This is just my personal experience, it completely depends on your kid but 5/6 is old enough for lessons where they can start learning to push, kick, post, and steer a little. I’ve had both 6 year olds that can canter in a group (on a very smooth safe pony) and 10 year olds that cannot post after 5+ lessons lol it really just depends on the horses you have and how much your kid is into it. As long as they are having fun though they will improve.
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This is so true. I’ve known 7 year olds who can ride well and do almost all grooming and tacking up on their own with a stool and a little oversight, and an adult to lift up the saddle onto a regular size horse. I’ve known other 7 year olds who aren’t strong enough to lead a pony from paddock to barn without the pony hijacking the trip over to the grass and refusing to proceed farther. They also don’t have the physical strength to hold up and clean feet. Yep, it is about the individual child, not so much their numerical age.
Among the horse-struck kids I know presently, there are two children who are doing riding lessons with no enthusiasm because a parent wants them to. The kids won’t speak up that they don’t enjoy it. A third one loves riding and horses but is regularly stressed because the parent’s goals for her riding are far beyond what she is ready for. The parent is ruining the experience for this little girl. Hopefully they all three do get something positive to go on with.
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This is such good advice. I had a dumb@ss of a horse drag me like a waterskier out of the indoor arena and down the barn aisle to go back to his stall.
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Sounds like that horse is the opposite of dumb.
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