A Lesson from my Hill Bred Gems
/As this year’s Hill Bred Gems Online Fell Pony Sale came to a close, I was laughing at myself for the lesson I’ve learned from my two Hill Bred Gems: Bracklinn Phoebe and Drybarrows Imperial. I bought these two fillies in the 2023 sale. Phoebe was a yearling and Imperial a weanling at the time. The lesson I’ve learned from having these two for more than a year now is that if I’m going to buy two fillies, be careful not to buy two aspiring herd leaders!
Willowtrail Lucky Lad following his dam into the barn, while the three young fillies await further encouragement to do the same!
This lesson was made extremely evident the last morning of this year’s sale when it took three trips to get my herd of six in from pasture. My two Hill Bred Gems as aspiring herd leaders refused to follow the older mares in. I have been spoiled to often be able to halter one pony but lead in four or more ponies at a time from pasture to barn. On this particular morning, I was obviously not so lucky!
I took the picture above on my second trip. It shows my colt foal Willowtrail Lucky Lad following his mother. I had previously taken his grandmother in. In the background are Phoebe, Imperial, and yearling Willowtrail Amanda, another aspriring herd leader. Strangely, I got those three to come in together by haltering Imperial, the younger of my Hill Bred Gems. I have learned that while Phoebe is dominant in many ways, she will indeed follow Imperial to the barn most of the time.
My ‘lesson’ about not buying two aspiring herd leaders at the same time is more humorous than practical. All my mares try to dominate the others at some point until they (usually) get things sorted out. I am grateful to have both Phoebe and Imperial here and to have the opportunity to learn from my Hill Bred Gems.
© Jenifer Morrissey, 2025
You can read more stories like this one in my book What an Honor, available internationally by clicking here and on the book cover.
