right age to come off the lead rein

nicolenlolly

nicolenlolly

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I know this is like how long is a piece of string but here it goes...

My daughter is 4, although quite big for her age and has been "riding" for a couple of years, she absolutely loves her ponies and we go out hacking with her, one of us rides big chap and one walks with her. She is always on a lead rope although a loose one as I couldnt trust her to be able to stop either of them if they took off.

Hubby and I were chatting last night about the horses and how much more confident she seems to be now, she loves trotting and little jumps and he said "we should be taking her off the lead rein soon surely". hmmm I think not!!

Occasionally, when we are on a stretch of open path so I can see, I put the lead rope on his neck just so she can be pleased with herself that she rides alone and pony follows me wherever I go like a shadow, if I go left, he will follow it is quite cute really. However, I am always at arms reach. Oh and also he is so nappy with big chap that he would not let him out of sight once out the field, not great I know, but I am using this to my advantage for now

Now the idea of her going it alone does terrify me and I know she isnt ready yet but I also dont want to be a boring mum who panics and doesnt let her get on with it so any other mums out there, please can you tell me, when did yours ride alone? Please bear in mind that I dont have a school, if I did it would be much easier although what I think I might do is get her lessons at a proper riding school with their ponies so that we dont teach her bad habits!

Sorry for going on a bit, thank you for any advice you may have :) xx
 
You are doing ,I think , the right thing keeping her on the lead at the moment however good the pony is something can always go wrong.

Could you enclose an area in your field, either a small round pen, easier to go round for a little one than a rectangle, or a track that she could ride the length of on her own to get started, lessons would also be good in an arena to get her learning some new things, although at 4 she wants it to be more fun than anything too serious.
 
My girl started to ride aged 5 (but very small for age), was on the lead rein for about 6 lessons then was on her own ever since. I think if she feels ready then go for it! We have a mix of kids at pc - 4/5yr olds off LR & 7/8yr olds still on LR (because they are still allowed at that age!) Tbh, those that stay on LR until they have to come off often struggle to make the transission as they get too reliant on their leader - I am so glad my daughter learnt to ride by herself at that young age - she started to compete SJ at age 6 & yes I was always terrified but she loved it - & still does nearly 10yrs later!! Lessons at a riding school is the best idea! Good luck xx
 
I could try and enclose some of the field but there are our others, the gypsies trotting and making a racket on the road the other side of the hedge and another yard behind the other hedge with stallions that seem to be permanently turned out with a mare so I was worried that this might be more distracting?!

I will give it a go and be very near to hand. It is really a question for the future than right now though, she does love to ride alone, as soon as we get home, she has to phone grandma to tell her she did it!! However, I know how unpredictable horses are and how uncomfortable broken bones and spinal boards are so I wouldnt want her to have to go through that. Just as she is our first born we want to do right by her and right by the pony but dont really know when that is.
 
TinaP that is amazing, she must be talented and you must be so proud. That has certainly convinced me that lessons are the way forward and then her ponies are for her to play with the rest of the time. Where we are you have to cross a road so I know that she cant hack the whole way on her own but the lessons would give her the chance to try it alone in a safe and controlled environment. If it comes to it, I will have to put her pony in livery for her so that she can use him for lessons as well but for now we will see how she goes.
 
Hi, dont worry about pushing too quickly to come off the lead rein. Wait till she is really bugging you about it and then she will probably be ready. Do you use a lunge line?. I used to attach the lunge and let them work in the field but just staying at the end of the lunge just in case. That way they learnt to work independantly but still in reach . I also used to take them for lessons on the riding school ponies which do tend to just follow each other and gave them a good start to riding on their own.
 
My youngest is 6 and has never been on the lead rein.In riding school they didn't use them,just had someone alongside them,just in case and that is what she got used to.On our pony at home I saw no reason to put her onto something she'd managed without before,and walk alongside her when hacking on the road or across the fields.I'm always within rein grabbing distance,just in case,pony is very very good [wish we could find a smaller version of her] but she is an animal and unpredictable at the end of the day.In smaller enclosed fields I let her go on her own,but in 40 acre ones I'm right next to her-I can't run that fast if she takes off.Both girls always wear body protectors too,always,it is non negotiable.

