Who has, or has had, small children with ponies?

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tootsietoo

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Because I wonder if I am mad! I always said that I wouldn't get the children ponies until they were at least 7, when they could understand everything a bit better. However, I was given a gem of a Shetland when the oldest one was 2 and that started it. I now have two little grey Welsh things (also both freebies, and gems!).

I have two girls aged just 4 and 5 and a half, and they both love the ponies and riding and everything to do with it. However, taking them both riding is SO hard! All the usual annoying kiddie behaviour seems to be magnified 10 fold. Their attention span is short so I can't do everything quickly enough to keep them interested, they bicker, they have meltdowns when they can't do what they want to do first time, the younger one never shuts up which fries my brain when I'm trying to tell the other one how to do something.....and on and on. The older one started school this year so riding is mostly restricted to weekends (when the weather is ok) and if it's after school they're often terribly tired. Some days it's good, other days very bad!

I know that really I am completely mad to be doing it, but also I am so looking forward to the day we can all ride together and they can do their ponies themselves, and it will need a little bit of time and effort invested to get there. Can anyone reassure me that it will be worth it? Or have any clever strategies for dealing with small children on ponies?
 
tootsietoo said:
Because I wonder if I am mad! I always said that I wouldn't get the children ponies until they were at least 7, when they could understand everything a bit better. However, I was given a gem of a Shetland when the oldest one was 2 and that started it. I now have two little grey Welsh things (also both freebies, and gems!).

I have two girls aged just 4 and 5 and a half, and they both love the ponies and riding and everything to do with it. However, taking them both riding is SO hard! All the usual annoying kiddie behaviour seems to be magnified 10 fold. Their attention span is short so I can't do everything quickly enough to keep them interested, they bicker, they have meltdowns when they can't do what they want to do first time, the younger one never shuts up which fries my brain when I'm trying to tell the other one how to do something.....and on and on. The older one started school this year so riding is mostly restricted to weekends (when the weather is ok) and if it's after school they're often terribly tired. Some days it's good, other days very bad!

I know that really I am completely mad to be doing it, but also I am so looking forward to the day we can all ride together and they can do their ponies themselves, and it will need a little bit of time and effort invested to get there. Can anyone reassure me that it will be worth it? Or have any clever strategies for dealing with small children on ponies?
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Lol!! Sounds a mare!! There is a 5 yr old who hunts with my local hunt, off the leadrein and is often up the front screaming and whooping, I can't understand how he doesn't fall off, I have a job letting go of my 5 yr olds leg in case she goes out the side door, it really annoys her!! X
 
That is pretty hardcore at 5! I'm going to try taking mine out next season, but I won't be brave enough to let her go! It's all about the right pony so I'm told.

Do you have just the one child riding Devonshire Dumpling? I think that would make all the difference if I could do one at a time.
 
Two sound hard work, just keep at it and keep it fun! Resist the temptation to push or overhorse them. My Daughter at 10/ 11 yrs was turning her 2 out changing rugs and mucking out a stable before school, now is 16 and can turnout plait and clip better than a lot of adults and is ocd about the yard - Am so proud of her so stick with it, its meant to be fun !!
 
Thank you! Yes, I do nothing that isn't supposed to be fun! None of this showing stuff, just tootling round the fields, odd PC rally, hunting every so often if it's local and with friends.

Just need to persevere, they are good children mostly and do love it.
 
My lad has just turned 9 and have finally bitten the bullet and bought him a pony. He rode a shetland when he was smaller then lost interest for a couple of years, but last school hols he was riding one of mine, and seemed very keen.

We have had the pony for a mnth now and he is still interested - he is poo picking and feeding etc daily and wants to ride - no more nagging which is nice. He doesn't always follow instructions and I often have to re-do his horse chores, but at least he is trying.

Hacking out together is great, but any more formal instruction is proving a nightmare as we just argue (!) so he is starting Pony Club in the Easter hols.

Fortunately the pony is a saint and puts up with all that is thrown at him. My lad is desperate to come hunting with me so the aim is to get him out next season.

Children and ponies are tough - the best advice I can give is never to force them to do it. If they are tired, or it is raining and they show no enthusiasm, leave it for another day.
 
Mines 7. Started off on aged & trustworthy shetland, was weeks old first time. Aged about 4 rode a lovely first pony type for a year then got current pony at 5. Always ridden mine to field etc & lots of friends ponies/ horses. She's been off the lead rein full time for over a year now, & trust me its definitely worth it, riding is no longer babysitting time!
I teach my daughter myself while she hacks or plays games so its not too formal. The key is making it fun, so lots of silly games. Mine is usually happy if she knows doing xyz is best for pony. Having discovered gallop at the end of last summer she now believes every ride should resemble the grand national & pony is the sort to also find it quite a fun idea. The solution is explaining why its not good for ponies legs & telling her pony doesn't understand so its her job to instead. Whatever it is yours do that you don't like, find a reason why pony, rather than you, would prefer them not to.
I've always been a bit mean & made her do all her own jobs. Obviously i'll tighten girths etc & check new rug straps, but otherwise its all her job.
If I were you I'd be tempted to get them to ride one at a time sometimes, that way you can focus on one, & tell the other they are practicing in hand stuff.
 
