My daughter is about to turn 4 and has expressed interest in riding. I of course jumped up and down with glee (on the inside) while my husband was griped with sheer panic at the thought. Opinions on what age to start them?
I started at four and have since taught 3.5 year olds at youngest…in so much as you can teach them at that age. I have a nineteen month old, and have friends who have their little littles on now and or “lessoning” at 2 or 2.5 but I think four is reasonable for some/many kids, it really just depends on your child’s particular temperament and attention span.
Mine started at 3 in 15 minute double saddle lessons on a 28 y/o Morgan.
I didn’t let them ride independently till 6/7 until they had decent body control. But they did leadline independently at walk and a few steps of Jog. Mine just were not ready. Some kids mature earlier.
I had four --three daughters and one granddaughter. The horses were “mine” and the rule for riding was you had to be able to get on and off by yourself. Then once that was something the child could do, we just sort of rode. Official lessons were now and then --but nothing formal, really, except riding --and since I had jumps, jumping. Kids rode in helmets and boots, but sometimes without saddles and sometimes with halters instead of bridles. They had polo games (brooms and basketballs or soccer balls), made up contests, and held pretend horse shows with no one having much idea of what happened at horse shows. Gradually the oldest found her way to eventing. My horses grew old and died and were replaced by more suitable horses (but lessons were still not something we did formally). Kids played at Western riding, Saddle Seat, side saddle, and driving --because we had all that stuff and the horses just kind of did it. But once the eventing started, we began to work with trainers and enter some bigger horse shows (kids, not me, I groomed). At the apex of our family showing, kids were riding CIC** -and showing ten venues a year. Kids got older, law school, jobs etc and now only one is still in the game and has a nice horse she’s eventing when time permits --two retired horses are here and my two fox hunters. My rambling point is that we never did lessons when the kids were little --we just rode. As a family. Had fun. I know it’s not always possible to raise kids like that, but one lady at the hunt club is down in the mouth because her 5 year old “doesn’t like riding.” I find myself wondering if the kid-o likes riding, but just doesn’t like lessons --inside, around and around, someone telling her what to do --but I guess it probably varies by individual --that the girls were as successful as they were in horse trials was probably more do to luck finding excellent trainers and fantastic horses than a firm basis in riding lessons. Oh, one kid was US Women’s Polo Player of the Year --highest scoring rider in the US --again, more due to great horses and luck than years and years of riding lessons.
1 Like
My kids “rode” and showed in leadline and costume class on ponies starting at age 2-3. The ponies were always under the control of an adult or older cousin and always with a side walker until they were about 4. But, they didn’t take formal lessons until 10-11, when they expressed an interest.
Keep in mind that the littles have over sized heavy heads and underdeveloped necks. Any quick sharp movement can do damage. I let ours sit on a safe mount, in a stall, with adults on both sides. We graduate to in hand pony walks w side walkers.
I use a Wintec pony saddle. I don’t use stirrups I let their legs hang long, they are only walking, not really riding yet. I don’t let them put both hands on the grab strap in front, it curls their body. They use one hand in front and the other behind on the saddle cantle so sitting up straight is what ends up feeling right for them. We go slow, never scare them. This works well at about age 3. At 4 we go for short neighborhood road walks, the kids love to hear the clippy clops on the asphalt. There’s a little grass rise so we start walking them up and down.
Real riding doesn’t happen until 7 or 8. I want them to have enough strength and confidence and I need them to want to ride. They will passenger at first; they need some length of leg and strength to learn to become an effective rider. I also drive the pony, so they get buggy rides and sleigh bells.
I recommend getting a mini for kids to learn to handle from the ground. They can groom and learn to lead something their size.
​​​​​
​​​​​​
1 Like
My own kids rode bareback w a halter and a lead line tied for a rein. They turned a water tank over for mounting. I don’t think we had a saddle for them for several yrs. Then they rode Western and English. We’d go out all day wilderness trail riding 6-8 hrs up and down steep ravines. They would always get asked where they learned their following seats. They never had a formal lesson until they were mid teens.
so there are many rds to Rome. Biggest thing is it has to be fun, not judgmental.
