Ziggy
Nicknames: Zigster, Pink Pony, Little Monster
Horsenality: Ziggy is small but mighty! He is so adorable it is sometimes uncomfortable to look at him and in the winter his fluffy coat makes him look like a horse crossed with a chinchilla. He is very confident with humans and herd-mates alike. He loves attention from visitors to the barn who are drawn to his cuteness. Because of his big, ground-covering trot, he was tried out as a Ride and Tie horse (a long distance endurance sport that involves two humans and a horse running and riding over back country terrain) but Ziggy’s opinion was that it took way too much effort and that was the end of his Ride and Tie career! He is sweet, talented, intelligent and well trained, but he likes to make his own decisions and that decision often involves eating.
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Family and Relationships: Ziggy is both social and independent, and can handle himself in any herd without getting overly attached to a specific horse. He loves people but he is dominant in most horse herds and takes control of all the feeding tires until finally choosing which one he’s going to focus on, putting both front feet in the tires to let others know this is what he’s chosen. His best playmates have been Bear and Pico who round out a fairly balanced cycle of dominance. Along with Apache, they’ve been known as the “Bennington” herd due to the variety of coat colors and patterns.
Interests: Food, naps, and cuddles! Ziggy can be very playful with the ball or cone when the mood strikes him. Pico can be seen offering him the ball for a play date and Ziggy refusing the gesture. Once Pico gives up, and if Ziggy has the energy, he will choose the ball and initiate the game. It’s all on Ziggy’s terms earning his nickname Little Monster.
Program Participation: Ziggy has been one of our ‘go-to’ program horses for many years. He is patient and quiet with the children, and wonderful for leading, riding and grooming. His soft roan coat feels like angora which makes him a favorite for grooming. And he grows a ‘beard’ in the winter which makes him look like a gremlin pink pony. Children love to braid his thick tail, or his mane, and sometimes, even his beard! [/read]