Sympathise with you but it only seems like yesterday that my daughter was at that age - she is now 11 and my neice is 12 so I've been through similar situations and only now can I trust myself to take them both out hacking safely.
We used to do a lot of fun games and still do, setting up gymkhana races and bareback riding. I used to tack up my daughters pony and meet her from her village primary school so she could ride home.
Now Im starting all over again with my 2 1/2 yr old daughter who is already trying really hard at her rising trot !
There have been countless tears and tantrums but looking back I really can only remember the best times. You can only do your best and none of us are super-human. One day they will look back and realise they have the best mum and childhood ever :)
 
If you think its bad now just wait till they are teenagers!!! plus throw in a younger brother (now 8) who is pony mad and argues that black is white with his 16yr old sister enjoy them while they are young:D:rolleyes::D The 19 yr old is now nice to be around but life is alot quieter when she is at Uni, can't wait till next weekend when she is home to wind up her brother and sister for a month

Oh and OH is a riding instructor with his own horses and I ride as well........ no wonder I am turning grey:D
 
Bigger age gap with my 2 dtrs but mainly do stuff with 1 at a time. School age one couple of eves a week after school & w/es & 3yo during day but only if she's keen...some days its just not going to happen. Worth it now I can hack out with my eldest...its heavenly & real op to have good old chat with her. Agree wiv other posts..don't put pressure on yourself just do what you can when they're in the mood!
 
I have been riding together with my 20 mth old daughter now for a few months. I am lucky to have full access to my friends 28 yr old pony mare. I have my daughter in a harness that straps around me so that I don't have to stress about holding on to her however after our rides I jump off and (slowly) lead the pony around with my girl on her own and she just loves it.

I don't know what age I will allow her to ride unassisted, time will tell I guess!

I have a pretty hard line when it comes to my daughter misbehaving in certain (what could be dangerous) situations. At the moment, if she misbehaves around the horses she gets put into her pram and she can scream all she likes, mumma don't care. If I were in your position I would simply scrap the riding out together until they grow up enough to do it properly.

I understand the dream to all ride together but currently what you are going through just sounds like a nightmare. One on one would be best (if at all possible) or give them the option, ride together and behave or go without.
 
There are 3 years between my daughters and they rode as soon as they could sit on one.
I think the main thing is when they are small is to have low expectations..what is fun for them is probabely going to make you wince.
As we live in a village a short ride to the shop to buy sweets or in the summer to the pub. If possible find a local mum in the same boat so you can share the misery.
Both rode until they were in their late teens and we had some lovely times, but you have to make sure they are doing what they want or else who is for. If you have a PC that does lead rein and mini camp that is brillant. I have fond memories of my youngest daughter at 2 screaming the place down because she couldn't stay with her sister at mini camp.
Children riding is charactor building, for the parents.
 
I have a 6yo daughter who rides, she had her first pony at 3 but didn't really bond with him, recently invested on a gem of a schoolmaster who I now can't get her off or away from. She begs to ride everyday but we still get tears and tantrums nearly every time she has a "lesson" I think she gets angry with herself if she can't do something and gets frustrated, it's hard. I also have a two year old son who makes it extremely hard for me to spend time teaching daughter as he is very clingy and demanding. The smile on her face is worth it all though :)
 
honetpot said:
Children riding is charactor building, for the parents.
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Oh you are so, so right :D

My two sometimes drive me mad, but it's worth it. They now have one each, were sharing but we have another on loan. They're darn lucky, and they know it. They have off days of course but most of the time they are just loving being around the ponies. But I'm sure I've got far more grey hair since the ponies ...
 
absolutely it's character building for me!!

cambrica that is really reassuring to hear that you have had tears and tantrums but forget about them!

when we are riding in the paddock playing around, trying them one at a time might be a good idea so I can focus on each. D2 used to scream the place down when she was little when we just had the shetland as she was so desperate to be on, but she should be old enough to understand now that she has to shut up! very annoyingly we are 2 miles from the local shop with a pretty busy lane in between so road riding is a no no, but the farmers are pretty good about letting me use their land so I can cobble together a bit of a ride. they don't tend to moan, as you say faldingwood livery, the problems more come from frustration at what they can't do yet, which is all good, and I don't want to squash that desire to learn or competitiveness, just have to find a way to deal with it.

thank you for the moral support!
 
