type and size of pony you bought your 0-16 yo child and the first six months

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thinlizzy

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Had a busy day forgive any mistakes I'm using my mobile I was wondering about a recent purchase for my son wondering what's a head alls going well I can leave him to handle her etc, horse is stocky cob he's ten wondering what they'll get up to next year and weather well be hacking out and about walking in next six months off road on horses he can walk hacking I was qwondering how old was your baby to sixteen child /teen what you bought whatlevel were they what type of horse etc did you get and how did the first six months go riding wise and how it worked out , ie any problems etc or if you would do it different. Or not thankyou
 
My son was 2 yrs old when I bought him his 1st pony a 11hh pony who was a 4 yr old unbroken gelding. My son is now 10 and just stopped riding him and done everything with him. Pony will stay as a family pet until his days are done. Iv now got a 15 hh for my son but he isn't really that interested now :(
 
The simple answer is I think they're all different.

First daughter aged 11 I bought her her first pony (as opposed to loan), I chose a 14.2 rising 6 NF pony, very sweet natured but green as anything. It has frankly been a match made in heaven, almost 5 years on and they still adore each other, she is now about 5'7 and fully fits him rather than the little shrimp whose feet barely reached the end of the saddle flaps that first started riding him.

Second daughter, I basically followed the same formula it having been so successful for the first child. It was a disaster, she was adamant she wanted this pony (I wasn't so sure) and anyway from the time he came home it didn't go well. he was homesick, turned out to have a sugar intolerance which it took a few months before we worked that out. Child and him just didn't have that same connection. We soldiered on for over a year and after he bucked her off and broke her wrist I was forced to admit the inevitable and put him up for sale. He has now been in the same home for 2 years and is very settled and happy as are his "new" owners with him.

Replacement pony for second daughter has been a tremendous success, I was a lot more controlling and vetoing and it has been worthwhile. Those 2 have the wonderful relationship that No 1 daughter and her pony have, so all is great really (and not a boyfriend in sight ;) which is good going as they are now 15 and 16 and beautiful girls)

I have always insisted the girls do something for their ponies every day, particularly school days. We settled on them turning them out every morning before school, so the ponies knew who their "owners" were. That has worked brilliantly on various levels.
 
We had the pony before we got my son! She was an 11.2 welshie, a fantastic pony.
Most recently (hes now 10) he had a 12.3 pony who was a speedy jumping machine and they got on like a house on fire, he galloped all over the stubble and scared me witless.
She had to be PTS earlier this year and he hasn't ridden since. I have his next pony here and am hoping that when it thaws he will get on, she is a 13.2 Welsh C who I bought and broke in last year.
 
Shes not my child, but my niece started off on a lead rein only section A at 3, we had her for about a year I think and by that point she was riding her off the lead rein with no issues. Her interest then waned a bit and we bought a mini shetland as a companion who she rode when it suited. She had a fab time! Tucker was a gem and small enough for her to handle easily. Her interest then waned again

This summer she decided she wanted to ride again so has been riding a 16.2hh clydie on the lead rein and sitting in front of the saddle out on hacks and loving it! We then decided to get her another one, older, been there done that sort. Sadly she fell in love with a rising 3 yr old spotty colt at York Sales so he duely came home.

The plan is we will break him and she'll ride him on the lead rein in the summer, he'll get some miles on the clock and she'll take over the ride in 2012. Thankfully hes a total star, an out and out kids pony, hes also a cobby 13.2hh ish so I'll be able to ride him away etc. Till then she'll be riding my 14.2hh ex JA mare. Luckily shes also bombproof quiet and she'll be heavily supervised. It helps that shes now nearly seven and is very tall. However none of this has been ideal! I still hanker after an older PC pony for her to learn on, not a nearly 3 yr old colt and a 14.2hh who is technically too big! But as far as we are concerned its better shes happy and confident with the ponies shes riding. She loves Moomin, the 14.2hh as shes a doll and is pretty much a carbon copy of the section A just way bigger.
 
Definately say everyone is different.

I was 13 when i got my first horse and I still have her nearly 11 years on. When we bought her she was a rising 4 year old, IDxTB, chestnut mare, about 16hh. Not what you call an ideal first horse!! We had our ups and downs but I love her and she taught me so much.

Sister on the other hand was about 12 and got a 14hh welsh x bay mare who had been there done that and got the t shirt.
 
My first pony was a (I still have him now age 21) welsh section c chestnut called Charlie :) he is 12.1hh and 13 when I got him, I was 8. My mum and grandparents had always had horses so I just followed on!

I had been riding since I was 4, I got charlie from a riding school as he was safe and he looked totally bored in there he was very overweight and we managed to get 11 stone off him!

