Ponies and Horses

[NaeNae]

Just a quick Q for my equine orientated friends ........

How old was your baby/child when you bought them their first pony?

I am trying SO hard to not pass judgement on SIL BUT.............. Her LO is 1 ...... surely thats tooooooooo young for her own pony? SIL barely worms her other two horses or has the farrier out to trim their feet ...... what is she going to teach her child about caring for an animal?

Talk about living vicariously through your kid! I know she was her baby to toughen up and be a tough/ camp drafting kid .... but seriously at 1???

[Jakabella]

Bella is 2 but she has had her pony since before she was born! I have 4 big horses, one welsh pony for when she is bigger and a minature fir her now. I wanted her to get to know the horses from birth and she has sure done that! She rides the mini and sits on the big ones too. But saying that I was 14 before I got my own horse and that was after 4 yrs of lessons. But seeing as my horses are on my farm then it's easy for us.
Hth

[NaeNae]

Thanks hun,

I think being around them and riding them are two different things, we have our two fellas and I try to do some association with them. I take DD into the paddocks (her on my back or front) and we talk to them and I let her pat them. I have sat her, aided on my QH back.

I think 2 years of age is a good age for them to be having a crack on a little ponies back because they are old enough to know to stop if you say so (actually stopping might be a different story LOL).....

I dunno, I am not a tough country chick, I am a soft naive city chick. I worm my horses every 14 weeks and have the farrier out every 12 weeks (they are not in work and the ground is soft) I have the dentist out annually too .... despite their paddock condition.

DD won't have the same equine opportunities as her cousin because we don't have stock to sell to buy her these things, nor do we have a decent income. I do feel bad for her because of that BUT I want her (if she chooses to) be interested and learn all the right things to do with the animals rather than the old fashioned "she'll be right" attitude of others here on the farm.

ANyways ..... each to their own ..... association is one thing owning and riding ....... well its not my child.

[Phteven]

I started riding as soon as my legs were long enough to reach stirrups and I remember my little brother riding up in front of Mum because he was too small to be able to reach his stirrups.

[Livinthedream]

Maurie Bruce (australian grand prix dressage rider) never even sat on a horse until he was 36
Bettina Hoy (olympic gold medalist -3DE) had parents who owned a very famous riding school in germany. They would not let her ride until she was 8.
I work with alot of elite riders, and most of them never buy their kids their first pony until they are 5 or so, before that, they just sit on the big horses.
Under 4 and its a pretty rare kid (and a bloody rare pony LOL) who can do anything other than hold the front of the saddle while their folks lead them around.

[ss_storm]

I think there's a difference between already having a horse/pony there in the paddock, than specificially going out and finding one to buy for the child ITMS?
My mum had an old horse when I was little, I don't remember much but I can bet I was up on his back occasionally. I didn't actually get my 'own' pony until I was about 7 or 8 (and after the first nightmare we got, the little paint pony we ended up with was just a darling, seriously the best first pony EVER!).
I think they should at least be able to say "i'd like to learn to ride" or something to that effect. At 1 I dont think they would really understand, and while they might not mind sitting up on a big horse there's a difference between that and actually riding on your own. I don't know how she could even be bothered, with DD I know I'd spend 20 mins getting the pony ready to ride, put her up and have her wanting back down on the ground 10 seconds later!

[NaeNae]

Maurie Bruce (australian grand prix dressage rider) never even sat on a horse until he was 36
.

I am 35 this year and HAVE sat on a horse so there is hope even for me to fulfill MY dreams of being a good rider woo hoo

You girls rock x x x

[NaeNae]

I think there's a difference between already having a horse/pony there in the paddock, than specificially going out and finding one to buy for the child ITMS?
!

This was done deliberately for the baby. I did over hear part of a conversation a little while ago about mum and bub going on a treck for a weekend when she is aged 2. I cannot personally see this as being a safe thing to do BUT I am a very different mother than she is.

I agree with you ss-storm about the cannot be bothered. I also wonder why you would bother considering the little thing will end up green after a prolonged spell .......

again this is just me ......

We will stick to my darling QH and when I have him re worked by my horse shouter (he hates the term whisperer because he reckons a horse cannot hear you if you whisper LOL) DD will be old enough to hang on to reins while I lead him.

Our local Eques Centre says the earliest they train is 3 years old and that depends entirely on the kid.

Thanks again ladies I looked at that little pony and immediately thought "great another thing DD misses out on" Granny is always too busy with cousin this is just somethign else I can be knocked down on (all my bad mothering you see)

[Jakabella]

Yeah I guess.

We have an exeptional pony for DD. We purchased the mini (Patrick) when he was 2 and I broke him to saddle and bridle with the help of my little cousins and now he is just the best kids pony in the world! DD sits on him and we lead them at the moment but it will not be long till she will be able to steer him around the yard on her own as he is just that awesome.

I agree that there is alot of time and $$ needed for horses and ponies. We also worm aevery 6 weeks and get the farrier every 6-8 weeks depending on the ground.

If you SIL doesnt look after her horses preoperly then her child will never learn either.

[NaeNae]

You're so lucky Jakabella that you have so much knowledge to be able to do that. If my love for horses was all I need then I'd be a friggin expert

I guess thats also a point of difference, I know nothing honestly, I don't pretend to be better than I am, I am a beginner and I walk into a shop and people sell me loads of useless crap because I have a neon sign on my forehead saying "I have no clue what I am in for so sell me evrything"

Sil has lived on a farm and been around horses ALL her life so probably has the "if its good for the goose ............" take on things.

IF Dd is interested later we'll think about one for her .... til then, we'll stick with my fella's (one of them) Bear would make a good lead horse he hates work LOL

[Jakabella]

A love for horses is a huge start! If I didnt love them all so much and want to ride them then it would have all fallen by the wayside by now! My poor boys (My Qtr horse and my ex racer) havnt been ridden in months but I have the itch to get back on asap after this bub is born! I also have a welshy (mare) that I will be breaking in a bit better once bub is here. I used to show and do dressage at a high level but I just have them for fun now!

Just enjoy your buys Nae - its the best fun!