Opinions on lead rein pony,Mums out there whats your experience.

[Cat&Mouse]

Hello all,

Right I find myself looking for a super safe lead rein pony for our daughter.

I would not normally think of looking for one yet as she is only 20 Months old but we are sadly having to have our companion pony put down so thought it would be wise to look for something safe for her to be around and potter about on.


My question is, she is tiny (still in 9-12 month clothes) and will never grow that big I can still get away with riding a 11/12hh pony when required.

a) Am I best to look at a minature/shetland for her at the moment. The most she will be doing is fussing, loving and going for extra long walks with the dogs but we would require getting something bigger as she gets older as I would not be happy leading a minature off our horse

or

b) Do I look for a pony 10/11hh that will potentially last her for a long time if she wants to learn to ride properly.

I have never owned a shetland or minature, I just remember stories from my dad as it was his first pony 9/10 returning from a ride with just a bridle.Every one I know has branded them as *****lands, but I have recenly come across an amazingly sweet boy so I could be persuaded.

I think Welsh have too much character on the whole (I have owned one for 25 years!) and there stride is big for a little dot.

I once had a little Dartmoor cross who despite having a bad start in life was very sweet, but I am struggling to find one that isn't mega money or would be wasted with us.

Any other thoughts/ your experiences with tiny tots?

Many thanks

 

[FfionWinnie]

I led a mini Shet off a 15.2 and we did 3 hours riding a day in the summer mostly trotting and cantering. I'd get a standard Shetland that you can school off the lead rein for the future then it will last you years.

The right Shetland or Shet x is a wonderful pony. Welshies tend not to be as sensible as Shets.

Also my daughter was cantering and jumping off the lead rein age 3 on her mini. She wouldn't have managed that on a bigger pony.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I'd go for a small std shettie.
We had a lovely 36" mare, she was my mothers driving pony & my daughter clambered under & on her as soon as she was mobile.
Rode her on LR & off, but by the time daughter was 4, she moved onto one of the Exmoors for off lead stuff as the shettie was a tad sharp off the lead.
Like PAS above, I used to take her on a lead from whatever I was riding at the time & we could ramble out for ages, so much easier then foot-slogging
She had the pair in tandem till she was about 6 or 7, but was already on 12hh's doing cradle stakes etc by then but the shettie kept her grounded at home

Worth seeing if you can get a long loan if possible?

 

[TGM]

I'd look for the right pony with experience of doing the job you want it to do and a fantastic temperament, and not worry too much about which breed it is! There are good and bad examples of all breeds, and not all conform to breed stereotypes. (For the record, daughter's first pony was a Welsh Sec A, who was a poppet in the stable, fab on the lead rein, but not so good off it!)

 

[Hayjay]

I did the same when my son, now 17, was about 18 months old. I bought a 10hh Shetland. Unfortunately my son was not interested but I kept the pony anyway and three children later my 8 year old has taken an interest! Our shetland is the perfect pony to fuss over. In the 15 years ive had him he has never bitten or kicked - but he does chew clothes sometimes 😄. Our paddock adjoins our garden and I know my girls can go in with him and be safe. He is small enough that my girls can groom him and be taught to tack up, pick out feet etc. He is perfect on the lead rein for my 8 year old daughter. Off the lead rein he is stubborn and very nappy - but my friends 10 year old more experienced daughter rides him sometimes in the arena and loves it - and he is improving now he knows the rider is in charge. He is so easy to look after and a real character.

 

[SpringArising]

I'd look for the right pony with experience of doing the job you want it to do and a fantastic temperament, and not worry too much about which breed it is!

This!

When I got my first pony, I was 7 and absolutely tiny. I was probably the size of a four year old.

She was a 12.2 Welsh B and was the best pony I will ever find in terms of safety. She was an absolute saint and looked after me through everything.

She lasted me 8 years and I'm so glad my parents didn't get me something I'd have grown out of quickly. All of the Shetlands I've known/ridden have been absolute ratbags and I'm not sure I'd have one for a child. IMO they're too strong and opinionated.

 

[Draconia]

I'd look for the right pony with experience of doing the job you want it to do and a fantastic temperament, and not worry too much about which breed it is!

