8yo on a 14hh pony

Tiarella

Tiarella

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Had a bit of interest from an advert I placed looking for a young jockey for my 14hh pony. But is an 8yo too young? Been riding for three year and is 'good and confident' - what's one persons is not another. The only problem I have though is my pony isn't a typical 'child's' pony - he would be greatly offended if you asked him to do any sort of fast/mounted games and takes his dressage very seriously. He is very chilled out though but not sure this is what an 8yo would want unless they want to do dressage and jumping. Is it worth a try or shall I turn them down?
 
I would think its unlikely to work, child is quite young for a 14hh pony. Where have they been riding, 3 years once a week or less at a RS or had their own pony? You'd have to see the child ride really.
 
rachaelstar said:
Had a bit of interest from an advert I placed looking for a young jockey for my 14hh pony. But is an 8yo too young? Been riding for three year and is 'good and confident' - what's one persons is not another. The only problem I have though is my pony isn't a typical 'child's' pony - he would be greatly offended if you asked him to do any sort of fast/mounted games and takes his dressage very seriously. He is very chilled out though but not sure this is what an 8yo would want unless they want to do dressage and jumping. Is it worth a try or shall I turn them down?
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My gut feel is that I think they would be a bit small/young unless they are exceptionally good. My average height 9 year old son is not quite ready for our 13.2, but that's part height and part because the pony is very forward going. It would really depend how sensible your pony is and what sort of ponies the child had been riding. Hope that helps.
 
If it's your pony and you want someone to ride him, then it is up to you how they ride him and what they do with him. Have you said that he is for dressage and jumping?

Many 8 yr olds are perfectly competent and sensible, it might be worth more time on the phone to their parent to find out what they want from the pony and see if you match, then maybe give the child a try out and if all ok, say that it will be on a month's trial.
 
Depends on the kid, my daughter was jumping & cantering my 14.2 off lr at 5. And at 9 will ride her for a year or two. I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand, I can think of plenty of under 20's who could show adults a few things. Yes, he may not be suitable, but same goes for adults that sound perfect till you see them ride. Only problem is that if the jockeys good, they will have difficulty with class restrictions which means jockey may end up moving on if they want to compete or show.
 
Personally i think 8 is too young for a 14hh pony. My daughter moved to a 14.1 when she was 10 and still looked over horsed.
I'd wait until someone a little older came along.
 
My gut feeling is it also won't work. The parents aren't horsey so the one major issue will be tacking up. but then its not a share/loan so I will be there when the girl rides. The first thing I said was I must stress he isn't a typical child's pony and takes life very serious and his work very serious. He is also quite lazy and I am 20 and ride him with spurs occasionally so not sure an 8yo would actually get him out of walk! I ideally want a child to ride him and they can progress on him through pc etc.
 
My petite 8 yr old daughter rides a 13.2hh and she looks fine on him heightwise but he is a long suffering school master. I guess it depends on whether the 8 yr old can ride well and appreciates the finer art of schooling etc. I would hesitate to put my daughter who has been riding for about 9 months - involved in daily care, lessons, hacking out 2-3 times week on your pony based on your description as he sounds too good!
 
Ive had an 8yo on my 14.2, shes hacked him and jumped him the only thing she struggles with is schooling as he hates it. Shes a very capable rider, to the point that when he bucked in the middle of a big field when they were cantering round together I didnt worry in the slightest.

It might work it depends on the rider the one that rides mine has had the perfect education from her opinionated tank 12hh pony since she was 4.
 
There's an 8 year old girl on my yard who rides a 14.1 pony. He's 18 and been there done that, however she's got a wonderful 11.2 who she does everything with and looking for the next step up from her. Don't see any problem in it.
 
maybe worth asking a few more questions, size wise isnt necessary a problem, this is my 8 yr old daughter on my 14hh heavy set cob- obviously all 8 yr olds are different sizes and abilities!

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I think it depends on your pony and depends on the child too.

