Buying pony for child

[Amaretto]

Are you a 'buy cute section A for 2 year old sprog' cos you'd like to prance around in hand field in the 'driving rain', be rewarded for the 'bless' factor?

Or....are you hard as nails and insist that said sprog grows up and decides themself that they want to play ponies?

Meaning they have to learn what mucking out is, trolling down a field in the 'driving rain', brushing the mud off their bog pony etc, etc? So that they beg to go to the yard?

Do both approaches end up the same?

 

[measles]

Not sure I quite understood the first scenario but got a lead rein pony for younger son when he was 3. They were great chums and he loves his second pony that we flew to the other end of the country to buy when he was 6.

Does he drag me to the yard to ride each morning? No. Am I happy that he considers it normal to have a pony along with his dogs, goats and chickens? Yes.

 

[sazzle44]

Depends on the situation I think. I never had a pony untill I was 11 as we couldn't afford one but my mother teaches, rides & competes for owners. This meant I was always around horses and going to competitions and getting rides on whatever I got offered. I think because I always saw the exciting bits and never had to go out in the miserable weather and always wanted a horse of my own I was really really keen by the time I got one. I also got the chance to get on anything that was going, so rode lots of different horses and ponies which I'd never have had the chance to otherwise. Once I got my pony I was very aware of what an absolute privelige it was and worked so hard to make him nice.
I'm now 18 and work 3 horses (one my own and 2 for owners) before and after my 8 till 5 job. I couldn't ever imagine not having horses in my life and am still so grateful to have them.
I'd say it depends entirely on your situation and your child. Plenty of friends from PC had ponies right from the beginning and are still just as committed and hard working.

 

[PorkChop]

My daughters were "riding" as soon as they could sit up and hold on - but purely because I preferred taking them for walks on a pony rather than pushing a pram.

They still ride, but they are not mad keen like I used to be, the horses are part of our life, but not the be all and end all.

 

[rara007]

I've got the cute section A but no child to go with it and certainly no plans to produce one for it!

 

[TGM]

My approach was a bit in between the two! We didn't buy a pony for my daughter when she was very young, but we did already have an ancient, Cushingoid Sec A who she could sit on from an early age, but really was not capable of much more than that. So at age 5 she started having lessons at the local riding school and by the age of eight she was desperate for a pony of her own, so we eventually acquired a pony for her. She is 15 now and still mad keen on horses and riding - the sort who is up early riding before school in the winter in the wind and the rain!

 

[QueenOfCadence]

My mom refused to buy me a pony for years even though she was an amazing horsewoman herself and always had horses straight throughout my childhood. I must admit that at that stage I resented her for it - afterall, so many of my friends were getting ponies. I was in the riding school from age 4 to age 10 and rode all the horrible little riding school ponies that were so lazy that they wouldn't canter and none of them were anything to look at. I couldn't do shows and had to do a "theory" lesson once a week aswell.

I got my first pony when I was 10, I still have him and still compete him and I still wouldn't trade him for the world. My mom had taught me not to take anything for granted just by making me wait for my pony.

I learnt that a horse isn't something I have the right to - it's a priviledge. Getting a pony late in life certainly didn't hinder me at all. Afterall, said pony and I are still competing and are doing Juniors EM moving onto Juniors Medium next year (and I bought him as a Prelim pony who couldn't do much except gallop, jump and buck).

I'm all for making kids wait and work for it

 

[Booboos]

No pony for DD I am afraid! In fact if she never gets into horses it won't bother me at all because it's a really risky sport!

If she wants to ride when she is old enough to have an opinion she can go to the local riding school and if she keeps at it for a few years I would consider buying her a pony but that's a long way off!

 

[4faults]

I have a pony (section b) that I have had for 6 years, I backed her myself and I will have her until her last day. She will be there for my children if they decide they want to ride, but they will do all the horrible jobs that go with having horse

 

[Mlini]

I never had a pony as a child. The first one I bought was this year (I'm 21).

I always wanted a pony but mum always refused - she wasnt horsey and a single parent so couldn't afford one of my own. I had weekly riding lessons instead and then got a PT job at a livery yard and had loan ponies.

I think I would wait until the child asked to ride, I wouldn't want to be a 'pushy parent' I hope they would want to ride... It's either that or motocross (as OH is a very experienced motocross rider). I think either sport is as dangerous as each other. I'd like a competitive child

 

[Polotash]

I've got the cute section A but no child to go with it and certainly no plans to produce one for it!

