How old would a kid have to be to come to a competition with you, without any other adults?

[Jango]

Quick question, my niece is 6 (nearly 7) and my sister in law asked me if I could look after her at the weekend. I said no as I'm competing (combined training), but I wondered what kind of age people would take their kids to a competition with them, without another adult to mind them? She's a pretty sensible kid and she has her own pony, but at the moment I'd worry about warming up for dressage without watching her in case she got bored and wandered off. SJ would be fine as it's only 15 mins.

 

[Orangehorse]

My granddaughter is the same age. She is very good and well behaved and can amuse herself with a colouring book.

But I don't know that I would like her to be by herself at a show completely unattended - there are some weird people around. (Would you like to see some puppies? Have an ice cream?) So that would be danger A. Also children have a short attention span and can be distracted and wander off if there is something to attract them and maybe would like to go over and pat a horse and not notice the one about to run her down or kick out. Children are very vulnerable to being kicked. That's danger B.

So I would say that it wouldn't be a good idea. The only thing would be if you know someone else competing and ask them to keep an eye on her while you did your stuff.

 

[Aperchristmas]

6 is by far too young to be left alone in a busy (and in reality very dangerous for such a small person) place like a horse competition. It's not even about weird adults who might take her (although that is a risk) and all to do with the impossibility of finding a truly safe place where they can stand and wait while you ride, as well as the highly likely scenario where they don't just stand and in fact wander off.

Personally I would think around 12 would be the youngest I'd consider taking in the circumstances you describe, and even then I would let a steward know where they were when in the ring.

 

[Jango]

Thank you! Yep it's definitely a no for now, but I was thinking more for the future, it's hard to know sometimes when you don't have your own kids!

 

[Aperchristmas]

Thank you! Yep it's definitely a no for now, but I was thinking more for the future, it's hard to know sometimes when you don't have your own kids!

Sorry, I should have made it clear that I realise you know 6 is too young - I wasn't suggesting that you would leave a 6 year old to wander around a horse show! My figure of 12 may be wildly off because I too don't have kids so I'm probably not too reliable on ages.

 

[Wishfilly]

I think once a child had started secondary school they'd be able to cope with this sort of environment in this sort of situation. I think before that sort of age, some would feel quite worried being left whilst you warmed up etc (as well as the obvious risks). Once they start secondary school, most children tend to end up with a lot more independence and would be able to be sensible in that sort of environment and not feel worried that you were in the ring and not immediately available.

 

[maya2008]

I would take a child on my own to help/watch at 12. 10+ if they had friends there they could hang around with, but 12 if they will be completely on their own while I am in the ring riding.

 

[Chiffy]

My grandchildren are 9 and 11 and would be absolutely fine at any show. But they are completely steeped in horseyness, they have competed themselves since they started riding as toddlers. We have a horsebox with living where they can do things and watch tv or play games. They know most people at most shows. They have each been as a groom on occasions.
This is quite different I realise to your scenario and as you have realised it would be a no from me at present.

 

[Auslander]

About 21 for me...

 

[honetpot]

I think you have to be very careful, because you could be held responsible for a child's actions, and safety, legally it is about fourteen. If you are a parent it's a decision you make every day, someone else's child and I would pass.
https://www.occ.org.nz/childrens-rights-and-advice/legal-rights/#atwhatage

 

[gallopingby]

six / seven is far too young but if used to shows etc and has friends who will be there from about ten upwards is probably ok. A lot depends on how competent the child if. I always take an older teenager as additional back up if l have my 11 year old granddaughter with me. If you have a Horsebox with decent living it’s possible for them to keep warm but not in a 3-5

 

[MagicMelon]

Personally Ive only just got to the stage where I would trust my nearly 10yr old son to come to horse events but still with my mother or someone else around to be with him. Purely because I dont think he'd know what to do if a loose horse came tanking towards him or he might walk too close behind a horse (despite me telling him many a time to be careful, look out for this and that etc.). He came to a jumping thing with me last weekend but when I was riding he stayed in the car playing a video game (and we were parked very close to where I was riding). Mine isnt very horsey though.

Although at the end of the day, it depends totally on how mature the kid is I guess and also how horsey they are. I definately wouldnt if it was someone elses kid as Id feel even more responsible.

