Age to start riding lessons?

[Pehsness]

I’ve been tentatively looking around for lessons for my 3 year old daughter. I was pretty sure she is too young, but stumbled upon a local (looks to be predominantly western) barn that says they start “kiddie” lessons as young as 3. Cheap at only $15/half hour.

Is that way too young? We have my old mare and a mini at home. She loves to pet them and brush her mini, and would love to “ride” the mini - unfortunately the mini has other ideas and isn’t interested.

I started when I was 10, and I vaguely remember my first instructor not taking kids younger than 7.

[joiedevie99]

5-7 is normal. 3 is fine for pony ride style lessons, i.e. horse is on a lead line, games are played, etc. I would not want a 3 year old attempting to learn to ride independently - not enough motor skills, attention span, etc.

[Pehsness]

[QUOTE=joiedevie99;8228234]
5-7 is normal. 3 is fine for pony ride style lessons, i.e. horse is on a lead line, games are played, etc. I would not want a 3 year old attempting to learn to ride independently - not enough motor skills, attention span, etc.[/QUOTE]

I wonder if that’s what the “kiddie” lessons are about. I haven’t even put her on my mare because my DH isn’t overly horsey and I wouldn’t feel comfortable without someone at her leg who isn’t afraid of horses and a knowledgeable person on the lead.

[Pehsness]

[QUOTE=joiedevie99;8228234]
5-7 is normal. 3 is fine for pony ride style lessons, i.e. horse is on a lead line, games are played, etc. I would not want a 3 year old attempting to learn to ride independently - not enough motor skills, attention span, etc.[/QUOTE]

I wonder if that’s what the “kiddie” lessons are about. I haven’t even put her on my mare because my DH isn’t overly horsey and I wouldn’t feel comfortable without someone at her leg who isn’t afraid of horses and a knowledgeable person on the lead.

[emipou]

My trainer is from Germany and she always recommends to start the really little ones out in vaulting. She has a number of toddler vaulters. They learn how to safely fall off and they learn how to feel the horse’s rhythm without worrying about reins and steering.

I’m not sure what age she recommends the move over to saddle lessons…

[shamumu14]

I think 5-7 is a good age as well. My old trainer took kids as young as 3, but she led them around with pretty much just walking. Good luck!

[Pehsness]

Thanks all. If she IS going to express an interest in horses and riding (and my wouldn’t that be nice… mommy could ride too!) I would like to start her as early as possible, just to give her that advantage. Maybe I’ll check out this western barn in the fall and see if she enjoys the lessons.

[poltroon]

I think it’s probably better to wait too long rather than start too early. 7 is a pretty good age, because that’s about the time they are starting to be independent and really understand what is going on.

You can start them younger, and my daughter did, but I don’t know that it’s hugely beneficial to do so even if it is fun for the adults. It’s expensive and you also risk either (a) making the horses boring or (b) having a scary experience.

Being in a riding school situation is best if you can arrange it, because the horses are constantly worked, totally used to little kids, and there are other kids to have fun with.

[Pehsness]

[QUOTE=poltroon;8228254]
I think it’s probably better to wait too long rather than start too early. 7 is a pretty good age, because that’s about the time they are starting to be independent and really understand what is going on.

You can start them younger, and my daughter did, but I don’t know that it’s hugely beneficial to do so even if it is fun for the adults. It’s expensive and you also risk either (a) making the horses boring or (b) having a scary experience.

Being in a riding school situation is best if you can arrange it, because the horses are constantly worked, totally used to little kids, and there are other kids to have fun with.[/QUOTE]

interesting… I always felt like 10 was too late to have started.

It definitely wouldn’t be formal - just a fun thing to see if there’s interest. And if there IS interest, by the time she was ready to be more “serious” all of the foundation would be laid.

I don’t know… I guess it’s just a crapshoot.

[emipou]

[QUOTE=Pehsness;8228259]
interesting… I always felt like 10 was too late to have started. [/QUOTE]

Of course it was! I never forgave my parents for that.

[Pehsness]

[QUOTE=emipou;8228263]
Of course it was! I never forgave my parents for that. ;)[/QUOTE]

See?! I just KNOW I could have been an Olympic athlete if only I had a 5 year head start and a pony of my own

[high_hat]

I don’t remember where I read this but it has always made sense to me. If you have 2 ‘normal’ kids who are riders. One starts lessons very early and the other between 8 and 10 by the time they are 10 or so they will riding with the same proficiency.

Many people start kids too early when their bodies are not proportional. Kids under the age of five are much more top heavy even ‘head’ heavy. They just can’t balance as well. You are also dealing with a small attention span and limited vocabulary. If you wait until later much of this goes away.

