What is better for a child to have a pony or miniature horse?

Question

I'm going to the auction tomorrow to buy a pony or horse for my 2 yr.old grandson to learn to ride, I also have a small farm business and would like to offer pony rides. so I guess I need an animal with patience and a good disposition. he will be kept with my 9 yr. old gelded morgan horse

Answer 1

ponies are in a range of sizes and if your grandson is looking for a stable, safe choice, go with an older pony that has a good temper yet is willing to go and possibly jump one foot. a minature horse may look cute, but your grandson will outgrow him and it might be harder to train because it so small that an older, more experienced rider cant train it. plus, if the mini is older, it may not be as mentally...stable. there is a minature horse at my barn and it rears, kicks and bucks, is soo fat that it is fed 1/2 a flake of hay, no grazing nor treats because it is so wild. ponies can be like that but there is a wider variety and its more possible to chose a great one

Answer 2

I gave a "thumbs up" to dddbzg.  I agree with that answer totally but would also suggest, since it's late in the show season, that you attend some local shows, especially 4H shows.  Look for any good ponies whose owners are getting a bit too big for them and spread the word that you are looking.  News travels fast.  I think you'd do better to actually see a couple of ponies being ridden in competition.  You would see exactly how safe they are, and you'll know they have had consistent discipline.  I'd visit some fairs also watch the pony classes.  At least you'd know what you're getting. And you will see what the "other" kids are doing.  And the horses have to be vacinated and a coggins test run just to show.  You know you'll be getting something safe and healthy.

And there are always kids who have outgrown their pony and will be looking for a horse to work on for next year.  You may be able to find a suitable mount for your grandson and learn what to expect if they join 4H.  We have one girl in our club who spent the last two years showing a pony so she could sell it to make enough money to buy a horse for herself next year.  Get to some 4H shows and spread the word.  It's a much more reliable way to find a pony!

Answer 3

really, minis shouldn't be ridden. i'd go for a senior pony or a dead broke horse... ponies are real stinkers, i got a horse before i got a pony if that makes any sense.

Answer 4

minis are not intended for riding as far as i know, and ponies get outgrown too quickly. get a horse or pony of 14- 15.2 hh.

Answer 5

pony, BUT DONT GET A SHETLAND PONY! because they are very stuborn and strong not for a small child! good luck! xoxoxo

Answer 6

Get a pony. he will out grow the mini within a few years. Also minis are alot more harder to keep than a pony. Minis have to be kept on a strict diet an other things. Plus when he gets bigger he has a pony that can jump an he can learn how to ride. Just make sure u find the right pony for him and you.

good luck!

Answer 7

I dont think I would get a pony or min horse...I suddgest QH/Paint/appy!

Ponies are ANORY!!! (sp?)

I have a pony..He is completly AWESOME with me and my expeirienced friends! If I put a younger kid on him (which I have) He runs untill they fall off! rins them trough trees, thorns, etc!

Now, I have ridden a many ponies: I HATE THEM TO NO END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I know they have nice uses..but I have never broken a bone riding a large horse..and I have fallen off them many times in 8 years. But with ponoies..errr

My tail bone STILL hurts (3 1/2 months later)!!!! never mind the scars from trees..!

REMEMBER: ponies go up to 14.2 hands! If you get a large pony its not so bad and they can be quite nice =)

My opinion.

Answer 8

A pony but for a girl I recremand these girly ones:

http://www.equiworld.net/uk/horsecare/Br...

^ This is what I wanted not to long ago. (isn't s/he cute?!?!)

http:////www.equiworld.net/uk/horsecare/...

http://www.equiworld.net/uk/horsecare/Br...

and 4  a boy  I like this one:

http://www.equiworld.net/uk/horsecare/Br...

Answer 9

I have found in my own personal experience (I am not saying this is always the case) that small horses seem to be more level headed and better dispositioned than ponys. That is not to say there are not good ponies out there or bad tempered little horses. We had two ponies that turned out to be keepers - one was old as dirt and the other one was more bluff than action.(we still have that one 20 years later) Other than those two the rest of them have been very stubborn and hard headed and like to pick fights with the bigger horses. Not to mention as your grandson grows a small horse may be the better route than a little pony, as he will need bigger horses as he gets older and if he starts on a smaller horse instead of a pony, it will give him a little more growing room.

I will advise you of this though....be very careful of what you buy at the auction. Horses at auction are not always what they seem. After several bad experiences with auction horses my parents stopped looking there for kid horses. The few we bought there that seemed to be gentle kid horses actually turned out to be 1.)sick/malnourished 2.)lame and buted-up for the sale or 3.) had been administered products like B-Kalm and other tranqulizing supplements to make them appear calm until they were off the other owners hands. I was almost decapitated by one who came to her spirits the first time I tried to ride and ran me through a grove of live oaks. One had to be put down and the other one, once we got her back on her feet was quite spunky but was not too much for my mom and she was like the diamond in the rough.( we still have her too 14 years later) So just be very careful that the so called "kid safe" horses and ponies at the auction are all they are promised or at least have some type of buy-back guarantee.

Answer 10

A pony will last longer than a minature and i know a minature sounds safer but in the long run you grandson will learn more on a pony rather than a minature. Minatures are known to be stubborn and can be unpredicatable just as much as a pony can.

Goodluck :)

Answer 11

This may not be the answer you are looking for but, it has been my experience that a well broke, adult HORSE Will be your best bet. Pony's are more intelligent than horses and many will use their brains for evil. Start your child off right on a bombproof horse. Leave the pony's and minis for now. Your grandson will thank you for it.

Answer 12

I would suggest a mimi. Often, ponies are EVIL!

Answer 13

go for a shety pony.  Minis are good horses but the normally don't go over 10 Hh while pons go up to 13Hh

Answer 14

Carefull!  Horses wind up at auctions for a reason!  Pony, big horse dosnt matter.  Finding a good kid broke horse is rare.  You will pay for one of those, its much cheaper then the emergency room, not counting the welfare of a young child.  Better off finding a real trainer/horse person that has one for sale.  Not a wal mart trainer....Sure horses are down now, but good kid broke horses still bring good money!  Be carefull!

Answer 15

ide put him on something that he can grow with just by looking at his age ide go for a mini at this point

Answer 16

pony, miniature horses an only be ridden by children under 50 pounds. So, even if you get a VERY small pony (even a Shetland) than can hold closer to 100 pounds and more depending on there size...and therefore can give your grandson many more years of riding fun ^^

Answer 17

Most problem ponies are problems because they are ridden only by children.  I bit larger pony that can be ridden by an adult and properly trained is the best way to go, although if a Shetland is well ground trained, it can also work out.  I would not go with a mini...they are so small, however they can be trained to do the job successfully...but won't be useable for as long.

Answer 18

pony but if you put him on a pony someone has to be there but a pony he cant grow out of for a while.