 

[Leandy]

I think 6 or 7 is too young. A bit older than that though it would very much depend on the type of show and the environment. If it was a quiet well organised show with everything close together and good separation of horses and spectators for example with spectator seating for the warm up and/or competition arena and you could tell her to sit there and watch and not to go anywhere else without checking with you, so you always know her whereabouts and that she is in a safe (but interesting for her) place, then that could work well. She would probably love it. More of a free for all type place where she could inadvertently get run over by an over excited horse getting to the warm up and with nowhere comfortable or clearly separate for her to watch, then it would probably not work until about secondary school age when they have more awareness.

 

[SEL]

I took some 12 yo a few years back but it was just a local show and not a huge area for them to wander off in - plus they were a group so stuck together. I'd be paranoid about looking after a real little one (but no one would ever ask me )

 

[YorkshireLady]

gut is 12, though i think 10 plus for some would be ok.

When I took step son with me when younger I had another adult with me...so when he was 9 and 10 etc

 

[abbijay]

I took my daughter (8) to dressage with me last year unaccompanied but it was just riding club; very quiet, small and friendly event where my daughters knows lots of the people. A friend my daughter knows well was doing a duty day so just before I got on I "handed her over" and then did a 5 minute warm up, rode my test and immediately had her returned to me so for 15 ish minutes she was supervised by this friend and she helped "organise" the rosettes for the tests. I won't be taking her anywhere else unsupervised just yet.
I took a friend's daughter with me once; young high school age. I didn't like the responsibility and felt it worked best when I could hand out jobs that meant I knew where she was all the time and she didn't have any time to herself and it was all outside so I could even watch her while warming up and competing. Jobs included filling water buckets; cleaning tack; videoing me/taking pictures (so she couldn't wonder off) and walking the horse off after.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I was about 12, and legitimately helping my mother who was XC timekeeping at a one day event, when I nearly got mown down by a Badminton winner who deliberately rode his horse outside of the finish flags.

I was where I should have been. He wasn't.

Not that my mum was able to do anything at the time bar shout 'Horse!', but she properly tore him off a strip afterwards.

Dangerous places, horse shows.

 

[HeyMich]

I took my son when he was about 10 to a couple of low level unaff dressage tests. I also took his pony with us as a companion - we really didn't need to take the pony as a companion to be honest, but it gave my son a focus and he was happy to get on with checking pony's hay, water etc and grooming him while I was warming up (pony stands like a rock, even in an empty carpark!). I then made him video my tests, so I knew exactly where he was when I was in the ring. It worked well, and made him feel like he had been a huge help!

My daughter is 9 now but I wouldn't do the same with her yet, she's still a bit too needy and moans if she gets bored. She needs more training...

 

[rextherobber]

About 21 for me...

I was going to say 25...

 

[Sealine]

If I was competing I'd be worried what would happen if I had a fall at the event. I took a friend's daughter hunting for the first time and I fell off and got concussion. Luckily there were others around from the same pony club as the friend's daughter who offered to look after her for the rest of the day and take her home. I had to call her Mum to explain what was happening and to come and rescue me as I daren't carry on riding or drive home.

 

[Pippity]

About 21 for me...

I don't know, some 18yos can lift a decent amount.

As long as they're old enough to bring me a Pimms.

 

[J&S]

On one of my very first affiliated trec competitions, in fact it was the Welsh championships, I was asked to accompany a 12 year old. I first of all cried off but then thought how kind and enthusiastic the club had been so i relented and said I would. She was brilliant, could not have got round without her! So I agree, 6/7 is too young but from about 10yrs onwards it does depend on the child and their mind set.

 

[Cob Life]

About 21 for me...

I work with kids, I’d say most 11/12 year olds, I know a few 9/10 year olds who would be sensible enough but I also know some 18/19 yo that I’d leave at home!
it depends on the individual and like others have said if there are friends etc there.

 

[Soap On A Rope]

Maybe an opening for someone qualified in childcare to organise a creche at the larger shows ?

 

[Abacus]

I would take my 12 year old, who rides and is used to being around horses, and would trust him to either watch, sit in he lorry (prob on his phone) or take himself off to get a burger. He's massively tall so not really like a child. My 10 year old I think would be ok, but I wouldn't leave him as long. But I do trust him to do as he is told and stay put somewhere, and keep out of the way. It depends a lot on the show, I would definitely identify a 'safe' place where there weren't horses around. I don't think I would want to be responsible for anyone else's child though until significantly older.

 

[Patterdale]

I regularly take my 9, 7 and 5 year old as I have no other option and they are all sensible and love watching. The eldest does the video too which is handy! The only exception is XC because I’d be out of sight.

I don’t know any other kids of this age that id trust though ??