Buying my kids a first pony?

Auslander said:
Old, slow, unbothered by all the weird things kids do...
Click to expand...

Exactly this. Something with a bit of a quirk (i.e. will set boundaries) occasionally can teach them to laugh things off and become better, more fearless riders too but fundamentally you want something that will cope with being dressed up, groomed, bounced around on etc.
 
Trakky14 said:
I like this description 😂

Depends on the ability of the child? And how experienced you are as an owner in my experience x
Click to expand...

I'm not entirely disagreeing, but I think first ponies need to put up with a lot of learning, so the wiser and steadier they are, the better. A decent kid can always make a slow pony go faster, and I've seen more kids continue riding after spending time under horsed, than I have kids who have started off with ponies that are a bit sharp/quick
 
Last edited:
Depends on the child.

My son, at 3.5yo, was already a bit of a daredevil. He was turned into a pretty good rider by a very strict Shetland who took no prisoners and demanded he improve his riding daily. He did - for reasons of self preservation - improve enormously, and still likes a ‘tricky’ pony where he needs to ride to the best of his ability.

My daughter was ready to come off the lead at the same age, but did not respond at all to the Shetland’s tough love techniques. Instead of bucking up and learning, she’d just cry and give up. My old SJ pony took pity on her, volunteered her services (literally - one day when being tacked up nuzzled child, looked at me, nuzzled child, glared…nuzzled child…) and spent a year pottering around with a small dot of a child perched precariously on her back. Child did acrobatics on top of her, wafted around with the reins (pony was pretty much mind reading at one point!) and followed behind on hacks (where pony was more or less just making her own decisions so as to safeguard the child). That year was the making of my daughter, who after it could ride well enough for the Shetland to allow her passage without ditching her in the dirt or wiping her out on tree branches. She now has a steady 4yo pony who she backed, and with the help of her older brother, is bringing on. If I had kept going with the tough love Shetland approach we would have got nowhere, whereas with a saintly first ridden my son would have been bored out of his mind. So… tell us about your children!
 
maya2008 said:
Depends on the child.

My son, at 3.5yo, was already a bit of a daredevil. He was turned into a pretty good rider by a very strict Shetland who took no prisoners and demanded he improve his riding daily. He did - for reasons of self preservation - improve enormously, and still likes a ‘tricky’ pony where he needs to ride to the best of his ability.

My daughter was ready to come off the lead at the same age, but did not respond at all to the Shetland’s tough love techniques. Instead of bucking up and learning, she’d just cry and give up. My old SJ pony took pity on her, volunteered her services (literally - one day when being tacked up nuzzled child, looked at me, nuzzled child, glared…nuzzled child…) and spent a year pottering around with a small dot of a child perched precariously on her back. Child did acrobatics on top of her, wafted around with the reins (pony was pretty much mind reading at one point!) and followed behind on hacks (where pony was more or less just making her own decisions so as to safeguard the child). That year was the making of my daughter, who after it could ride well enough for the Shetland to allow her passage without ditching her in the dirt or wiping her out on tree branches. She now has a steady 4yo pony who she backed, and with the help of her older brother, is bringing on. If I had kept going with the tough love Shetland approach we would have got nowhere, whereas with a saintly first ridden my son would have been bored out of his mind. So… tell us about your children!
Click to expand...
Well, they are pretty committed to riding, they absolutely love it! I personally think they'd get scared of naughty pony, they love my old Connie that is retired now, they have a sit on her in the field, they also go for weekly lessons and are improving daily. I am aware that they are young (4 and 7) but I think it would be lovely for them to have a little pony to tottle around on at home, possibly even a share pony.
 
fetlock said:
Not this one

(oops - safe link of old video of one non-first pony to avoid)

Click to expand...

I knew this was going to be Ed before I clicked on the link.

A share would be a good start, it's a big difference being in a lesson with their friends and riding alone at home. Have they any experience in the care side of things? A few pony camps to let them experience that would be good too.
 
Mine an old head on young shoulders- he is beyond lovely to kids on the floor, allows all fuss and messing about, doesn’t drag them about and puts up with literally everything they do- he goes on and off LR, FYFR, FR Type- but he is not a push button perfect pony, and does pop in a buck on occasion once they’ve figured out canter and think they can ride- he does it on occasion until they can sit enough to ride him on then it disappears again- I’m pretty sure he tests them out when they’re ready and when they pass the test, he reverts to picture perfect 😂

he does also wait til they adore him, and are ready to forgive him anything before he does it- he’s rising rising 8 and we’re four kids in and they all love him 🤷🏼‍♀️

I think it helps that he has another job with me, I can drive him to school him and he goes in a pair up to local competition level, so he has some fun out and about as well as putting up with the kids.
 
albeg said:
I knew this was going to be Ed before I clicked on the link.