Lol. The only reason I'd have a child is so I could plonk it on a cute Welshy!

 

[diggerbez]

i'm not sure that i'm qualified to comment given that i don't have kids and have no intention of having them either... from my own experience i didn't have a pony/horse until i left university and bought one myself. i honestly think that it made me want it more and i think its why i'm so obsessed now...making up for lost time. my mum and dad happily paid for riding lessons and ferried me to the riding school to spend all my holidays there- but they couldn't really understand why i needed my own horse when i could ride ones at the riding school. When my TB went lame in 2006 my dad relented and bought me a horse... but again, didn't really understand why i needed two horses. for years they helped me to pay for two but then when my dad lost his job i had to sell one so i could afford to pay for it on my own....
having said all of that, i think kids having ponies is a fab thing and certainly helps later on (no fear as a kid!)- but only if they are made to appreciate having the pony in the first place and not behaving like spoilt brats.... spoilt brats will be brats anyway though- pony or not- because i generally think its how the parents behave that determines the child's behaviour. my friend and her sister had lots of ponies as kids (mum was a 4* eventer) and neither took their ponies for granted. if they behaved like brats their mum wouldn't let them ride and wouldn't ferry them about to comps etc- i can't abide seeing screaming kids treating their ponies and parents like crap at shows....drives me mad!

 

[*hic*]

We got my daughter into riding as a sort of therapy after an horrific car accident. She was very changed by the accident, lost all her confidence and we wanted to get her to understand that she could be in control of thing and that she had to control her emotions in order to help the pony.

So she learnt on a very sane loan Section A and at a riding school, aged 10, and then we bought a pony with all sorts of manmade mental problems and she learnt that she had to be very calm and confident round him so that he could be calm and confident for her. They developed an amazing bond and she got him back out competing and they had so much fun together.

She's not mad keen and desperate to ride as I was when I was a teenager but is a competent rider who is now at Uni and helps me out when she's home. She wasn't desperate to take a horse up to Uni though.

 

[jennywren07]

I bought the pony 3 years ago (as a 6month old colt) and Had my daughter beginning of this year tbh if she doesn't get into riding its no worries as im small enough to ride him and hope to break him to drive. I want him to be usefull as although i intend to keep him forever you never know what might happen in the future.

When she's old enough she'll be expected to groom/ poo pick when she wants to ride

 

[Venevidivici]

My 2 young daughters(nearly six and nearly 8) have to poopick every now and then-it's about as much their favourite job as it is mine but hey,the pony poops just like the horses do... They muck out at weekends and the days that they don't do other stuff after school. We only got pony this year, after a year of deliberation,making them prove they really 'wanted it' enough!

 

[VioletStripe]

I was never allowed a pony when I was a small child, I started riding at about 5, and it took me 10 years to convince the parents how dedicated I was, through volunteering at riding schools and riding any horse I could fit on.. Now, I have my own and have some experience (I'm still learning every day!) through my time spent at riding schools and friends' yards.. And I like this way. I won't be growing out of him, we're both learning together as he's still a young'un, I feel like I've gained experience and shown myself what happens when I stick to something (I know, cheesy!).. but then again, neither of my parents are particularly horsey (have both tried riding a few times) and so maybe it'd be different if they were? Sorry.. I'm going off on a tangent I would have loved a pony when I was younger, but as neither of my parents were hugely into it, and other reasons, I can see it just wasn't meant to be, and I couldn't be happier now I've found my horse xx

 

[Cazzah]

We're just having this debate in our household.

I had a pony from being two and it thought for ages that it was a normal thing to do. My Dad made me look after her, groom her everyday and muck out with him if ever she was stabled (which was rarely). I had ponies/horses until I went to uni then had a break for ten years or so whilst I had a social life and established my career before buying my TB just over three years ago. I am just as keen, if not more so, now.

My little boy is two and we will be getting him a pony next summer. He comes down to help me with my horse just about everyday and is already pretty handy with a fork He actually throws a tantrum if I am just running down to the stable to check Baz and want him to stay in the car. Happy to be out in all weathers as long as he's wrapped up. I indulged him one day and put my saddle over the sofa arm and let him sit on and he actually now mounts properly, finds the other stirrup and makes 'horsey' noises whilst rising up and down lol!

He will be encouraged to help wherever possible and to look after it. There is obviously a limit to what he can do at his age but I think its important to establish that having a pony isn't just about riding.

