At what age would you let your child start riding

[Equine_Woman]

Wyatt (my son) is going to be turning 4 and I'm pretty sure he is getting old enough to learn to ride. I'm a NERVOUS mother (yeah, one of those kinds. . ) and other than photo ops and brief rides with me when he was like one year old, Wyatt has never ridden. I'd like to get him started soon so he doesn't hit that fearful stage I've hard about at 4. . but I'm not sure how I want to go about it.

My old man Mack is the current mount of choice as everything he does is in SLOOOOOOOOWWWWW motion. But he's 17 hands tall. I don't have a round pen yet either. . but hopefully by fall we will. I've considered finding an instructor to teach him as I don't have the patience for instruction. (Just ask my hubby) Anyways, guess I"m just looking for advice from people who've been there and done that. . .anyone?

[WashingtonBay]

You know... I'm not a parent, so I may be missing some of the subtleties, but from what I've observed with friends, I don't think most kids really 'get' it until around 8 or 9. They can hang on, they might be able to follow instructions on when to kick and when to pull back, but I don't think they're reading the horse or really communicating with it. Let alone they're not near strong enough to handle it if there is a genuine difference of opinion, at 4. They're really just passengers... which is all good, but needs to be carefully babysat.

[FlapJack]

I don't have any advice, I was 9 when I started riding. I just wanted to say that I think it's a great idea and he's lucky that he's getting started around horses so young! Also, I briefly taught lessons to a girl who was around Wyatt's age, maybe a little older, and she was fine with it. She liked to have me hold her leg every once in a while (she stayed on a line).

[Equine_Woman]

I was just turning 7 when I began riding. I know that I remember to this day what I learned in my first lessons. We covered BALANCE. I rode without stirrups on a lunge line doing cool bicycle exercises and twists and turns. . . I think we might start lead line stuff. . . .that sounds more up to par with Mommy's nerves. . .

[gaited07]

My daughter was about 6 when I let her ride alone in the arena. I still take her out on the trails with a lead line to her horse just in case deals. She steers well and knows the one rein stops now but I still want more strength in those little spaghetti arms. (she's 8 now)

[Peggy Sue]

T started on his own about 5 but I had a GREAT pony for him... he stopped about 9 and didn't really ride much again until he was 13... now he is complaining that Baseball is taking too much time and he wants to ride at 15 almost 16

[carla]

I dunno.. I'm in the same boat. My ds is six and just now getting to where he "asks" to ride, but I'm not comfy enough with Jack's personality to put him on too much. I planned to let him "sit" on Jack the other night when we went to drop off feed, but he was way out in the pasture and we were in a hurry.

Buck is a great horse for anyone to ride (Diane's boy) but even with him, I just follow my gut. If he asks to ride and I don't think it's a good day, then I say no. I feel bad, but I don't care.. I just follow my gut.

edit: There WAS a precious little mini at the farm where we got feed the other day.. ds said, "I want one!!" This thing was JUST his size, lol. He could fall off and get "trampled" and I wouldn't worry at all! I actually thought about (the idea of it) it for half a second- it would've fit right in the trunk, lol!

[oursarge]

My friend's kids were riding young but they were on little ponies. They rode with her from birth but I can't remember when she said she put them on a pony by themselves, maybe 3 or so. They are 17 and 18 now and they both can ride what ever you put them on and make it look easy. I love watching them ride. She rides with no saddle or bridle.

There is a little boy she started giving lessons to at age 3, he's 6 now and just got his own pony and keeps it at her place and is still taking lessons. He's doing good, he's been in horse shows but mostly lead line classes. If there became a battle of wills I don't think he could have handled it at 3 but at 6 he can. He does real well on even a difficult pony.

[shewasmyshadow]

My son is 2 1/2 and he used to love riding with me at about 12-24 mos, but lately he doesn't like it. I figure I will just let him figure out when he's ready.

[Tatesgram]

When I took a few lessons earlier this year, the girl before me was 5. She would pick their hooves, and groom them (part way up) and lead them to and from the pasture. I was taking lessons to regain confidence, she was learning to ride barrels and poles :eek:.

Five is the earliest they will take them at that stable. But this child amazed me. I've seen younger kids riding, but it always scares me if an adult is not near.

[Horseaholic]

When I checked out a potential place to ride here the instructors daughter road with 4 experienced girls on a pony and she was 4 years of age. She had her own saddle and everything. She knew how to post and stop the pony but thats about it unless she had her moms full attention she was crying and whining that the horse wasn't listening to her but to her credit she was in the ring with 4 experienced riders around my age (17- mid 20s) and she was obviously not getting 100% attention.

