Taking the leap into pony ownership is no small deal financially, emotionally and in terms of time requirements. But when a child shows promise, skill and (perhaps most importantly) love and dedication to the cause, it might feel like the right next step is to invest in their dream in this way. With lameness, rosettes, falls,and hours of pony pamper fun, the world of riding is typically one of ups and downs (both literally and metaphorically!). All of this is invaluable for teaching young ones about the ways of life and how to overcome adversity. However, there are ways in which you can help to maximise the peaks and minimise the troughs, including making a wise choice when selecting their very first equine love. Here are a few hints from us…
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Choose experience to lead the inexperienced
Most first-time pony purchasers are buying a pony for a child who has some experience, who has had a good number of lessons under their belt, but who hasn’t yet racked up hundreds of flying hours through near daily riding escapades. In these instances, a pony who knows their job, and who has been there and seen it all, is likely to have a great deal more patience with their rider’s little wobbles and mistakes.
‘Push button’ isn’t necessarily what is needed here; after all, your child is there to learn how to ride effectively and not just sit there whilst the pony piaffes his way round the dressage arena. However, one that knows the basic commands and is responsive to them when given in a slightly shaky fashion, can really help a new rider enjoy getting to grips with things. This perhaps isn’t the best time for a child to be teaching a young/inexperienced pony about brightly coloured show jumps, fillers and cross-country ditches; and so choosing one who has already experienced and accepted these things is likely your best bet.
Looks vs personality
We (or at least most of us) don’t leap straight behind the wheel of a Ferrari when we first pass our driving test. Instead, we continue our learning and experience gathering in a trusty Ford Fiesta or the like. And whilst we don’t mean to say that you won’t find a My Little Pony lookalike who also has a sensible head on them, we’re just suggesting that prioritising aesthetics over a pony who will stand for hours in return for a good grooming session, might not be the best way to proceed.
Afterall, a pony who seeks to flee the county at the first sight of a plastic bag flapping in the hedgerow is no fun for the poor scared rider sitting atop. (Even if said pony looks flashy and fabulous doing so). In all seriousness, what we’re talking about here is prioritising confidence building over winning rosettes; particularly at this stage of your child’s riding journey.
Previous jockey
A ‘child’s pony’ who has most recently been jockeyed by a small adult could be seen as a red flag (or at least a flag with orangey hues). The weight of an adult, plus their physical strength will feel very different to a pony compared to a lightweight rider. You might find that in time, a pony of previously exemplary manners, learns a few cheeky tricks to get their own way. This can make a child’s life unnecessarily difficult and frustrating. It can also become a dangerous problem. The other question to ask yourself (and the seller for that matter) is why has this pony been ridden by an adult? Is there any overt safety concern there? We use the term “overt” because no pony is completely ‘safe’.
Word of mouth works wonders
Contacting the local Pony Club or talking to equine friends can reap great rewards. Finding a pony well known to the local riding community means you can often get a plethora of reviews on it and really understand its background. There are ponies who remain within a single pony club throughout their ridden life; with numerous little jockeys enjoying them one after another. This is possibly the single best way of knowing what you’re getting when you take on a new pony.
Size matters
As tempting as it might be to buy your child a pony to ‘grow into’, in the same vein as buying your kid’s new clothes a size too big, a too large a pony is likely to feel unwieldy and hard to manoeuvre to someone who is small, and hasn’t yet developed ‘riding strength’. This can be a frustrating situation for a child to find themselves in so avoid ‘over-horsing’ them. Find a good pony of the correct size, and you won’t struggle to find them a new home once your child has outgrown them.
Fit for purpose
The purchase fee for the pony is only the first of many more costs to come. A good insurance policy is extremely worthwhile when it comes to pony ownership; as is doing what you can to minimise the likelihood of illness and injury. This is where a pre-purchase exam, or ‘vetting’ comes in. There are many levels of vetting, none of which can promise to detect every current or potential illness and injury. However, you might be kicking yourself later down the line should your pony develop issues that would have been detected on even a basic exam. Talk to your vet about an appropriate vetting level for your situation.
In conclusion, a calm, kind, appropriately-sized, experienced pony with a ‘clean’ bill of health will likely provide hours of fun and entertainment both when ridden and from the ground. This is the kind of pony too, that you as a parent will enjoy spending time with when (as is all too commonly the case) you find yourself undertaking half the yard duties on your child’s behalf. Happy pony hunting!
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