Children Riding

Vindicated · Postby **Vindicated** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 12:02 pm

My son is only 6 months old right now-so I know I am really jumping the gun....
But I have been thinking about him riding-since he was an embryo really...
I won't force him to ride, or even be around the horses, but I want to give him the opportunity if he likes.
Those of you with children-at what age should I start introducing the horses (he has been around them a little already-I have high strung horses so not much, and only when my husband and I are both there)
Which company makes a helmet that is small enough?
I of course will get him a suitable animal if he wants to ride (mine are not suitable for a beginner or small person)

Advice?

EyeforGlory · Postby **EyeforGlory** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 12:46 pm

well, i don't have any kids of my own, but i do have 2 nephews.

My oldes nephew rode his first pony about the age of 2 and he was afraid of them and finally he started riding the ponies. RiverDowns has pony rides on the weekends.

My youngest nephew on the other hand loves ponies. He has been on at least 2 pony rides last fall and he went on his first trip to track last Friday.

I would say that it depends on the child.

Skipitgirl · Postby **Skipitgirl** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:45 pm

I have a just turned 4 yr old daughter who has been riding since 18 months. She actually started being in control or her pony when she turned 2 1/2. Learning left and right is a must for them to know before being turned loose IMO. It helps that her pony is as dead broke as you can get (rides in a bosal for western and snaffle for english and halter and lead on the trails LOL) and was originally purchased for my 6 yr old son for his theraputic riding (he has CP). She is also gaited, an accidental mating between a shetland and an Icelandic (yes she tolts LOL).
Her first helmet was a mickey mouse themed one from Troxel that was my oldest sons (he is 14). It was specifically made for small children. She just got a new Troxel for Christmas and it fits well. It is the smallest one they make. I would say check their website. Also I know some of the other companies sell the tiny hunt cap types as alot of people show their kids in leadline. Good luck, and the best way to keep the interst going is to ensure they have a proper pony or horse to get started on. If it is fun, there is a better chance of them sticking with it. If they get run off with or dumped, well, doesnt sound fun to me LOL! It took us a year to find Princess and we looked at over 50 ponies. Well worth the wait.
http://www.tackroominc.com/devonaire-ae ... a7de7a710c

Crystal · Postby **Crystal** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:55 pm

No kids here, just lots of helper nephews.. They love helping auntie in the barn, taking rides to the grain store, throwing (flakes) out for the ponies. They love the horses, but ball when they are up on a horse, even siting with me in the saddle.
Give them lots to do in the barn, and let them tell you when they want to ride. All else fails, buy a mini dump truck and let them help with stalls. It's big boy work!

skywatcher · Postby **skywatcher** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 2:35 pm

it's always been my experience (with my own, neices, nephews and friends kids) that they will tell you when they are ready

I've found that the very young ones, if they are interested, they will light up when they see a horse and squeal and giggle if you sit them on the horse's back

Linda_d · Postby **Linda_d** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 6:04 pm

skywatcher wrote:it's always been my experience (with my own, neices, nephews and friends kids) that they will tell you when they are ready

I've found that the very young ones, if they are interested, they will light up when they see a horse and squeal and giggle if you sit them on the horse's back

I was always "horse crazy". I "rode" my first horse at six months old ... and have the picture to prove it! LOL

Maureen · Postby **Maureen** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 6:23 pm

My daughter started formal lessons at four. She would spend time with me in the barn around the horses, but I wanted her to learn from someone else, because, as you probably know, 'what do mothers know?"

We had a very knowledgeable teacher who specialized in young children, and had the ability to inspire all her charges. My daughter, nearing 22, continues to ride, all of her horses having been my own OTTBs.

KBEquine · Postby **KBEquine** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 6:35 pm

Four grandkids here - one too young to ride. Of the other 3, 2 love it & one prefers his GameBoy.

They WILL tell you if they like it & want to do it. The neighbor's 7 year old son would come help feed every night, if he could. And when I say "help" I really mean it.

I make most of the kids help with barn chores, first. The ones who love horses & will continue on will do anything to be around horses. The others will think it is too much like work & lose interest quickly.