I agree. My dad bought us (my brother and me) a pony when I was about 6, not the best fit to us and we fell off everytime we sat on him. He soon was sold and my dad bought us a welsh cross, which has looked after me for about 6 years before moving onto something bigger. It was such a lovely horse, we could do everything with her and she was never mean, fabulous off leadrein, I have done all my first with her. First time hacking out with dad on the bike, first time jumping, first time hacking out all by myself, first time driving, first time driving all by myself and yes I was only twelve)

Later on we found that the first horse wasn't as unsuitable, it was just that the owner of the other horse on the land fed our very small horse the same amount of hard feed as his fresian horse and did not tell my dad who than fed our horse when he checked on him around 6pm, no wonder he was completely crazy. The welsh cross mentioned above got the same food for many months, including huge portions of hard feed, but never reacted to it and therefore was perfect for the situation. (and don't worry, as soon as my dad found out, he had a stern talking to the other guy and our horse was never again fed by someone else)

Get a horse in temperament that suits you, don't worry about size or breed. Even if the horse is a bit bigger, but has a fantastic character it is worth it, but the same can be said from a shetlander.

 

[Cat&Mouse]

Worth seeing if you can get a long loan if possible?[/QUOTE]

This would be ideal but a bit like hens teeth at the moment!

I would normally agree with the not breed specific idea but the horse/pony buying world seems so full of horrible people (personal recent experiences) you can't seem to trust a word they say hence wanting a bit of general background on breeds but I realise every individual pony is different.

I have always been under the impression that the little gems get past from family to family and probably never advertised?

My first pony is the welshie that I am having to have put down, she was obviously sedated when we tried her as she spent most of her time on two legs or with her shoulder dropped and spinning, she has never been a kids pony but she certainly taught us how to sit a difficult pony!!!!

Interesting that little uns have been led of horses, our horse isn't prone to kicking but I was concerned of what height our daughter would be sat at.

 

[pennyturner]

Somewhere out there is a badly bred, worthless little Dartmoor hill pony, with a 5* temperament that someone else has 'rescued', put all the work into, but is now outgrown by his first family. Owner will desperately want to find a good home for it, and will therefore offer it long loan / free. That's the pony for you.

... ignore the pretty dish faces of those cheeky Welsh A's if you can. They're too spirited for tiny tots.
As for Shetlands - get one when your daughter thinks she knows it all in a few years time - it'll teach her humility!

 

[Cat&Mouse]

Somewhere out there is a badly bred, worthless little Dartmoor hill pony, with a 5* temperament that someone else has 'rescued', put all the work into, but is now outgrown by his first family. Owner will desperately want to find a good home for it, and will therefore offer it long loan / free. That's the pony for you.

... ignore the pretty dish faces of those cheeky Welsh A's if you can. They're too spirited for tiny tots.
As for Shetlands - get one when your daughter thinks she knows it all in a few years time - it'll teach her humility!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha yes that was my opinion of shetlands too but some people do seem to have had gems too.

And yes would love to find a fugly Heinz 57 that is safe as houses, anything too flashy would be wasted as we are not a showing family.

I have just enquired about a shetland and I know you can not put a price on safety but £1000 plus does seem very steep. My partner thinks they are size price relative don't think I will ever persuade him to spend that!

 

[stencilface]

I think slightly bigger ponies are better as then they potentially have years of enjoyment and time to build a great bond with them. Mini sf is 17 months now, and 7 months ago I rehomed two from WHW who are now rising 3, one is a pony and one is a mule. I'm hoping both will be able to be ridden. The pony has a wonderful temperament, and I think with more work will be a little cracker - he's currently a feral bog pony living it up with his buddy, only being disturbed to have his feet trimmed every so often! He's about 11h I think, also with a bigger pony they have a longer smoother stride which is easier imho for little ones to sit on.

So, I don't know where you are in the country, but how about little lovely lady. She's not been sat on yet, but their dummy human looks far scarier than a child if you watch the video!

http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/rehoming/horse-profile.php?id=424299

Best of all, all you pay is £20 for the adoption and an annual charge of £30 for PI insurance

 

[TGM]

It is worth checking the Sales pages of your local branches of the Pony Club, as some of the 'gems' are likely to be advertised there.

