I Need Definition for Family Pony Classes

[susan_b]

Please Please can anyone give me a clear definition of a Family Pony. The class I want to enter says Family Pony UNDER 13hh, so does this mean:-
Pony most suitable to it's rider?
Pony suitable for brothers & sisters to ride?

It surely can't mean suitable for a child AND an adult to ride can it?????

And yes I phoned the show organizer & all she could tell me was that they thought they needed a small family pony class and a bigger under 14.2hh class.

 

[Skhosu]

BAsically its a pony that will do everything unfazed, probably at that size with the children.

 

[the watcher]

These are individual to each show, when I have run shows I have insisted that the pony be ridden by one person under 14 and another over 16 (or one adult and one child) to show that it truely can be ridden by any member of the family and is safe..in these cases of course anything under 12.2 is generally not going to be suitable.
It cuts out the pothunting show ponies that are too fine for an adult (they have classes of their own) - but I was always careful to run a show where EVERBODY could leave with a rosette for something

In the case of your UNDER 13hh, I would still consider it needs to be a safe pony suitable for any sibling, as well as being the appropriate size for the rider

 

[susan_b]

Oh! the pony we have IS a reg show pony but although very fine he is a perfect fit for both my daughter & most of her friends. He is restricted to usually only 2 or 3 classes at most shows - Tack & Turnout, Riding Pony & Riding Club Pony so I wondered if this small family pony class might be OK.

Are you saying the judge would really be looking for a slightly heavier type?

 

[Twinkle Twinkle]

I do family pony with my boy my friends daughter usually takes him in. The first show he done family pony he got second out of about twenty the judge could not believe he was only 5.
Here is a picture of him.

My oh granddaughter on him.

 

[PennyJ]

"suitable for a child to ride, but capable of giving an adult an interesting ride" or something very similar is the definition for the New Forest Breed Show family pony class. This is Ted, who to our great astonishment and delight won the class at the Breed show (our first ever "posh" show with him) even though he was very fat at the time from eating his straw bed. Honestly truthfully, I think it is aimed at non show quality ponies at local shows who have the most wonderful temperaments.

 

[conniegirl]

The best definition of this that i have every heard was 'pony suitable to be ridden by every member of the family, from toddler to ambitious teen to artheritic granny'

And yes such ponies do exist, I'm lucky enough to own one, however he has only ever done one family pony class as he is to good a pony and there are other classes for me to do so i'll leave the novelty classes to kids with thier non county level ponies. The one he did do was because my 8 yearold cousins pony came off the trailer lame at her first show and she was upset so i stuck her on my pony and shoved her in the family pony class which he promptly won as he is a very challenging ride when he thinks your up to it, but an angel when your not up to it.

 

[silversox]

It is unusual to have a Family Pony class for under 13.2's. Most schedules range FROM 13.2 to 15.2 hh. I should imagine your pony would be ideal, so give it a go.

When I am judging family pony, I will only place ponies which go nicely in a snaffle, without a flash or martingale, and will stand rock still to be dismounted and mounted again. They do not need to be plaited for this class and I prefer the riders NOT to perform circus tricks to prove their placid nature!!

Good luck!