I wish I could say I’m surprised by the tone of this thread, but as a new mother myself I’ve gotten accustomed to being judged. Starting the moment people find out you’re pregnant and probably doesn’t stop until your child moves out. :no: OP, raise and have fun with your child however works for your family!!
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That was at a petting zoo, they didn’t offer anyone helmets. Because lice.
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I think you would be better off waiting another year at least, the atmosphere at Devon is nothing like at a local show. I don’t see any upside of sending him in the ring at this age, I’m sure he is not begging to show in the Devon lead line yet but I think you have already made up your mind so just do the best you can with clothes that fit, especially a helmet. If you could find one of those baskets, I think that would be much better than a saddle at this age.
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Cuz that’s a good reason. I’m guessing your child has been riding all this time without a helmet since your trying to find one.
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My younger son showed in leadline once in a local show when he was 2 years old. He was on a dead broke horse with a side walker whose hand was hovering near his leg the whole time. After that, I decided I was being stupid and it just wasn’t safe. At that age he didn’t have the coordination, balance, or muscle strength to stay in the saddle if the horse stumbled or did a quick side-step.
We still did pony rides at home, but his horse show entries were confined to the stick horse class and once or twice riding in the pony cart for costume class until he was 3-4 years old.
And if I didn’t have a strict rule against posting pictures in public forums, I would share some of my adorable child (at ages 3-5ish) on an adorable leadline pony. 
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I would say this to an adult (and I have) just as much as I’d say it to a mom about a child. Invest in a good helmet. Take it and use it anytime he’s going to ride. Period. It is the best safety investment you can make. I’d say it to an adult in a horse, an adult on a bike… do not get on without a helmet. I’m not aware of anyone who has died from lice in the United States. People die every day from sport-related head trauma.
:: off soapbox ::
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My son started showing leadline at 13 months, on my 15.2hh horse, with a side walker. He loved it. I outfit him in an Ovation Schooler helmet, they make a toddler size. For a coat I just got a blazer at Target. The Jods I got the smallest size Dover had, I think a 4, and just cuffed the bottom. Boots were girls lace up ones from Target. A white button down shirt and his straps and he was ready to go. Granted we didn’t do Devon, but we did Del Mar and a few A circuit shows where leadline was held before the Grand Prix.
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I know you aren’t a big fan of the Tipperary but I purchased it’s toddler helmet for my little one (and the next size up for other family members kiddos) and have been pleased with it. The price point is great and it’s light and my toddler doesn’t mind wearing it. We did try it on in a tack store to make sure it was a good fit, so maybe see what’s available in your area?
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You may want to reach out to Maryland Saddlery. My daughter did Upperville Leadline at 16 months and we found everything including boots there. We had the shirt tailored (sleeves shortened and snap collar folded over, so it was half the height), as well as the jods and jacket tailored. We had a size 6 Charles Owen (velvet) helmet. They are hard to find but I found someone here on COTH willing to sell me theirs. Make sure your saddle is appropriately sized. I once borrowed one when I had both my kids doing the same class, and the seat on the borrowed one was way too long, which made my daughter’s leg slip out on front of her. Good luck and have fun!
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I was thinking the same thing, Lice are nothing more than an inconvenience, a fractured skull is not such an easy fix.
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As long as you’re safe and careful , I see no reason he can’t do it. If he and pony are cute, well turned-out, and visibly led by either a BNT or someone who is dressed to the nines, I don’t see a reason he can’t get a ribbon.
I went last year to watch my trainers 13 month old daughter do the LL at Devon. She used a basket saddle, an Ovation helmet, jods that I think might have been meant for a doll, and a boys sport coat. She looked adorable, my trainer was dressed beautifully, and it was generally agreed that if she’d been able to get seen earlier in the class, she probably would have gotten a ribbon just on cuteness factor alone. All of the ponies were dead quiet, but my trainer did make an extra effort to get the basket saddle fitted to the pony and make sure that the pony was quiet enough to handle the basket saddle.
Happy to PM you pictures, this thread is a bit hostile and I don’t want to post someone else and their kid without permission.
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Doesn’t everyone get a ribbon in leadline? In my area they do now, although years ago it was only 6 ribbons IIRC. I would think for such young kids they could spring for a ribbon for each child.
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Everyone gets a pastel blue participation ribbon but they also pin the class.
There use to be more pinning based on the “cuteness factor” (of both mom and kid) but the past few years it has seemed to me that they really are pinning on equitation. The kids who pinned really looked like they were capable of riding off lead (and I know several of them and they were, at the time, riding off lead at home). I feel like the “pin the cute ones” or “pin the ones in the unusual attire” trend is on the downswing lately. The last names of the kids who pin now are familiar last names (i.e. these are mostly trainer’s kids).
I mean, I don’t think being beautiful HURTS. My friend’s daughter pinned a few years ago and her child is gorgeous. But she’s also 2x as tall as the other girls her age and has really uncanny balance. She deserved to pin because she looked like she could (and in fact she COULD) ride. When she was pinned in the olders, she was jumping simple crossrail courses at home (on a sainted pony rather than the fancy once she rode at Devon-- but still, the kid has skills).
I think a basket saddle on a dead broke pony/horse that has been there, done that in the showring is the only appropriate way to do leadline with very young children. It doesn’t matter that the child lacks the coordination, balance, and muscle strength to stay in the saddle if the horse stumbles or takes a quick step because the kid is strapped into a basket that provides support on the back and sides.
You are clearly going to do whatever you want to do, despite the advice of other experienced parents, so it doesn’t really matter what he wears, as long as it includes a helmet. But if he hangs off to the side, he is not strong enough. The pictures for his scrapbook can wait. He doesn’t have to be 99th percentile now to enjoy the sport for the rest of his life.
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Yup. Never been to Devon, but to Upperville numerous times and I imagine it’s similar. The lead line classes last fooooooooreeeeeeever. There are two of them and they’re huge (25+ kids) And more photographs are taken of the lead line than of the FEI jump off and Derby combined. And at Upperville the pinning takes a while because every kid gets a kick ass rainbow tie dye ribbon. (The ribbons are seriously cool. I would enter the adult hunters if they gave them out to the grown ups, too!)
As for the clothes, I agree that the Middleburg Tack Exchange often has stuff in impossibly small sizes. But if you’re going to splash out the $200 or so in entry fees, plus coaching and use of a pony, spend the money to get them custom made. Also agree on the pony. Dead. Like, We-Rented-Robert E.Lee’s-Traveler-from-the-Taxidermist, kind of dead.
30 lbs at 10 months is off the growth chart by quite a bit. But weight doesn’t change the fact that infants have proportionately larger heads and softer bone density than older children,leaving them more vulnerable in the event of sudden movement of the pony or a fall. I wouldn’t have felt comfortable with it with my kids.
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Upperville pins to 8th or 9th IIRC. Everyone else in the class gets the rainbow tie dye participation ribbons. Those ribbons are awesome. Like I said upthread, I could be convinced attempt the adult hunters if they gave us the participation ribbons as well. lol.
Here the lead line kids have to be able to walk and trot (sitting and posting) to be in the class. They don’t have to be amazing but they need to be able to at least try. The class is then split into groups of 7. Kids go in, do their thing, all get a placement ribbon and then can go home. Works great and it means that the kids aren’t going to be in any major danger. I much prefer this option to the one with kids who can’t do anything sitting looking the part.
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Sadly Traveler’s skeleton was buried years back, but I bet VMI would discuss Jackson’s Little Sorrel…he’s even still got his tack on. And he’s quiet. Dead quiet. 
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