How to stop children growing?

[Jericho]

Any tips on how to stop children out growing ponies? My daughter is rapidly approaching 12 and whilst she is fine on her 13.2hh pony now I can see the future - this time in a year she is going to realistically out grow him in size and ability plus he will be 16 and I know he will need to slow down. However I love this pony and I can't bear the thought of looking for another for her or her being on another pony or parting with him - this pony is just the mothers dream, he has taken her from 18inches and scared to canter after previous pony bucked her off at speed resulting in a broken wrist to jumping 1.15m, winning sj, ode, dressage, whp championships. she gallops bareback round the field on him, climbs all over him, we take him on pub rides, beach rides, pony club camp (without a single refusal) use him as lead pony countless times, hunts like a dream plus he totally adores her and looks after her and tries his heart out but knows when to say 'actually I need a bit more guidance on this' meaning that my daughter has absolutely learnt how to ride properly, correctly and with confidence. In all my 30 years of owning horses this boy just is fantastic. How on earth do you repay these ponies? I have tonight promised him that we will always make sure he is safe and cared for - he shoved me with his nose and told me to stop being such a sap and get his tea!

No replies needed but I guess it's just a post to say how privileged I feel to have met this pony and how lucky my girl is to have had him in her life - so here is to all those wonderful ponies who do so much for us - go and give yours a hug and a carrot as soon as you can, after all they really are just wild half tonne animals who could quite easily tell us where to go!

 

[Princess16]

What a lovely heartfelt post. He sounds a dream and just the sort of pony I would love to ride could you not just keep him as a companion pony once retired?

 

[Nicnac]

That's lovely. My daughter's first pony was a little sod! A 13.1 that she had from 7 but who she grew out of by the time she was 11. We then got one similar to yours who was near 14.3 and solid. Sold as a 7 year old but was only 4. He was an angel taking her to winning teams at PC, team chasing and introduced her to BE and is still going strong at 20. He recently won a 2'6 sj competition with his adult owner. Unfortunately by the time daughter was 14 she was hitting 5'10" so moved onto horses.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Sorry can't help with the growing but can reassure you that ponies are not old at 16. He will have years in him yet!

 

[AdorableAlice]

What a lovely heartfelt post. He sounds a dream and just the sort of pony I would love to ride could you not just keep him as a companion pony once retired?

Isn't it a lovely post. There is no choice, the child has to be starved and worked hard to stunt growth !

 

[PorkChop]

Awww, how lovely

I agree - he will have time to teach at least one more little person the ropes

 

[touchstone]

Agree with Adorable Alice, I think feed sacks on the child's head might help.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I focus on the fact that the pony will go on and do the same for another little girl. My daughter's first pony is outgrown and he will be moving on soon. She has her current one who someone else loved and sold to us, and we will ultimately sell to someone else, who is also a cracker of a pony, and then she will start riding my three who we won't sell I don't suppose, unless we give up horses or something.

Unless there's something wrong with him 16 is prime for a pony and he will make someone else as happy as he's made you I'm sure.

 

[Jericho]

I think daughter will be up for feed sacks on head. The sad thing is that he will most definitely be able to teach another child the ropes and several mums at pony club have already said they have their eye on him but I just can't bear the thought of him being anywhere else - sobs quietly and wishes that said daughter has chosen some other sport!

 

[peaceandquiet1]

Crikey 16 is nothing, don't retire him, if you can't bear to sell him on find a good loan home through the PC or lease him out to a lucky family, ponies like that change your life. Also if she is light there is no rush to move on unless her feet knock the jumps down lol.

 

[YorksG]

I wonder if the pony would take to driving? Then daughter can grow as much as she wants and mum gets to keep the saintly pony

 

[mirage]

Aww,but 16 is no age at all. We have recently had to look for a second pony, as my youngest has outgrown her 13h first pony in ability but not in size. Ours is 25 and not ready to retire yet and we have been lucky enough to find a lovely loan home for her,with a little girl just coming out of riding school. I must admit, I cried after they told me they loved her and wanted her. I'm dreading her going as she has taught my girls so well and I love her to bits, but it isn't about me,but what's best for her,she is too good to stand in a field and loves to go out and about plus giving novices confidence is her thing. She owes me nothing and if for any reason she can no longer be ridden or needs to retire, she is coming straight home to me for good.

The little girl has been over several times to ride her,and we went to see where she will be living today. Both my daughters,who cried buckets at the thought of her going at first,said how much they liked her new jockey,and if they could choose the perfect home for their pony,it would be there.

 

[Princess16]

Another thought that crossed my mind was what about loaning him out to another Little person and then having him back once retired if you really don't want to let him go permanently?

 

[peaceandquiet1]

That is also a great idea.

 

[Jericho]

I wonder if the pony would take to driving? Then daughter can grow as much as she wants and mum gets to keep the saintly pony

YorksG - you are a genius! This hadn't crossed my mind but he would be perfect!!!! And I am getting far too old to ride too and would love to drive as have done a little in my past!!

