Sochi

Sochi is a 2006 POA (Shetland Pony x Appaloosa) mare who stands approximately 13hh. She originally came to MHARF from a February 2014 Wadena County humane case during an extremely cold stretch of weather. Sochi was pregnant at intake and her colt Ivan was born in May of 2014. She was adopted the following year but her adopter regretfully had to return her because she was still too green under saddle. In the spring of 2019, Sochi had some refresher training with Kari Cedergren, including a clinic w/Sarona Bruder and some road/trail riding and she did very well. Sochi then went to a foster home while waiting to be adopted. In early 2022, she had another short training assessment with Sarah Helms of Step Up Horsemanship (See Video Here ). Sochi is blind in one eye due to an old injury and this causes her to still be a little skittish around new things, both under saddle and on the ground. Sochi could have potential as a riding pony, but she needs more work with a trainer or experienced rider (and because she is only 13hh, this needs to be someone smaller). We wouldn’t recommend her for anything less than a confident intermediate to experienced rider at this time. She would also be very happy just being a companion pony.

Since 2022, Sochi has been in a great foster home where she’s kept with a gelding and a mare during the day and goes into a stall at night. At night she has a slow feeder with hay in her stall, during the day she is turned out and fed on a dry lot with the other horses.  She loves her food, but doesn’t food guard at all. Sochi gets very limited access to grass because she tends to gain weigh very quickly. She can be pushy when she wants to do something, especially when she wants to be around her friends.  She has been ridden only a handful of times times in her foster home and tends to be on the lazy side.  She is great for the vet and farrier, and Britt says she is the easiest horse she has ever bathed and clipped. She also does well with fly spray and her fly mask. She doesn’t lunge on her blind side, but will on the other side. She loves attention and is getting more used to children every day, but still does better with adults.