[WashingtonBay]

Shady, I've seen that too, they have a pretty short fuse for getting either tired of it, or frustrated, or both, at that age. My friend's son who owned my bad pony would ride her, and he'd give an input... if the pony didn't listen, he'd just throw the reins down mad. Like it was a machine that wasn't working. Then pony would buck him off. He didn't really 'get' that he had to communicate, not just push a button and expect the result, till he was about 8. It's not a video game. :)

[JennyandJosey]

I think it really depends on the kid as well as the horse that's available to use. My youngest is 6 and I'm very slowly starting her with our new pony. I've just had her on a long lead rope with the halter over the bridle. So far we've mostly worked on "whoa". I'm a nervous mom too and wouldn't put her on anything I didn't feel pretty safe about. At my old barn they had a small pony that was just a saint. She actually did a little on her own with him and she was probably 5 then. If it was a bigger horse she would have very little control and I don't know how much she could actually learn. I don't want her on her own with our pony because while he is a very good boy, he's not a dead head. If he would trot with her she'd probably bounce right off if I wasn't in control.

[Equine_Woman]

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only nervous nelly out there. I was feeling like my kid was being left behind in other kids dust cause I haven't had him riding yet. . . A good friend keeps pressing me to start him young so he can do little britches rodeo but I have no interest in that. . if Wyatt wants to do that it will come in due time. . Thanks everyone! I feel much better. We might just start to let him be ponied and worry about lessons when he is older!

[Horseaholic]

He didn't really 'get' that he had to communicate, not just push a button and expect the result, till he was about 8. It's not a video game. :)

This made me laugh out load...so true

[elevenelevenxo]

I do agree it depends on the individual kid. Most instructors, around here anyway, seem to only work with kids age 5-7+...no younger than that generally.

Putting a 4 year old on a 17h horse....ehhh...I don't know how comfortable I'd be with that. I mean, I don't doubt that you know your horse well enough and obviously wouldn't dream of tossing your child on something that could potentially hurt him....but 17h is big for a grown adult, let alone an itty bitty kid. :) If he were to hit that fear stage, I think it'd be less traumatic on a pony - something closer to his size. If he does happen to take a spill, it won't be as bad.

[mare]

I go with "riding alone" since mine started pre-birth.

Hmmmm... they rode with me walking near, they were probably three or four. On a lead line out checking cows, five. Off lead, but still on a "trust-worthy" horse six and seven.

Sent them out to check water or cows ten.

By eleven, had to threaten them with things to keep them off the snakes.

[miatapony]

my daughter was 2 and a half when she started to ride . i belive if you have the right horse and you feel comffy to try it then go for it my daughter had her first lead line barrles and pole at 4 then she was on her own..

[Equine_Woman]

I do agree it depends on the individual kid. Most instructors, around here anyway, seem to only work with kids age 5-7+...no younger than that generally.

Putting a 4 year old on a 17h horse....ehhh...I don't know how comfortable I'd be with that. I mean, I don't doubt that you know your horse well enough and obviously wouldn't dream of tossing your child on something that could potentially hurt him....but 17h is big for a grown adult, let alone an itty bitty kid. :) If he were to hit that fear stage, I think it'd be less traumatic on a pony - something closer to his size. If he does happen to take a spill, it won't be as bad.

My problem with ponies is I can't get on them and school them when they are being naughty. . lol

Mack is a HUGE old man but he's 23 or so and calm calm calm. My only worry is that Wyatt won't be able to make him go forward for a long while. And he's really high up there. . .

[farmers_wife]

I want my kids to start riding also. I will let them ride in the round pen. I am a worry mother. My 5yr old has no fear. My 8 yr old is scared of certin things. I want to give my kids lesson but with 3 of them going to lesson would be about 63.00. (21.00 per kid) so 1 month would be 252.00 a month. I cannot afford that.

[Peggy Sue]

EW I wish you were closer I have access to the perfect pony as in you walk her a circle and she stays on it LOL but I gave her to my neighbor for her grandkids!!

[TBgirl]

I know it's a tough call EW. I started taking riding lessons when I was 5 years old. My very first lesson was on a small pony, the next was on a horse. Ofcourse I was lead around by the instructor my first couple of rides. I guess it's all a matter of preference.

[Dixie]

I have 2 boys ages 4 and 9. My 9yr old started to ride by himself with me instructing him last year. My 4yr old is no where near ready for that yet. I think when you have a reliable quiet kids horse/pony that you can trust, then it's more or less when the child is ready, they will let you know.

