Pony Rides. How Safe Are They?

[PeteyPie]

In light of the other thread where someone was searching for a baby basket saddle for a shower gift I started thinking about pony rides and the risk of setting a child on a horse or pony for a few minutes while we walk beside them. I am all for using helmets and promoting safety procedures around horses. But honestly, I think we go too far sometimes. I have the impression from things I have read on COTH that people consider pony rides where the children have a seatbelt and are strapped in to be way too dangerous. Honestly, I don’t agree.

I have never seen anything approaching disaster on any of those pony rides and I am (cough) years old, been around for decades. I have seen it done two ways, with a person (usually a teenaged girl) leading the pony, and with the circular carousel/hot walker type of setup. The ponies always look well taken care of, bored and placid. There are several attendants and they seem to know their stock. Parents often walk beside the pony their child is mounted on. I have put my own child on a pony which was led around and my child wore a cowboy hat, not a helmet and I was a careful mother. I still don’t think it was an awful or risky thing.

I am willing to see the error of my ways. I can imagine all sorts of horrible things which could occur, but I believe in managing risk sensibly, by the probability that something will go wrong and by the severity of the probably outcome, and by the benefit of the endeavor.

What say you?

[Training_Cupid]

I say it’s up to the parent to decide if it’s right for their child. Personally I think they’re fine, sure there is some risk as with anything but I have never seen any problems (but then again I am not a mother)

[rockonxox]

We do pony rides at our pony parties that we threw this year. Everyone wears a helmet and we have the kids walk around the arena with us leading (and for the very small ones another person on the other side just in case balance becomes an issue) for quite a while and then we will go on a “trail ride” (aka we walk by the smallest pony on the farm and then by the foal because those are interesting to kids) and then go back to the barn. We use ponies that are good to be lead and are our beginner lessons ponies as is. Trying to get them to move forward can be harder than anything else

As for the carnival pony rides… perfectly safe every time I have done them. If the kid has no balance then parent walks by them if they wish. I haven’t seen or heard of the carnival pony rides having any issues with child injuries. Not that there aren’t, but those ponies are very even keeled. I would feel comfortable with this kind of situation (versus a pony being led by an individual) not requiring a helmet.

Why would you seat belt a kid to a horse? That makes no sense and would be quite dangerous.

[PeteyPie]

@rockonxox

We do pony rides at our pony parties that we threw this year. Everyone wears a helmet and we have the kids walk around the arena with us leading (and for the very small ones another person on the other side just in case balance becomes an issue) for quite a while and then we will go on a “trail ride” (aka we walk by the smallest pony on the farm and then by the foal because those are interesting to kids) and then go back to the barn. We use ponies that are good to be lead and are our beginner lessons ponies as is. Trying to get them to move forward can be harder than anything else

As for the carnival pony rides… perfectly safe every time I have done them. If the kid has no balance then parent walks by them if they wish. I haven’t seen or heard of the carnival pony rides having any issues with child injuries. Not that there aren’t, but those ponies are very even keeled. I would feel comfortable with this kind of situation (versus a pony being led by an individual) not requiring a helmet.

Why would you seat belt a kid to a horse? That makes no sense and would be quite dangerous.

The carnival rides I have seen lately, as in the past two decades, have a belt system on the saddle. It’s not tight, but it provides security to keep the child from sliding off. However, it would also make it a little slower to snatch a child off the pony in an emergency. Perhaps, “seatbelt” was not the most precise term.

[NC001]

Anything can happen but a child on a reliable lead lined small pony the risk is low. I would still have them wear a helmet because kids fall of stuff all the time. Many kids end up interested in learning to ride thanks to pony rides.

[atr]

If the cowboy hat was a shared part of the experience, I’d be more worried about that than the pony

[Sueby]

@atr

If the cowboy hat was a shared part of the experience, I’d be more worried about that than the pony

LOL! So true with kids :lol::lol::lol:.

[candyappy]

I have pictures in my own photo albums of me on one of those pony rides where the child is in the basket type thing, huge smile on my face.

My mom said I cried when they tried to take me off the pony and I was just 1 yr old… She took me and my brother often ( he cried when they put him on)!

My own kids had pony rides on our own shetland pony from when they were old enough to sit safely on them and hold on. Myself or husband leading and someone walking beside.

Nothing wrong with either. Use common sense and be safe, just like anything else…

[beau159]

You mean to tell me what we did as kids wasn’t safe? :eek::eek:

My brother and I riding around ol’ Pete.

My daughter is almost 1 1/2 years old and she’s already addicted to riding the mini ponies around that my mom bought. She gets mad when we take her off Jelly Bean. I’m already creating a little monster.

Safety is important. It really is. But I think with social media shaming, parents get a little too worked up about safety.

We all survived just fine. Our kids will too.

[Highflyer]

Lapbelts are probably not a great idea for anyone and especially not for kids of greatly varying sizes. I think it’s generally an acceptable risk to lead the kid with a sidewalker on a sensible pony/horse in a safe environment.

[rockonxox]

@PeteyPie

The carnival rides I have seen lately, as in the past two decades, have a belt system on the saddle. It’s not tight, but it provides security to keep the child from sliding off. However, it would also make it a little slower to snatch a child off the pony in an emergency. Perhaps, “seatbelt” was not the most precise term.

It has been over 2 decades since I have seen a pony ride in person. I don’t remember the belt system when I used to ride them, but being that I was six or so I may just not remember that feature. I think a strap like that is more of a false sense of safety and, knowing horses, I’d rather a walker next to the kid than them being strapped in or what not.