We did use a lead rein for learning to jump the other day,as she was nervous and wanted me alongside,plus the pony sometimes refuses.

I suppose you have to go with your gut feeling,perhaps try no l/r and just walking alongside for a little way and see how it goes.

Good luck.[smile]
 
I will always recommend riding school!! They get their confidence there - mine had a pony at home but still went to the riding school every week for years. A Saturday club really brought her on, where she went for the full day from around 6yrs old. They usually have that old pony that is safe as houses for the newbies to ride (our schools was called Barney!) - Instructors there will also advise you if they think they are ready to go it alone.

& thanks, yes I am very proud!! Although I sometimes wish we had got her into football or dancing instead :D!! x
 
i always rode at my grandmas from as soon as i could sit up. we used to go out from about 3 years and we would hv the leadrope on thru town and when out in the fields if we were listening to grandma then we could be of it.
 
It depends on the pony. The safety of the child should be paramount. The lead should be loose anyway so that it is only an anchor if needs be. A child of that age will not have the strength, core stability, reaction speed and abilty to anticipate a pony's reactions and should be well supervised. The coming off the lead rein can be a gradual process. My eldest was riding indepentently at 8, my youngest at 5/6. In both cases the time was right for each and the lead rein just wasn't necessary anymore. But we had a really safe pony, whom incidentally has been sold and leaves on Sunday to do the same job for two little girls age 3 and 5.
 
I would suggest that the best next step is for you to ditch the lead rein and walk alongside her close enough that should anything happen you can grab the reins. Keep a lead rein in your pocket just in case, although you can lead by holding the noseband and bit ring if you need to. This is the mid way stage used in most riding schools before kids go it alone.

Some lessons at a riding school might be useful but I'd be inclined to try and take her pony somewhere for lessons if you can rather than use school ponies unless that is the only practical way for her to have lessons in an enclosed space.

Have you looked into pony club? That is a fab way for her to progress her riding safely with others of a similar ability. Even if you don't have transport you might be able to get a lift sometimes or hire a trailer or box occsionally.
 
Add that while its great that she is confident it is very easy to undo with just one fright, walking beside her with a lead rein on standby is the best idea for now.
 
my daughters old pony sounds similar to yours OP, he used to follow me like a shadow with or without a lead rope, so although my daughter was off the lead she wasn't really controlling him even though she thought she was;) I'd go with this for a while and also see if you can fence off a little pen so that she can try and ride him independantly.
the only mistake we made with my daughter was letting her stay at that stage too long!, she had more confidence when she was younger and the occasional stroppy fit from pony didn't bother her, as she got older she became less confident and really we should have made her change onto a quieter off lead pony but she cried at the mere suggestion of getting rid of the little guy and being soft i gave in:rolleyes:
 
Horsemadmum that is what I worry about, one scare an she might go off the whole idea although he had the biggest shake with her on board and she nearly came out the side... she thought it was hilarious!!!lol pony is only young, he is 4 which is why I am being super cautious as well. He is very sensible for his age, I got both to turn away and then break but she wanted to sit on them and one thing led to another. I have wondered whether to get something older that's been there and done it but the bond she and goose have I don't know we could replicate they are best mates, inseparable she will eat half an apple and save the other half for him. I will take her for a lesson I think and see how she gets on then at the weekend put the lead rope over his neck and walk alongside...then it is there for crossing the road and if I need it. Ooh fingers crossed and thank you for your advice, I love this forum everyone is always so helpful! Xx
 
why not just unclip the lead rope so that it isn't round his neck waiting to fall off and get trodden on? You can easily grab a rein/the bit/noseband if you need control in an emergency. It will make her feel more grown up too.
 
Difficult one - but I think you should wait until she is really pestering you to be let off.

At some point she is going to fall off - if you are worried keep her on the lead rein. I would certainly have her on a lunge line though so she feel more independent.
 
I am reading this post with interest. I have a 5 year old son and 4 year old daughter. Both started riding lessons recently and we bought them a pony summer hols.