2 Likes
My daughter started taking lessons at four and a half. Started out on ponies, and then her first OTTB at probably close to eight. First a school owned horse, and then she got to ride my retired racehorses. Still riding at 30, and always on OTTB.
1 Like
I had a pony at home, so my son rode from a very early age. I’d take him around the yard or on trail rides, with me on foot leading the pony and him holding the grab strap when he was 2-3. I tried teaching him stuff at an early age, but he wasn’t strong or attentive enough to really learn until he was about 5. I’ve seen some 4 year olds who can really learn, but they are not the majority. So I guess my answer is “it depends”. If you have a horse at home that you can just play around on and give extended pony rides, go for it now! If you have to pay for actual lessons, it might be better to wait a year or so, unless money is no object and you don’t mind paying for glorified pony rides.
ETA: I just found pictures of him at 4 1/2, where he is holding the reins and seems in control of the pony at the walk, but holding on to the grab strap on the longe line at the trot (with a giant smile on his face). Actually, upon closer inspection, he is holding one rein correctly and one upside down (driving rein). He is riding with contact, though.
1 Like
Getting kids started early in riding isn’t really about the riding. If your goal is to raise an olympic rider, there’s no advantage to starting at 4/12.
Getting started early gets the child comfortable around ponies and provides fun time together for parent and child. It’s a chance for you to share something you love with your child, which can be a special experience.
It also can be worthwhile to establish it early as one of your child’s activities (in this world where modern kids are expected to sample a bazillion different activities).
There is a lot of a 4 1/2 year old to learn–grooming, picking feet, how to feed a treat, how to lead a pony. Kids at that age love to feel strong and capable and grooming and managing a pony really hits the spot. The sensory experience of grooming, handling and riding a pony can be a very positive influence on many types of kids. Of course, time spent outside in the fresh air is also very important for children’s development.
Ages 4-5 is a great age to start learning responsibility and understanding the concept that a pony is a living creature that depends on us for food, water and care. Being around ponies is also a great model to teach kids about the feelings and needs of others. Kids at that age are ready to learn the importance of kindness and how to be sensitive to others and a pony is a great place to start.
3 Likes
My daughter started bi-weekly lessons at 3, she now rides 3-4 times a week 1-2 lessons and has her own pony. She competes in low level dressage and will start jumping at shows this year. She started on Shetlands and now is riding a Welsh section A and her own pony (144cm). I can now ride at the same time as my daughter and I love that we have the time together at the barn.
1 Like
My daughter did pony rides (various stages of being held on by me or hanging onto a strap, etc.) from age 2-4. Right before she turned 5 I started taking her over to a nearby barn for riding lessons, and I also started letting her loose in the arena on her pony at home while I rode (she didn’t “ride” per se, but aimlessly wandered around the ring just having fun for the 30 min or so that I was riding my horse). I thought that the lessons she was taking were more about fun and getting the chance to ride slightly more tuned up ponies than her own for all of her 5yo year and weren’t really about “riding” until she was closer to 6. Now she rides 3 horses/ponies a day with me and is my constant little horse companion. 
2 Likes
My daughter started at 3 1/2. She was on the lunge line for a good year or so before she was able to start to ride on her own. They just don’t have much strength or coordination at that age, but she loved to “ride” and be around the pony. She started showing in walk trot at 5 and stayed in that division through 6. She did cross-rails at 7, and now at 8, is doing short stirrup and green rider (2’ and 2’3" with oxers). She’s schooling 2’6" at home. She loves it and is totally horse (pony) crazy. I could not be happier!
