Free child care with use of a pony thrown in ...

[Tarragon]

I have recently moved my ponies to a field next to a quiet road. Somebody approached me to ask if their young pony-mad daughter could maybe come and ride one of the ponies. Apparently she goes to a local riding centre twice a week and can walk trot and canter. Fair enough, I thought. My old pony, now 25, has seen a few girls through their early riding days over the years, and was doing nothing. So, yes, I thought, why not.
I suggested a few times they could come up (I work full time) and I got the reply "I can walk her (as in daughter) down tomorrow morning and leave her with you if you are happy with that?"!!!
So yes, am I happy to take on a 10 year-old child I don't know and take her for a ride without a parent??? I don't think so! What was she thinking

 

[Tiddlypom]

The absolute cheek of it

I hope that you put the parent straight on the matter. Best steer of that family altogether.

 

[Bobthecob15]

Dear god!! I think no is the only answer!!

 

[SDMabel]

I hope you are planning on putting some lunch on for her too ? ....

But seriously , how cheeky !!

 

[Bellaboo18]

Arrrrgh I was only talking to my husband this morning about this kind of thing.
Just because I have horses, they're not free entertainment for your children
I think you were very kind suggesting some times in the first place - cheeky madam!

 

[Bobthecob15]

Mine has had a pony for the last 18 months, she's almost 9 and I'd never left her at the yard without me being there! We are now at a yard with other kids and have been offered the option of leaving her for half a day while the YO supervises and gives them all a shared lesson. We have done it a few times this summer, but only because they offered to have her there, they insisted.... and were happy to supervise etc...she did actually have a bad fall last week without me and they handled it really well, but I am super nervous leaving her as I feel its so much responsibility for them. I also feel its a bit of a cheek to expect others to look after your kid unless they are being paid for it. My daughter loves it of course, I just cramp her style! YO also enjoys the extra help with yard jobs!

 

[Melody Grey]

The potential liability in these situations frightens the bejesus out of me….not because I’m risk averse, but because of society’s claim culture. I’d never leave my son in someone’s care like this

 

[Tarragon]

My daughter loves it of course, I just cramp her style!

Apparently the mother asked the daughter and the daughter said that "she was happy to come without me"! I am sure she was

 

[Bobthecob15]

Apparently the mother asked the daughter and the daughter said that "she was happy to come without me"! I am sure she was

I bet she was!!! Mine would be too! I've only done it 3 times...but it makes me really nervous!!!

 

[Tarragon]

You know, the more I think about it the more bizarre it becomes. Would she have just left the daughter with me in my house for a couple of hours? Absolutely not!
But add on the risk of riding a strange pony and suddenly it becomes a safe proposition! How weird is that

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

The amount of times people have assumed I will be chief baby sitter whilst parents go shopping when the sprog comes to ride the Shetland is unreal. Hence why I quickly diverted to finding random children a few days before a show so they could just meet the pilony there, ride it then leave with the parents again.

I despise kids.

 

[asmp]

My son who was about 8 at the time was playing in our paddling pool with two friends of the same age (all could swim). The friends had a woman staying with them with a child aged about 3. She was most indignant and went off in a huff when I said I wasn’t going to supervise her (uninvited) daughter and she’d have to do so.

 

[Tiddlypom]

You know, the more I think about it the more bizarre it becomes. Would she have just left the daughter with me in my house for a couple of hours? Absolutely not!
But add on the risk of riding a strange pony and suddenly it becomes a safe proposition! How weird is that

If the parents were delayed collecting her on any day I don't doubt that you would have additionally been expected to take the child home and feed and entertain her until it was convenient for them to pick her up.

Cynical, moi?

 

[MagicMelon]

Very cheeky and sounds very inexperienced to even suggest that! She doesnt know you either, I would never leave my child with a stranger and also involve horses and riding in that mix. Nope!

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Reminds me of the nanny, I think it was, who came to the posh dressage yard (that I moved out of ASAP!) to ask if her charge could have a ride on one of the horses because he was bored! It wasn't even an RS!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Very cheeky and sounds very inexperienced to even suggest that! She doesnt know you either, I would never leave my child with a stranger and also involve horses and riding in that mix. Nope!

It's coming to the end of the school holidays the mother is probably willing to leave the kid with just about anyone by now

 

[poiuytrewq]

How did you get out of it?

 

[Chuffy99]

Yes please share

 

[Lurfy]

It's hard to fathom how people could ask such a thing. She doesn't know you at all and yet is prepared to leave her child alone with you for hours.

 

[Goldenstar]

It’s incredible isn’t it, really baffling .

 

[Katieg123]

Some people are just child 'littering'! Dump it out the car window not really minding where it goes!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

This is one reason I try to avoid supermarkets during the day in school holidays as they are full of screaming kids, and by the end of August the parents are beyond caring so they just ignore them and so everyone in the shop has to indure it.

 

[SEL]

It's coming to the end of the school holidays the mother is probably willing to leave the kid with just about anyone by now

I think my own mother abandoned us about a week into your holidays! She happily used to offload me anywhere with horses. We were in France once and with a lot of sign language a local lady agreed to take me for a ride. I must have been 9 or 10 and we went out for hours. My parents went to the beach......

 

[Tarragon]

How did you get out of it?

Well.... you might think I am being foolish, but after I explained that I wasn't a riding school and I wasn't going to be responsible for her child, we agreed to meet up after I finish work today, and she, me, and the daughter will take the pony out for a potter around the lanes and see how it goes.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Prize for the kindest person!

That’s really lovely of you. I hope they appreciate it, I’m sure the child will. Opportunities are pretty limited for the average pony loving but pony-less child.

 

[Melody Grey]

Good for you @Tarragon, but maintain your boundaries!!

 

[Tarragon]

Good for you @Tarragon, but maintain your boundaries!!

I will!

 

[Kaylum]

Make sure your insured.

 

[Nicnac]

Oh gosh. My lovely neighbours have moved to Oz for 2-3 years and rented out their house. It's our only close neighbour. Cue first day - oh my daughter is so excited to have horses in the fields. She loves horses. Said daughter is about 6 and none of them have any experience of horses. Luckily the horses are far too big and the Shitland far too old to be of any use.

I just said oh be careful as the fences are all electrified from the mains so will give a really painful zap if the children get close and the horses are very unpredictable and on special diets so don't feed. One of them also bites. Seems to have done the trick!

You are a better person than I @Tarragon - hope it goes well!

 

[Bobthecob15]

I was a lucky kid I guess because my mum's friend used to take me to her yard every weekend and some week days after school when I was 11/12...I must have been very annoying! Eventually one of the liveries loaned me her pony for free, honestly the best time in my life!