A share would be a good start, it's a big difference being in a lesson with their friends and riding alone at home. Have they any experience in the care side of things? A few pony camps to let them experience that would be good too.
Click to expand...
At their riding school, they get involved with tacking up and grooming, that sort of stuff, and obviously they help out at home (sometimes not very helpful to me 🙈) my 7 year old can tack up fully on her own, whereas my 4 year old can just about fling a saddle up onto a little mini's back.
 
Ok…

So given your kids are 4 and 7 and have only experience really at a riding school so far, these are my thoughts.

1) Share first. Check they are really up for doing stuff in the rain/snow/wet and give them time to build the skills for a privately owned pony. Get an instructor and get them to have lessons on the share pony. They will always listen best to someone who isn’t Mum! I did this for six months when my son was 3, three times a week. He stuck at it, so I bought him a pony for his fourth birthday.
2) Be prepared that the younger one especially might need to go back on the lead if she is currently off it, at the beginning with a new pony. At her age, you would want her on lead on the road out hacking anyway. Be prepared to build their balance and skills on the lunge/lead as needed. I have had sharers straight from RS life and usually their balance is not great. Becoming more aware of your body on a pony takes time that once a week with a saddle just doesn’t do.
3) Think of what they might like to do and how it will work. Riding in a school day after day is boring for both pony and child, yet if you only have one, you can’t hack out without one child having to walk. Cue endless whinging (been there, done that!). Again, practise all this with share pony.
4) Be aware that one pony for two kids 3 years apart in age is always a compromise. That steady kick along your 4 year old needs will be boring for a competent 7 year old. You have to pick a middle ground and hope it works.

Price - there is no such thing as a cheap first ridden. Even older ponies can fetch £5k or thereabouts.

You want one the owners can almost not bear to part with, where they’re being really picky about the home, want you to visit several times etc. They should have tonnes of pics, kids’ feet hanging below pony, truly outgrown and much adored.
 
maya2008 said:
Ok…

So given your kids are 4 and 7 and have only experience really at a riding school so far, these are my thoughts.

1) Share first. Check they are really up for doing stuff in the rain/snow/wet and give them time to build the skills for a privately owned pony. Get an instructor and get them to have lessons on the share pony. They will always listen best to someone who isn’t Mum! I did this for six months when my son was 3, three times a week. He stuck at it, so I bought him a pony for his fourth birthday.
2) Be prepared that the younger one especially might need to go back on the lead if she is currently off it, at the beginning with a new pony. At her age, you would want her on lead on the road out hacking anyway. Be prepared to build their balance and skills on the lunge/lead as needed. I have had sharers straight from RS life and usually their balance is not great. Becoming more aware of your body on a pony takes time that once a week with a saddle just doesn’t do.
3) Think of what they might like to do and how it will work. Riding in a school day after day is boring for both pony and child, yet if you only have one, you can’t hack out without one child having to walk. Cue endless whinging (been there, done that!). Again, practise all this with share pony.
4) Be aware that one pony for two kids 3 years apart in age is always a compromise. That steady kick along your 4 year old needs will be boring for a competent 7 year old. You have to pick a middle ground and hope it works.

Price - there is no such thing as a cheap first ridden. Even older ponies can fetch £5k or thereabouts.

You want one the owners can almost not bear to part with, where they’re being really picky about the home, want you to visit several times etc. They should have tonnes of pics, kids’ feet hanging below pony, truly outgrown and much adored.
Click to expand...
100% agree with this, we paid that sort of figure for our first ridden pony a year ago...they go for more now 🙈 IF the owners can bear to part with them because most are loaned out to other families once outgrown.
Walking along side during hacking is super boring for the parent let alone another child...so need to keep that in mind too!
 
maya2008 said:
Ok…

So given your kids are 4 and 7 and have only experience really at a riding school so far, these are my thoughts.

1) Share first. Check they are really up for doing stuff in the rain/snow/wet and give them time to build the skills for a privately owned pony. Get an instructor and get them to have lessons on the share pony. They will always listen best to someone who isn’t Mum! I did this for six months when my son was 3, three times a week. He stuck at it, so I bought him a pony for his fourth birthday.
2) Be prepared that the younger one especially might need to go back on the lead if she is currently off it, at the beginning with a new pony. At her age, you would want her on lead on the road out hacking anyway. Be prepared to build their balance and skills on the lunge/lead as needed. I have had sharers straight from RS life and usually their balance is not great. Becoming more aware of your body on a pony takes time that once a week with a saddle just doesn’t do.
3) Think of what they might like to do and how it will work. Riding in a school day after day is boring for both pony and child, yet if you only have one, you can’t hack out without one child having to walk. Cue endless whinging (been there, done that!). Again, practise all this with share pony.
4) Be aware that one pony for two kids 3 years apart in age is always a compromise. That steady kick along your 4 year old needs will be boring for a competent 7 year old. You have to pick a middle ground and hope it works.

