Would you take

zigzag

zigzag

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on the expense of an old pony who is a pit poor atm (didn't winter well) for a 2 year old kid. Pony is bombproof, daughter is mad on horses (but could be a 2 year old thing :p) I currently don't have my own horse, so this pony will be kept on livery. Daughter will prob only ride for a max of ten mins at time as she young, can't see her riding in the rain ( don't think it fair on her at this age to get cold and wet) No indoor school at yard only outdoor. Or should I wait til she is at least 3 and she if she is still interested? I don't want to push her to ride if she doesn't want to later but also don't want her not being given the chance ( I never had a pony as a child)
She absolutely loved riding him yesterday, but it was her first time on a horse yesterday she has only met them before, but is very interested in horses.

Any thoughts?

If I had my own land and horse I wouldn't hesitate to get him, but the fact he has to be on livery is making me doubt my decision
 
Given that you would have to keep it on livery I don't think I would get it, it will be a lot of time and expense to only be ridden for 10 minutes at a time.

Could you not look for a share instead?
 
No, I wouldn't. A child of 2 years could lose interest very quickly and you will be stuck with livery bills etc, reckon you would be better off taking her to a local stable for a ride now and again until she's at least 5.
 
No. I would take up a part loan with a suitable lead rein. Tonnes of people don't even want money for you to give their old child's ponies a bit of attention.
 
I have space at home for one and a 2 1/2 year old son that love to pat the big boys but I've been told it's not great for them to sit on even a cub saddle too regularly at this age - not until they are 5/6 y/o when their bones/ pelvis is stronger should it be more than once a week.

I won't even have one at home for 10 mins once a week! with the cost of wormer, vacs, trims, hay etc.
 
I wouldn't either; I'd stick to pony rides at local stables for now, and perhaps a part loan when she's older and stronger and you can better tell if she's keen.

Call me old fashioned :D but actually there's a wonderful moment in life when you've loved horses, and really wanted one more than anything, and one day it happens. You don't have that if you've had a pony since before you can remember. I'd wait to see if she's really keen, and perhaps start her with lessons at five and then a pony of her own after that.
 
A 2yrs old you will be very hard pushed to find a riding school to take her. For insurance reasons many cannot until the child is 3 - sometimes as much as 5.

Also - both Pony Club ans BHS express concerns about the weight of a riding hat on such a young neck. Lightweight cycle ctyle helments are permitted under PC rules up to the age of 9. Toddlers have such a heavy head in relation to thier neck strength anyway to add the weight of a hat and the unbalenced nature of thier riding you can put huge strain on the neck.

None of which answers your question... I guess it depends on how horsey you are. If you want the little pony for you -and absolutely no reason not to! - then why not. It won't matter what daughter thinks in a few years. But you really need to know exactly what you are getting into. Not only bills but the day to day care and the illnesses that older ponies can get into. At 22 you are going to be this pony's last owner. Sorry to put it bluntly - but at some point it will die or need to be PTS. To be a responsible horse owner you need to be able to face that from day one.

However I do absolutely agree with Theocat. I wanted ponies all my childhood - but I had to proove I could care for one before I was allowed. I finally got my much wanted and much anticipated pony when I was 9. (And lost him in a hunitng accident when I was 11...) My daughter knew from her first ride at about 3 or 4 that she wanted a pony - but we applied the same condition even though I had a horse myself at that point. She got her first when she was 8.

Unless you want this pony for you or to add to an established stable of your own, stick with beach rides, holiday rides. Riding schools. Pony Club Centre from 4 or 5. Horse rangers from 6 I think.
 
Im am experienced with horses lol, and realize I will be the pony's last owner. No riding school will take her until she is four because of insurance and all friends horses are far to big for her, she has woken up this morning asking to go riding on the pony.
 
Shay said:
A 2yrs old you will be very hard pushed to find a riding school to take her. For insurance reasons many cannot until the child is 3 - sometimes as much as 5.

Also - both Pony Club ans BHS express concerns about the weight of a riding hat on such a young neck. Lightweight cycle ctyle helments are permitted under PC rules up to the age of 9. Toddlers have such a heavy head in relation to thier neck strength anyway to add the weight of a hat and the unbalenced nature of thier riding you can put huge strain on the neck.

