What would happen> if....?

Question

i have 4 grandkids. i want to take them2 ride horses. one is 9 and one is 13 the other 2 are 15. should my 2 youngest ones ride ponies or not? how do ponies ride> how do horses ride?

i was just wondering. please give me links and great info thanks!

Answer 1

Age alone is NOT a determining factor in whether a child is suited for a horse or a pony. There are plenty of 13 and 15 year olds who ride horses ( some of which are very tall horses) and there are even some smaller horses that are ridden by children as young as or younger than your 9 year old. What matters in determining the suitability of a particular horse is the rider's ability and level of training, as well as that of the horse. There are pony sized horses that get ridden by adults- and likewise, there are 16 and 17 hand horses that get ridden by children and teens. Comfort and safety are also factors in determining what size horse is appropriate for a particular rider- it is true that ponies are somewhat easier for a smaller child or adult to reach  when mounting or dismounting, but that should not be the only thing taken into consideration. If a child has never ridden before ( and it sounds from your question that your grandkids probably haven't, or if they have, it was quite a while ago) then he or she needs to be mounted on a quiet, well trained beginner's horse- and they come in all sizes. Your grandkids sound as though they might be interested in taking some riding lessons- I would check the local phone book where you live for the names and phone numbers of local farms and barns that offer beginner lessons. Now that spring has arrived in most areas, summer camp is another option you may want to think about, at least for the older kids. If the older children are really into horses, then one other possibility is for them to offer to work at a local stable in exchange for lessons and training with a coach. Most major stables offer a program of this type, and virtually all summer camps have or offer horseback riding to campers. For a list of the camps near you, check out the website of the American Camping Association or ACA. Good luck, and I hope this helps.

Answer 2

Well when I was littler I rode a huge horse...It was very gentle, I guess it depends where you are gonna ride it, if you are gonna ride it on bumpy rodes and things like that I would try a medium sized horse, ask the kids which they would ...unless it is a surprise!! Below is a link: http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d000801-d00...

I dont know what the website is about I didnt read it! I hope it helps you out!!!

Answer 3

You should let the 9 year one for a 14hh pony.  The 13 year can use a 15hh horse along with the other two.  You should get a very gentle pony as most ponies areplayful and would run off in the middle of a ride.  It goes the same for horses, get gentle ones to be on the safe side.  The person there will teach your grandkids how to ride.  One important thing, never let your horse think you are scared of it.  Else it will have its own way.  I ever had this problem before and the horse just would not listen to me.  So freaky.