Cowpony
Well-Known Member
Just musing really, over the summer I've stewarded at lots of competitions - showjumping, cross-country and showing - and I've seen a lot of really young/small children in the mini classes. A lot of them aren't big or strong enough to control their ponies themselves, so are on the lead rein, which is fine. But many of them don't have a stable position and are held in place over jumps by their parents, or even tumble off. The fallers are then put back in the saddle and continue round the course. Some get scared and cry their way round, others have so little to do with the control of the pony that they are looking around at other things rather than where they are going or the jump in front of them.
I didn't learn to ride until I was 10 and was therefore expected to be in control of my own pony when I competed, so I've never experienced the "ride before I could walk" route. Is the above the experience of those of you who did learn to ride very young, or is this a modern phenomenon? Did it do you good to get used to shows at an early age, and enhance your riding? I'm just wondering why parents put themselves and their children through this? From my observations it doesn't seem to do a lot for the children, but perhaps it does improve their riding/motivation/competition skills over time?
I didn't learn to ride until I was 10 and was therefore expected to be in control of my own pony when I competed, so I've never experienced the "ride before I could walk" route. Is the above the experience of those of you who did learn to ride very young, or is this a modern phenomenon? Did it do you good to get used to shows at an early age, and enhance your riding? I'm just wondering why parents put themselves and their children through this? From my observations it doesn't seem to do a lot for the children, but perhaps it does improve their riding/motivation/competition skills over time?