None of which answers your question... I guess it depends on how horsey you are. If you want the little pony for you -and absolutely no reason not to! - then why not. It won't matter what daughter thinks in a few years. But you really need to know exactly what you are getting into. Not only bills but the day to day care and the illnesses that older ponies can get into. At 22 you are going to be this pony's last owner. Sorry to put it bluntly - but at some point it will die or need to be PTS. To be a responsible horse owner you need to be able to face that from day one.

However I do absolutely agree with Theocat. I wanted ponies all my childhood - but I had to proove I could care for one before I was allowed. I finally got my much wanted and much anticipated pony when I was 9. (And lost him in a hunitng accident when I was 11...) My daughter knew from her first ride at about 3 or 4 that she wanted a pony - but we applied the same condition even though I had a horse myself at that point. She got her first when she was 8.

Unless you want this pony for you or to add to an established stable of your own, stick with beach rides, holiday rides. Riding schools. Pony Club Centre from 4 or 5. Horse rangers from 6 I think.
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This exactly. We had a 2 year old and loved it then lost utter interest and even though I would happily purchase a pony (now 6) no interest at all. The local RIs told me that if they are to have lessons they have to understand instructions so they will not take them until they are 5. But I realise you just want them to sit on. Our 2 year old fell off and that was that. I know a 2 year old who slid down a ponies neck when it went to eat some grass and had a green stick fracture in the arm and that was that too. However I have a friend whose kids just grew up with them and get on anything now(in fact I have seen their names in H&H in the past). You sound realistic, its tempting but cheaper to go for a lesson when a bit older. If you had land and could keep a little ponio at home then yes but this is going to cost you a lot for 10mins. Good luck.
 
No, I wouldn't. I would do it in the blink of an eye had I the space at home - are you sure you haven't? My daughter's first pony lived in a third of an acre orchard.

I would scour the local tackshops, feedshops etc for notices of anyone who had a little old pony that needed a bit of attention and fuss, or even put up notices asking if anyone has an outgrown child's pony that they'd like to have a bit of a life rather than festering in a field.
 
If you would enjoy the care of the pony even just for you as a pet then it could be ok

A livery yard may be as unhappy as a riding school to have a two year old riding on site though, their insurance co may havd a wobble over it too.

In saying that if you find a share or borrowed pony the owners may also be reluctant
 
I must add that although I understand the concept of making a child wait for something I'm not sure that personally in that situation I would - why let a child miss out on five or six years of the joy and friendship of having their own pony? If you can afford it and the pony is bombproof enough (as it should be) to find a new home easily should the child get bored of it then surely there is no reason to wait to make a child 'appreciate it more' later on?
 
WelshD said:
I must add that although I understand the concept of making a child wait for something I'm not sure that personally in that situation I would - why let a child miss out on five or six years of the joy and friendship of having their own pony? If you can afford it and the pony is bombproof enough (as it should be) to find a new home easily should the child get bored of it then surely there is no reason to wait to make a child 'appreciate it more' later on?
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I have to agree, I thought that was a strange concept. Children who have been born into horsey families are often the ones who ride most fearlessly and do best in the faster activities.
As to livery yard's insurance, so long as the child is supervised by a parent/responsible adult, I can't magine that the LY's insurance has anything to do with it. Insurance only kicks in if the yard is negligent in some way.
It is a large expense which IMo can only really be justified if you will enjoy the pony care, OP, but then I know nothing about your financial situation - only you can make that decision. You will also need to weigh up how much you will benefit from seeing your daughter enjoying herself riding the pony, even if only for 10 minutes at a time. Overall, I'd be tempted to go for.
 
I think you need to think of whether you want a pony, rather than your two year old.

Although I have my own horse so am in a different situation than you, I let my three year old have a sit on my horse most days if he is at the yard - nothing much, just to and from the field, or a wee 5 minute play over trotting poles if they are out etc. I wouldn't buy him his own at this age because:

a) he isn't old enough to look after it on his own so it's more work (and money) for me
b) he couldn't ride it very often because of the reasons others have already stated, so it would technically be an expensive field ornament lol

and most importantly, I feel he needs to prove to me how keen he really is, and that he really will look after it before I buy him one, and he is too young to do that just now.

I remember being bought a pet (though not a horse!) as a child and the novelty soon wore off. Mum always threatened to get rid of it if I didn't start looking after it, and one day I came home from school to find it gone! After hours of crying and apologizing it turns out she had just hidden it in her bedroom, but warned me next time she really would be giving it away haha it scared me into looking after it properly :p
 
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