Now, my son is older and has more confidence but he was always a little dare devil and he had his first lesson on Sunday where he cantered on his own. :eek: (mentioned it in another thread). He fell off a pony 2 weeks back because pony spooked in school but just jumped on again.

My daughter is totally different. And I don't think it's the age. If she would fall off it would knock her confidence and I would have to convince her to get back on. She once slipped of a little shetland pony and didn't like it at al ;).

My neighbour has a little menage which is really just a bit bigger then a round pen BUT perfect for the kids. My son just started to rider our pony independently. (I have to stand in the middle holding a lunging whip tho as pony would just follow me like a dog :D). I lunge pony and daughter walk and trot.

If we go out for a walk I lead rein. 2 kids, one pony, hubby working .... We haven't made it far out hacking, lol. Would love to take my big Buddy out and try some lead reining from the horse tho but need someone on foot with us.

I would suggest to use a little paddock too.
 
No idea - I never had one as learned at a riding school. Having done a fair bit of instructing though I'd agree that it would be good to wait until she's pestering. What you don't want is her so fixated on you that she becomes clingy. I don't know what it is but watching lead rein classes in shows makes me feel really uncomfortable!
 
My girl started riding at beginning of this year, just 5...she's had some riding lessons where they do lead rein but quickly get them trotting and over little poles...we then had a short-term loan lead rein pony over the summer who she rode out quite a lot, with me leading on foot. End of the summer treat, we all (me, her, OH) went on a hack at a trekking centre near us together. The instructor walked out with her on lead-rein and half way round, said 'What do you think Mum, can she try a bit off-lead?' Girlie was really keen to and because I was riding and not having to be 'in charge' it was easier for me to say yes and let her have a little try. Now, although she does have quite a good natural seat, she has virtually no idea of contact and the instructor did get her to shorten her reins properly before she let her off. She was also right by her side just in case and so halfway home she did short bursts on and off the lead rein.
She was so proud of herself and I was relieved because it wasn't me who had to make the decision, somebody else who was well qualified to assess her ability did that.
From here on in, it will be a gradual transition, back on lead-rein in certain circumstances, off lead rein here and there when everybody feels happy...;)
 
In the school, perhaps, in an enclosed area. But definitely not outside. Not only is this dangerous potentially for your child, but also for other people. A child of 4 (or even a child of 6 to be honest) is not capable of reacting correctly to situations that arise when out in public areas. If you would not let her walk on her own on the opposite side of the road to you on a busy road (i.e. on her own two feet), then you should not let her off the lead rein on her pony (aprt from the litle trots you do when you are running with her which you described). The child may be in control in terms of steering, but no way can they react to a spook, or a tiny bit of silliness.

Everyone is entitled to do their own thing with their own child, but since you asked the question, that is my response!!

What is the big rush to come off the lead rein. It is like mothers desperate for their children to walk first, talk first, be potty trained first - by the time kids reach a certain age, it is completely irrelevant what time they managed all of that - and the same for coming off the lead rein.

Don't put her off - just keep her in a safe place so that she can still have fun.
 
FMM said:
In the school, perhaps, in an enclosed area. But definitely not outside. Not only is this dangerous potentially for your child, but also for other people. A child of 4 (or even a child of 6 to be honest) is not capable of reacting correctly to situations that arise when out in public areas. If you would not let her walk on her own on the opposite side of the road to you on a busy road (i.e. on her own two feet), then you should not let her off the lead rein on her pony (aprt from the litle trots you do when you are running with her which you described). The child may be in control in terms of steering, but no way can they react to a spook, or a tiny bit of silliness.

Everyone is entitled to do their own thing with their own child, but since you asked the question, that is my response!!

What is the big rush to come off the lead rein. It is like mothers desperate for their children to walk first, talk first, be potty trained first - by the time kids reach a certain age, it is completely irrelevant what time they managed all of that - and the same for coming off the lead rein.

Don't put her off - just keep her in a safe place so that she can still have fun.
Click to expand...

Exactly this!!!!!
 
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