Menu
Johanna Kumiko is the proud owner of three small ponies, two Shetland ponies and one miniature. Every day, she visits these little rascals at least twice, filling most of her free time with joys and experiences. But why has Johanna chosen to have horses she can never ride on? And what does one do day in and day out with such small sizes? We've had a chat with her about working with the ponies, and we're certainly not the only ones who have taken notice of these beautiful horses. Over 12,000 followers on her Instagram profile have too.
Imagine never being able to ride your horse. Not even once in your life as a horse owner can you mount it and ride off down the road or onto the track. That's everyday life for Johanna with her ponies. They are simply too small to be ridden, so they must find other things to do together. This means that all work is done as ground work, especially in the form of numerous tricks, and the oldest of the horses, five-year-old Cooper, is also trained for driving. Maybe you've had a young horse, or perhaps an injured horse that you could only lead or work with from the ground. Even if you're determined to give the horse many exciting experiences and start out optimistically thinking it will be super fun every day, most of us probably know the feeling of running out of creativity. Johanna feels the same, but she takes it all in stride.
"I can definitely get tired of it, but I think everyone can, whether they ride or not. Then the horses just get a day off, or we go for a short walk while enjoying our time together."
Johanna Kumiko
Read also: The history of the noseband – How it became a part of the bridle outfit
Johanna shares that she finds inspiration for new tricks on Instagram, which she then teaches her ponies, though it can be a while between new tricks.
"Sometimes it might be a month before I try something new, other times less. It depends on what I come across on social media, or ideas I come up with myself."
Johanna has also been a regular rider like most of us. It started in the classic way with a trip to the riding school and has developed from there. However, she has never owned her own riding horse and doesn't really feel the need for one at the moment.
"I do miss riding, but I think it's mostly the idea of it. I actually find big horses a bit intimidating," she laughs.
But how does one get the idea to go all in on small ponies? For Johanna, it started with a share, where she trained and got inspiration for ground work. Over time, she increasingly wanted to try owning horses herself. The first was a mare, who sadly passed away in 2017. Later that year, she found out that Cooper, her current gelding and the horse she has had the longest, needed a new home. Johanna quickly stepped in and has since trained Cooper in more tricks, jumping from the ground, and driving. Vivaldi, her 1.5-year-old miniature stallion, came along later, as did the mare My, who is currently on loan.
Read also: Does your horse have a happy tongue?
"My biggest wish is really just for the ponies to be very happy and thrive. But of course, there are some things I would like to try with them."
Something Johanna hopes to do in the new year includes starting a driving competition with Cooper. They were supposed to participate this year but had to cancel due to car problems before the event. They have also had many other experiences together. Cooper has started show jumping without a rider, led by Johanna on a leash. He has also participated in dressage with long reins, and the pair have been to the Day of the Horse event.
"I actually think we have an even closer bond because everything happens from the ground. The ponies never experience anything from the back, so we are always in close contact. They can read my body language, and we spend all our time just being together."
Johanna Kumiko
The close bond Johanna has with her ponies, she believes, is created because she cannot ride them. She is in close contact with them and can read and pick up on any signals the horses show. This also means that she is reluctant to have too many people involved in the training. She'd rather give them an extra day off than have more people handle her horses. In the future, Johanna plans to train to be a police officer and is well aware that it might be difficult to have the same time for the horses once she starts her education. Nevertheless, she is certain they will thrive best with her as the primary person in their life – even if it means an extra day off each week.
If you want to see more of Johanna and the ponies, you can visit her Instagram profile minihorse_liberty.
