Children and Learning to ride

Hi all,

I wondered what you all thought about kids and when they start riding etc.
How old were you when you started to ride?
What age did you learn to jump?

My daughter Ellie is pony crazy, only turned 4yrs in January and has been riding for almost a year. She has lessons with two different instructors and is progressing really well. Her rising and sitting trot is fab. But she wants to canter, wants to jump and I wont let her yet. I'm just really protective of her and would prefer her to wait a few years yet.

So when did all of you start? Whats your opinions?

Thanks.

Erm I can see your concern.at the riding school I work at the children an start riding from the ages betwwen 4-5yrs old.but this does depend on the child as most children at that age just want to have a sit on a pony.ive been teaching this little girld called issy that is only 5yrs old for about 4 months and she has progressed really well.she has got her rising trot going well and I only let her canter wen I go around with the pony.and she's goin over tiny cross pole jumps by her self-i started goin with her at first.
So maybe if the instructor goes with her and holds her she should be fine.with the jumping it could be something not much bigger then a pole on the floor but its still a jumpo and you will proberly find that the pony will just trot over it ..but you can still get excited and tell her how well she has done.and that she has just jumped!!
I hope this is helpful to you.let me know how it goes!!!
Xxxmicaxxx

Hi well I guess I have just taken my kids for granted and just have always ridden myself and them but the closest I have in age to your child is my youngest who is seven a week ago and she is entering into pretraining dressage and showjumping with 40cm jumps out and clearing 60cm here at home. She does most of schooling with me but I do send her to another trainer at least once a month.

I can remember being slung on a pony at about the age of 3/4 yrs old. I've always had horses/ponies in my life (well I did have a break of a few years) and I'm 33yrs old now. And I am pleased she's taking after her mum, in being horsey, but she's so eager to learn.

I teach her in the school most days or I'll take her for a hack down the lane, she has one proper lesson a week, with an instructor.
I just don't know where to draw the line with her, she has trotted over poles, but she wants jumps! She's obsessed! :roll:

Maybe you shouldn't draw the line as such just take smaller steps..I am assuming she rides with a neck strap to hold when attempting jumps. I found when Jordy and Stephanie started jumping they would lose the saddle just because they were little and I was always pleased they were holding the neck strap as there pony's would have been jabbed in the mouth! As they got better and started to understand the dynamics in jumping I started to raise the heights.
Jumping small logs and skinny drains out hacking is great...even if they step over to start and then gradually jump.....How did you learn to Jump? If you were anything like me it was out when you thought no one was watching

Yeah you are right, wait for mum and dad to go back in the house and then lump some twigs/logs/bushes together!
Aww such fun I use to have as a kid. I don't have half as much confidence now. That's probably why I hold Ellie back a little.

Ellie uses a neck strap and she has a safari cub saddle. So she tends to hold on to either of them. Just holds the reins if she's pottering round the school on her own.

Have you got any suggestions for teaching her canter? I've tried running along side, but Willow just extends, and I'm not the fittest or the fastest of people. :roll:
I do lunge lessons with her on board, but I'd rather be beside her than in the middle, if you know what I mean?!? If she's going to start cantering.

Put a helment on her head and take the saddle away from her if she's useing one. Let her learn to ride bareback.

Lol bear back!Wow maybe that might be pushing it a bit if she is only little.i didnt learn to start riding bear back till a few years ago when I was about 10 or 11 can't quite remember.
Anyway about the cantering is there no other ponies maybe she could borrow to learn to canter on.or take her to a riding school.every riding school as got at leased one old plodder for little people learning to canter or jump(trust me we have loads!!!heheh)
And at riding school you always get the young boys and girls who are fit and rearing to go that can keep up with speedy ponies!!
Maybe try that and see how it goes!
Xxmicaxx

I started to ride, ever since I could walk, but I started jumping when I was about 6 or 7 and you could get yoru daughter to ride in a jumping vest, for more safley, and maybe but her on a loung line and let her jump, so that way she can and you will be right there.

.:Chelsea:.

I teach little children how to ride,and I have some of the kids cantering at a young age if we think they are ready.