Dilemma: Which pony should I choose?

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Tamski

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Ok so I can't decide do thought I'd get your words of wisdom:

Been looking for a lead rein pony for my children who are 2 and 3 and now we've been offered two!

Shetland pony 9.1hh very good with children and done it all but wIll be outgrown quickly although will provide lots of confidence and experience and they'll both be the same size so easier to groom and cuddle or

A 13.1 Welsh b also been there and done it all . Will be quite big for her initially but they will have a lot longer together. Also I will be able to ride and lead with the bigger pony whereas the Shetland will be too small?
So what would you do?

Thanks!
 
Ach get them both! :D

Here is my daughter on her Shetland at 2:

d1648d1dca560997a7a3567401c3b560.jpg


And her welsh C x D (13.2) at 3.5:

DCE23711-1FCB-4F9C-ADCF-8385B42B6277-976-0000019C9A957615.jpg


And just for good measure her welsh sec A also at 3.5:

60099AFB-DCA1-42ED-81B0-A8E9CF06DEA7-309-00000021EFEA3A19.jpg
 
Hmmm, quite a dilemma.

Personally I'd go for the bigger pony; you don't say how big you are, but IF it is necessary for some of the fizz to be taken out of it before the little ones get on, you're more likely going to be able to either hop up yourself (if you're a smaller adult) OR get an able child to take it for a spin if its a rideable size.

Shetlands IMO are strong-willed, stubborn little beasties, and are only used for children's ponies because of their size, when in actual fact their temperament makes them little monsters, plus they do tend to be rotund if kept on average pasture, also they do tend to be quite broad across the back which isn't always the easiest for little people.

Have you thought about a Dartmoor? They're nice little children's ponies. But personally I'd avoid a Shetland like the plague (also they're very prone to laminitis too, but then any horse can develop it, but these small ponies in particular just can't deal with the sort of pasture they're usually kept on).
 
Yes I agree Shetlands are horrible hence we now have the other two as while he was ok in terms of bomb proof, he was hard to catch and would nip her on the ground and on his back. He never got he chance to nip her but I was always on my guard and I couldn't let her brush and cuddle him like she can these two.
 
The shetland. If the 13.1 is quiet enough for them to be safe on now then they'll outgrow it ability wise in a few years anyway. And if its forwards enough to be good for a confident 7yr old now, then its not quiet enough for toddlers. My daughter rode a lovely old shettie when she was tiny, cantering on lr on him at 2 which she couldn't have done safely on a 13.1. Even the lovely 12hh first ridden she had on loan aged 4 was outgrown ability wise by 6. But without that safe confident giving small pony, I doubt she'd be the rider she is now. Ponies that suit a child ability wise are equally important as size. At 7 now, the type of pony she rides (& needs to progress) is a million miles from what she rode & needed as a toddler. And, even though she's always been tall, she still looked fine on minis at 5/6. Does still get away with riding them now, but admittedly at 7 is too leggy for one to be the ideal main ride.
 
I would go for the bigger one. Children grow so quickly and from experience outgrowing and ponies having to be sold is a heartbreaking experience for both parents and children. At least with a 13.1 if your children don't get to tall you've got potionally
 
littlelegs said:
The shetland. If the 13.1 is quiet enough for them to be safe on now then they'll outgrow it ability wise in a few years anyway. And if its forwards enough to be good for a confident 7yr old now, then its not quiet enough for toddlers. My daughter rode a lovely old shettie when she was tiny, cantering on lr on him at 2 which she couldn't have done safely on a 13.1. Even the lovely 12hh first ridden she had on loan aged 4 was outgrown ability wise by 6. But without that safe confident giving small pony, I doubt she'd be the rider she is now. Ponies that suit a child ability wise are equally important as size. At 7 now, the type of pony she rides (& needs to progress) is a million miles from what she rode & needed as a toddler. And, even though she's always been tall, she still looked fine on minis at 5/6. Does still get away with riding them now, but admittedly at 7 is too leggy for one to be the ideal main ride.
Click to expand...

This, it may seem a lovely idea to have a pony that stays for years but they do move on and the bigger pony will be too tall for some time for them to even groom properly.
 
It depends on the individual pony. My 13.2 is extremely good on the lead rein, very quiet and gentle. She is also good with young children off the lead rein. However when an experienced rider or older child gets on she is completely different. A child of 2 & 3 is not going to be able to groom any size of pony properly, they don't have the strength.

I'd go and see both, neither may be suitable or one could be a clear leader.
 
I'd say the shetland thet won't out grow it for a few years.

If the 13.1 is quiet enough now they with 'outgrow' it ability wise anyway.

Will probably process quicker being less over horsed
 
Do you want to show?? If so, the 13.1 will be too big for lead rein classes- most shows apart from the dinky little ones have a 12.2 limit I think on LR (correct me if I'm wrong show bods!)

Personally- id leave the two you have been offered and look for an in-betweeny!!
 
I've got an 11hh pony ;), but she's not really broken i've ridden her in walk and abit of trot but im too big to do more :o

Def agree on look for an inbetween :)
 
Two sides for each one.

First, is me saying the smaller one probably, as I'd prefer to minimise the height she'd fall from if she came a crupper.

Second, is me saying the bigger one to reduce the heartbreak from need to get a bigger one earlier. But, she will still have to go through that eventually still as she'll outgrow the bigger one too.

So, go with your gut.
 
I would say for children of that age then the bigger pony is much too big. That doesn't mean the Shetland is the right one, though, maybe neither of them are ideal. Some Shetlands are very saintly and some are rotters, it depends on the pony.
 
I don't know, I've got a 13h pony who I never outgrew ability wise just height wise, we did all pc stuff and he was always a wiz yet he went on loan to a rs where he was quiet enough for beginners on lead rein, sensible enough to be a first ridden sort when coming off lead rein yet still had enough in him for the more advanced kids to compete xc and shows with him. Now he's back teaching my neice to ride quietly round the lanes but still having a fun gallop with me when I'm home. If the bigger pony is like mine then worth having and keeping forever.
On the other hand the children may lose interest in horses so best to get the one which seems most suited to them now in terms of ability, temperament etc
 
I think falling is an issue too. Not at the mo, when I assume op would prevent it, but at 4/5 or so. My daughter had falls from tiny ponies, resulting in laughter & sitting up next time. And because it was fun, rather than painful she is very confident because she has no fear of coming off, & when she does, she's relaxed & bounces & hops back on. There's a lot to be said for letting a 4/5yr old fall of a tiny pony, but I wouldn't have wanted her coming off a 13.1 at that age. Which means you have to be cautious & risk holding them back. Plus when they do get older & have their first falls, its more of a shock & more likely to dent their confidence.
 
I think it depends on what the 13:1 is like. The 13:1 PB welsh mare I bought as my children's 1st pony has proved a bit of a superstar. She loves small children & will happily give pony rides or carefuly jog round a course of 1ft jumps (either on the LR or following an adult)with a small / wobbly jockey. However, once her rider is more balanced, she goes up several gear and is super fast. My 13yo has been riding her since she was tiny & hasn't felt the need to 'upgrade'.
 
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