Teen Turns Rebellious Pony into Champion

Ask anyone. Gabe is one seriously ugly pony.  Always has been. Owner Erin Brock said a friend, a breeder of Connemara ponies, brought Gabe to her on a truck.

“She backed off this ugly-looking, pink, scrawny pony,” Brock said. “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, is that supposed to be a horse?’”

Brock was in the thick of graduate school when she lent Gabe, who wasn’t being ridden much, to Allie Farley of Staunton. Allie, 14, said that at first, the pony was no smooth ride either.

But after two years together, Allie and Gabe have developed a close working relationship. They push one another to excel and win competitions. Allie will return Gabe to his owner in the spring, but until then, she’s getting as much ride time in as possible…

 

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Date: 9-18-2009
By: www.newsleader.com