Britney  and Clementine	Claire and Shane	Sandman our  Angel Pony	PETOOT Poster Pony 2001	Ryan's best friend	Matthew and "Mine 'Orse"	Tyler  with Clyde & Dale
Jacob and Mafusa	Sonja's Taffy	Steven and Mikey	HOPE! Poster Pony 2002	Muffy and an Angel	Mark and Maggie

SONJA's TAFFY - PPL Pony Extraordinaire!

TAFFY is the kind of pony children dream about. She rides, drives, is a lovely mover, has excellent conformation and produces wonderful, small foals. She is also a superb example of the kind of mare that we strive for in the Personal Ponies breeding program, exemplifying both the temperament and "wide, round and low to the ground" type that is our breeding standard.

TAFFY came to the program through the generosity of Louise Porter of Freeville, New York, and is currently placed with Volunteer, Charlee Messick in Winchester, Virginia. In her new home, Taffy will not only resume her duties as a broodmare, but will also continue serving as a promotion pony.

TAFFY has already produced a lovely, correct filly who will, no doubt, also have a varied carreer and make her own important contribution to the program both through her own foals and as well as by serving many differently-able children.

A story about TAFFY from Volunteer, Charlee Messick...

Recently, Charlee noticed that TAFFY was not acting like the happy, eager pony she was accustomed to greeting each morning. She wasn't sick exactly, but Charlee's keen eye noted that she wasn't just "right" either. TAFFY was slow to come to be fed and was keeping to herself. The spark was gone...

Worried that something might be wrong, Charlee considered calling in her vet to check things out, but after giving the situation some thought (and being one of our most experienced volunteers), she decided to act on a hunch first... Here are some excerpts from emails she wrote to our PPL Chat list about TAFFY and her "problem."

Hi everyone :) These PPL ponies are so amazing....I've got a little "situation" that I've honestly never seen in all my years of horses. One of my wonderful ponies...Taffy...has been acting a bit depressed lately. Doesn't come trotting when it's feeding time....she even looks sad...but her vitals are good, she's eating, etc...she just doesn't "feel" like socializing with the other ponies lately and you can tell she's feeling blue. I wracked my brains trying to figure out what's going on...she's such a sweetheart. Ready to call the vet and do a complete check up.....THEN it hit me.....ever since school started, her best buddy hasn't been able to come twice weekly like he did all summer. Taffy misses Ben! So many children visit, but she and Ben became instant companions...love at first sight.....my sweet girl wants her little boy EVERY Thursday and Saturday! Aren't our ponies amazing? I'm ready to get a BIG photo of Ben and hang it up where she can see it I feel so bad for her....my hugs just aren't the same I guess :) Tomorrow we go to a big nursing home bash, then on to a tree nursery "do".....I thought Taffy did more than her share all summer going places and left her home the last 2 times....tomorrow she gets to go...and be with Ben ALL day! Cross your fingers that makes her "smile" again :) Charlee

And two days later Charlee wrote again to let us know the results of her "hunch"...

Back from a busy day....and wow....I was right. Taffy all but danced today she was so happy...her old self! I looked once and saw Ben laying on the pavement feeding Taffy tiny carrot slices...both looked like they were in heaven. Even after I got home, she played and romped with the other ponies with eyes bright and dancing. Taffy needed Ben :) Amazing isn't it? Lots of visitors and attention, but she wanted "her" little boy. And here I thought I was being nice by letting her stay home the past few weeks and let another pony do her job. She and Ben are a team...and she made sure I knew it!

We couldn't agree more with Charlee when she said that TAFFY "proves that PPL ponies are the most special of all!"