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Irelynn and Skidder She may be only three years old, but Irelynn Ferguson can ride a horse with the best of them. Only, the horse she rides is the perfect proportion for her. Standing at about forty inches tall, Skidder is a mini horse. “That’s a completely different class from ponies,” explains Melody Ferguson, Irelynn’s mom. “He and my Great Dane, Kota, are about the same size. We call Kota our house horse!” Without anything to gauge his size, you would think Skidder was a regular horse if you saw him in a photograph. Unlike a Shetland pony that is very stocky, a mini horse has the same proportions as a regular horse. Skidder is a gelding, which means he has been neutered. He is lean and weighs around 300 pounds. For comparison, the average horse weighs 900 to 2,200 pounds depending on the breed. Belgians, Percherons, and Clydesdales can all tip the scales at over a ton. Melody says that Skidder is a “community pony,” who lives with other horses on a farm in Polkville that belongs to her friend, Dakota Patrick. “Dakota and I grew up riding horses together,” says Melody. “I have always been around horses, growing up in 4H, rodeo, and the National Barrel Horse Association.” She sold two of her horses to go to college, but when she had children, she wanted to share her love of horses with them. “My oldest daughter is sixteen, and she rode a horse until she got into softball and boys,” laughs Melody. “Keeping horses is very expensive. Luckily, Skidder is small and doesn’t take up much room. He also doesn’t eat much.” Irelynn is the baby of the family of eight. “She has liked animals from the jump,” Melody says. Skidder came into their lives when Irelynn was just a baby, so she has grown up with the little horse she calls “He He.” Though Irelynn still requires some supervision while riding Skidder, other children have a bit more freedom while riding the little horse. “Skidder has taught all the kids in our friend circle how to ride. One of the boys actually rode him in a Little Britches rodeo. Skidder has carried dozens of kids on his back. It’s sad to see the kids outgrow the horse. One of the boys has just about outgrown Skidder – his feet drag the ground when he rides.” When Irelynn outgrows Skidder, Melody says he will be passed along to another child. The lifespan of a little horse can be anywhere from twenty to thirty years, and Melody thinks Skidder is between seven and eight years old. Hometown RANKIN • 43