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

[Cat&Mouse]

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!

Thank you

It doesn't have to have been there and done it so to speak just done enough that it is known what sort of attitude it has to new ventures. The most important thing is that it has had tiny dots on it and led out and handled by them. I am more than happy to take on an older pony I am shocked at the age that some people seem to write horses/ponies off. If they are in good health and you are sympathetic to their age (ie. choice of activity, warming up/cooling down and level of fitness) then they can go for years. I had a mare still hunting fit at 26 she would have died inside if I had retired her.

You used to see the pony club oldy getting passed from family to family well into their 30's but these seem to go into early retirement now.

 

[acorn92x]

When I got my Shetland, she was 18 and I was 2. She was ridden and handled by me daily from the age of about 4 right up until I was 13. At that point, I wanted to do more than the occasionally bit of jumping and dressage and hacking daily and had started to grow so I got a new pony but she was still more than capable of tanking off with me across an open field when she wanted to! We kept her until she sadly died at the grand old age of 36 and I miss her every day. We had sharers for her and she taught many young children the ropes after she had finished with me and didn't actually retire properly until about 18 months before she passed away and her health sadly started to fade from when she was retired and she developed Cushings. I've always been of the opionion that unless there is a physical reason that horses cannot work, they should always be doing something. It's like us humans working, socialising and living in general, it gives us purpose and in my opinion horses are no different in that sense. She was the kind of pony that adored her work and did everything with a very cheeky smile on her face. My parents paid £100 for her from a farmer in the next village as she kept escaping from the field where she was kept as a nanny for his hunter (Pretty useless nanny really lol!) and was obviously a more senior girl. She was the biggest bargain that my parents and me could ever imagine. My current loan pony is 17 and she has more energy, enthusiasm and joire de vivre than most horses half her age - she loves nothing more than a flat out gallop and will whizz round any course of jumps that you point at her.

So please do not discount an older pony - they are worth their weight in gold if you choose wisely

 

[EmmasMummy]

We have a Sec A for my nearly 6yr old - he is nearly 7 and has jus tbeen backed - and they described him as one of the easiest to back and said he will make a good kids pony....we shall find out! He was being ridden about in gails and hail and didn't bat an eyelid. I purposefully left him till he was older to get him backed.

We did have a Shetland, but a mare. Would dump anyone who sat on her given half a chance, loves to dip the shoulder then pull the kids over the front. She scared my daughters so we loaned her out and she got sold to a family she clicked with. That was 2 years ago and DD still looks panicked when we mention her. haha

Do I wish we had gotten something older? Yes possibly and we shall see how it goes with our wee devil. Probably by the time my son is old enough to ride him he will be super!

 

[peaceandquiet1]

Our first pony was an old very small bombproof Shetland pony, safe as houses. My daughter got her for her third birthday. We had a ball doing Thelwell classes and yound handler. TBH it all boils down to temperament at that age of child.

 

[Cat&Mouse]

Our first pony was an old very small bombproof Shetland pony, safe as houses. My daughter got her for her third birthday. We had a ball doing Thelwell classes and yound handler. TBH it all boils down to temperament at that age of child.

Agreed that's why I feel loan/lwvtb is so important as it isn't like trying out a horse for me where you can get the feel for it. You can get an idea of temperament but you need to see them in different situations in its new environment before I would even consider putting our Daughter on it. People seem to think that when you are looking for a loan you want a free pony. I just want to make sure pony and family are a good match I couldn't stand taking on a pony and having to potentially sell on if pony/child wasn't happy.

