How irresponsible is this..?

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elsielouise

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Just interested in your opinions really.

IF you had a little section A that happily could be led around from bridle or headcollar on the roads and tracks, leading from another horse or on its own, Would you then even consider taking it for a walk (on a bridlepath or in the field) whilst also pushing a buggy (that can be pushed with one hand!) with a two year old in it?

If you also had experience of walking three big dogs whilst pushing buggy would that make any difference or is it just a completely insane thing to do?

Oh and you had also once had to lead pony whilst pushing an empty pushchair and had accidently knocked into pony's knees and it didnt care.


nb I havent actually done this but was just discussing how insane this would/could be as I rode out with my friend today.
 
I know an awful woman who used to tie a 2 year old pony to her year old sons pushchair quite happily! Don't know about leading & pushing at the same time but tying it to the pushchair is what i find complete & utter madness!
 
3 dogs, i struggled with 1 lol. As for pushing a pram with a pony,thats just stupid stupid, stupid!!, what's she gonna do if the pony spooks? Leave the child alone whilst she tries to calm the pony, keep hold of both and risk the child getting trampled or let it go?!! I don't think walking 3 dogs can prepare anyone for what could potentialy happen.
 
I guess I'd be a bit worried that the child's head would be at kick height, if something caused the pony to kick out the results could be rather serious.

I think when you are looking at risk generally, you have to look at the likelihood of something going wrong, but you also have to look at what the consequences would be if something did go wrong and if you can reduce the chances or reduce the harm (for example, by wearing protective gear). If the pony was really good then the chances might be relatively low, but I don't think you could make the consequences any less serious tbh.
 
I don't think I would try it! Even walking myself with a pony on leadrope I wear steel toes in case I get stood on or knocked into. Too many if's and but's, not worth the risk!!
 
I need shooting down now *** runs for cover****

I have done this with my daughters miniature horse, and he is only young too, but totally sane,I trust him enough for him to look after my kids when they are riding him and leading him and I am afraid when baby number 2 and 3 came along I had the rope in my hand and pushed the pushchair with both hands whilst holding the rope. I find it easier to walk the pony with the pushchair than I do walking my 2 jack russels with the pushchair. The pony has more respect for me and mine than my dogs do when they are out. Also I dont think pony would case if I accidently knocked his feet as he doesnt mind clonking his legs breaking thru fences or trying to climb on my lap when I sit down!

The most he does is traipse behind, Id have more chance of leaving the pushchair alone whilst running after the 2 older kids!
 
LEXIS-MAGIC said:
I need shooting down now *** runs for cover****
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Haha so do most of the people on our yard then... including me!! We often go up the fields (which is sometimes down a track that cars use) etc with 17hh horses in our hands (often two horses) and pushing a buggie, sometimes we take a todler leading one of the horses with us or just walking with us if they want to with the dogs, they are not stupid......... sometimes I think health and saftey has gone mad!! But hey. Its up to their parents and we wouldnt do it with the stupid horses/ponies! I do love my little DIY yard, I have pictures of us all going up the fields with our buggies, todlers, dogs, babies and horses as well if anyone wants to see them? hehe
 
Ta for that snowysadude, I did once lead my 16'2 through 3 big fields fighting with my buggy thru the mud to get to the blacksmith but I didn't dare say, I was slightly worried with walking through strange field but he turned into Dobbin the Donkey. We have 3 kids under 5 now so we often lead the older 2 round the showground with the buggy. Or let the four year old lead the three year old!

We can now run for cover together lol
 
Interesting.

It's my (well, my son's) pony and my friend and I both have toddlers. I was of the, 'risks outweigh benefits' school of thought and she thought she would perhaps do it if she wanted to get the pony out more frequently.

I lead it out without a jockey on regularly, both off my horse and on its own as I like to keep it 'in work' and excercised while my son is at school but even though she has NEVER put a foot wrong, my, 'what if' head kicks in if I think about it and I couldnt imagine what I would feel if anything happened.

NOW, just wondering if I might lunge it in the field though with my son 'parked' in his buggy a suitable distance away - other side of fence....

And then is it a small step to schooling my mare in field with him in the buggy? (horses kept at home so there's be no one else about.)
 
Yeah go for it!!!! Horses are expensive but babies are free.... :D

That was a joke - if I trusted pony/horse/dog/cat/rabbit/snail I don't see a problem with it.
 
It depends on how well the leader knows the pony. I have known several very sensible ponies/horses who could be trusted to look after any child in any circumstance. Of course you do have to be sure that the pony isn't going to be upset by *anything*.
 
elsielouise said:
NOW, just wondering if I might lunge it in the field though with my son 'parked' in his buggy a suitable distance away - other side of fence....

And then is it a small step to schooling my mare in field with him in the buggy? (horses kept at home so there's be no one else about.)
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Gosh I did this all the time when mine was small. I was never further than the opposite side of the arena so not like I was a million miles away if I needed to leap off horse to tend to the baby.
 
elsielouise said:
NOW, just wondering if I might lunge it in the field though with my son 'parked' in his buggy a suitable distance away - other side of fence....

