1st time M&M Lead Rein, Advice!!

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crinster

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Hi My son has asked to go to our local show and wants to do the mountain and moorland class (his friend is doing it so he wants too!!) He has a lovely section A and I am ok with how to turn pony and son out. What I want to ask is my son is 4 but hasn't mastered rising trot yet and will only hold the reins on the buckle. Would he still be ok to take in lead rein m&m? This is only a local show and only going for experience as he has only done gymkhana games before. Thanks
 
As it is only a small local show you can just go with the flow. At 4 i would expect a rising trot, but tell him the judge will want to see him holding the reins a bit better.
 
I am taking my 5 yr old to her first show next week too for LR class ! We start with our reins in approximately the right place but end up on the buckle, rising trot a bit hit and miss. Our current crisis is the cub saddle not fitting and having to compete on a bare back pad ( and me not worn my jacket since before children - I now have 3 - I am not the same shape ! ). Good luck and have fun.
 
He will be fine at a local show. Most judges will expect that the children are there for the experience. IME, there is no particular age when rising trot, or anything else should be expected. Can your son do a sitting trot?
Remember that the class is about the pony, unless it is an equitation class (which a few are). Some judges would consider that a pony which calmly puts up with a child bouncing around rather than rising correctly is better than those which don't have to.

Have fun!
 
We're doing our first one tomorrow - although sadly although it is local to us, it is a County show - could have done with some early practice in a small show first but hey ho! Sounds like you are similar to my daughter ability wise - will let you know how we get on! She is also 4 and prefers sitting to rising (although is strangely very good at sitting trot!).
 
My youngest, who rides on the odd occasion decided that he wanted to do a show recently as William was doing the child handler. He doesn't do rising trot nor do we have a saddle.

Instead pony wears a saddle pad and at our local shows that's perfectly acceptable. It has a handle on it so I knotted the reins through it and told him to hold onto it.

It's all about having fun really for him, most small shows give out rosettes to all competitors anyway.

Let us know how you all get on.
 
Thanks, yeah my son has been riding for about 3 months and will start rising trot and then goes back to sitting trot, as he thinks this is really funny! But he is pretty stable and I don't have to hold on to him and he kicks to get pony into trot. we do have a saddle with a pelham rounding as a handle. as long as he enjoy's it I will be happy, as normally all he mentions he wants to do is jumping!! I too am hoping my hacking jacket still fits me as haven't worn it for a few years!

We are going to have a practice today so will try knoting his reins and getting him to hold them at the knot,
 
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