 

[rara007]

My first pony was about before me! A full up 10.2 Shetland. My parents were into showing in hand so I had a few differnet lead rein ponies- who were all good at their job, but lead rein specialists. (A 12hh exmoor and 11.2 welshA - both 4YO and just castrated post in hand careers, perfect on lead, bad on ground and off). The first pony I had actually for me as such was a cracking 4YO 9.2 standard Shetland who we still have. The first weekend we had him home we took him to prince Phillip cup training (3 weeks after he was broken) and didn't look back. He did me all activities off lead until I was 7, when I wanted to do more and not always be cutting corners to keep up with the ride- he's very quiet/slow. I then had a 7YO 11.3 section A mare who did me through to 13 (I was small!). She was fantastic and trust worthy on the ground and on lead rein but was far happier out competing BYRds/3 foot. My sister who is taller got her section A (10.3) at 5 and he did her till 11. He's absolutely as quiet as anything- quieter than any shet we've had. She still has him too
Big stride does mean less rising than a sewing machine Shetland....

Why not keep an ear out for one of the legends like both mine and my sisters first ponies coming available on loan? Both ours have been on loan to several houses but never sold.

 

[acorn92x]

Before we brought the pony I got post Shetland, we took him on a 2 week trial. His owners were invited to inspect his new home prior to letting him go and we provided updates via email everyday. That might seem a bit excessive but my parents respected that he was someone elses baby and they wanted to know that he was safe, being well looked after and that both him and me were happy. This trial was not advertised with him, but my parents asked as they had reservations about him due to his size (He was 14hh and I had just come off of a Shetland. I was about 4'8 at the time too so was TINY) and his owners respected that. I think they knew we were genuine people, we had provided references and were relatively local so they agreed to a short trial with a small holding deposit on him. It's worth asking if you are really keen on something but want to make sure that daughter and pony click.

 

[LinzyD]

We had a small standard Shetland that my older niece 'backed to ride' for my younger niece, and we had years and years of safe fun with him. Round enough to take up the leg of a skinny, long-legged older child and broad and fluffy enough for a two year-old child to bobble about on and hang on to whatever bit of mane or fluff she happened to grab hold of. I've known quite a few people to buy Section As for young children and then downsize to Shetlands because the children want to be able to do everything themselves. I'd say you can't beat a saintly standard Shetland - small enough for little people to do themselves and large enough to last a few years. We have only just moved up to a Section A with my young niece now at 8 years of age, so she had a good 5 or 6 years with the Shetland.

 

[Cat&Mouse]

We had a small standard Shetland that my older niece 'backed to ride' for my younger niece, and we had years and years of safe fun with him. Round enough to take up the leg of a skinny, long-legged older child and broad and fluffy enough for a two year-old child to bobble about on and hang on to whatever bit of mane or fluff she happened to grab hold of. I've known quite a few people to buy Section As for young children and then downsize to Shetlands because the children want to be able to do everything themselves. I'd say you can't beat a saintly standard Shetland - small enough for little people to do themselves and large enough to last a few years. We have only just moved up to a Section A with my young niece now at 8 years of age, so she had a good 5 or 6 years with the Shetland.

I have been shocked at peoples high praise for shetlands as I had only really heard bad things, it is very refreshing. As mentioned I think when you find one that fits right for the chi,ld it doesn't matter what breed it is. But I am definitely keen on looking at shetlands now as well.

 

[varkie]

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

I do have several to sell this year (we're a very, very small stud), but no established LR. Only one that is backed at all at the moment, and that only lightly - although having backed many breeds over the years, I'd say the shetlands are the easiest - very rarely any trouble, they just get on with it. But we mostly aim our ponies as driven - if they go as pure childrens ponies, they tend to get passed on so much. So we tend to hope that as driven ponies, even if they start as a childs pony, they may then remain in the family as a driver.

 

[Cat&Mouse]

I do have several to sell this year (we're a very, very small stud), but no established LR. Only one that is backed at all at the moment, and that only lightly - although having backed many breeds over the years, I'd say the shetlands are the easiest - very rarely any trouble, they just get on with it. But we mostly aim our ponies as driven - if they go as pure childrens ponies, they tend to get passed on so much. So we tend to hope that as driven ponies, even if they start as a childs pony, they may then remain in the family as a driver.

Yes I had never really thought of it like that but of course childrens ponies on the whole will get passed around a lot more. There does seem a lack of good genuine homes out there I do struggle to sell horses/ponies.