For frustration at what they can't do give them a reasonably acheivable plan of action, even get them to colour it in etc at home. Eg when you can do x we can start to learn y & then you can do z. If they can then go home & tick it off on a chart they can see themselves they are on the way to doing z. Saves daily arguing about I want to do z NOW mummy! Hope that makes sense.
 
what a great idea littlelegs. that is a way of giving some structure to our riding rather than just faffing. eg D1 could have a target for one day of making her pony do particular transitions at particular markers, and D2 could have a target of holding her reins the right way for the whole time she is on. and they get prizes for doing it. brilliant.
 
^^^^^^^^^^

This - have so often seen things that the kids have not taken from me picked up immediately someone else has told them!
 
Yes, agree with that. We do pony club rallies - we have really good fun lead rein rallies - and also have just organised a series of 5 after school lessons with some friends. It's all extra cost though and I'm keen that they can just muck around with their ponies too.

It will come not doubt. I'll probably have a really lovely ride with them on the weekend and then the bad bits will be forgotten until next time. Thanks all for the ideas.
 
hi everyone...this is my experience with my kids..my son is 17 now and only got his own horse this year..we always shared a pony between us, i did riding club and he did pony club, he didnt show any interest till he was 9 but once he started he was very keen and really wanted to ride, although he never groomed , mucked out or anything and only got out of bed on pc rally days 5 seconds before we were leaving.....i suppose this was my fault as i never made him do "the chores".
my two daughters however have had a pony between them for a few years now.they are ten and 8 and i make sure they do all the other stuff aswell as ride, if they dont look after the pony they dont ride....(i learnt my lesson the first time)
they DRIVE ME MAD..arguing, crying and fighting when we take the pony out!!!!nightmare.

my son is now woeking full time ina yard and loves it..he wants to be a riding instructor and i wouldnt tell him this but he rides better than me now....
its lovely when he has days off that we both go riding together and i dont worry about him.....he worries about "the auld lassie" now...

good luck with your kids.one day you will reap the rewards
 
Dubsie said:
If you can get them to pony club, you may find as I did that Someone Else Teaching is listened to a lot more than Mummy.
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Definatley agree with this also. My daughter went for lessons for about 6 months when she was younger and it worked wonders as she was with other kids and daren't cry or tantrum but listened to the instructor. A bit liking trying to teach your kids to swim - impossible and not good for the blood pressure!
 
my 3 children all ride and have had a pony each since they were very tiny (they are now 13, 11 and 8). I don't recall there ever being any bickering & arguing whilst riding, but until they are old enouh to be able to co-ordinate their bodies to respond to instruction I don't think it is worth giving them "formal" lessons as it is just about them getting lots of miles on the clock. Consequently they have always hacked out and hunted and whilst we are going along I correct their positions, explain what they should be doing in response to a particular situation - pony has run out at a log/is refusing to go past something spooky etc.

I definitely agree that when they are small it isn't worth taking them out when it is cold & wetas you otherwise get miles from home and then get whinging about frozen hands & feet.

I work full time (and long hours) and it can be a terrible struggle to get everything done, but it is definitely worth it from the pleasure I get from us all hacking out together, and even better on family hunting trips - we are about to take a long trip down to Cornwall at easter for 4 days hunting with the Four Burrow which should be fab as my son (the youngest), having always been less keen than his sisters is now galloping everywhere & jumping everything so he will hopefully have a blast on his pony! The girls and I are on 4 year olds and 1 pony bucks when it jumps into an open space (so oldest daughter wil have to sit up going off those Cornish banks!), mine is hound-shy and the other pony hasn't been out yet....... however my husband will be there keeping an eye on us all on a lovely hireling so a god time will hopefully be had by all.

Keep at it OP it is worth it in the end
 
Hi, I have a 13 and 14 year old who have ridden since they were 10, I bought a pony for them before that but they werent that bothered. The days of Mum going round the woods to keep an eye are long gone. They head off and take phones and are gone for hours.
I started mine off doing mounted games stuff which I think gives them so much confidence. They can then ride together and practise passing flags and batons which might help. The games give them something else to think about so they ride without the stress and concentrate on putting mugs on posts etc.
 
I also agree with someone else teaching them!!
At my yard, there's lots of kids and ponies and most of the kids are bloomin' annoying! None stop chatter, arguments, wimping out of things, crying and all sorts. That is until the YO comes out and teaches them. Then they shut right up and get on with it.

Whenever their parents try and give them a lesson, they just go back to annoying mode. It's nothing to do with the parents way of teaching, the YO has just made then respect her from day 1! Same with the horses :P
 
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