Those of you with children that ride

[Aidey]

What age did your little one/s start riding?

Also what breed/height pony did you buy/loan for their first?

At the minute I am 'in-foal' and expecting a 'filly' so getting the pony will not be any time soon but I do hope to eventually get the little one into the dreaded pony bug

Providing all goes well and she is interested would you recommend I just go for a Shetland for her to toddle round on at first? Or go for a Sec A/Riding pony type that will last her a lot of years? I wouldn't mind showing a Sec A/Riding pony type in hand myself as well.

Decisions, decisions

 

[paulineh]

I have always had Sec A's. Although my Dad put me on his Hunter (16.3) when I was 5 and then bought me a little Sec A

Mine learnt to ride on a little New Forest Stallion I had(12.2) and a Sec A welshie, then they had a New Forest mare.

My daughters at the age of 10 were riding my Arabs too.

 

[evj]

Congratulations, I have 4 daughters, my 4 &6 year olds ride a friends shetland pony which is at the livery farm there i keep mine. The 4 year old has little walks with no pressure to hold reins etc and my 6 year old hacks and has 'lessons' from me. I also have a 6 month old who im planning to let sit on the pony once she can sit/stand. Dont see any harm in starting her early
The shetland is very handy as i don't have any costs/ responsibility for him. If they continue to enjoy riding Ill send them for lessons and then possibly look into loaning a pony in a couple of years time. My 11 year old is not very interested though occasionally asks why i won't just get her a pony to ride! The problem with children is that they loose interest so Im hoping by waiting I'll know there not going to decide they hate it 3 months after i get them a pony. Would love it if at least one of them rode though.
If i was buying now Id prob be looking at 12.2s that would last them a while. Would need to be a good lead rein and first ridden though. The shetland my girls ride is lovely on the lead rein but try to lunge or let him off and he's s very naughty pony.

 

[HunTheBun]

I would go for a Section A. They will then have the pony for years to come.

 

[Honey08]

I wouldn't be worrying about it just yet! A rocking horse is the best start!

Personally I would get a couple of shetlands for them to lead around and groom for a couple of years (with occasional sit ons if they want) then get something they can ride more frequently as they get older. My stepson got his first section A at 7, and it dragged him all over the place and totally bossed him about until he got bigger! He had a great time on him once he was 9 or 10 until he was 12.

 

[ghostie]

Personally I would be going for a Section A I think. I know this is a massive generalisation but most Shetlands I have known have been too much of a handful for a little one to handle on their own, although I am sure there must be exceptions. A slightly older section A who has been there and done it will last them for years.

 

[Natz88]

My daughter will be 2 this year & she has a rocking horse here at home & she has a little sit on my boys, but luckily there is a shetland at the yard that doesn't really get ridden so I have been told to help myself to him & he is fantastic with kids. To be honest if I did get her, her own pony I would get what ever was suitable at the time of looking apart from a shetland

 

[Sprout]

My daughters started riding at about 4 years old, and we had a 13.2hh New Forest pony, who was quiet enough for them to lead rein on, but big enough for me to exercise as well.

Good Luck and enjoy when the time comes.

 

[Orson Cart]

My little girl started to ride when she was 2 on her cousins mini shetland. She has just turned 3 and got a mini shettie of her own for her birthday. Gilda - the shettie, not my daughter! - is about 7 hands and perfect for her at the moment. She should last us another 2 years for riding purposes and then we shall drive her.

 

[Suzie G]

IMO Welshies are the way to go.

 

[Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt]

Congratulations on your expected 'filly'!!!
My daughter had a first ride on a beach at 4 and I was surprised how much she enjoyed it (not showed much horseyness signs before then)..so started with some lessons at 5...a friend had her sec A L/R pony in our field last summer and offered him as a ride for her so we did that and enjoyed it...then found a sec A L/R pony for her in Nov, LVTB who's great and we're keeping him..she's still not the most avid of rider, but she enjoys what bits she does, and still goes for lessons sometimes, so its not all me giving her terrible 'mum-instruction'.
Have fun with it all!

 

[Honey08]

We went from this in 2007.... (12h section A)

to this in 2010 (13.2 lovely cob)

then we went to his dad's horse this year (17h)

Hopefully thats it! Can't believe how much he grew from age 7!
I miss the pony days. Enjoy them, they fly by!

 

[emma.is]

I think pony rides from friends and lessons when the time comes is the way forward, that way when your little girl packs it in you won't be left with a pony to sell and she can 'prove' that she is dedicated enough.

This way you'll know if you need a very very safe sensible pony or maybe something with a little wizz is asked!

 

[lurcherlu]

get her a 2 year old cob x appy lol my one loves my daughter and lily is only 2 and half and wants to ride Breeze or fleas ar she calls her. When i pick her up to stroke her she hangs onto her head and breeze just adores her. My mums shitlands hate me but will let kids climb on them already and are only 3 so they have some saving graces lol. The appy will probably become Lilys PC pony in years to come and i will have her back when she is old and nackered and lily is wanting a crazy tb

 

[tinap]

My daughter started at 5yrs - but we were all a non-horsey family.

We loaned a 12.1hh Fell X to start with (off a friend) but then at 6yrs bought her an 11.2hh Section A X

 

[Ladydragon]

My daughter was 8 when she first started to ride... Son was nearly 13... We loaned a 14h thoroughly gorgeous cob type for them for the first year... Bought daughter a 13.2 sec B type that is a fab on the lead rein but also quite forward so she should have a few years fun with him... I have a loan share with son of an older, Cleveland X schoolmistress until my young QH is broken and after some settling down time we'll know if he'll be my 'pootle around hacking' horse or more suited to expending larger amounts of energy with my son...

