kids moving from ponies to horses

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Welshie Squisher

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At what age and height did you or your kids move from ponies to horses?

My daughter is pretty big, and rides anything between 11.2hh to 15.2hh, she's between 7 and 7 1/2 stone, 4'11" but only 10 years old.
She doesn't look out of place on a horse, and being the good little rider she is, she can handle a horse if it's not a problamatic one.

Have to say she has most fun on her cob, he's 14.3hh and they tear around together and have a blast.

I'm asking because she's taken a liking to the youngster I bought recentlly, and he'd make a great horse for her for the future.
I'm a happy hacker, so never planned on doing much with him anyway.
I'm quite happy for her to have him, being young doesn't concern me as she's just backed my Welsh cob for me and has her going great, but she's just shy of 14hh, this other young one is 15.2hh and still growing.
I'll see if I can post a pic of her having a sit on him. Need to upload to photo bucket so be back in 10! :)
 
To be honest I don't like seeing little kids on horses, and would say don't go out and buy one. But if he is there, and you are riding him too, its not such a drama.
I will say though that my friends daughter, who has to be 15 now, has a 15.2 con x tb, and she does find her a bit strong, and she is an excellent rider. Your daughter is pretty much the same size as me, and I prefer them a bit smaller, they are more fun.
Several of my friends were very tall (5ft 8 at 13) and had 15.2's and they didn't have nerly so much fun, as horses really are a completly different kettle of fish.
I was surprised when the people who wanted my 14.2 on loan wanted him for a 9 and 10 year old, thought they were a bit young, although that to is working well.
I would advise caution, things can go wrong very quickly
 
Ask her what she wants, the most important thing at that age is keeping them interested. If she wants to ride the horse and you think she is safe, I dont see a problem. If it wanted to be, her cob could be far stronger and bolshier than the horse anyway.
 
There is no particular reason for kids not to ride horses - but they are quite different from ponies. I don't mean just the stride length and the distance from the ground. They seem to think differently too. Ponies are often more mischevious - and more devious. Obviously that doesn't hold for everything. I've had "pony minded" horses and "horse minded" ponies.

The only think to possibly watch out for is if she wants to compete. Some disciplines don't allow under 16's on horses. (Other than the Childern on Horses series before anyone shouts at me!) Also small local shows for show jumping etc will have the stride length set for a pony and not a horse in the kids classes.
 
Our daughter went on to my wife's 15.2 at 12 but the mare was about 13 or 14 at the time. I have seen so many kids at Pony Club going really well on ponys then mum buys them a young horse and it usually ends in tears unless mum keeps it going during the week . Take care!
 
Thanks for the replies.

Well the situation is she'd keep her current cob and take him out and about.
If I was to let her keep Merlin, it would be to only ride at home and initially only in the school. The rest I'd do.
She also has my 13.3hh section D she's just backed to ride, although she will only gently hack this year due to age.

I'd never consider Merlin for her "only" horse, he's too young and presently too big, but as a 2nd horse with Mum as a backup and only if she wants him, then maybe.

My daughter has a habit of nicking my horses, the coloured cob in my signature was bought for me also, 6 months on and she nicked him when she was getting big on her 13hh pony lol x
 
I moved onto a 15.2hh TB at 13 (turned 14 a few days after getting him if that changes much?). He was a true old schoolmaster, and we always said he was a 12hh pony dressed as a horse as he was clever and pony-like in his way of going. I still found the move a bit scary, because he was a lot bigger than my old 14.2hh pony and at first I found jumping him a bit odd. Once I got used to sitting and waiting we were off and I had an amazing 5 years on him.

Al moved on to a 16.3hh ex-racer at 15, but in an ideal world she'd have stuck on ponies til she was 16 and then gone onto a 15.2hh or so to make the move easier.

I would try and keep children on ponies for as long as I possibly could. At 10, Al was still on a 12.2hh pony having an absolute blast doing gymkhana games and all PC activities and being silly out hacking. I think the years spent on ponies you get too big for are very formative and teach you a lot and let you mix with your peers more. It doesn't hinder you- the pony she was on also jumped round 2'6 ODEs and doing WHP stuff successfully.
 
I'd say she has several years left in the cob yet so why not let her learn as much as possible from the cob before moving her on to another youngster. I know you say she has done a lot with youngsters but it only takes one thing to go wrong and she could loose all her confidence. I personally hate seeing kids over horsed and would much rather see them asthetically a bit tall for their pony but having fun and being in controll than shoved up on a horse asap. If she is desperate to ride the bigger one then I would stick to in the school and possibly some lessons.
 
I went from a 14.2hh connie up to a 17.1hh Dutch Warmblood. I first rode him when I was 10 but properly taking over the reins when I was about 12 (just before my 13th birthday) I did my first BE event on him when I was 13. I'm not tall, only 5'4. He wasn't bought specifically for me to move up onto, because being honest he isn't easy! But the mare I was riding was getting a little too old for me to be doing BE on (her legs wouldn't have held up to it). I did go around Tweseldown unaffiliated Intro on her but that was on sandy going. So yes, in an ideal world I would have stayed on ponies longer, but it hasn't done me any harm riding something bigger. People have always commented on how well I cope with him- he gives me hard times but it is making me a better rider. He had a tricky start, I am learning heaps from the experience. Here's a video of us from 2010, so I was still 13 here! (We were placed 10th). It can be done, if it has to be!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI39MLd-whA&list=UUgETEEEU1fxvUuv4MslgU5A&index=32&feature=plcp
 
I was sharing a 15.1 at 11 and got a 16.2 5 yr old at just turned 14. Wasn't always easy but 10 years later still got her. I was probably 5'8" and 10 stone at 11 though (fat child!)
 
i was still riding 14.2's at 17! didn't do me or the ponies any harm lol, in college it was all horses but i'd go back to my old workplace to play on the ponies when ever i could lol.
 
I couldn't even imagine my daughters riding a horse and they are 6 and 7. They are not very confident though and are much happier on the shetlands. I think everyone is different and I am happy as long as my kids are happy and confident. I do look forward to when they are bigger, about 12ish and can hack out with me on my horse. He will be 12 when they are 12 so am hoping it will work out well!!
 
Thank you for the replies.

Well we have the 3, smallest being a 13.3hh Welsh cob, then she has her 14.3hh cob and we have the new youngster.

I think I will go with the flow, she's really keen and she's capable so she can have him to go with her cob. If at anytime it doesn't suit her, well I can just have him back.
It has it's advantages, I may never have to buy her a horse! :D

She's lucky I that she has the choice of 3, so has the best of both worlds :D
 
I think your plan is sensible and your daughter is so lucky to have so much choice!

I stayed on my 13.3 till I was 15! That was back in the 70's when only 'grown ups' rode horses, at least where I lived they did. I was in a big riding club and the majority of 16's and under rode ponies.
 
Well I am 17 and I have only just moved off my 14.1 fab connie. I think many children come off ponies too early and struggle with horses.
 
My son is a tall 14yr old but he is currently riding a 14.1 cob type hacking out with the other kids on the yard and to/from pony club etc... He has 'proper' lessons and sessions in the school with my (young) 15.2 TB...

He has way more freedom on the pony and even though she's young too, she's totally bomb proof but can crank it up a bit so he has fun... The TB is too green for him to take out hacking and has to be ridden very lightly as he's *very* responsive to aides... Son is learning to be a much more controlled and sensitive rider on the TB and is receiving more 'classical' lessons on him; but he can still bazz about on the cob type in a more relaxed manner so it's the best of both worlds really... :)
 
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