 

[Cat&Mouse]

http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/rehoming/horse-profile.php?id=424299[/url]

Best of all, all you pay is £20 for the adoption and an annual charge of £30 for PI insurance

She sounds and looks lovely, but I have got to be realistic, we have a 4year old WB that needs education I can not take on another project. Unbroken blank canvas has been suggested by friends as well. The other thing is I rarely have anyone else around and with a pony like that we would need two of us at least so our daugther can easily be lifted off if there was a problem.

It is a shame as we are in the South west!!!

 

[Cat&Mouse]

It is worth checking the Sales pages of your local branches of the Pony Club, as some of the 'gems' are likely to be advertised there.

Thank you, I have been keeping an eye on there websites but nothing as yet.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Shetlands get a bad press because no one bothers to put the effort into them. Considering how little handling and actual schooling most get, it's amazing they are so tolerant. I have had two I put the work into (simple things like don't feed the nippy one titbits and he stopped it age 23 having been nippy his whole life...) and they have both been absolutely super.

You just have to train whatever you get to ride and lead with your horse. Also turn them out together. Unless the lead horse is a pig I wouldn't be too worried about kicking (there are plenty of other things to worry about - mine has always worn hat and body protector!)

Welshies tend to be sharper. Other natives tend to be stubborner. Sharp is useless with a young child. The age is more relevant than the size of the child as well. Older the child the more able they are to balance and correct themselves. My daughter is nearly 6 and has a pure welsh A (too sharp for her) the mini Shet and her new one a welsh Shet x. The new one is a big version of the mini. She's 11.3, my daughter is much taller than average and she is tiny on her.

It also depends on your expectations. I am on my own so if I want to ride I need something totally dependable. If I just wanted to lead her about on foot pretty much anything would be fine.

 

[stencilface]

She sounds and looks lovely, but I have got to be realistic, we have a 4year old WB that needs education I can not take on another project. Unbroken blank canvas has been suggested by friends as well. The other thing is I rarely have anyone else around and with a pony like that we would need two of us at least so our daugther can easily be lifted off if there was a problem.

It is a shame as we are in the South west!!!

Fair enough, but I think you will have to build trust in whatever pony you get for your LO, regardless of age/experience even the best ponies aren't robots. She looks lovely and realistically on a lead rein if they're sensible theres not much they can do.

I dont' have time for mine either really, god knows why I got them! Hoping to teach them to lead off mine this summer (and hoping my horse remembers how to do it) before mini sf gets anywhere near them, although I may have sat her on them for 10 seconds, not that they noticed!

 

[be positive]

There are always a few on the NFED site, not really south west but some are not too far away, at the bottom of the first page is one that would be worth a call.

http://www.nfed.co.uk/classifiedsunderoffered.htm

 

[laura_nash]

I've just taken on a little 11.2hh rescue pony from our local sanctuary. He is very sensible to handle and very safe (never kicks or bites), and although he is only recently started under saddle, as a lead rein there is not actually much more for them to learn if they already have manners when led. The sanctuary had started him under saddle and taken him to their local show (with the owners daughter riding).

My daughter is 3 and I would have left it a year or two more but, like OP, I needed a companion for my cob. Prior to this my daughter was getting rides on a fellow liveries 11.2hh schoolmaster who had been there and done everything and taught many children to ride. I think on lead rein our new pony is much better for my daughter because he is completely unspoiled, he never tries to graze or barge when led and has never been hand fed so doesn't nip or try and find treats in pockets. The only "work in progress" area for him is picking out his back feet, other than that he is no different than any other pony really. As an ex-stallion who has lived feral he is very independent, he doesn't get clingy at all with my cob and loves going out and about.

It is difficult when they are really little, I always had someone walking alongside even on the old and experienced pony until this year. I was also lucky in that another livery had three mini shetlands (including a really cute yearling) so my daughter was able to do some handling (grooming etc) with them whilst riding the 11.2hh.

 

[pennyturner]

I'm not anti-Shetland. We've got one who's now about 16, taught loads of kids to ride, and whilst he's got a buck in him sometimes, he forward, rather than naughty. Lead rein he's ideal, (so long as he's not bored). Most people would consider him a star...but I'd say that he's over-endowed with personality.

