At what age to start riding properly

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WishfulThinker

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Silly question I guess.........but at what age do you think a toddler can start riding properly - as in not just a few shotties and could go for bigger walks out? And I am guessing it will also go by the size/strength of the child?

Also.........what saddle is better of the starter ones? I wanted to get one that is more like a proper saddle - these seem to be 13" and upwards. But they of course also have the cub types - some have a strap to hold but one type has like a formed bit - is this better or worse?

I dont want to use a basket saddle as I want her to come off quickly if something happens.
 
I personally don't think there is a set age. For example the local riding school allows three year olds to ride, Some are able to, and others don't listen. I think it depends a lot on the child and their maturity / concentration span :)
 
Brontie said:
I personally don't think there is a set age. For example the local riding school allows three year olds to ride, Some are able to, and others don't listen. I think it depends a lot on the child and their maturity / concentration span :)
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Ha, that would be short to non existent! She is a long way off I htink, she is only 14.5 months. BUT she does seem very keen - or mad! And is already brushing her ponies and trying to copy me picking up their feet and she loves being on them, but seems bored just sitting there - so was wanting to take her for wee walkies now we have a riding hat that fits her (thank lord she has a bighead!)
 
|||To learn to ride properly i would say 3-4, but at your little ones age i had my daughter on a cub saddle as there brilliant for tiny tots, out walking on the slowest oldest ony just to get her confidence so when she ready to learn, she wasnt nervous.
 
Also definitely depends on the pony and how patient and experienced it is.

Caleb (5, has autism/epilepsy) 'rides' after a fashion on his therapy horse, actually Toby does the work and Caleb does the therapy bit lol.

Natty is 2 yrs and terrified of sitting on horses but quite happy to sit between their front legs looking for their 'toes' :)
 
I started at 4 because that was the age limit of all local riding schools, but wanted to start at around 2/3! Parents wouldn't have let me at that age anyway as I was very petite.. Still didn't stop me bugging them about it though :p xx
 
My son as soon as he could sit up on he's own I had him sitting on and plodding around and he was the same as you littlen brushing knees and trying to pick feet out! so we got him a mini shetland last year and a wintec cub saddle, he is 3 now and he's all of a sudden got really into riding her again after losing interest for a few months now he wants to hack out! (its boring in the school) and jump (walk over trotting poles).

It really depends on them sometimes it would take longer to tack up than what he was on but is a lot better now but still not got the attenion span to ride properly like tonight he was walking round the field and got bored but didnt want to get off so he turned round and sat backwards on her while she walked round.
 
potty_4_piebalds said:
My son as soon as he could sit up on he's own I had him sitting on and plodding around and he was the same as you littlen brushing knees and trying to pick feet out! so we got him a mini shetland last year and a wintec cub saddle, he is 3 now and he's all of a sudden got really into riding her again after losing interest for a few months now he wants to hack out! (its boring in the school) and jump (walk over trotting poles).

It really depends on them sometimes it would take longer to tack up than what he was on but is a lot better now but still not got the attenion span to ride properly like tonight he was walking round the field and got bored but didnt want to get off so he turned round and sat backwards on her while she walked round.
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I think that is what Emma will be like. She will want up and down and up and down on the horse..........
 
I started at 4, and whilst my little lad has sat occasionally from 6 months it is only now he is approaching four that i am considering getting him a pony.
 
My girl was 2, and had rising trot down after about 3 weeks, she is however very serious about it, almost too seriously IMHO, she needs to lighen up a bit LOL

She is now four and has started to have little canters, she even had to swap with a much older girl on saturday onto another pony becasue older girl could not control her !!!!!!!!!

However, for proper lessons in my area, almost all of the riding schools will not have them below 6, they say due to the insrance!!!!, not quite sure how that works when a couple ( one is very well equipt to olympic standards), have no problems with smaller children.

So really the answer to the question is it depends on child, suitable pony and if you want a mre formal environment then wether you have a school in your area that takes litte ones.
 
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