One of my best friends has a 6yr old that has won a saddle and many buckles in barrels and jr rodeo, she rides great. Her only issue is her legs are short LOL She's been riding though since she was itty bitty, like 2 or 3?

Kids will let you know when they are ready, each one is different but we have to remember how small kids are even on a pony and lots of times their leg cues aren't even felt by the equine, nor are they strong enough to truly sit up in the saddle and use all aids correctly. Round pen or on a lunge are a great way to start I think, once my mare foals that is how I will start my kids back.

[alittleoffkey]

I don't know about others... but a cousin of mine was riding by himself at 4 with no problem. If he'd been tall/strong enough he would've been riding unsupervised. Regardless, he figured out how to get Lady to stand at the fence and let him bridle her and hop on bareback by the time he was five or six. :)

I think it's an individual kid thing though, you know whether or not he's ready to learn to ride. My 5 year old niece isn't coordinated enough to ride on her own.

[zoel_222]

I agree with ALOK. It depends on the kid and their coordination among other things.

My mom is a Headstart teacher and there is one girl in her class who is 4 and severely overweight and her mom keeps pushing her to take riding lessons because her mom likes horses and wants the daughter to like them too. :rolleyes: Everytime I see her mom she asks if I'll give the girl riding lessons. There's no way she's near ready to balance on a horse on her own let alone have the coordination to steer one. The mom says she wants me to teach her because all the stables she goes to say they don't teach kids under 7. Wonder why....

[quest]

I knew a little girl who was jumping miniatures around four. Her parents are real strict and stuff, her eq was pretty good!

[gabhainn]

EW i dont blame you for being nervous about ponies, you mentioned not being able to get on em and school em if they act up, makes you wonder how they were trained in the 1st place, dunnit?
I KNOW from personal experience how his can backfire my Dad's ofc.mgr.'s granddaughter was thrown and trampled so badly by a pony, that MRI's showed hoof prints on her internal organs. I would much rather put my child on a small horse than a pony, and btw my kids were both in the saddle w/ me as infants and toddlers my sone ( who now could care less ) was riding by himself at 6 or so my daughter at 4...Kevin

BTW this is not a blanket condemnation of ponies, my 1 st mount was a shetland/welsh cross that I had from 5 or so till I was 12, and he was awesome taught half the kids in East Texas how to ride, he was in 19 when we got him and 34 when we buried him..K

[natisha]

For me, I require that they know left from right. Also important is to have the lesson horse one that the instructor can "ride' from the ground. I'm fortunate to have one like that.
Keep the lessons short as those little legs get tired fast. Side walkers are a must too, for awhile.
I also tell the parents they are not allowed to talk during a lesson. Some get angry at the kid when they can't get something. I should add that the worst parents are the ones who don't ride at all.

[lovesfortune]

i'm a nervous mom too. i haven't even taken my kids on a ride with me in the saddle with them. they are 2 and 3. the closest they've been to the horses is brushing them, petting them and sitting on them while i hold on to them and we don't move anywhere.

you've gotten good advice here though!

[vicklynn]

I started riding with my mom at 11 months old. I had my first horse at 11. No horse between 7 and 10, so no riding went on alone up to 7, then no horse, then I rode alone at 11, but my neighbor who rode with me(and very well at that)was 9, and rode like a champ.
I dont know, depends on the horse and child.
My son was riding his pony at 10 alone.

[Equine_Woman]

EW i dont blame you for being nervous about ponies, you mentioned not being able to get on em and school em if they act up, makes you wonder how they were trained in the 1st place, dunnit?
I KNOW from personal experience how his can backfire my Dad's ofc.mgr.'s granddaughter was thrown and trampled so badly by a pony, that MRI's showed hoof prints on her internal organs. I would much rather put my child on a small horse than a pony, and btw my kids were both in the saddle w/ me as infants and toddlers my sone ( who now could care less ) was riding by himself at 6 or so my daughter at 4...Kevin

I've often wondered how ponies get trained. . . must be some tough kids in this world. . . but I'm going to stick with horses, since I know what they can do because I can ride them. . .

For me, I require that they know left from right. Also important is to have the lesson horse one that the instructor can "ride' from the ground. I'm fortunate to have one like that.
Keep the lessons short as those little legs get tired fast. Side walkers are a must too, for awhile.
I also tell the parents they are not allowed to talk during a lesson. Some get angry at the kid when they can't get something. I should add that the worst parents are the ones who don't ride at all.

