WIW Dixie Melody at 24 months, one week old. Dixie certainly has grown taller and a bit broader, and you can see how well developed her knees and hocks are. She is ready to be broke to saddle. She is blessed with nice withers, a good behind, and "gait." Photo of 5/10/04 >

Dixie is taking a break, while WIW Royal Windsong (left) and WIW Rythm Queen (center) still pig out. Photo of 5/30/2004. >

May 25, 2003, has this girl grown or what? She is 13 hands 3 inches at 13 months.

This is Dixie at ease on May 30, 2004, beautiful and quiet at 25 months. She is a dark bay tobiano with roaning on her front right upper leg.

This photo shows Dixie's other side. Again, note the loose rein, the relaxed body language, the alert ears. This picture and the one above show Dixie on a course that is brand new to her. She is going on trust and has no fear of things (like the stacked wood) that she has not seen or touched before. She is the product of slow, patient training, and very frequent sessions of desensitization to plastic, water, balloons, and paper bags. She will be every bit as trusty a horse as her older sibling, WIW RYTHM QUEEN, now owned by Linda Wainwright of Kirtland, Ohio. Hey, Tom, heels down!

May 7,2005, at the Second Annual FarmFest in Thompson, (Northern Geauga County) Ohio. Dixie watches without any reaction as Tom opens the orange umbrella right at her nose. Tom also has a plastic bag attached to the end of a crop. Dixie's reaction to the plastic bag rumpling in her face is the same as the reaction you see in this picture--Ho Hum...So What?

This picture is a continuation of the sequence of events from the picture above. Notice that Dixie's ears are alert and forward, and that Tom has her attention--not her fear. She is standing there willingly without ANY tie device.

Tom is starting to fold up the umbrella as Dixie watches quietly, ears forward, and totally unrestrained.

Tom opens the umbrella again and grins at the crowd of admirers in Thompson, Ohio, to explain that Dixie is not going to run from the umbrella or the plastic bag out of panic or fear. This is an example of mutual trust and devotion...May 7, 2005, at the Thompson FarmFest.

May 7, 2005.  Reins and lead line are totally loose and relaxed. The young rider is having as good a time as Dixie, who is tuning one ear toward her young admirer. Again, please note that Dixie functions as a result of great trust in humans and gentle, consistent handling. Even the sun is shining down!!  The following day, May 8, Dixie is ridden in the midst of another dog show at the Cleveland Polo Fields--oblivious to the sounds of dogs yapping and people bustling! The more confusion, the better!

Photo of WIW Dixie Melody and Tom on May 1, 2005. It is a beautiful sunny day (before the rains come down...) at the Cleveland Polo Fields in Moreland Hills, Ohio. Note the LOOSE rein and no bit and Dixie's total willingness to cooperate. Dixie is 3years 1 week old.

This is another shot of Dixie and Tom taken at the Cleveland Polo Fields, May 1, 2005. There was a dog show going on less than 60 feet away with lots of yapping, loud speakers, cars, and loose dogs. Dixie took it all in stride.

Look at Dixie now--April 15, 2005. She is working WITHOUT a bit or a bridle. She takes her directions verbally  and from body cues without the rider's need to have his hands "in her mouth." Note the LOOSE reins  and the relaxed body language of both Dixie and Tom Jones.

Early baby pictures below from the end of April 2002