1 Like
since we have horses at home all but one of kids rode pretty much as soon as they walked…the youngest and the oldest were most active… those two were very competitive between themselves, always trying to out f=do the other
Could not find the youngest when she was five, looked around the neighborhood, checked with all of friends, started to go into panic mode until I also notice one of the horses was missing also… so checked to see if she had tacked up the Morgan and ridden off… but found both the horse and daughter in the barn… she saw a picture somewhere of a bitten-rig so she made one for her horse … she was “training the horse” … she actually had reproduced a bitten-rig correctly. Ok dear how did you get this on Foxie (14.1h pony) … I stood in her feed bucket and made her turn around so I could hook everything up … yeah five year olds both the daughter and the horse were the same ages - they grew up together.
This daughter could handle a double bridle at age five, on her tenth birthday she rode a 45 mile competitive trail ride by herself (she did have a junior rider vest on so the others were watching out for her also) … older brother and wife also rode this ride but dear daughter was off with a group of her own choosing
Youngest son never really got into the horse thing much but theses does ride polo ponies some in NYC … he did have to display his riding skills in Morocco when he had to prove to the model who was was being photographed that the camel was not going to harm her, he rode it around some to show her the camel was friendly
oldest daughter was a natural excellent rider, but she thought the horses wee too dirty…even so she and her sister were both Gold Metal Equitation riders
1 Like
I first sat my son up on my retired mare with me at 8 months old and we only took 4 steps forward. He rode a few times tandem in front of me until about 1.5 years old and then he started “riding” on his own at a walk with a side-walker. I try to get him up on her a couple times a month. Some days he’s all about it, some days he isn’t and I don’t push him. When he says he’s done… he’s done. He’s not quite 2.5 yet so even if he gets on for a minute and a half, I call it a win. He loves giving his horse treats, pats and kisses.
His first leadline class is scheduled for this summer and I just can’t get over how adorable his little habit is.
I don’t plan to do any “lessons” until next summer when he’s at least 3.5, if he’s still interested. I started riding when I was 6.
My son started lead line on both my mini and ottb when he was 2 years old. He’s 3.5 now and is riding the mini independently (in the roundpen) at the walk and on the lead at the trot. He doesn’t have the attention span to do it more than 10 minutes so I will wait for him to get older before we do “lessons.” For now he is content with just walking around the roundpen and learning how to feed, groom, and lead “his” mini.
1 Like
THIS.
DH loves mountain biking. We got DS on a balance bike as soon as he could walk. We got a bike with tires that wouldn’t be too hard on our hardwoods and we let him ride the bike around the house. He rides it so much, he’s almost ready for pedals.
DH and I both love to board/ski. We started DS on skis as soon as he could walk. He’s now able to ski short distances by himself, but can’t yet steer or stop. I’ve graduated from skiing with him between my legs to him in front of me on leashes.
We started him camping as an infant.
Riding, Biking, Skiing, Camping, Hiking, etc for us isn’t about pushing our kid or us hoping for an Olympian. It’s about spending time with our son doing sports and outdoor things we love to do. It’s about introducing him to these things that will be a huge part of his life. If he keeps up with them as he gets older, great… if not… that’s ok too.
4 Likes
The caution I’ll add is that it’s really easy to scare them at this age or otherwise overface them. A saintly lesson pony who is in work all the time and used to little kids is a wonderful way to start them - but not all of us have this on hand. So really take care and always prep/check in with the horse that day before putting a little kid up.
If they have a bad experience they may not want to ride when they are old enough to really appreciate it.
IME they won’t be ready to do real lessons until 6 or 7, and also a lot of what makes it fun for kids is riding with other kids. Find a program that has a good string of lesson ponies and group lessons for the kids and that seems to hook 'em the best.
My kids were on a pony as soon as they could hang on. Pony was lead and someone was beside them as we walked. They just progressed from there. They had no fear and it was a great way to spend time.
As they got older we would take walks on our property with me leading the pony and the kids taking turns. They had a great time, we spent quality time outside and everyone got exercise.
1 Like
Yup, kids ages 3-6 or so are very impressionable. If they have a single fall, or get stepped on or nipped a single time they can quickly totally become averse to horses and riding. So if you start early, you have to be prepared to make sure it’s a good experience.
2 Likes
