What age do littlies start Pony Club?

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SnowandSunshine

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I am just wondering what age kids start getting involved with pony club etc. Looked on PC website but couldn't see any info on joining ages.
My trailer is sitting unused at the moment and I am thinking I may have to sell it but also wondering whether to keep it til my littlies start getting involved.
 
Think it depends on the pony club branch, one of the pc's near me start at 4 and the other 5. Find your nearest pc, on the pc website there will be a number to ring, so you could ask. :)
 
Thanks all. Just had another look at the branch details and it says youngest member is 5.
Poo - don't think I can justify trailer sitting unused for 3yrs!
 
In Australia the youngest you can start is 4. To be honest at this age, a whole day is often too much. Most the mums just do the morning and take them home at lunch time. My daughter was 4 .5 yrs when she started and was on lead rein for about 12 months at pony club, (not at home.)
 
Our littlies do a maximum of 1½hrs a rally - made up of lots of different things so that they are able to concentrate. We have several 3yr olds and the youngest I remember was 2½yrs old.

If they have the right instructor they can have a lot of fun and learn a lot doing so. Ours love games and have their own mini games equipment.

The A & P shows have a minimum age for Lead reiners of 4yrs old so there is no reason why a child of 3 couldn't get a lot of un out of Pony Club
 
Email your branch secretary to ask. Just because their current youngest member is five it doesn't follow that that is the youngest age they will take, especially if your child is already happy to sit on the pony for an hour or so.
 
Oh & just to add...
We have a seperate group for the little lead reiners, they have a shorter lesson full of games & things with the same instructor everytime so that they are familiar with her. The 2 yr old also.enters our tiny lead rein jumping on her falabella & she loves it!!!
 
tinap555 said:
Oh & just to add...
We have a seperate group for the little lead reiners, they have a shorter lesson full of games & things with the same instructor everytime so that they are familiar with her. The 2 yr old also.enters our tiny lead rein jumping on her falabella & she loves it!!!
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In NZ our lead reiners aren't allowed to jump at all. They have to wait until they are off the lead rein and have their D certificate - the feeling is that overzealous parents push the kids to jump before they are stable enough.
 
Can't quote on phone but..
We never used to do LR jumping but the kids started to complain that they wanted to try too (have the option of showing & gymkhana for rally afternoon competitions) so we put on tiny crosspoles jumping with no competition just 'well done' rosettes to all. It's proved very popular as our LR group is the biggest group we have!!
 
Evelyn said:
In NZ our lead reiners aren't allowed to jump at all. They have to wait until they are off the lead rein and have their D certificate - the feeling is that overzealous parents push the kids to jump before they are stable enough.
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I actually have a fair bit of respect for that. Our leadrein jumping is full of mothers dragging ponies and kids round the jump off. I half wish that we just did clear round for LR. I do like children learning to do tiny cross poles on the lead, but they're not much better than trotting poles really. LR showing is worse though, its more a tack and turnout competition, or best hat!

I don't like the idea of a PC that doesn't allow kids to join before they can canter. Its very easy to have two groups - one for diddies on LR and another for just off LR that don't interfere with rides that can canter. PC should be encouraging all levels.
 
Yes I agree with honey about the canter rule!
We are a very small pc (50 members) but still have them split into at least 5 ability groups, 2 of which are little LR's & older LR/just off LR. We never turn down any members on age or ability as these are the future of the club!
 
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