Lead line is fine but I like the idea of vaulting so much better. I think it is really hard to find those lessons though. When I’m approached to teach the itty bitty kids I suggest they start out with tumbling or ballet. Come back and see me in a few years.

I’ve also seen that it is really the moms that want to ride but they don’t feel they can spend the money on themselves but can on the kids.

[poltroon]

[QUOTE=Pehsness;8228259]
interesting… I always felt like 10 was too late to have started.

It definitely wouldn’t be formal - just a fun thing to see if there’s interest. And if there IS interest, by the time she was ready to be more “serious” all of the foundation would be laid.

I don’t know… I guess it’s just a crapshoot.[/QUOTE]

I think 7-8 is pretty ideal. At 10 there is time spent in ‘catch-up’ - but on the other hand, 10 year old kids catch up very quickly in skill.

What I see, watching kids in a large and kid-only lesson program, is that 6 months in, you can’t tell which 8 year olds started at 8 and which ones started at 5. They’re all about at the same level.

The ones starting at 5 have more adorable pictures of course.

What I also see is that many of the kids who start at 5 don’t stay in the program. Now, why that is, and whether they would have stuck with it if they’d started later, I can’t say.

There are some kids who are completely gung-ho and ready younger, and who are focused and able riders remarkably young. But, they are exceptions.

With the youngest kids, you need to be much more careful about managing the experience to keep them safe and confident. This is x10 if you are guiding the riding yourself on a private horse.

[shiloh]

Not too soon at all. At my last barn we had a trainer there who had a little 3 yr old girl taking “lessons.” She sat on the horse, learned to hold the reins right and do basic stop and turn. She “helps” the trainer clean stalls with her very own little pink rake, shovel and bucket. But most of all she is learning SAFETY. She sticks to the trainer and when the trainer tells her something, if she doesn’t do it - she gets a privilege (like helping brush the horse’s tail) taken away. She has a ball. She sits on the horse and her face is nothing but teeth she’s smiling so big.

Maybe watch a lesson if you are not sure about this particular trainer? Go and have fun. (Lucky kid she grumps to herself :lol:)

[findthedistance]

PATH International (the therapeutic riding association) has a medical advisory board whose recommendation is not under age 4, unless the child is under the direct treatment of a licensed medical professional. The major concern is microtrauma to the spine from the disproportionate weight of the head and lack of neck/core muscle development in very young children.

It’s one thing to put a child up for a quick leadline pony ride photo op, but for lessons on a regular basis? I’d wait for a little more skeletal maturity.

[findthedistance]

PATH International (the therapeutic riding association) has a medical advisory board whose recommendation is not under age 4, unless the child is under the direct treatment of a licensed medical professional. The major concern is microtrauma to the spine from the disproportionate weight of the head and lack of neck/core muscle development in very young children.

It’s one thing to put a child up for a quick leadline pony ride photo op, but for lessons on a regular basis? I’d wait for a little more skeletal maturity.

[Appsolute]

[QUOTE=Pehsness;8228253]
I would like to start her as early as possible, just to give her that advantage. [/QUOTE]

I am not sure starting super young gives them an advantage.

I started riding - taking lessons etc when I was 8 years old. Joined Pony Club soon after.

It was a big club, with many riders in every age group. About 15 of us in the 7-10 age. Some had started “riding” right out of the womb - and I was the “late” starter at 8 years old.

Within that first year, I, and some of the other “late starters”, I had bypassed most of the “life time” riders.

Maybe its because we were kids who BEGGED their parents to ride - rather than kids who were born into riding (and had little other choice) - but I did not see the “early start” as an advantage.

[WendellsGirl]

There’s plenty of learning the little ones can do! The problem is you need to devote private time to them and most barns want to run group lessons. It also depends on the kid being horse crazy. A 3 or 4 yo who is only moderately interested in riding isn’t going to work out. You can’t force a 4 yo into anything they don’t want to do!

I’ve taught a handful of 4’s and many 5’s, they can be a treasure or a headache! Some have stuck with riding long term, some have not. If you can find a good teacher with saintly ponies - go for it!

[charismaryllis]

My barn has the five to seven yo’s on leadlines doing game type stuff; independent riding starts at eight or so.

[Kalele]

Totally depends on the kid. I think for most kids that age they want 10 minute pony rides and they’re done. Some have a longer attention span. I wasn’t allowed to start riding until I was 8 because my mom was afraid I was too small. My little sister started at 5 since I was riding, but just wasn’t there mentally. She stopped and then started back up again at 7, advanced very quickly and ended up being a great little rider.

If its cheap and the horses are REALLY safe I don’t see why not if she will sit through it. I think its ridiculous when parents go to a show barn and pay $50 for a “lesson” for their toddler.