That Left & Right thing is a good indicator!! I think we might start ponying on Mack, but not anything else until he is way bigger. I've got to find a helmet though. And we have a lead on a saddle, we're going to get to test it out since it's got to fit mack and be very small for Wyatt. . . May need to just get the little stirrup things for my western saddle. ..

i'm a nervous mom too. i haven't even taken my kids on a ride with me in the saddle with them. they are 2 and 3. the closest they've been to the horses is brushing them, petting them and sitting on them while i hold on to them and we don't move anywhere.

you've gotten good advice here though!


I have gotten good advice, and everyone has made me feel better. Maybe I'm not depriving my child from an early equine education after all!! Thanks everyone!!! Much appreciated!

[firstlovesong]

Just my two cents: I started riding ponies by myself when I was three or four. We had horses but I got my own pony I think for christmas when I was four. Before that I was riding with my mom and dad in front on the saddle. I learned more in that first year or so probably then I will ever learn the rest of my life. My pony was a blessing.. sweet and gentle but she taught me many lessons. If she wanted to eat I learned what I had to do to keep her head up. I learned to be smarter even tho I was smaller. I think my good balance and LOVE for riding came from my parents handing me the lead rope giving me the tack and letting me figure out how to groom, tack up, get on, and ride myself. They were always close by watching but I learned I could do things on my own, it gave me confidence and I wouldnt trade it for anything in the world. So dont be so panicked Mom, if he really wants to learn and ride give him some space and let him figure it out. He will learn more "playing" with the horse than he will learn from an instructor atleast at first.

[Country Girl 43]

EW... OH I so know what you are going through. If your child is ready to ride let him. With you by his side of course. I led my kids around for a couple of months before I turned them loose on their own in the arena. chy was 8 and Nico was 10. Chy had no fear but Nico was abit nervous.

We had Ladybird and a pony. I bought the pony for the kids, but turned out she was a snot. I was lucky that she was big enough for me to ride and I was able to tune her up. Chy rode her in a pasture one day and all of a sudden she took off at a full gallop!!! I was having a heart attack right then and there. I kept yelling "stop her".... Chy got her stopped and came trotting up to me laughing and giggling and said.. "What?" I asked her if she made the pony do that and she said "YES"... Still that pony had to go, she was mean, would bite and kick for no reason.

I was nervous letting them ride Ladybird because she was much bigger than the pony, but you know how that went. Ladybird took great care of Chy and taught her everything. I did use the lunge line with Chy like you had mentioned.

But for now... just put your little one on the horse you trust and lead him around. Let him have fun. Just keep to a walk till you feel he's ready for a trot. Do it bareback if possible. I started both my kids bareback....well on Ladybird. :)

I don't think it's ever too early. Just be sure you are always there. ;) You know how protective I am... :)

[Miracle Whip]

Please don't knock ponies. I learned how to ride on a Shetland that never once gave me any trouble. He was stubborn once in a while, but he did what he was told. Ponies have their place in teaching kids to ride. For one reason, you don't have to worry about them falling off...and two - they teach the kid to be assertive enough to make the pony behave.

[gaited07]

EW i dont blame you for being nervous about ponies, you mentioned not being able to get on em and school em if they act up, makes you wonder how they were trained in the 1st place, dunnit?
I KNOW from personal experience how his can backfire my Dad's ofc.mgr.'s granddaughter was thrown and trampled so badly by a pony, that MRI's showed hoof prints on her internal organs. I would much rather put my child on a small horse than a pony, and btw my kids were both in the saddle w/ me as infants and toddlers my sone ( who now could care less ) was riding by himself at 6 or so my daughter at 4...Kevin

BTW this is not a blanket condemnation of ponies, my 1 st mount was a shetland/welsh cross that I had from 5 or so till I was 12, and he was awesome taught half the kids in East Texas how to ride, he was in 19 when we got him and 34 when we buried him..K

I agree with gabhainn. I too grew up with ponies but went through a lot to find a descent mannered pony.

I chose to purchase a small QH mare for my kids (14.3) she's perfect size for the kids, husband and when she needs re-focused I can ride her without worrying about hurting her, unlike a pony, I would be afraid I would kill it if I got on it's back LOL!

As for my kids riding, they all started pretty much when they could hold their own little heads up riding with me.
We then graduated to riding alone around 5 or so and as someone stated, it all depends on their strength and coordination.

Good luck and when it's time, GET PICS please;)

[cheval]

I rode by myself as soon as I could stay balanced. Gramps was nearby (other than the times I sneaked away to crawl onto the horses by myself!).

I think a lot depends on the kids and their ability to balance.

I had a pony all of day I think and Gramps moved me up to the horse. I've not seen many well-tempered ponies honestly. So I'd think carefully about the pony route. Might be more of a hassle then just riding the horse.