And then is it a small step to schooling my mare in field with him in the buggy? (horses kept at home so there's be no one else about.)
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Oh well, that wouldn't worry me, the lunging not at all and the schooling, well I would probably steer well clear of the buggy but I wouldn't panic about it.

Of course it all depends on the horse, how sensible it is, is it going to panic if the baby starts crying... but assuming it was a fairly calm type and I wasn't expecting a Battle Royale schooling session of doooooooom I'd be fine with that!
 
my only worry about you schooling your horse when toddler in pushchair is if you had an accident and were knocked out not only would you not get help but your child would be alone
 
Spring Feather said:
Gosh I did this all the time when mine was small. I was never further than the opposite side of the arena so not like I was a million miles away if I needed to leap off horse to tend to the baby.
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Good to hear this isnt a crazy idea! Because I think I will start doing this. He had terrible separation anxiety last year when fields where good enough to ride in but he'll happily sit in buggy and watch peppa pig on DVD player now so am thinking as long as he can see me and I can see and hear him and I'm not riding something am likely to fall off then all will be fine.

Just need ground to dry up a bit now.

Oh and husband just suggested that I call a local friend when I get on and again when am finished so she knows no need to come and scrape me off the floor in a 'worse case scenario'. Hurrah! Husband doesnt hate idea. excellent
 
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elsielouise said:
Good to hear this isnt a crazy idea! Because I think I will start doing this. He had terrible separation anxiety last year when fields where good enough to ride in but he'll happily sit in buggy and watch peppa pig on DVD player now so am thinking as long as he can see me and I can see and hear him and I'm not riding something am likely to fall off then all will be fine.

Just need ground to dry up a bit now.
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By the time he starts talking, he'll be a dreadful backseat driver... 'Mummy, Mummy, shorten your reins...':D
 
I push my 18 month old daughter in her pushchair whilst holding onto my 14hh mare all of the time. If I didnt, I just wouldnt be able to get things done. How else do you take pony to field whilst having a child with you?

I completely trust my pony else I wouldnt do it at all.
 
Yes I've done it often. Nearly tipped the buggy up though when pony decided to take a crafty bite from the hedge.....little chancer :)

As long as pony is safe and sensible then I can't see why not...:)
 
I've done the pushing buggy and leading horse thingy. I HAD to do it, there wasn't a way round it.
Both Meg and Juno are very well buggy trained, and buggies make for excellent schooling markers as well as spook busting! And it is always wonderful when your biggest fan starts clapping at your rising trot - or the horse farting!! lol
 
soulfull said:
my only worry about you schooling your horse when toddler in pushchair is if you had an accident and were knocked out not only would you not get help but your child would be alone
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And what if you fell down the stairs whilst at home, alone with your baby, and were knocked unconscious??:confused::rolleyes: You would not do anything if you worried about everything all the time.
 
I have and do, both lead, ride - and sometimes Evie likes to lead too (She is 22 months)- It helps if you have a good buggy for one handed manouvres. I have a second hand mountain buggy terrain (used to be landrover buggy's) goes over mud, sand, you name it. You know your horse best and I am sure wouldnt do anything foolhardy. Only issue we have now is Evie doesnt like to sit in the buggy.
She has had a few goes sitting up front with mummy and big sis so now screams wide, wide wide whenver any one brings a horse near her!
S
 
Dont see any problem with it!
I used to lead horses out of my car window while driving the car when I was on a yard that had the field away from the yard!
 
a long time ago my friend looked after horses for a very eccentric lady .... (bit dotty but not harmfull)
I read this post and remembered my friend telling me about the lady driving her car slowly along the road with her hand out the window hanging onto her trusted hunter. Thats real class!!
 
As my Section A is a perfect leadrein pony and understands totally that her place is by your side whether you are mounted or walking and is 100% in traffic I would have no hesitation about walking her and a buggy. This is a pony that can safely be led by a toddler - if they fall over she just stops and lets them use her legs to drag themselves upright again. I would also happily walk my Welsh cob with a buggy, and my big mare. The two chestnut horses I wouldn't - I don't trust them enough.

So from that waffle I'd say it's horses for courses, if your Section A is a saint then I can't see the problem.
 
How about you tie/sellotape/Glue your toddler onto the saddle of said pony, then the pony gets exercised, the child is with you and safe! ;)
 
Having been trampled by in hand horses twice, I wouldn't consider putting a baby/child in such a risky position. No children in a field full of loose horses either (sorry, but about once every few years you get a report of a young child killed this way and it's not worth the risk in my mind).
 
Thank god for that - I thought I was the only risk taking mother on the planet. The things we do to get our horses done! When I think back to how easy life was before children arrived...those were the days! :D

Not even going to start on the stories I could tell you about my mare and my kids when they were tots - I'd be torn limb from limb! Will just sit here and snigger insanely to myself instead.
 
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