I was part of a local show association where we had a pretty good leadline turnout. We of course had to make sure it was at the right time of day to avoid naptime meltdowns. Well one year we were struggling with what ring to hold it, despite my suggestion of using the smaller ring, i was outvoted where they committee thought the grass ring was a better option. OMGoodness you never saw so many kids topple off the necks of their ponies. if you didn’t have a good grasp those ponies would nosedive into the grass and the kids would just roll down their necks. It got to the point where it was downright comical. No child adult or pony was injured
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That reminds me of this video, which is hilariously hideous. Or hideously hilarious.
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1724613700955598&id=1724613700955598
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Oh, yeah, he’s STARVING!
I agree, its the mother’s who seem to want to show off, I’ll bet half of the kids could care less. There needs to be a minimum age set and certainly the child should be able to hold its head up on its own. This mother may be a “good mother” but she certainly wasn’t looking out for her child’s best interest in this particular situation.
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I remembr as a kid, some new kid at the barn boasting about going to Devon. Then we found out that she went in the leadline division and it basically takes 2 shows to qualify at that level.
I have found (having grown up in the Devon area) that Devon leadline is more about prestige of parents than anything. They want to dress up their baby and go to the fancy show and they have the money and hence time to get their kid there.
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They have to qualify to enter the leadline at Devon? It did not say anything about that in the prize list.
Although we were joking about it at another horse show yesterday, so that the entries in the class could demonstrate their proficiency.
Maybe that will be a new requirement for next year. Lol.
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That’s what I recall from my childhood conversations some mmphrmmphr years ago…
If not, maybe it would keep the “riff raff” out if implemented.
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It just takes an entry fee to enter Devon leadline. You don’t need to qualify. Hence the 6 month old babies, etc.
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Omygawd that pony is soo cute, and yep that’s pretty much what happened LOL
At some of the smaller leadline classes the judge would often talk to each child - what’s your pony’s name, and some other tidbit. Can’t imagine doing that with an infant…
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I don’t remember it, but there is legend that once-upon-a-leadline I dutifully explained to the judge that my pony was naughty and my friend was lending me hers and that she was riding mine. 
I also was reared off during the line up at the National when someone entered their kid on some sort of saddle seat pony and got called into the “test” and the cheering squad went ape because, apparently, that’s what you do at those shows? I got a stuffed toy fox and a standing ovation while waddling out of the ring.
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I was on 7 months of bed rest, the thought of Upperville leadline was what got me through. 
I did, however, pull the kid off the pony for an intermission on the roll top while everyone took a breather as soon as that was necessary.
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Joe Fargis had to pinch hit judge when I took my then one year old to Upperville leadline. He’s not much of a small kid person and looked at me, and to my son, and then back at me and asked “uh, can this one talk yet?”
We have a great photo of myself and Dr Parker laughing while he and my son are staring at each other, quite puzzled about what to do with each other. No ponies, children, or olympians were harmed in the process.
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Doesn’t Joe judge the leadline every year at the Hampton Classic?
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God bless you, the thought of doing Upperville leadline would have put me in the hospital 
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I remember a story about Joe Fargis asking a leadline child what kind of bit her pony had in its mouth, and the child replied eagerly, “It’s a snapple!” He had to try very hard not to laugh.
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No kidding.
I always thought I’d do Devon leadline with my kid. This was his last eligible year, and every year we’ve had a “valid” reason to avoid it. This year I asked him if he wanted to do it. He said no. I was kind of relieved.
Just the thought of parking the horse trailer is enough to give me bleeding ulcers.
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Neither could the guy leading the pony.
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Ironically, that “guy” is Carleton Brooks 
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Disclaimer: I am not a parent (but I am a doting aunt to my sister’s two girls).
My rule with pony rides for children has always been that, if the child isn’t asking to ride the pony, the child is not riding my pony.
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