8yo is not too young to start dressage. I know of at least two 8yo kids who have earned a USDF bronze medal, which requires scores at Third Level. I would suggest you research available barns and lesson programs in your area to see what resources you have. Pony Club is an excellent way to go, if available. A dressage-only barn with lesson horses available would also be excellent, and I’ve found that dressage and eventing barns with mostly adults can be very welcoming and encouraging to young kids – it all depends on the person who heads up the barn as to the tenor of the atmosphere there. And, no, saddle seat doesn’t provide a solid foundation for overall good horsemanship as a general rule. Depending on where you live, if you can find a barn that attends one of the three yearly Young Dressage Festivals (NY, Atlanta, Michigan) staged by Dressage4Kids, that would be a plus and provide a “team” environment.
WOW!
I know quite a few 8 yr olds that I would consider excellent riders for that age. They are showing quite succesfully in the small/medium hunters, but I can’t imagine that they’d be physically or mentally capable of riding a decent 3rd level test.
You won’t get much love for saddleseat on this forum. Take it with a grain of salt. I rode saddleseat as a kid/adult and now starting dressage somewhat seriously. I still hate dressage saddles, they are so constricting and sticky. I prefer my slick cutback. I still have my balanced seat, can sit a spook, ride forward, and show my instructor some tricks with a double bridle. Took me 2-3 rides to get used to the head being low and not using my thighs the same. She will be fine in whatever direction she goes. I agree pony club is great, let her ride as many disciplines as she can and just have fun.
I actually wish that I began riding dressage first and at a very young age. I honestly think it would have made me a better rider. I’ve lived in and been to other countries where children are started off with dressage training and I think it is valuable and can give them an advantage.
So I’d absolutely let my kid take dressage lessons.
If I knew a kid who wanted to do dressage, or really start riding in any discipline, I’d recommend to start them in vaulting. It’s a great foundation for riding, because they learn balance & an independent seat so can be very confident at controlling their own bodies on a moving horse before they start trying to influence the horse. Also, with all the dismounts they do, they learn good skills for safely parting ways with a horse. Starting with vaulting for kids (before dressage & jumping) is common Germany. Closer to home, Akiko Yamizaki’s (Steffen Peters’ owner) daughter vaulted at a high level (including WEG 2014) when she was little, then started showing in dressage at FEI pony level more recently. Plus, it’s a heck of a lot cheaper as vaulters don’t really own their own horses unless they vault at a really high individual level.
8 isn’t too young to start dressage. I would recommend finding your local United States Pony Club chapter. It’s a great way to learn and be social outside of weekly lessons. They can help get you ready for eventually owning a horse, and they offer dressage and eventing tracks of learning. If they aren’t based out if a lesson barn they can definitely still point you in the right direction.
All of this is exactly what my 11 year old is going through right now! Four years of lessons plus 2 years of hunter jumper shows and that the 1st cross country event she tried she was hooked! Dressage has been challenging, almost starting over from scratch, and it’s been challenging finding an instructor who was as good as her hunter jumper coach who had the right balance of firmness and reassurance. She’s still determined to continue with eventing though so I’m not holding her back. We just also joined pony club which has been great! Highly recommend!
