Competition ponies - who backs/brings them on?

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kit279

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This is just a curious post, inspired by seeing a lovely post in TR about a really gorgeous little 12.2 pony. Often I see and hear of lovely competition ponies who are great for small children to learn the ropes on, from lead rein types to flashy eventing ponies.

I know that good ones often go from one Pony Club home to another by word of mouth but I'm really curious as to how they get backed, started and brought on as young ponies. I'm sure the slightly bigger versions (eg. 14hh) can be started by a small adult but what about the smaller ones? Are they also backed by small adults who know what they're doing or are there confident children out there who help start them? Obviously, the temperament of the pony is key as well in getting them to the schoolmaster stage but, for every really confident child that rides immaculately and can teach a pony the ropes, there must lots more who are learning as they go?

Just be interested to hear people's experiences and thoughts.
 
I have started a fair amount of ponies over the years, from LR up to smart 14.2s, most I did the ground work until the pony was behaving immaculately then put up a child that was based with me, usually around 12 upwards so competent but still with a young not adult way of thinking/ riding.

Most have been easy and gone on to do whatever was expected of them , some were for clients so moved on some we kept to produce for a season then sell as a fairly established allround pony, we always get them out to competitions and start the jumping correctly, good foundations make for a nice, mannerly childs pony.

Sadly I no longer have a small jockey around so restricted to 14.2s and have just taken on a smart lightly ridden 6 year old to get going over the summer to, hopefully, sell in the autumn once he has seen a bit more of life.

I really enjoy working with the ponies, it can be very rewarding to see them out competing, which we often do, doing what they were bred for.
 
We backed our mini Shet on the lead rein. Then he recently went to a pro for a week long reining then my daughter who is 4 was able to ride him off the lead rein. Not a competition pony as such but the method will be the same for the 2 yr old Sec A I have waiting as her next mount. It has occurred to me we could break and sell small ponies, if she stayed keen on riding. The Sec A will prob go to the pro for longer than a week and she will probably ride her for us as she is small herself. Will see how my daughter is doing when the time comes.
 
I have a small pro rider friend who takes anything in for backing, she is 7.5st and tiny so can ride just about anything.

We did our 11.1 shet x ourselves. I longreined him then just put 4 yr old daughter on board and went off to PC rallies, hunting on LR etc. When I wanted him to go off LR he was ridden by skinny teenager for a while.
 
I pony squish. I'm still child sized despite being in my 20's, currently riding any thing from 11.2 up wards. Was going to compete one this summer but it looks like him and his small jockey will be ready so I won't need to.
 
I back and bring ponies from 11.2hh+ on for a living and am in my mid-twenties. What usually happens is I'll either back the pony, return it, then get it back when it has done enough to want 'tuning', or I'll bring it on through unaffiliated classes then teach the child on the pony as part of after-care. Ponies are pretty forgiving a lot of the time and pick up the job relatively quickly. It really doesn't take long to get a pony to where most PC kids need them to be, and there's a lot to be said for learning on the job once the foundations are in.
Unaffiliated classes can go relatively high so it is possible to bring a pony on to a decent standard ready for a kid to take over in to affiliated competition.
 
Most of my projects in recent years have been 138cm ponies I have produced for show jumping. I take them out to several unaffiliated comps before finding a competent teen to have a sit on them too.
 
I have a tiny friend who does a lot of ponies. She events, shows and teaches a lot of children so is very in tune with how to produce for demand.

I know quite a few pros who have produced their own jockeys. Their kids ride a lot and have a professional mindset and their parents see it as learning the family business.
 
I do a lot of ponies from about 12hh plus but occasionally will do something smaller. I've done them from when I was about 13/14 and now I'm 20 and other than one horse I haven't backed anything over 15.2 :)
 
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