 

[Bedlam]

We have just sold my daughter's eventer. She's 17 and seriously onto A levels and applying to vet school so work experience is currently more critical than eventing. So I have the benefit of hindsight as we've been all through pony club from lead rein through B test, lunge test and considering A test if a gap year is needed......do my advice would be either don't do it all and persuade offspring to do something cheaper (almost anything will be cheaper) or if you really can't then at least loan first few ponies from Blue Cross.

 

[scewal]

This is my 4 year old son on is welsh b 12.2hh.

 

[Cupcakes and Horses]

My middle child was so desperate to ride from about the age of two and no riding school will touch them till their four....too long for her! So after her having a few rides on a friends pony we got a shetland on loan.....he's still here six years later unable to be ridden my non horsey oh won't let him go back! Was very lucky with him he's 9hh and was so trust worthy she was wondering around the farm while I walked the dogs off leadrein after a couple of months I just ran with her in trot and canter to grab if I needed to. Unfortunately he suffers with intermittent lameness which got worse so when it got to the point he was unfit more than he was fit we brought a 13hh new Forest she found it a bit of a jump much like going from ponies to horses and he's not been quite as easy for her as I hoped he would be but two years on and their a fab little team which will go on for a few more years I think. Firstborn not interested third does ride but is more take it or leave it she would not have a pony if it was just her. Best to be child lead I think but once they have one they have to understand its not a toy that can be put away it had to be done whether they feel like it or not. Good luck with your baby

 

[debsg]

My daughter showed no inclination to ride until aged 11. I then taught her on my 15hh cob mare as had nothing smaller also, Blaze is an angel and I can trust her to look after complete beginners and those of a nervous disposition. She has also been hacked out by a tiny 4 yr old!
For the most part though, I think small children are better off on a little Welshie rather than a Shetland. The latter (generally) seem to have a predispostion for wilfulness
My first pony was a 20 yr old Dartmoor, 12.2 hh, purchased from the riding school where I had been having lessons on him. He was still teaching kids trhe ropes at 32!

 

[minesadouble]

I would go with the section A if you want to show in hand. This is what I did, bought a yearling whilst I was pregnant showed her in hand a few times. She was then broken for my little one to ride. First ridden show for them both (daughter age 3);-

(Yes pony is gross she is much slimmer this year!) She also has the advantage that she winters out, unrugged with only a handful of hay if there is snow on the ground!!!!)

I also love riding ponies but they often tend to be a bit sharper than your native breeds. I bought a schoolmaster riding pony L/R who also does first ridden at the back end of last year. He is 16 and knows his job inside out. My daughter is now 4 and has 2 ponies but my excuse is I also have a 2 year old to grow into them

 

[Suelin]

As soon as she could sit up!! In a basket saddle (hard to find) on a X bred shetland bought for £50 from a traveller. Fab pony and kiddie adored him.

 

[Aidey]

Thanks for all your replies
Any decision will be quite a while off yet! I am more swaying towards a little Sec A though.

Minesadouble - I do like the idea of getting a youngster and showing it myself for the first few years and then if she is interested, eventually do lead rein on herself. My only doubt is young pony + young child = disaster? But that again will depend on the said pony, etc etc.. Thank you though I have a lot to think about and your own stories are a great help

 

[Wundahorse]

Used to put my daughter on my Arab when she was a toddler ,(on the lead rein ),moving on to trot and sitting trot.Arab is wonderful with kids on a lead rein.When my daughter was 5 1/2 she had lessons at a local riding school where she progressed quickly on their Welsh ponies.I eventually got her a section D mare when she was 10,who we still have and she learnt so much on her,teaching her to jump,doing showing and dressage.Would not necessarily recommend a Section D though as they can be very sharp and bolshy.I would always go for the Section A's as they make wonderful kid's ponies.Not so keen on NF's for small children as they can be stubborn and not always as easy as the Section A's.

 

[-Sj-]

Rachel started taking lessons when she was 4:
Here she is on the yard's school master 12.2

Then we got tango::
12h Was only ever used for hacking out, nice little guy for a little toddle out on but he really needed reschooling for using during "lessons" as he'd only ever been used for hacking.

We got her Jake last year::
Also 12h but a complete school master. He has taken Rachel from a nervous wibbly wobbly to jumping a 70cm course like it's nothing.
Rach is 8 now but still quite small, hoping for another year or so out of Jake before moving her up a size.... hopefully she'll stop growing.... LMAO!
Last summer:

And a few weeks ago:

 

[-Sj-]

Sorry for the pic overload..... Meant to say, all sec A.

IMO, I would defo look out for an old school master "been there done it" type. Welshies can be so cheeky. x

 

[fizzer]

Mine were 18 months. We had a 'been there done it' Welshie. The pony did the rounds in the family as each child outgrew her.

A older schoolmaster in my opinion is worth its weight in gold.

 

[mulledwhine]

Daughter begged and begged at age 2, so took her to a local relaxed stables that don't do formal lessons

Ow have a 12hh sec a , can't recommend highly enough, perhaps he is a bit keen ATM , but they hopefully have many years ahead together , had him 18 mths, daughter is now 6.

This was her last year and this

Sorry for the pic over load, just so proud of them both.

Good look with your filly ( beware most fillys have an opinion ) and can't wait to hear all you two and four legged filly news xx

 

[mulledwhine]

Forgot about my fave photo

Xxxgood luck again

 

[mulledwhine]

Now it loaded twice , sorry