lots of girls, you learn to check your cell phone often.
Fintan in the Hopeful jumpers with Avery Wegmann
Blue Ridge Odette (halfbred by Moxley Duncan) schooling at home.
Fintan Playing games with Porker
Fintan at the Leif Sorensen Clinic, Oct 2018
Fintan and Gabrielle
Fintan attempting to eat his father’s bridle
Sly and Dave Milliken at home after a day on the NCIS New Orleans set
On the set of NCIS New Orleans
Bella
Sly and Sydney in his first derby
Sly, Being ridden in his first hunter derby by Sydney Talbot
Fintan at the Leif Sorensen Clinic, Oct 2018
Sly and Porker, All braided for the derby
Dressage clinic with Leif Sorensen
Wildwych Porker Blue and Wildwych Lantana on the beach at Amelia Island
Giving pony rides
Fintan, December 2018 with Gabrielle
Sly
Sly at a dressage clinic with Leif Sorensen
Sly
Dream and Bella
On the set of NCIS New Orleans
Sly
Fintan asking if he could please eat his father’s bridle
Sly at the Laureen McKenzie clinic
Sly at the Laureen McKenzie clinic
Letting Lauren Crowell jump “big” for her 13th birthday.
Sly at the Louisiana Spring Classics
Sly at a Bernie Traurig clinic
Fintan and Gabrielle
Blue Ridge Odette (halfbred by Moxley Duncan) in the child/adult jumpers.
Skatholm Rose in the short stirrup hunters.
Sly waiting to be brushed on the set of NCIS New Orleans
Sly and Meredith
Sly
Fintan at Tavia, January 2017 (3.5 years)
Sly as office helper
Fintan found something knew and interesting.
Sly
Fintan, At the snowball stand with the girls
Sly at the Louisiana Spring Classics
Fintan, waiting for his snoball
Fintan, At the snowball stand.
Porker and Gabrielle
Porker, showing off his tricks…
Sly and Avery- early morning at the Midwest Connemara Breeder’s Show
Sly and his Valentine visitors- Lee and Addie
Sly and his Valentine visitors- Lee and Addie
Clemma and Sydney
Sly at Horse Shows In the Oaks
Sly and his Valentine visitors- Lee and Addie
Avery explaining to Sly why he really doesn’t want to taste her pickle.
Avery and Sly up the bank on their cross country adventure during the Atlanta In the Fall show at Chatt Hills in Fairburn, GA.
Avery on Fintan and Gabrielle on Sly- stallion bareback fun day.
Sly Meeting Declan (*TBS Declan Pondi) at Chatt Hills.
Lee and Syd
Pony rides- Sly and Porker give sisters Wren and Rowan pony rides on a rainy day.
Horse Shows In The Oaks
Sly and his favorite son, Porker, with their ribbons from the Louisiana Spring classics.
Sly and Avery with the ribbons from the Midwest Connemara Breeder’s Show in St. Louis
Wildwych Dreamtime
Sly and Avery schooling cross country
Sly and Avery enjoying some cross country play during the Atlanta in the Fall hunter/jumper show.
Fintan, At the snowball stand with the girls.
Louisiana Fall Classics
Sly and Avery enjoying some cross country play during the Atlanta in the Fall hunter/jumper show.
Sly hacking on the cross country course at Chatt Hills
Sly and Avery enjoying some cross country play during the Atlanta in the Fall hunter/jumper show.
Halloween Horse Show 2017
Halloween Horse Show 2017
Part 2 of Sly’s Halloween Costume- he was a Chick Magnet and Avery was his Mane Chick
Fintan (left) and Sly (right)
Halloween Horse Show fun
Avery and Clemma
Sly’s son, Lee
Halloween Horse Show fun
Skatholm Rose, Wildwych Thundersnow’s dam
Show Prep includes kisses for good pony boys
Avery and Sly in the jumper classes at the Midwest Connemara Breeder’s Show in St. Louis.
Sly and his Valentine visitors- Lee and Addie
Sly at the Louisiana Classics
Sydney and Sly in the Equitation Challenge at the Midwest Connemara Breeder’s Show in St. Louis.
Scarlet and Kae hacking in the afternoon
Avery, Sydney, and Sly accepting their awards at the Midwest Connemara Breeder’s Show in St. Louis.