We do pony rides for the grandkids from a young age, but they don't control their own horse/pony for a long time. And the length of time depends on the child.

Vindicated · Postby **Vindicated** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 8:41 am

I have been riding 3/4 of my life and hope that my son takes to it the way I did.
My husband is not an "activities" person, being happy to sit at this computer-I want so bad for my son to have something that he loves...and since I know horses, that would be the easiest and most enjoyable for me. My husband would be happy for him to play school sports, but in reality-when does that turn into a lifelong thing?

Crystal · Postby **Crystal** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 8:51 am

Lifelong sports... golf?

kezeli · Postby **kezeli** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:43 pm

I started taking my brother on trail rides when he was between 9-16 months. He would through a fit when I went to the barn so my mother would drive around till she found me and dump him on me. He says he doesn't rember but now he is starting polo so I think at least his body rembers so to speak.

camohn · Postby **camohn** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:45 am

Of course every kid is different. My daughter has always loved petting the horses as pets but had limited interest in riding em. My deal with her was that she had to learn the basics since she lives on a horse farm (she started at around 7 and was wishy washy about it), but I would not force her into more than that. And there it stayed until about now at age 11. When we went out riding before she used to prefer to stay with Grandma but now that she is older that is losing it's appeal. Then I had her join 4H. Not so much because I cared if she rode but because I did not like the group of friends she was hanging with at school (on the early road to being trouble..........). I thought hanging out with other farm kids she would find more responsible friends. She did. At first all she wanted to do was the club trail rides and no shows. I told her that was fine with me. But now that her new friends are going to shows and she is feeling kinda left out she has started inquiring that she thinks she at least wants to do the club "fun shows" with the other kids. The short version is: riding with other kids is more fun than alone at home.
The dial a helmets are great !!
My hubby came pre packaged with 2 older kids from a first marriage. His daughter rode until she was 12 or 13 then discovered boys and shopping malls/that was the end of the horses. She still personally is neutral on the horses but her new hubby seems to think they are pretty neat. We put him up on hubby's polo pony for the first time last summer. I was so disgusted. His only riding experience was a pony ride as a toddler. He trotted off like a natural. ugh!! SO jealous! (He did go to college on an athletic scholarship....so he is one of those "born athletes...")Becky was not to be outdone and got on herself. I was surprised she seemed to fall raight back into it in spite of not having been on a horse in probably 10+ years. Hubbys son has no love for horses whatsoever...they are big, at times dirty/smelly and involve poop/flies. Farm boy he is not...he became an accountant.

mlwinter · Postby **mlwinter** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 1:50 pm

Troxel use to make an X-small helmet, this was my daughters' first helmet. Someone had told me that they stopped making the x-small because of liability issues of too small of child riding too young (don't know if this is true or not). But they have now graduated from that helmet to International helmets that have an adjustable piece in the back to make them tighter after the helmet in on their heads. They of course come in different colors, so it is easy for them to know whos is whos. But, if one leaves theirs at the other barn or vice versa, they can easily interchange.

Both are good helmets but the International has lasted much longer being adjustable. It gives a perfect fit and does not slide around on their heads.

Bondama · Postby **Bondama** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:29 pm

Camohn, that is a funny story about the kids (2nd half of your post). My eldest daughter, now 19, is the same as the accountant son.....I've heard much the same thing about the poop and the flies and the sweating, etc. She is a pastry chef......very much an indoors girl. I had to laugh when I read that, thank you for sharing!

Conversely, my middle daughter, 15, is a naturally gifted rider and has the horse "gene" that I was born with. God only knows where I got it because no one else in 3 generations has had horses. I must be a throwback to someone! :lol:

erins isle · Postby **erins isle** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 4:35 am

Love those stories. Have two kids myself, one son and one daughter. They both ride at a ridingschool for years now. My daughter startet at 8, is now 13 1/2 sand rides well. My son has a kind of autism, it takes more time for him to reach his aim, he thinks it is hard to concentrate, but he has that natural thing with animals. He only fel once when trying to sit on our own racinghorse, she kicked and after three times he was thrown of her back. When he rides, he is one with his pony.