Diamond in the Rough

"Daddy, I want a pony," she said with her sparkling blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and glistening blonde hair doing most the talking.  Who says, "no" to that?  Not "no" to the request for a pony, but "no" to all of the stunning attributes that do the talking, begging, pleading, reasoning, and, lets face it, relentless whining.  So like any dad who listens to his wise wife, our daughter got a pony.  I mean, we live on a farm for crying out loud!  Duh, of course she got a pony.

When a child gets a pet the first thing the child does is name it as only a child can.  If it's a goldfish it's likely to be named, Goldie.  Or if it's a dog with spots, the name will obviously be Spotty.   A black cat, will be named Blackie.  You get the point.  So following the norm, our daughter, upon seeing a diamond shaped spot on the pony's side,  proudly named him Diamond.  A male pony named Diamond?  I had no choice but to go with it and, the funny thing is, the name fits him.  I guess it helps that we dress him up in glitter and ribbons, and fix his mane and tail in fancy braids.  He doesn't seem to mind the "Dude  Looks Like a Lady" looks.  But it's not the name that sets this pony apart from all other animals.  Nah, it's his personality.  He has bad days and good days, and isn't afraid to let you know how he is feeling.  Diamond has little man syndrome, and trust me, the large horses make way and bow down.  His bite is worse than his neigh.  Just ask my daughter.  And if you ask Diamond he will tell you that her punch is worse than her scream.  On a good day you might see Diamond grazing by the pool (he can magically escape any pasture which has given him the nickname Houdini), chasing a pig (purposefully NOT stepping on it) or begging for an apple slice, with a twinkle in his eye.   

Diamond is a good sport.  He doesn't mind a bad hair day, or even a bad hair month.  He paid no mind to an unfortunate bang trimming he got from a talented little girl and her best friend wielding a pair of purple plastic safety scissors.  You wouldn't mind bluntly chopped  bangs,  would you? 

It takes a LONG time for horse hair to grow back.   Not like the LONG time it takes for our hair to grow back.  It takes  ten times longer.  But like everything else that happens around here, Diamond's unfortunate haircut can't be undone.  It's yesterday's news, and life goes on here on the farm.

Diamond has taught our daughter how to ride, to hang on when being bucked, and to not give up when your horse gives you attitude.  He's a keeper even though she's outgrown him.  He put up with thirty 5 year olds who took turns "riding" him during a field trip they made to our farm. I can't imagine a pasture without him.  He's been proclaimed to be "the nicest, well mannered pony around" by our farrier and that my friends says a lot considering ponies have a bad reputation!  He certainly is a Diamond in the Rough.  

Photo Courtesy: Sharlee Rother Photography