Tips to balance kids and horses

[Cluelessblonde]

Hi all,

Just looking for tips on how to manage toddlers and horses riding wise. I have yard duties down!!

Tia

 

[Tiddlypom]

You need a willing and capable toddler sitter.

 

[blitznbobs]

I recommend crate training the kids

?

 

[exracehorse]

It’s honestly a nightmare. I could only ride if my mother came over. Or paid for him to go to a private nursery.

 

[Cluelessblonde]

It’s honestly a nightmare. I could only ride if my mother came over. Or paid for him to go to a private nursery.

Yeah I think I need to draft in help cause it's very very hard

 

[HorseMaid]

Honestly I found I just couldn't ride unless my husband was there to look after my daughter when she was young.

 

[exracehorse]

Yeah I think I need to draft in help cause it's very very hard

. Yards are also so dangerous. It was ok when he was young. And strapped in the pushchair. But when he started to walk. God .. I had to take him down twice a day as was on DIY livery and had my horse. Plus daughters pony. I remember being at the yard at 6.30am in the winter. Trying to get it all done before school run with his sisters. While trying to stop a toddler from throwing himself in the mud. Impalling himself on a pitchfork. I hardly rode for two years. Used to dump him on my husband at weekends to ride with my daughter. And he would get the hump if I was out to long. It wasn’t until he was two that I managed to get him into a nursery twice a week for two hours at a time. Used to drop him off. Drive like a mad thing to the yard. Hack out at manic speed. Then get back to pick him up. And it was expensive. It wasn’t until he was four and at school in the morning for three hours that I had some of my life back.

 

[Littlebear]

I have to say when mine was a toddler (and still now) i would only ride when my partner was looking after him, at home, away from the yard.

I know people manage it other ways but it always seemed quite stressful to me and would have meant I would worrying about my child and not what I was doing with the horse.

 

[mariew]

Mm yes you need someone to look after them. It's kind of not fair on either of you.

Or safe, I still remember the indignant mum of a 3 year old getting cross with a horse that lashed out at him pegging it behind the back legs in a rustle of rain clothes. It could have been a different ending as the hoof was inches away from the toddlers head (no helmet either..).


The mum let the toddler run around on the yard without supervision whilst she did chores utter nightmare.

 

[scruffyponies]

Break the horse to harness, get a governess cart and take the blighters out with you.
Seriously - that's what I had to do to keep the horse until they were big enough to get more ponies and take them out with me.

 

[Cluelessblonde]

Should also note that our horses are at home so it's not a hard setting as such child is not allowed to run freely unless horse is in the stable

 

[Nudibranch]

I've had to accept that I'm just not riding anywhere near as much as I would like. Its just how it is...Children come first and my horses are quite happy lazing about in their field. My little boy is still bribeable to come and do checks up the field with an electric quad bike (it does a whole 4 mph!) and occasional tiny gifts from the "chocolate fairy" hidden in the dry stone wall. But that's just a few minutes, literally check legs, rugs, etc and feed if necessary. Riding only happens when I have child care, ie OH's begrudging hour or two, or school. I work 3 days a week so that leaves me 2 to spare but I had to wait until he was 4.

I have to admit I'm not sure how I'd manage on livery other than find a groom, or a sharer, or just turn away.

 

[Equi]

Get a pony, basket saddle and ride&lead until your hearts content.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Get a pony, basket saddle and ride&lead until your hearts content.

Nooo .

Remember what happened at a hunt in Yorkshire last autumn.

 

[Equi]

Nooo .

Remember what happened at a hunt in Yorkshire last autumn.

Was that a basket saddle? I doubt the OP is going to be off hunting daily though

 

[Cluelessblonde]

To be honest I have a 4 year old mare so there will be no leading ponies with toddler on board for a while hahaha

 

[Tiddlypom]

Was that a basket saddle? I doubt the OP is going to be off hunting daily though

A toddler needs a person on the ground with them at all times when being led, basket saddle or not.

 

[Winters100]

Unfortunately unsupervised toddlers on yards are a recipe for disaster. Is there anyone who would help you out from time to time? I would not be happy to do it every day, but a couple of times a week I supervise a 2 year old for a fellow livery while she rides. I use the time to do jobs away from the horses, such as making up feeds, tack cleaning, poo picking etc. If I am honest I find it a bit of a bind, but I know that this lady really needs a hand. Alternatively if there is anyone on your yard who also has a small child maybe you could share watching them? Or a capable teen who would do it for some pocket money while staying within your sight? The one thing that you really cannot do is ride while your toddler is not supervised - it only takes a few seconds for an accident to happen.

 

[Cluelessblonde]

Unfortunately unsupervised toddlers on yards are a recipe for disaster. Is there anyone who would help you out from time to time? I would not be happy to do it every day, but a couple of times a week I supervise a 2 year old for a fellow livery while she rides. I use the time to do jobs away from the horses, such as making up feeds, tack cleaning, poo picking etc. If I am honest I find it a bit of a bind, but I know that this lady really needs a hand. Alternatively if there is anyone on your yard who also has a small child maybe you could share watching them? Or a capable teen who would do it for some pocket money while staying within your sight? The one thing that you really cannot do is ride while your toddler is not supervised - it only takes a few seconds for an accident to happen.

I'm actually based at home so there isn't anyone here unless I ask