 

[Sauerkraut]

I grew up riding at riding schools, riding holidays and eventually always on the look out for sharing a pony somewhere. Boths my parents were absoluely non-horsey and I bought myself my first pony when I was 19. Going through child hood with this painful wish to have your own pony and knowing I couldn't have one I knew that my kids will grow up differently.

My kids are far from spoiled but after I returned to horses after a 10 years gap my kids have their first pony too. They are 4+5 and share a 12.2 HH welshie. If they want to ride they need to help with some easy chores like grooming, feeding and so on. The pony is also the companion for my horse so in case they don't get as horse mad as I was the pony will still have a purpose.

 

[MagicMelon]

I personally learnt to ride when I was 5yrs old purely because my brother took lessons at the time. He soon gave up but I kept on with it and eventually begged enough to get my first pony at age 9! Have never been without horses since (now 28) but my parents certainly werent horsey, my mum learnt along with me!

I am now expecting my first child and totally plan to introduce it to ponies as soon as it can physically do so! I have 3 ponies lined up for it already (two of my very first ponies and my OH's sisters first pony - all of whom are over 20yrs old so I'm hoping they'll be around...!!). I definately intend to do the whole pony club thing with mine but of course, if it then decides it doesnt want to do it then hey ho, fair enough. I just think owning a pony teaches a kid so much responsibility.

 

[minesadouble]

I have three daughters, 18 years, 4 years and 2 years so great big gap! I am lucky that I am from horsey stock and had a pony from being a tot. I bought pony for my first daughter while I was still pregnant! She has always been very keen and is now a very good, competitive rider - I freely admit that she is now a better rider than her mum!

My four year old also had a pony before she was born, a section A, bought as a yearling who we broke last year. I recently bought a RP schoolmaster too! Dinky ponies are a huge bonus that comes with having kids in my opinion - can't get enough of them

On the Section A - first show age 3

Grooming the new boy the morning he arrived. The big smile says it all!

 

[xspiralx]

I never had a pony as a child - my family were totally unhorsey. I was allowed to start riding lessons when I was 10, and when I was 12 my mum said if I saved up enough money then I could have a pony - thinking I wouldn't be committed enough.

So after two years I had saved up a few hundred pounds and it was enough to pay for 1/3 of my pony. I was allowed one on the understanding that I did all the looking after, and that I paid for half the costs through having a part time job.

It meant that I never ever took having a horse for granted, and I knew exactly how much time and money they took.

If I have children in the future I don't know if I'd buy them a pony right off the bat. But if I did, it would only be on the understanding that they looked after it themselves (as far as possible) and put the work in. I would never want them to take it for granted or stop appreciating what a huge privilege it is to have a horse.

 

[Prince&Porper]

I got my first pony when i was 11 and lucky enough to still have him when I had my son so he spent the first years potering round bareback on him as he was by then retired. When I lost him and started riding "properly" again my son was then 8. He wanted to ride so was started in a riding school, moved onto a part loan (which he did ALL stable jobs for) and eventually proved himself to get his own pony (again takes responisibility for his complete care - yes he has to know when shoes, teeth etc are due although I do call the relevant people!!).
It does come with the odd complaint that various other children only have to ride their ponies as their parents do the rest, to which he is reminded that I had to ride my bike to the stables twice a day when I was a youngen he then rolls his eyes (and im sure under his breath says shes off again) and carrys on with whichever tedious job needs doing next before he can ride!
Having said all of that, should he decide not to ride at some point I will be happy for him to stop and have peace and quiet restored at the yard as well as a large chunck of my bank account!!

 

[MagicMelon]

I intend very much to introduce my (not yet born!) child to ponies ASAP. Already got 3 ponies lined up for it (my very first pony is one)! The 3 ponies are all veterans so should be good sensible plodders. THEN it'll be onto buying a cute section A for it! Doesnt stop me looking at them for sale now though, if I bought a yearling now by the time the child is 4 it should have had about 2 years to learn on my ponies and it'll be ready for the section A (and pony will be at right age to start)... I will expect my kid to help look after the ponies though, that's part of the fun.

I got my first pony at 8 years old and did everything from day one (coming from a non-horsey family). Hate seeing pony club kids turn up at shows to have their parents "do" the pony and just plonk the kid on top.

 

[vallin]

I don't think I'll ever by a pony for my children. However they will all be dragged down to the stables and plonked on my girl from an early age (hopefully she'll have settled down to being a happy hack by then ) and then offered riding lessons when they are old enough. If they are committed and help at the riding school/with my horse then they can move on to riding mine until they are old enough to contribute suitably to their own.
Or that's the plan any way