 

[NeverSayNever]

i think it depends on the job you want the pony to do, Im currently also in the market for a pony for my son who is coming up for 3. I have standard shetlands here already as I show them but none are suitable at the moment to be a child’s first pony however obviously I am rather biased to the breed and would choose one over anything welsh for a kids pony for the reasons mentioned by others. However.... as I said I think it depends what you want them to do. For a 20 months old small child , if you just want something to love and pamper for them to learn and have fun on with no aspirations for the pony to develop long term into a PC pony they can ride up to ages 10 or 11 then I would go for a mini. If you aren’t looking to show then it doesnt matter if the pony is registered or not and this would be your cheapest option, Ive seen several ads for unreg or mini x ponies recently that have been kiddies best friends, infact if you pm me I can point you in the direction of a couple, all cheap, although i suppose it depends where you are. Bare in mind though that a mini will have a shorter ridden life as your child grows although for a toddler they are a lot easier to work around than a standard. A full up standard shetland is a lot of pony and they are very wide for little hips. On the other hand a standard will last your child longer. For a quality registered , safe standard pony that has mileage and is first ridden as well as lead rein you are looking at least £1000 unfortunately.

 

[Snow Falcon]

I waited until my son asked me for a pony. There's nothing worse than buying one for a child and them not being interested. I put a wanted for loan ad up (funnily enough on NFED) and had a few people offering me their ponies that were sitting in a field doing nothing. We ended up loaning a 11.1 NF pony for him who was fab for him to start with. He was 4 when we got Poppy and he loved doing the child handler classes with her.

We now have a 11.2 shitland X that we purchased prior to Poppy being PTS. April is a little treasure, brilliant on the lead rein and fab for him to handle. He's 7 and still has acres of growing room. My advice is don't get anything too big as they need to learn how to do things for themselves and having a bigger pony puts them at a disadvantage.

If you find a good lead rein pony that's a good off it too then you've done very well, but you'll pay good money for it!!

 

[Cat&Mouse]

I waited until my son asked me for a pony.

I would have liked to have done this but bearing in mind our situation I am in need of a companion pony and as a toddler she is out and about in the yard and wants to be around the ponies, even if she does not continue this interest I need to have something safe for her to be around.

I will try a wanted advert on NFED for a loan pony thank you, as I think a minature may be the way forward and it will only be for a few years a loan would be fantastic.

Unless we fall in love and can spare a small space then it may well stay forever!!!!

 

[elsielouise]

I Bought a 12.1 papered section a (so over height) four years ago for my son then aged two. She was 11 then and I figure he will still be able to ride when he is ten and she is 20 and will be at the perfect experience level. She had done a bit of P.C and is incredibly gentle.

She can be a bit of a worrier but is so lovely with my son and he loves her that I think we made the best decision with her. I didn't want aged pony that would have health problems, young and green or anything that would mean we ended up with a succession of ponies. She is turned out all year with a muzzle and occasionally restricted paddock and has never had lami.

We paid £1700 for her and for something that goes safely on and off the lead rein I think that's a good price.

I see lots of FB ads for the 'perfect' child pony T under £500 and I simply don't believe them.

I considered a shetland btw but one with similar characteristics just didn't turn up plus the lami would have worried me a bit more as mine live out.

ETA I have some lovely photos of my son grooming his pony at two. She is safe for him to be on floor around which was the primary reason I bought her tbh. at that age they need constant supervision anyway so he was always within cm of me but she was safe for him to climb up her legs etc. we love our pony!

 

[Snow Falcon]

Sent you a PM

 

[Penumbra]

If you want the pony as a companion pony as well as for lead rein, you do also need to think about the grass etc. in the field. Obviously with all small ponies, laminitis can be a concern, but with minis, it is even harder to restrict their grazing or find a muzzle to fit. It's not much use as a companion if it can't actually share a field with the horse it's supposed to be a companion too.

There are absolute saints of ponies out there, but they are quite rightly expensive, especially if they are good off the lead rein too. I would also say that as a toddler, your child will lack the balance and core strength even of, say, a five year old, so even something like the pony tripping can throw them off balance. Even with the best pony, you are likely to want two people there, at least to start with.

 

[varkie]

I have just enquired about a shetland and I know you can not put a price on safety but £1000 plus does seem very steep. My partner thinks they are size price relative don't think I will ever persuade him to spend that!

