It was December 6th, 2019…And we were sitting in the stuffy, hot, auction house, watching ponies and horses go through the ring. They sell for as quick as 1-2 minutes. The ponies aren’t in the ring long. Just long enough to move around and grab someone’s attention. A little sorrel pony went through and someone yelled out “BROKE TO RIDE! 6 YRS old!” Nathaniel looked at me and I shrugged…eh, why not? He was going cheap… We were the winning bid.
After a while, we had two horses, and two ponies written down on our card and Nathaniel said…”Ok, we are DONE…” We were officially full in our trailer, and we were supposed to pick up another horse we bought to keep out of auction on our way home. He said, “We have two ponies and two horses. We are full.” Come to find out, we actually had THREE ponies and two horses because I bid on Rusty and forgot to write him down… OOPS
Destini with Rusty and Nathaniel with Dolly 
Rusty after the sale 
All loaded
We got everyone loaded, and ended up deciding to pick the horse up a different day instead of on our way home. Somehow, they all fit. We took a divider out for the ponies and everyone seemed to get along on the way home.
After the first couple days of settling, Rusty was still very wary of us. He cowered away in fear when we tried to pet him, and would be very quick to turn his hind end toward us when we tried to get near him. On a lead rope, he was a very skittish and jumpy. His flight instinct was VERY sensitive. The first day we had him tacked up to ride, this guy did pretty decently, but then, after a while, he spooked and bolted. Destini bailed off of him, and Rusty just kept on running.
This pony was HARD to catch! He jumped over a roll of fencing, jumped over a stack of siding, jumped over a fence in with the other horses, and then attempted to jump back over a fence to get back out and got stuck and was afraid to move. We all moved slowly and talked soothingly to him and untacked him. And got Rusty up on his feet and walking calmly with us… It was safe to say Rusty did not trust people in one bit. We were certain at that point that he had definitely suffered abuse at some point of his pony life.
Every day, we walk into the barn and Rusty was the first pony in the first stall. At first he cowered and shook…Then, little by little, he became friendlier. We would pet him and talk to him. One day, he stuck his head out of his stall and tried to steal my sandwich. This pony LOVES bread.
Rusty started to trust again. Our typical quarantine time came and went and Rusty was still with us before our January trip to the sale barn despite us rehoming him for a very low fee. The terms “green broke” and “pony” in the same sentence seem to scare most people off. Rusty had multiple things going against him…His age (16 years old), his size (13 hh is too large for a pasture pet), and the fact that he is green broke.
Since quarantine was up, and this guy was in good health, Rusty was turned out with the other horses. He gets along with everyone, and surprisingly will come up to people for treats. Our nine year old boy, Hezekiah, will walk out every day and take Rusty a treat. Rusty will come right to him for a treat and for a good petting. He is usually easy to catch. *Knock on wood* I say that, but when I need to catch him quick, of course, he IS one hundred percent pony. Everything you do with Rusty, you have to take your time. If you are patient, he will work with you.
Destini began to do some more work with him, since we have had trouble finding him a home. And now that Rusty is beginning to trust, he is doing well with groundwork, and with riding. On day one, he stopped moving around to be mounted, and now stands to be mounted bareback, or saddled. He will stand to be tacked up. He has respectful ground manners, and will pick up all of his feet. And now rides in a halter, as well as having a bit in his mouth.
Rusty is still up for adoption…Looking for his forever family. He is big enough a small adult can continue to work with him. If he sticks around our place much longer, who knows what’s in his future! Maybe we will take him off for a while and turn him into an English pony…He sure has the jumping capabilities! Or maybe just continue turning into a good western pony and hopefully get him riding well enough for a kiddo to learn the ropes on. If you want a good companion pony, and a cool little project to work with though, consider Rusty! He may just be the guy for you!
I am still working on my husband Larry. Tammy Leopard-Gutierrez he is being tough.