Starting a Pony vs. a horse

[Horsey Chick]

Here are the Questions!

How old should a small pony be when started?

Why does it take ponies longer to develop then horses?

Can a pony be started in harness at a younger age then being started with riding?

If my pony is 520 lbs(and still growing) and I am 105lb can I train her to be ridden, when she is old enough? Can she safely carry me?

 

[shandy84]

not younger than 2 1/2 better around 3 1/2 or older

I don't know the true answer to this just know it normally applies to natives and cobs

I wouldn't like to would consider the above age for any backing to take place as they have to be with you in the mind before they can cope with any work

I'm not very good at converting lbs but at a guess I would have said so, it does depend on the age build and breed of yur pony though

 

[Horsey Chick]

Dollie

My baby is suppose to be a mini! But she outgrew her (not so mini) mom and (reg. mini)dad before she was two. She's about two and a half right now and as solid as a stump. She looks sooo strong. Her legs aren't super thick, but looking at a "big" horse I'd say that they are proportional(sp?) to her body. She is about 40 inch last time a measured her, but that was a few months ago and I know she's grown.

 

[Mehitabel]

i tihnk 105lb is light, although to be honest i am terribly bad at converting weights...

what type of pony is it? has it had a good start, been fed enough, how mature does it look? they vary enormously - some have early growth spurts and are well developed at three, others need an extra year and are only ready to be ridden at four.

it's worth waiting if you have doubts, as too much work on growing joints and bones can drastically shorten the working life and lead to arthritis or other problems at an early age.

it takes ponies longer to develop than horses because horses in general have been selectively bred and 'forced' to grow quicker. over many generations, especially with thoroughbreds, they've been bred for racing and selected to be able to run young, with little thought about how long they will last. so an animal with TB blood, which is most horses, will grow quicker and mature earlier. a horse with draught blood, descended from the bigger horses who evolved naturally, will be slower maturing.

ponies are more 'natural' in how they've been bred, and they still mature slower, the purebred ones, anyway.

i wouldn't start a horse driving before it was mature enough to be ridden, it is all work and stress on the bones and joints that a baby can do without.

 

[Horsey Chick]

Dollie

Here's a picture of her when she was a yearling!

 

[Horsey Chick]

HC

Her legs aren't really that bowed out, but it was kind of slippery that day.

 

[Wally]

My view is- it is not just the damage that can be done physically, but the mental stress you put on a horse by starting him too young that is damaging.

I know TBs are supposed to physically mature faster, but what about their brains. baby horses are baby horses, same as baby people. Ask a Nursery school kid to do its "A" levels and then keep nagging at the poor child and take away its childhood?

Mini or TB, Hairy fat cob or shire. I wouldn't ask them to do any serious work until they are at the very lest 3 and at better 4. I have left some until 6 to grow up and they have come at far better than having rows with them once thier brains have matured.

I think 105lbs is about 7.5 stone, if the horse is of about 40 inches and of good bone and not been deprived ( seems not as he has outgrown mini status ) then you'll be able to ride him no bother once he's 4 plus years old.

 

[Horsey Chick]

Wonderful

I love my hairy chubby pony. I am so glad to hear that I should be able to ride her someday. My parents wanted to sell her because she is such a nusance(sp?). But she has sooo much personality! She learns new things so much faster then my horse. I think it's because she is interested in learning. I think she will be a really fun riding pony, even if all we do is explore the farmyard.

I can't speak for the first 6 months of her life, but after that she has had lots to eat and good farrier and vet care. As far as I know she hasn't been deprived.

I think she seems very mature mentally and physically for a two year old. Although I can tell sometimes that she is still getting taller and getting more bone.