Wassailing The Ponies for 2021

A fuzzy-in-more-ways-than-photography Fell Pony stallion Kinniside Asi

Around the start of each year, I have a tradition of wassailing my ponies. I take pieces of apple and/or carrot to each pony in my herd in turn. When I offer the treat to them, I thank them for their presence in my life and wish them a happy new year. Usually, the youngstock and my stallion aren’t interested in the edible attention, but they of course still get well wishes.

For many years, I had company when I wassailed the ponies. Now I make up for being alone by roping friends into the ritual. This year weather interfered with one friend’s physical presence, though I could definitely feel her presence in spirit. Another friend, for the second year in a row, made up for the thousand miles between us by wassailing hers at the same time as I did mine. It was great fun to get a photo texted to me of her first encounter as I was about to have the same.

I like to take pictures of my interactions with each pony each year as a sort of record of the herd. Being alone, getting pictures requires creativity. My stallion is currently housed by himself, so a camera on a tripod with a self-timer was put to use. Unfortunately, it appears to have been focused on a snowflake, so Asi and I are fuzzy, but I still like the picture. This year he at least mouthed the apple before spitting it out. In past years he hasn’t even taken it from me!

I found the mares out on the hill, and I was encouraged that I wouldn’t immediately have a mob around the camera and tripod because they were looking off into the distance. I triggered the self-timer and got a few shots but couldn’t retrigger it for fear of having it knocked over by a curious young Aimee. One of the pictures shows her looking right at it! I gave up on pictures and focused on the messages.

During a challenging week, after a challenging year, there is no question my ponies have made things easier than they might otherwise have been. I am so fortunate to have them in my life. I hope you can say the same. Happy New Year.

© Jenifer Morrissey, 2021

There are more stories like this one in my book What an Honor, available internationally by clicking here or on the book cover.