How long would you make a child wait for a pony

KP nut

I'd rather be riding.
Dec 22, 2008
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So that:
A) You were sure they would stick with it and
B) They appreciate it!

Some of you will remember that my old pony Charlie was destined to be a 'family pony', though when I first bought him only I rode him as the kids were still very young. But when when they were old enough to ride him he was still too sharp. He also always felt too small for me at 14hh because he was quite fine. So Charlie I was sold to a competitive SJ home and I got a loan pony for them and Thyme for me. But by then they had spent years hanging round the yard, most of the time not even riding. And they were bored of it. And though I thought having a suitable pony to ride would make all the difference, actually within few weeks they started making a fuss about going to the yard again. It wasn't fair to make them miss out on things they loved (ballet and gymnastics!) because there was never any money or time left. So Thyme and the pony left......
That was August 2012. Early this year they started asking for lessons again. I said no for several months but in the summer I let them. They are loving it. Also 5 out of 7 girls in their class (it's mixed year groups in their form) have a pony now. When we had ponies there were no other friends or even children up at the yard. They spend lots of time up there anyway with their friends now. And they have stopped ballet and gym too.

I an still officially saying no to another pony but actually I would love one. Especially a chunky native type we could share..... So WWYD
 
Give in gracefully and enjoy! My parents used to always say how glad they were that I was so into horses and never lost interest. My mother used to say she always knew where to find me and what I was up to right up to the day I got married. I suspect she slept easier for it!:)
 
ASAP !! I never had one in childhood ( but I shovelled everyones horses shit in the village to get a ride on ponies!) However when I had children my eldest daughter got hers when she was approx 5 but rode from about 3, My youngest child recently entered he first show aged 2 ! alough on a borrowed pony as unfortunatley Im not in a position to purchase right now, otherwise she would have one! However even at her age she helps me to feed out pets, she feeds her cat before she asks for her own breakfast and does not jump on animals or pull poke and prod. I think its wonderful to teach them about respecting animals and responsibility. My eldest didnt stick to horses but she always rode well and had good animal compassion.
 
If you can afford it and they are genuinely keen , not just on riding but on caring and not just because friends do. Interestingly most of our really good RS helpers realise they could not make time in their teenage/exam studying lives to look after a horse even if parents could afford to buy one. The one who did ended up paying full livery costs.
 
Do it! Get a genuinely suitable perfect allrounder for you and them to share. You only live once, why not?! You are missing it, it would be great for you anyway, and if they show interest/keep interested then perfect, if not then u get a pony just for you to enjoy!

So when can we start pony shopping for you?!?
 
Hmm I say go for it too. Making a child wait a long time for a pony doesn't guarantee they'll be dedicated once they've got it - nor does giving them one straight away mean that they won't be. If they are keen now, why wait! I agree with above, get one you would like for yourself and then if they do lose interest you can just nab it from them :D
 
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I think I made a mistake expecting novices to ride Charlie Pocket Rocket. He was so lovely on the ground but YEEHAA under saddle and they fell off a couple of times. Then when they had Tara they had no confidence in themselves. They were ok in their weekly lesson on her but never wanted to ride any other time. And they saw me knocked unconscious in a horsey accident too which didn't help. So it does feel like a better time now: they are keen, more confident and more independent. Plus I now work fewer hours so they wont need to come up every day. Hmmm I was expecting you all to say 'make them wait at least a year!" Now I'm thinking oooooooh new pony.......?????
 
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I was in a different situation as financial we couldn't afford a pony for me when I was younger. Again I still worked hard at the RS and enjoyed been around them as well as the riding side of it.
When I was 16 it was either give up the pony I was part loaning or find some how to pay for her. So I went out and got a part time job.
 
I would get one on loan. A friend borrowed my guy for her daughter whilst I was taking a break to see how she got on. Everything was super the first three months then school and other things for in the way and she was left looking after him as well as her own so he came back and she told the child she wouldn't have her own.

Might be an idea
 
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I would feel very sad though if the child adored said pony and did it all by the book, for the pony to then have to go back to the owners suddenly for whatever reason ! Pros and cons for sure.
 
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If child is unable to help look after said pony no matter how adored it's not fair on the parents to have to shoulder all the burden. Only time I didnt muck out my own ponies was when I was too sick. My parents made sure I appreciated what I had and the work was done by me from a Young age. I think kids get to easily these days, but many fully appreciate what they get but unfortunately life and change happens and ponies aren't compatable with this. Have perused many an ad for horses and ponies saying school/uni/exams forces sale as well as child lost interest.
 
