Would you buy a pony for a 4 year old?

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Claude

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My little girl has recently been saying she wants a pony. And the wife is now saying we need to go buy one for her.

I have my own yard and land so keeping another wouldn't be an issue. My issue is that 4 year olds are too young and she might no longer be interested in a year or two!

I feel it's just an excuse for my wife to get another one!

At what age have you bought your kids a pony?
 
i bought my god son his pony when he was 2 and a bit. he is now 4 and a bit, can do rising trot, and small jumps on the lead rein. he loves it! sorry probably not what you want to hear.
 
ummmmmmm my daughter was a week old when she got her first pony - granted didnt ride it then lol - we went to shows but always fun and daughter said she had best childhood ever. She now as one on loan rides mine and is captain of the uni equestrian team and as a passion for horses - in fact we are off to the royal welsh show together tomorrow - if can afford it go for it aas they are outside gaining a hobby, learn responsibility to an animal and the time you will spend together is priceless :) btw daughter is 22 now :)
 
Oh blimey what is it with you women and ponies.

Ok looks like I'm going to be giving in on this one and buying her one!!

But what breeds did you all choose for your children? I'm really not keen on Shetlands. Maybe a sec A?
 
Yes - my daughter was 4 when I bought her a pony. He is now 3 and she is now 5 and next year we plan to do County M&M Leadrein...
 
My brother is 4 and we've got him a little Welsh Section A, he rides out every day and is learning to groom and spends a lot of time just playing in the yard with the pony. We too dislike shetlands and with the welsh it'll last him quite a while and isn't a babyish looking pony that'll embarass him when he's a bit older.:)
 
bought my daughters first pony when she was nearly 4, only just sold him a few weeks ago and daughter is now 10! he was a shettie x we think, stocky little 11.2hh which is why he lasted her so long:D
 
MILF said:
Are you serious? Speaking as a veteran pony keeper, buying a pony for a 4 year old is just stupid. The pony will be fogotten about in a year or so when the child is playing with Playstations, and then moving on to drink and drugs.
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Excuse me?! Drink and drugs. I don't think so!!

Sec A it is then...the wife can pick and I can pay I guess!
 
MILF said:
Are you serious? Speaking as a veteran pony keeper, buying a pony for a 4 year old is just stupid. The pony will be fogotten about in a year or so when the child is playing with Playstations, and then moving on to drink and drugs.
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Ignoring this LUDICROUS post - go for it, yes for the most part ponies for young children are to please the parents (lead rein mummy showing quite often a priority in considering ponies!) If you have space for a little one, go for it!

Another one who had a shetland bought for me at 2, and I've not turned to playstations and drugs yet several decades later....

Get a low maintenance older schoolmaster type (agree with the Sec A/dartmoor idea, shetlands are really quite wide and wobbly for very very small children to learn to ride as opposed to hang on), perhaps a veteran that wants a quieter life - for example on the yard here riding school ponies that are getting a bit elderly to keep up a regular work load go out on loan to children, there are three all placed with kids under 5 - hacking down the lane once a week is just right for a workload, and of course they love the regular grooming, plaiting and fussing! Yes children aren't physically and mentally up to horse care, and regular riding - but I suspect a LOT of HHO forum members have long since forgotten we are all here for the love of a horse - whatever our age or ability.
 
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I don't have kids or ponies but I think 4 is too young. Has she ridden before? If not I'd get her some lessons and see if she genuinely enjoys it before you shell out on a pony.
 
My son is almost 4 and we are very lucky that my YM has a couple of ponies for him to treat as his own, but if I was in your situation I would possibly look at loaning one as lots of people have proper school master ponies that they will never sell but when little ones out grow want them to still have a job. That way if your daughter does lose interest you don't have the worry of trying to find a good home for it to go to.

Although it does sound like horses are a big part of your family life so I would imagine unlikely she will lose interest any time soon!
 
I bought a pony for my daughter when she was 4, i teach my self and it was cheaper to have a pony at grass livery than it was to pay to go to a riding school and she got to ride more than once a week.

Shes know 7 and come on very well, recently competed and windsor does PC and loves it to bits, i even have to bribe her to give him his weekly day off she loves it so much. I dont regret it for one minute, alwways playing outside never plays computer games or watches TV.
 
MILF no offence my daughters first pony wasant forgotten in a year and in fact when 5 wwe bought her her sec ond pony and she had tremodous fun helping riding and loving her ponies so please it doesnt always end that way
 
no harm in a 4 year old having a pony :D:D

we've got an 11.2 gem on loan-best option i think. friends kids ride it, when the girl first came up last year she was 3 or 4 i believe. pony mad!
 
Claude, why not look at rehoming one? There are some lovely stories about successful pony rehomings on the WHW website at the moment, where the child and pony have really bonded:) The donation you make will be much lower than buying one, and if in the fullness of time you need to find a new home for the pony, the charity will take the pony back in (although you could keep it for life of course). Also, you will get the full and complete story from a proper charity, as it is in everyone's interests that the rehoming works out well, unlike the pitfalls that can sometimes come with buying.

Just a suggestion:)
 
Go for it, I had a Shetland Pony when i was 3 and then a Dartmoor when i was 5!!

If she does get bored then you sell...even adults get bored and give up horses?!?

Only thing is that you will need to find more time if you or your wife also want to ride because until she has enough balance or can come off the lead rein then you or your wife will have to be with her all the time which eats in to your riding time.

However once she can balance and you have a sensible lead horse you can ride and lead?

Another pony to groom, feed, tack up etc etc but it sounds like you already have a horsey lifestyle so another four legged friend won't hurt?!!?
 
hudsonw said:
Go for it, I had a Shetland Pony when i was 3 and then a Dartmoor when i was 5!!

If she does get bored then you sell...even adults get bored and give up horses?!?

Only thing is that you will need to find more time if you or your wife also want to ride because until she has enough balance or can come off the lead rein then you or your wife will have to be with her all the time which eats in to your riding time.

However once she can balance and you have a sensible lead horse you can ride and lead?

Another pony to groom, feed, tack up etc etc but it sounds like you already have a horsey lifestyle so another four legged friend won't hurt?!!?
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Yes this is very true. She's had pony 'rides' but is unable to ride as such at the moment. Luckily I have a boy who works for me and will exercise most of ours if need be.
 
Depends
a) how keen the child is
b) how much time you have spare to help them
c) whether you are prepared to do all the work

Sorry to say we loaned a pony and it put my kids off! Too much hard work at a young age for the rewards, according to them. Kick myself for not doing all the work myself now as I would love for at least one of the kids to share my passion!
 
Defo! Bought a Shetland for mine when they were tiny (OK for me really!) they adored him, respected him and he was with us to the end of his days. All 3 rode through their childhood/teenagehood and just had fun with and around ponies. Now all grown up but have learned to respect animals and all living things, so ignore MILF as I have 3 fantastic, well balanced and caring individuals who remember each of our ponies with love and affection and will carry this with them into the adult world.
 
Ah, who pushed the button on the troll?! Lol.

As for the original question though - I don't think 4 is too young, if you have the knowhow and the finances then why not? there's no point thinking "what if they lose interest in a year or so?". If you thought like that then i guess you'd never let them get involved in any sport/club or activity. I guess you just have to be prepared to sell the pony if indeed your child decides riding isn't for them.
 
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