I rode some gentle giants as a kid (very rare types hard to find these days) and some right little s...t ponies that were more dangerous than the 17h.

However I suppose its and 8 year old kid and with litigation etc I would be wary but I do know some brilliant gutsy fab children who would be fine(I know younger ones).

Personally height is not the issue its if they are capable and your horse is sound as a pound. Plus are they experienced home etc horse people.
 
ahh thanks for pic ellis - I didnt actually know what an 8yo looked like!

These are a few pics of him...

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Not sure I can really imagine an 8yo on him....

(sorry for huge pic, not sure how to resize!)
 
I would let them come and try your pony you dont know untill you see them together.
My 8 year old rides alsorts and happily 14h and not even schoolmaster types and manages fine. She is tall though. She also has never been in a riding school and has always had her own ponies been to Pc ect.
Every child is different and you wont know till you see the child ride, some 8 year olds will be much better than some 11 year olds.:)
 
All this is not worth worrying about until you've met her and seen her ride. She may put you to shame! Generally speaking I would think probably not, but you never know. No harm in letting her come, just be prepared to let her down gently if it doesn't work. If it does, great, she will have years to work with him and do pc..
 
Over the summer hols we had a workmates daughter here to ride our horses.
She is 10 and described as a good little rider, been having lessons for the last year. Turns out she had only ever ridden in circles at walk and trot at an inner city RS. Our horses are 15 2 and 16 2, bombproof but not plods, over the summer her confidence grew, but she always had us walking alongside, she will ride solo one day and she looks right on the 15 2 but not quite yet.
All you can do is try it and see
 
I would at least give her a chance :) When I got my first horse I used to let some of the kids at the RS (where he liveried and I worked weekends) ride him, he's a 15.3hh wb. One of them would happily go and jump a round of showjumps in the field (and I'm talking 90cm/1m) when she was about 7. Then again, she did go on to be one of the best BSJA pony riders in the country!
 
I think I will give it a try and see how it goes. Apparently she is quite a tall 8yo which is a bonus as she may be able to get more leg on him. and hopefully theyll be willing to have some lessons to teach her how to ride him properly - never know she could be competing advanced dressage :p
 
My 8 year old daughter regularly rides a 14.1 fell pony at her riding school and is planning to take my 15hand heavyweight cob into walk and trot tests with the local riding club this winter. Admittedly she's had her own ponies in the past but her current standard of riding is all down to her amazing instructor. I know an 8 year old probably seems little and young if you don't have kids but some of them really are responsible and serious little riders, mine definitely is, and I think she'll be doing preliminary tests on my boy within a couple of months.

Good luck and let us know how it goes. He's a gorgeous pony by the way :)
 
Nothing to lose by trying, my daughter is 9 now and has a 13.2hh but also rides a 14.2hh 4 year old for a friend, she rode him as an 8 year old when he was being backed and has never had a problem. She has also ridden larger horses inc my 16.2hh WB and manages fine as she has a good seat, people are always very surprised! Age is nothing but a number!
 
At eight years old I was 4'9" and had legs that would have fitted on a 14hh pony.

(Not quite sure what went wrong as my legs still fit a 14 hand pony even if the rest of me doesn't)

What have you got to lose by having a trial?
 
In our pony club I can think of about 4 or 5 very competent 7-9 year olds who I'd happily put on our 14h forward going, very obedient but can be quite strong at times pony, and I'm sure as they ride so well they'd have no difficulty in an arena with flatwork or over some jumps. Definitely wouldn't send them hunting though :D
 
Laziness will be your issue. I have two sisters who share my 14.2 the younger is 8 or 9 and tiny. She struggles to get him going because he is one of those ponies who likes to do as little as possible in the school ;)
 
I think it depends on the size of the 8yr old & also their ability. When we got our 14hh my daughter was actually 12 but was tiny & the size of an average 8/9yr old. Although she did look over horsed, she could handle him very well. I would probably let them come & see how they ride the pony.

This is my daughter on the day we brought him home

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