Little Man, a nine-year-old pony, is the best friend of 11-year-old Isabella Cummins of Long Beach.

“He’s just the best pony,” she said.

“I love him and he teaches me everything. He’s my best friend when I’m feeling out of sorts. He’s a good companion who will do what you want most of the time. He’s much better than a dog.”

Isabella learnt to ride on Little Man and her hooved friend is here to stay.

“We’ll never sell him; he’s my pet,” she said.

Isabella has three rabbits, which she is fond of, but it is Little Man who holds a special place in her heart.

Little Man has the company of two other equine friends; 37-year-old Lady and one-year-old Sassy.

The Cummins family were not always horse people, and having three horses would have been unlikely years ago.

“We went out to get a dog and came back with a horse,” mother Sue said.

The family are okay with horses being high maintenance.

“People think they can put them in a paddock and they will look after themselves,” Sue said laughing.

Sue’s husband Geoff built a shelter strategically placed to help the horses cope best with summer and winter weather.

Despite his relative youth, Little Man is the horse boss at the property.

“He is top of the pecking order, despite being the smallest and youngest,” Sue said.

One thing that does get the better of him is having a scrub.

“He doesn’t like having bath,” Sue said.

“He’s like a typical adolescent boy; he’d rather roll in the hay or mud.”

As part of Batemans Bay Pony Club, Isabella and Little Man have competed together in events in the Eurobodalla and beyond.

“Isabella has difficulty getting up for school, but for pony club or anything to do with horses, she will get up at 5.30am or 6am without an alarm,” Sue said.

The Bay Post/Moruya Examiner profiles the hobbies of people in our community each week in the feature, ‘Get on your hobbyhorse’. Do you have an interesting hobby? Email journalist Josh Gidney at josh.gidney@fairfaxmedia.com.au or phone him at 4472 6577.