Price - there is no such thing as a cheap first ridden. Even older ponies can fetch £5k or thereabouts.

You want one the owners can almost not bear to part with, where they’re being really picky about the home, want you to visit several times etc. They should have tonnes of pics, kids’ feet hanging below pony, truly outgrown and much adored.
Click to expand...
I think that's all a good idea! My kids I would say are both at the same level of riding, as I didn't let my eldest ride untill she was 6 and my youngest decided she wasn't waiting any longer 🙈. It's lucky in a way that their both girls as dressing up doesn't have to be a match between dinosaurs and unicorns 😂, my eldest is less confident than my 4 year old, so I think getting something around 10-11hh and ploddy, would work well. I don't have a 'budget' as such but I have a price I wouldn't go over for a kids pony (probably 4k). Will be getting a share first, possibly even two shares, and if eldest is interested, buy her a pony, and youngest can stay on the share untill she's around the same age as my eldest, then she can haver her old pony. That is my plan 🙈😝
 
For size you want some growing room. We have a chunky 11.2hh that will take my 10yo son with room to spare (kick along, sweet steady girl) and a finer 11.2hh Welsh A who only just fits the 10yo. Our smaller 10.2hh Shetland fits kids up to about age 8 and then it’s dangling legs and just not such a great fit.

I would go for a 12hh Welsh A or if smaller, a chunky mini cob type. For size comparison, we’re a short family - mum 5ft4, dad 5ft6 - so my kids are on the smaller side. For a share pony, 11.2hh would be fine for now.

Think hard about that budget - I needed a first pony last summer and could not find one less than £5k. We gave up and recruited the just backed 3yo - which only worked because she adores my daughter and treats her like she is her own much loved foal. Two shares on the same yard sounds like a brilliant idea.
 
Last edited:
maya2008 said:
For size you want some growing room. We have a chunky 11.2hh that will take my 10yo son with room to spare (kick along, sweet steady girl) and a finer 11.2hh Welsh A who only just fits the 10yo. Our smaller 10.2hh Shetland fits kids up to about age 8 and then it’s dangling legs and just not such a great fit.

I would go for a 12hh Welsh A or if smaller, a chunky mini cob type. For size comparison, we’re a short family - mum 5ft4, dad 5ft6 - so my kids are on the smaller side. For a share pony, 11.2hh would be fine for now.

Think hard about that budget - I needed a first pony last summer and could not find one less than £5k. We gave up and recruited the just backed 3yo - which only worked because she adores my daughter and treats her like she is her own much loved foal. Two shares on the same yard sounds like a brilliant idea.
Click to expand...
I'm on the hunt at the moment and I think that's a better idea, at least if they get attached then they'll last them a while.
 
You will be very very lucky to find something under £4k. This is the most important pony you will ever buy you kids.
I’m budgeting £6k for Ellies first pony currently and thats given i have a lot of connections with paragons of virtue that they may sell me for under market value when im ready.
 
conniegirl said:
You will be very very lucky to find something under £4k. This is the most important pony you will ever buy you kids.
I’m budgeting £6k for Ellies first pony currently and thats given i have a lot of connections with paragons of virtue that they may sell me for under market value when im ready.
Click to expand...
I agree, under 4k is a bit ambitious I have found one under 4k, and it was 14hh 🙈 I might higher my budget 😂
 
Yep 4k is too low sadly unless you want something in late teens...which would probably be fine to be honest as ponies do go on for a while if looked after correctly.

We got a 12.2 last year for my tall 7yr old.. she's now 8 1/2 and I'm starting to worry she'll only get another year or so on him...hopefully more! She's had a growth spurt and is looking big...he lasted his last owner till age 11 but I don't think we'll make it that far! I wanted 13hh pony so he'd last longer but this one was perfect so we went for smaller. I'm hoping we can jump to 14.2/15hh next time if he can carry her for a few more years!
 
Update! : We have been looking at a few shares for a while now, and we've found one for my 4 year old daughter! Still on the hunt for one for my 7 year old, but this pony is 10hh and 20 y/o, we won't be buying this pony if it comes up for sale, only due to age and hight, but for the meantime, she's a lovely mate to teach her how to take care of a pony! Obviously my eldest can help too! She's a little disappointed that we didn't manage to get one for her yet, but she is *just* about able to sit on her sisters pony 🤣
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top