Clemma and Macie
Avery and Sly in the jumper classes at the Midwest Connemara Breeder’s Show in St. Louis.
Sly and Avery enjoying some cross country play during the Atlanta in the Fall hunter/jumper show.
Fintan, age 4
Fintan, age 4
Porker at Horse Shows In The Oaks
Sydney and Sly in the Equitation Challenge at the Midwest Connemara Breeder’s Show in St. Louis.
Horse Shows In The Oaks
Porker at the Louisiana Spring classics
Sly and Avery schooling cross country
Wildwych Porker Blue
2017 Horse Shows in the Oaks
Dreamtime
Lee and Syd
2017, schooling at home
2017 Louisiana Spring Classics
2017, Schooling at home
Sly as a Tiger and Sydney as the Park Ranger.
Sly and his son, Porker, at the Laureen McKenzie clinic.
Sly and his lead-line rider, four year old, Lee Kiefer.
Pond play with Dreamtime and Queen
Sly on set
Ribbons are tasty
Sly with his ribbons
Sly and Avery at Louisiana Fall Classics I.
Avery and Gabrielle hacking on the show grounds at Amen Corner.
Sly’s son, Lee
Sly and his lead line rider, Lee, having a chat about her new hat.
Sly and Sydney
Fintan, age 4
Resting on Dream
Belle and Sydney
Is it our turn yet? If it’s not, do you have food?
Sly, August 2016
Fintan, age 3, with Gabrielle
Lee and Syd
Holden, getting snuggles
Sly at Horse Shows In the Oaks
After the bareback fun class
Sly getting ready for the bareback fun class.
Sly and Syd waiting for their turn
Gus and Sly, fall 2015
Belle and Sydney
Avery and Clemma
Kae on Sly, May 2016
Kaelin and Gabrielle on Queen in the pond
Sly and Kae, Amen Corner, April 2016
Gabrielle and Ann Claire on Sly, spring 2016
Lee and Syd
Sydney and Sly in the Equitation Challenge at the Midwest Connemara Breeder’s Show in St. Louis.
Gabrielle and Porker on Amelia Island
Syd riding Bella while Lee follows along
Sly’s daughter, Jazz
Sydney and Sly, Amen Corner week 1
Dreamtime
Penny’s first ride undersaddle.
Sly at his first show, Nov 2015
Holden and Kae
Holden and his dam, Wildwych Dreamtime
Wildwych Lantana aka Bella and Gabrielle
Trollie on a misty morning
Wildwych Lantana (*Glenormiston Flurry Knox X *Skatholm Rose)
Sly and Sydney, September 2015
Sly and Sydney, September 2015
Penny’s first ride undersaddle.
Sly and Gabrielle, summer 2015
Porker and Gabrielle
Gabrielle and Porker
Syd on Dream
Oceans are fun!
Porker and Gabrielle in the pond
Elsa and Avery
Macie and Queen take the babies out for some exercise
Macie and Queen take the babies out for some exercise
Avery and Clemma checking out the blueberry bushes.
Avery adjusting Clemma’s forelock.
Porker and Gabrielle, practicing their movie tricks in the Atlantic Ocean
Avery and Clemma
Clemma and Sydney
Wildwych Porker Blue (Wildwych Dreamtime)
Scarlet and Kae
Bella, Gabrielle, and Kae
Bella and Syd
Bella and Syd
Syd and Bella
Sydney swimming with Bella on Amelia Island
Bella and Syd
Gabrielle on Porker and Syd on Bella “ocean racing”
Kae and Syd, Christmas morning pond play
Bella and Gabrielle
Bella and Gabrielle
Bella and Mariah
Bella and Avery
Bella and Syd
Marie on Queen
Pond play with Queen
Queen and Sydney
Queen and Kaelin
Kae and Queen in the pond
More pond play
Wildwych Porker Blue (Wildwych Dreamtime)
Syd on Dream and Alex on Queen
Sydney on Queen
Picking blueberries
Blueberries for Dream
Easter pony rides
Avery on Dream
Jessica on Porker
Easter pony rides
Kae and Queen, Easter 2015
Easter 2015, Queen gives pony rides
Wildwych Dreamtime
Sydney and Sly
April 2015- Avery rides Sly for the first time.
“If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away.”