[skydy]

Or you can just let them have a go at it. http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/v-peace

It’s hard to imagine something going horribly sideways at the old fashioned carousel pony rides (the mechanical rides were probably more hazardous) but those are the only commercial pony rides I’ve seen.

I can’t remember if there was any type of seat belt-ish restraint. I only remember wishing the pony would be let loose, so we go faster.

[Crown_Royal]

@beau159

You mean to tell me what we did as kids wasn’t safe? :eek::eek:

My brother and I riding around ol’ Pete.

My daughter is almost 1 1/2 years old and she’s already addicted to riding the mini ponies around that my mom bought. She gets mad when we take her off Jelly Bean. I’m already creating a little monster.

Safety is important. It really is. But I think with social media shaming, parents get a little too worked up about safety.

We all survived just fine. Our kids will too.

OT, but I have a pony that looks SO MUCH like your Pete! I probably don’t have any photos that give justice to the similarities, but I thought I was looking at my guy!

[RosePrincess]

Pony rides are probably around the same level of safe as those baby-baskets for a bicycle or those little trailers you can hook up to a bike. A very, very large majority of children probably never experienced any remote danger with those things, but the risk isn’t at zero and there are still horror stories.

I do think a helmet is a good idea even if all the kid is doing is sitting on a horse that isn’t moving, or is being led around in circles at a slow walk. Even though you can expect the risk of serious injury to be pretty small under those circumstances, there is still some risk. Plus, you just really can’t go wrong encouraging helmet use at young ages or encouraging them to wear it no matter what they’re doing. I also think you should put a helmet on your kid if they’re riding a bike or even a tricycle.

I wouldn’t be okay with a strap though. I mean, I assume it’s probably loose enough that the kid could still fall off if something went horribly wrong, but I’d rather not risk it. Ultimately I’d much rather have a young child fall off a pony as soon as it started spooking, than risk the pony getting away from me and dragging the child off with it.

[NC001]

@RosePrincess

Pony rides are probably around the same level of safe as those baby-baskets for a bicycle or those little trailers you can hook up to a bike. A very, very large majority of children probably never experienced any remote danger with those things, but the risk isn’t at zero and there are still horror stories.

I do think a helmet is a good idea even if all the kid is doing is sitting on a horse that isn’t moving, or is being led around in circles at a slow walk. Even though you can expect the risk of serious injury to be pretty small under those circumstances, there is still some risk. Plus, you just really can’t go wrong encouraging helmet use at young ages or encouraging them to wear it no matter what they’re doing. I also think you should put a helmet on your kid if they’re riding a bike or even a tricycle…

I agree with the comparison of bikes and ponies. Kids rides bikes and while you can control the bike to some extent, you can’t control other cars. I see adults in roadways riding with their kids in bike trailers and it stresses me more than a kid on a pony. Cars hit bike riders all the time.

[IronwoodFarm]

I have a GF who makes a good living on pony rides at local fairs and such. She has bought a number of Fjords from me because they are calm and quiet. Horse do not wear bridles and are lead by the halter in a circle. Western saddles, no straps. No hemets to my knowledge. GF doesn’t wear a helmet when she rides, but that is a vent for another thread.

We give leadline lessons on Fjords. Kids are lead, sometimes by parent (if capable) and sometimes by us. 30 minutes and the child does learn to do things on horseback. ALWAYS has a helmet on. Also, shoes with a heel. Safety is a big deal to me. I can’t imagine strapping anyone to a horse. I teach the older beginner kids to let go of the reins if the horse pulls away while leading. I would rather have broken tack than a broken kid.

[beau159]

@Crown Royal

OT, but I have a pony that looks SO MUCH like your Pete! I probably don’t have any photos that give justice to the similarities, but I thought I was looking at my guy!

I see the resemblance!!

[MorganMadonna]

I am all for pony rides on a lead but I do not like the hot walker style rides. Too many bored ponies left to stand around, usually only one attendant for multiple ponies and don’t think it’s safe to be on a horse strapped to something solid. You stand a better chance of reducing injuries if you can fall clear of the pony without other obstructions. Helmets are a must even at low risk and no straps unless they are a balance strap to hold onto with your hands.

http://wqad.com/2014/07/14/pony-kicks-girl-at-niabi-zoo-grandmother-catches-it-all-on-camera/

[alibi_18]

@beau159

We all survived just fine. Our kids will too.

Well, it’s not like we would hear from those who haven’t survived…

Safety measures are put in place because there were injuries and death.

[PeteyPie]

@MorganMadonna

I am all for pony rides on a lead but I do not like the hot walker style rides. Too many bored ponies left to stand around, usually only one attendant for multiple ponies and don’t think it’s safe to be on a horse strapped to something solid. You stand a better chance of reducing injuries if you can fall clear of the pony without other obstructions. Helmets are a must even at low risk and no straps unless they are a balance strap to hold onto with your hands.

http://wqad.com/2014/07/14/pony-kicks-girl-at-niabi-zoo-grandmother-catches-it-all-on-camera/

Well, that video did not show a riding incident and I really don’t think the issue was too few attendants. I think in that example, the attendant did not do her job properly of taking a child off the pony and then making sure the child was out of the ring before attending to the next child.

Have you ever heard of children getting injured from a fall caused by a pony? It must happen but at the same time it must be very rare because I’ve never heard of it, which is amazing considering some of the sketchy looking outfits I’ve seen.

As for the bored ponies, I am not too sympathetic. A few hours of gentle walking in circles is no more boring than some of our jobs, and it’s probably good for those fat little guys.