He is the safest pony ever! He has never reared bolted bucked and knows mounted games like the back of his hand (or should I say hoof lol) and when I was 9 I got a new pony a 13.1hh new forest called matley Armani my brother then 6 inherited Charlie

We went on a sponsored ride and my brother was galloping him off down a massive field! Charlie loves his jumping and when he came out of the riding school he started to excel at jumping at a showjunping lesson with suzie Gibson we had him going over 90/1m yes he is 12.1hh
 
My first pony was a Sec B 13.2hh he was a little **** i was about 7 i think

But i started to ride/learn on my moms pony he was 14.0hh As a baby i used to sit on the front of the saddle with my mom and go out on hacks with her!! He tought me a hell of alot he really did he died in 2005 aged 45 he was a super star!! We did all the ponys club stuff together!!!

My first pony made me the rider i am today and tought me the floor is not as soft as it looks lol
 
My daughter started riding at 5 years old, but we didn't buy her a pony until she was 11, infact we bought the pony before we had anywhere to put him, so then bought a farm with 6 acres!

She did gymkhana on him and was always first, his name is Turbo a 12.3hh NF gelding and the most sweetest pony :)

She is 21 now and at Uni, but still rides him occasionaly ( she's only 5ft3 )

There's no way I would part with him he has given her and us so much pleasure, and at 18 years old he's still fit and healthy, I lead him from my pony ( I'm too chicken to ride him, although I have in the past and he's incredibly fast lol ) and taken for long walks which he loves.
 
i bought my 8 and 10 yr old boys a 12.1hh 17 yr old welsh in May this year. So far we've had lessons in the paddock and hack out on the lunge. Problems = she sometimes bucks them off, she doesn't know how to canter and she is naughty off the lead rein! On lead rein she's perfect but there is only so much you can do on the lead. TBH, i think the boys are not that interested, they have not been bitten by the horse bug like I was so I am not sure if we will keep the pony, as she would be great for other children to learn on as she;s so good on lead. I guess the moral is you just don't know if the child/ren will really take to riding until they have the pony and see all the work involved. My boys poo pick her every morning, maybe that's what's putting them off!
 
Don't have children, but my first horse (when I was 14) was a 15hh CobX, and my second (also when I was 14) was a 15.1 TBX.

My little sister is now 14, and has been bought a 16.1hh ID.
 
My daughter started riding at 4 at RS. She got her own horse when she was 10. She did everything on her, passport said pony was 17 but vet said nearer mid 20s. She was brilliant and taught daughter everything. We were devistated when we had to PTS last year. Got her new one when she was 12 and again learn loads from her and with her.
As others say it depends on the child and pony. Susan has well and truly outgrown her pony now so we will be on the look out for a new home first quarter of next year for her which is something I am not looking forward to,

Liz
 
I got my first pony when I was 12, it was for me and my 10 year old sister to share, but eventually proved a little too cheeky for my sister to cope with. He was a very sweet 14 hands-ish, 10 year old Irish pony, so a bit of a mish mash of lots of different breeds :)
He was a real kick along, but I personally think it's better for kids to have a pony they have to push on than a pony they can't stop!
I pretty much did everything on him, prelim dressage, small showjumping and cross country and lots and lots of pony club :D he was safe and sensible, and we hacked absolutely everywhere together, nothing spooked him :) I remember our first cross country rally where, never having seen a ditch before, he insisted on standing in it to check for any possible lions! :D After 2 years though I wanted to jump bigger and go faster, which really wasn't my ponies thing :/ so he went to a lovely new home and I still keep in touch with his owners :)
So my advice would be to think very carefully before buying a pony, because a good, calm, adaptable temperament that will put up with pretty much everything! :D
But of course, everyones different and it just depends what you need/want :)
 
My first pony was a very naughty Shetland called Smartie. I was 6 and we kept him until he was 26 (20 years)!!! I was always tall for my age and the next horse i got was a 14.2hh section D cob that smartie used to lead in from the field. I was 9 when i got my cob.

I think it depends on the jockey and what they want to do, there are loads of fab little ponies out there that range from lead rein, show jumpers to nippy pony club types.
 
My daughter was 10yrs old when i brought her first pony14.1 welsh sec b x nf,holly(pony) was only 6 and very green as was my daughter,but as i could ride and am only 5ft i was able to school holly for the first few months as she used to take the mick out of my daughter and quite often bolt!!....but after nearly 7yrs we still have holly and they have both grown and learned together...both being very competitive have done well from pony club to bsja,even though my daughter is out of ponys now because of her age(and unfortunatley i can`t afford 2 horses)she is only able to do unaff shows now,but they have got such a strong bond she will never part with her..:)
 
My 6' tall, 14 year old was in the saddle from about 1 year old,(on friend's shetland pony, then riding school) and "shared" my 16.1hh about 3 years ago, so she was 11.He's a git, but has taught her so much.He broncs like mad, but she has learned to sit him, and kids at pony club were full of admiration at her coping with his antics!
We typically do things in reverse,and were recently given a 14.1hh incredibly solid NF (9" bone!) pony which is 9 years old and only backed 4 weeks ago.Once the white stuff has cleared and riding can be safe but fun,I am sure DD will enjoy a different challenge.
As previously said, every child is different- but so is everyones situation.I'd have loved to be able to have had a pony when DD was smaller and younger, but couldnt afford it.Still can't,really, but pony was too good to be PTS which was what her former owner was going to do :(
 
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