You must be giving him confidence 
If he behaved for his trim that’s encouraging - coming from your original “picks up one foot” 
Looks like he might end up chestnut w/flaxen mane/tail.
How fun!
Like unwrapping a present 
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Oh, I actually trim myself - he learned to pick all four feet up on about day 5, and has been getting mini trims every week since then. He’s almost better than my other pony about it!
He is definitely red with flaxen, plus rabicano. I don’t think I have any good pictures that show the rabicano yet.
He also went to the vet earlier this week to become a gelding! Woohoo!
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looks like he might be a fancy little mover.
I missed this the first time around and even though you are already on first name basis, “Maynard” jumped into my head.
Some horses, and ponies, simply want to do a job. You might have stumbled on to one who actually wants to have something to do.
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I’ve been meaning to dress him up and get some updated progress pics, but honestly haven’t had time. However, for all who were curious to see him slicked out and well fed, here is little Fern now.
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Oh, just look at him taking his new found prosperity for granted!
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I completely missed this thread somehow!! What an adorable little pony you picked up… and holy crap, what an improvement. He is so CUTE and I love his name.
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He is stinking adorable. And now he lets me squish his little face! He’s still extremely cautious, but we’re working on it.
I should’ve also mentioned that he is now a gelding 
I had to schedule him as a bilateral cryptorchid because I couldn’t find any testicles - thankfully they were able to find the tiny things way up high, so he avoided surgery and I avoided a four figure bill.
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Since it came up on Bo’s thread, I thought I’d bring this back to life with an update two years later.
Fern moved with us to TX in 2022, along with my other horse (pony). This year he turns 4 - although my history on him tells me, and his teeth generally confirm, that he was born late in the year so at this point he is more like 3.5yo.
He does all the things you’d expect of a horse his age. He never lost the cautious/suspicious nature and strangers still get the side eye until proven trustworthy 
but he’s my personal shadow. He actively enjoys nose kisses and face squishes, has finally learned how to take cookies (but not from strangers!). I lightly started him under saddle in January and he’s got about a dozen rides under his belt. He has been VERY easy and willing, learns quickly and we’re having so much fun.
He’s grown to 14h +1/2" at this point with good bone, and I expect he’ll finish out just under 14.2. I haven’t shrunk and am still not “pony sized”, but he carries me easily and I don’t look grotesquely large on him. He does have kind of a coarse head in profile, but he’s still working on growing a neck to even things out.
Recent pix:
Videos from a few of the rides here:
https://www.youtube.com/@DCRoyalFern-nv9gu
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This guy always makes me smile, I’ve said it before (enough times to be boring) but he reminds so much of my Doodles who was the Best Pony Ever.
Love to see his progress.
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I think he is going to grow up to be a very good pony! I was pretty unmotivated at the start of the year and wasn’t in the mood to start babies, which is odd since it’s one of my favorite things to do - but I plowed ahead anyway and he’s really been more fun than you can shake a stick at. He can be very show-y and snorty on the ground, so I was kind of surprised by how ho-hum he is under saddle (not that I’m complaining!).
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He is really growing into being a super good looking fella. That one pic under saddle with the bosal. Like wow.
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When he’s fully shed out later this spring, there will be fancy photos done 
Maybe even under saddle if he’s going well in a bridle by then.
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Nice solid built conformation! Great color. Would probably make an awesome driving pony also.
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He is ROCKING that bosal!
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Yeah, it’s that picture. Seeing a neck come out of the wither like that just screams athletic and good posture. And a great start.
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Ssshhh! I do not need another discipline to buy stuff for. 
But I will say I think he would be an excellent CDE pony. He’s quick and catty.
@JB & @PaddockWood I think he’s pretty cute, but I am definitely biased!
Ride #13 just posted, hot off the presses this morning. Not the most flattering thumbnail but I can’t be bothered to create a better one.
First time I’ve ridden him in just the bridle, so you’ll see him fuss about it here and there at the beginning. Also, the Pivo is really starting to get on my nerves. This ride it was both too fast (trotting) and too slow (losing us repeatedly while cantering). I’m hopeful that when we move out to riding in the field it’s performance will be more satisfactory.
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Good on you for choosing leg on soft rein forward when he fusses w the bit!
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nothing good ever comes from fiddling with the reins
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Very nice!
His feet look fantastic! I know you do the trimming. Good job 
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