Depends what the pony has done. If you're talking unregistered older pony that's just plodded round a field and not much else, then yes, it's overpriced. But if you're talking really quality established LR pony that has been shown and done PC, is registered and ready to go and do anything you ask, then it's not so overpriced!

I considered a shetland btw but one with similar characteristics just didn't turn up plus the lami would have worried me a bit more as mine live out.

It seems to be a common misconception that shetlands are more prone to lammi than other natives. They absolutely are not. I have about 25 of them, and not a single one has had lammi (including the two with cushings) while in my care. It's mostly down to management.

If you want the pony as a companion pony as well as for lead rein, you do also need to think about the grass etc. in the field. Obviously with all small ponies, laminitis can be a concern, but with minis, it is even harder to restrict their grazing or find a muzzle to fit. It's not much use as a companion if it can't actually share a field with the horse it's supposed to be a companion too.

Again, I do have about 25 ponies, and I don't have a problem fitting muzzles - it's pretty easy. I bought several from Scats that cost about £15, and fit them nicely.

I would agree though that you do need to consider carefully their grazing needs. If you have a tb which is a poor doer, then a shetland (or almost any other native pony) is not going to be a good match as a companion.

Shetlands make great LR/FRs. My daughter has one - she is a tall 8 year old, and her pony is 38" (9.2hh). This will be her last year riding her full time. A good sturdy shetland, even if not a full up to height one, will last a child for years. But one of the best things about them is them being nicely child sized. My daughter has really enjoyed being able to do everything with her pony for herself, as everything is in reach. Much less intimidating when they're small. You just need to find the right one - the right pony is priceless. I couldn't have asked for more from ours. And as a breed, handled correctly, they are a joy.

 

[KidnapMoss]

My daughter is only nine months old but has a pony! in my defence, we needed a companion at the time so thought we may as well look to the future. She's a small standard shetland, and worth her weight in gold, and we just knew if we didn't buy her we would regret it. She's brilliant, ridden by various small family members, and we are yet to find a chink in her armour. Her two previous owners had done a great job with her, she is totally unspoilt, so we are careful not to give titbits etc, I'm yet to meet a nicer pony, totally safe but with a little character (she's the bane of my husbands life when he's mucking out, she tips the wheelbarrow over whenever she has a chance!!!)

 

[KidnapMoss]

Oh and to add to the point above re costs, I would agree with elsielouise. We paid just under £1000 for our pony which some might say is a bit mad as you can look on facebook and buy a shetland for £150 but she's worth every £ and more.

 

[Cat&Mouse]

Blimey Varkie 25!!!! I don't suppose your looking to part with any are you 😁

I have had natives all my life so well used to dealing with laminitis prone ponies, I have a WB who is a fairly good doer but he is used to being fairly independent but I want them both to have company they can see. My welshie is a complete stress head and is awful when I take my boy out!

I have a very open mind and I think if it's meant to be the right pony will come along, character is the most important but as a lot have said I would love her to be able to handle it so smaller the better I feel.

With regards to balance she is more than well practised on her rocking horse and bouncing zebra her core muscle are unreal the way she throws them around. But she would be starting in a basket saddle anyway.

 

[acorn92x]

I had a Shetland as my first pony 20 years ago now! She was a gem on the leadrein but had her moments off of it but she taught me so much. I had her until I was 13 as I was tiny until then but often rode my younger cousins section A as that was used purely on the leadrein and my Aunt and Uncle had no one else who was small enough to school him and he was a totally different ballgame. My Shetland was cheeky but he was spirited and could be very naughty when he wanted to be. I've known this with several other section As and Bs and would not advise getting one as a first pony unless there is someone who is small and competent enough to school them on a regular basis to get them thinking and to keep them sane. I would also only consider breeds such as Dartmoors and Exmoors (As they can be extremely stubborn and pig headed) if you have some to school them too.However, it is horses for courses and it isn't really fair to dismiss a certain breed because of how some of them behave! Not meaning to be rude here but I would also say you are dreaming if you think you will be able to pick up a decent pony that has been out and seen the world and done things, as well as being safe and sound for less than £1000. Maybe possible if you are looking at Shetlands but even then, I'd be doubtful. If you consider an older pony, around 15yrs +, that might make your budget stretch further.

Good luck!