 

[YorksG]

YorksG - you are a genius! This hadn't crossed my mind but he would be perfect!!!! And I am getting far too old to ride too and would love to drive as have done a little in my past!!

Blushing modestly here, and looking forward to the future posts on the saintly pony learning to drive

 

[Jericho]

Blushing modestly here, and looking forward to the future posts on the saintly pony learning to drive

Hopefully not for a year or so but might have a sneaky long rein to see how he goes!!

 

[rowan666]

Crikey 16 is nothing, don't retire him, if you can't bear to sell him on find a good loan home through the PC or lease him out to a lucky family, ponies like that change your life. Also if she is light there is no rush to move on unless her feet knock the jumps down lol.

^^ agree whole heartedly. What a lovely post though, you have my sympathy

 

[GemG]

Crikey 16 is nothing, don't retire him, if you can't bear to sell him on find a good loan home through the PC or lease him out to a lucky family, ponies like that change your life. Also if she is light there is no rush to move on unless her feet knock the jumps down lol.

Absolutely.

How lovely ... Your daughter will never forget this pony either in years to come - we all remember ponies from our childhoods for various reasons and she will fondly remember this one.

How lovely this pony is so well appreciated too

 

[Auslander]

We have a little equine saint here, who has been owned by one of my liveries for 17 years. He has had several loan homes since the girls outgrew him, but hes 23 now, and has recently been diagnosed with Cushings, so they want to keep him here, rather than loaning him out again. He has a sharer - a novicey 10 yr old boy, who rides him a couple of days a week, and he is also used as a safe companion for any horses that need him. He's a crotchety old git, he's an artist at breaking into restricted areas, he squeals all the time at the other horses, which can be a bit tedious at 2am, and he regularly wakes me up at 5am shouting for breakfast, but he has been a star all his life, and he doesn't owe anybody anything. We roll our eyes at him a LOT, but he's going nowhere!

Not impressed at all about the latest anti break-in solution!

 

[chillipup]

Jericho, if none of these great ideas don't work out - looks like you'll just have to have another baby!!!

chilliipup.

 

[Clannad48]

When my daughter outgrew our 'mother's dream' pony, I did not want to let it go - after a failed sale (long story) we put the mare out on 'permanent loan' to a good friend who just wanted a 'happy hack' and the pony has lived for the past eight years in a fabulous five star home. Sadly the loaner has passed away and the pony is coming home to us next weekend. At 24 she has a lot of life in her and it looks as if I am going to have to take up riding again - scary for me but my daughter is ecstatic to have her back home. And before 'chillipup' suggests it - at 60 years of age there is no chance of another baby

 

[southerncomfort]

I never managed to sell on the children's first pony. Hence why I now have a toothless, elderly mare in my field costing me an absolute fortune!

Realistically though, your pony is far too young to retire so I guess you could go down the share/loan route if you don't feel you could part with him.

Good luck whatever you decide. Never easy is it?

 

[chillipup]

When my daughter outgrew our 'mother's dream' pony, I did not want to let it go - after a failed sale (long story) we put the mare out on 'permanent loan' to a good friend who just wanted a 'happy hack' and the pony has lived for the past eight years in a fabulous five star home. Sadly the loaner has passed away and the pony is coming home to us next weekend. At 24 she has a lot of life in her and it looks as if I am going to have to take up riding again - scary for me but my daughter is ecstatic to have her back home. And before 'chillipup' suggests it - at 60 years of age there is no chance of another baby

LOL

 

[Old Bat]

Lovely post and I feel your pain!

We went through the same anguish with 12hh Poppy who was diagnosed with cushings at 11 just a year after we got her. She gave Amy 4 years of the best confidence and fun ever and we just could not sell her on but with the right management she was no where near retiring and needed to help another family in the same way. It took a couple of months to find the right loan home. If you do go down that route, insist on home and family references from instructors or local pony club and vet the home first. We adapted the BHS loan agreement which worked well. Four years later Poppy has done the same job with her second family and has just started out in another new loan home where she is much loved again. When the time comes when she cannot do the job that she loves she will either come home and retire or be PTS with dignity, but at least we will know that she always had a good life. She owes us nothing and we owe her the world!

Re kids growing, just wait until they are taller than you, ride better than you ever did, competing at a higher level, are determined to work in the eventing world and riding a 16.1 at 15. That's scary! But it was originally Poppy who gave her the confidence to be there now.

 

[Merlod]

If she is an average size 12 year old girl I doublt she will physically outgrow a 13.2. I am 25 and I ride 2 x 13.2 ponies, my biggest is 14.2... and 16 is no age at all if he is healthy and fit so don't write him off unecessarily!

 

[peaceandquiet1]

My 16 year old daughter rides a 13.2 Welsh B, she is 5'2

 

[spookypony]

Re. children growing, stop feeding the child? Possibly a bit drastic, though.

Second Merlod and horsemadmum1. I know plenty of adults that ride ponies that size (mine is 14.1), so she may not outgrow the pony for a good long while!