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I do think this is a slightly different situation - Krissie is also a horsey mum though. She would also love to have a horse again irrelevant of the kids interest (I think). So I am sort of looking at it as get her something again, but a true allrounder suitable for everyone. Then the children can return to riding and enjoy having a pony again....but if they lose interest then Krissie can continue having the pony for her anyway? (May be totally wrong but that's how I read the situation?)

I am a horsey mum, Sophie is only 18 months old but I do hope in the future to acquire her a pony (I would be looking for a loan pony though - purely because I get too attached and wouldn't want to have to sell on when outgrown!). I too would want Sophie to do stable jobs and have responsibilities from a young age, as I do think it is important. And yes if she eventually lost interest I would then give the pony back....but that's because I have my own horses. Perhaps If we were sharing one I wouldn't send it back though as it would be my riding horse too....
 
Thanks for all the replies. We can afford it (giving up horses for over 2 years did wonders for our finances!) but that doesn't mean I want my kids growing up thinking they can have everything on a plate. Having to work for something is good I think.

But on the other hand, I also think having an outdoor hobby with responsibility is also good and there are plenty of other things we make them work for.

I did consider loaning. But pony would be as much mine as theirs. So I would have to choose one that really appeals to me too. It is quite hard to find a pony with enough character and zest to satisfy me while being sane and sensible for them.

It is slightly different now because my son is now able to walk home from school and let himself in. And to walk to his many after school activities with his friends. So the impact on him will be zero. The main reason I sold Thyme is that the whole family was significantly affected by a horse no one else had any interest in. And I could not afford full livery. But my son and his dad are now passionate cyclists and are out all the time doing that. And the girls want to ride. And I could also now afford full livery if it came to that.
 
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I too would say for it. I keep looking for a pony for my best friends little girl and she's not even my child. Lol purely because Firstly I would love Belle to have a paddock buddy and secondly I adore my friends little girl but her mum isn't in a position to get a second pony and last just because I'd love another to take care of. OH would divorce me though so its not going to happen. Life is too short and if you know you can take another one on even if the kids get bored or are to busy then why not. :)
 
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If child is unable to help look after said pony no matter how adored it's not fair on the parents to have to shoulder all the burden. Only time I didnt muck out my own ponies was when I was too sick. My parents made sure I appreciated what I had and the work was done by me from a Young age. I think kids get to easily these days, but many fully appreciate what they get but unfortunately life and change happens and ponies aren't compatable with this. Have perused many an ad for horses and ponies saying school/uni/exams forces sale as well as child lost interest.

I absolutely appreciate what you are saying, I look at life though were only here once and its not necessarily spoiling a child or giving them stuff to easily getting them a pony. As long as you have installed proper ethics to said child in the first place regarding having animals then I dont see it as spoiling. If you can afford it thats great, Id rather they had a pony and got into the great outdoors everyday then a brand new playstation being glued to that daily.
 
I had a pony as a kid - from the age of 9 till 17. I hadn't asked for one, they bought my sister and I the two of them, when we moved to the country and it was a village full of kids on ponies so it was the done thing.
I loved it, my parents paid the field rent, but I paid for everything else - feed, shoes, although they covered vet bills. My parents owned their own business so I was employed bagging tatties and we sold horse poo to locals for 50p a huge sack!
My ponies were kept 2 miles from my house up a steep hill and my sister and I had to bike it over there to ride and check on them every day. Inevitably, we both got bored and fed up and at one point I was keen for them to sell the two ponies and buy me a horse when my sister went to university.
BUT. My parents wouldn't allow it. They were extremely strict with us and we never escaped feeding and checking on them, I learned the value of sticking power not being allowed just to give something up because I couldn't be bothered. Something I see very often in young folk nowadays - giving up jobs far too quick etc. I appreciate this must have been hell for my parents dealing with us and forcing us, but I always loved the horses. I resented my parents sometimes because it wasn't my choice to get one, they were given to me (which sounds incredibly ungreatful I realise!) but I came back to horses later in life and still five years later there's not a single day I wouldn't want to go check on him.
So what I'm long windedly saying is,if they want a pony, get one, but IMO, id then be moving heaven and earth to make sure they bloody well look after it and you're not left to care for it alone because they've lost interest. Valuable life lessons to be learnt and I'm proud of my sticking power these days - I owe it all to my parents!
 
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I think that's great advice. To be fair to them, they had ponies thrust upon them before they were old enough to have any kind of view on the matter. And in the end I didn't think it was fair to force them to be interested in my interests rather than their own. But this time it's different: they are asking for a pony. If and when I talk to them about it there will be a clear understanding of the commitment needed.
 
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