Hello - Newbie and a question about children and horses

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Aurilia

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First post on here, so hello
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Bit of background on me, have had horses for a long time and evented for many years. I managed to juggle eventing, work and my first child but after the birth of my second, decided that it was unfair to keep a very fit, competitive event horse just for happy hacking, so sold him on. I have been very lucky to be able to share a horse over the past couple of years, so have still been able to ride.

However, I now feel in a position to own another four legged friend, so would like to get your thoughts on the sanity of this! Ideally I would like to get something small enough for the children to ride and get started with (they are 6yrs old and 3 yrs old) but large enough for me to ride and have fun on (not necessarily compete)

What would be the ideal size, and is it really feasible to have a pony with two small children - both children are already keen, and I would look at keeping pony at assisted DIY or even part livery. I feel that I have my eyes wide open on the ownership/cost front, as having had horses already for many years.

Any thoughts very welcome and I look forward to getting to know you all a bit better
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Aurilia
 
Hmmm think you maybe hoping for an impossible horse!
Maybe a small cob but that would depend on you i guess.

Welcolm tho!
 
hi i would say cob not only can they carry weight but are very tame compare to other horses
i have two kids the youngist 2 and i have a young cob that is very good with them and my oldist thats 5 can ride bearback trotting her .
 
Children of that age will struggle to ride on something that could carry you.

There are lots of ancient first ponies out there who are generally available as loans, getting hold of one can be hard as they usually go by word of mouth.

How about looking for 2 loans and seeing how it works out?
 
im sure it would be very feasible, many people have horses and a family.
many ponies can carry adults (depends on how big an adult you are-not meaning to be rude
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) my ponies were always ridden by my aunt to keep them fit when i was too young to ride for lengthly periods. anything from 13.2 upwards, something with a bit of native.
im sure you could have great fun with a 14.2 type, that your kids could also sit on and groom etc.
good luck
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and welcome to HHO
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Hi and welcome to the forum. Hope you find it as useful as I have.

I was sort of in your situation, although my children are older. I suppose it depends on your height etc as to what you can get away with riding. I am 5ft 5 and opted for a 15hh cob so I could share her with my 13yr old and 7yr old daughter. 7yr old is too small but fine on leadrope. I went for something older too, my cob is 16, and been there and done it. If you want to ride too then I'm guessing you'll need something at least 14hh ish. But as long as its quiet and nice on the ground, then your children can be lead and grow into it. Good luck.
 
yes you can have a pony and two small children i have mine are 2 and 4 we have my cob and the kids shetland
i wouldnt know what sort of pony to suggest though as your eldest should be ok on a small cob but what about the smallest
my four year old still looks very tiny on her shetland

forgot to say hello and welcome
 
Welcome.

I wanted something that my young daughters could potter about on, and that I could keep exercised during the week, and I found a lovely calm New Forest pony, about 13.2hh with enough bone to take a small adult - it worked really well and we all had lots of fun.

10 years on, and we still share and swop, with me sometimes riding my daughters 13.2hh pony, and my daughter sometimes riding my husbands 16.2hh!!!

Hope you can find something suitable to have lots of fun with.
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I start mine of on a little childs saddle with handles
as to buying a shetland they will outgrow it in a couple of years time then you got to make the heartbrecking desistion to sell it as it becomes sat in the field doing nothing this why i brought something taller for me and kids
 
It depends on ur height, weight etc... Saying that I was put on a 15hh to learn when I was tiny but he was a softest horse ever. There was a family at my old yard sharing a 14.1 - the youngest was 4 and the mum was abt 5'3" but quite er... portly.
 
Hi, nice to meet you
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. I've got a 14hh irish cob who my son rides as well as me. He is very good with my boy who is very nervous after being attacked by our previous pony. I think that temperament is more important as you can have a small pony that's a nightmare and a horse that would be good as gold with the kids. However you probably wouldn't want anything bigger than 15hh.
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I have a 14.2 5 year old that I broke myself and the kids and I have ridden him since he was 3. He is amazing with the kids and I trust him 100% with them
 
welcome

Soundls like you need a nice native or cob. Our First pony was a 13.1 Welsh section C, I felt a little large on him (i am a little under 5'4") but he could more than cope with my weight. He was an absolute star, would happily amble around with the smallest child, my daughter could load him and quite happily clear off with her mates at shows. He hunted, did dresssage, XC and, when he was in the mood could jump quite well.

Another thought would be a Hafflinger, I have met some very nice family types.
 
iv got a 5yr old 13hh welsh cross that my little boy (3yrs) rides too, i also have new baby due in july! i get on fine but have 2 kids that help with the riding and because im 8st (when not pregnant) and only 5'5 then i get away with a small pony. tinker is on part livery so he gets mucked out, turned out/brought in and fed/hayed for me everyday. tbh if id planned on getting a mum/kids share pony in the first place id have gone for something a little bigger and a little older, i bought tinker and a 15hh horse as a pair but sadly the big horsey died and i couldnt part with little one!
 
Hello and welcome.

My advice would be on a good day it is fantastic but on a bad day you have to seriously consider your sanity!!

I have two kids 4 and 8 and we have had our little pony for 5 years, there are days when neither kids can be bothered and I threaten to sell as it is an expensive pet and then on other days the two little blighters are arguing over whose turn it is to ride!!

Its hard work, but can be very rewarding - when they have their first trot, canter, jump etc on their own.

I also have a horse (cob x arab) , dog, cat and work full time!!
No wonder I am reaching for the valium...............

I still feel guilty that the horses, kids, housework, hubby are neglected and I spread myself too thinly - best bed would be to share or loan if poss????
 
Greetings!

I would say that if you actually want your kids to keep riding, and to enjoy it, and go on to do all the fun pony club stuff, then you have to get a pony that is the right size for them.

You can't safely teach them on something too big, even if it's an angel, and if you have evented, then you will soon be frustrated by riding a steady, quiet cob!

So get yourself something decent, maybe on loan or a share, and once you have made friends at a yard, someone somewhere will have an old pony that needs riding that you can borrow for kids to hack on. If kids stay keen, then see if you can share a pony for them, but there is no rush to get a pony at their age just yet. If they are begging and crying for a pony in a couple of years, and riding well, then there might be a chance of sharing the same horse!

My background is riding school and pony club instructor, so I have seen many people overpony their child and wonder why the child starts off keen as mustard and then soon gives up.
Riding has to be safe first, then fun and easy for a child. The old saying the pony teaches the child is very true.

Do you have boy/girl/s? It's much easier to keep girls interested, boys soon find that they are in a minority, they either love it or give up. So if you have a son, you owe it to all the pony club mothers with girls to keep him interested by getting the best possible pony!
Let us know what you decide!
 
Hi and welcome , You sound just like my situation a couple of years back ,I also had to sell my fit showjumping mare when I found out I was pregnant with my 2nd, I have 2 boys who are 7 and 3 .

I agree totally with Llewelyn, I went and bought tommy ( little grey ) in my sig and he does both the boys , He is my eldests for now as my 3 year old is showing signs of wanting to ride but Ive just withheld him for awhile longer .
I now ride my Yo's mare every now and again and I went and bought a youngster with a friend , shes now reaching 2 so when my youngest is at primary school ,My youngster will be ready to work
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, So works out perfect .

If your kids had of been that little bit older then perhaps it would work out better but in my opinion as things stand , your best getting something that suits them and getting something different that suits you , be it a shared or loan horse or perhaps lessons , vice versa get the kids lessons .
 
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