To think 1 year old child is too young to compete?

[TakeABreakAt12]

A (currently) very famous celebrity has posted recently that her 1.5 year old DC is going to be competing in the Royal London Horse Show She qualified, apparently.

I've been out of the equestrian world for around 8 years now but the youngest child I remember ever competing was about 3, and that was surprising.

AIBU to think it's a bit young?

I put my two year old on a Shetland pony at centre parcs once. Then I took her off again because I didn’t like the way her head was flopping all over the place under the helmet the instructor person clearly thought I was a nightmare.

Mummy is so so proud? Of what? Wedging a baby in a weird seat she can’t move in and bobbing along on top of a pony. Yeah, what an achievement.

Helmets on young kids without the strength in their necks to hold them up! Awful

Third place in 'Cutest Combination' was Rosa on Enigma - I'm guessing that is them.

Yawn. How ridiculous. 🙄

From that picture, she looks more of a toddler than a baby so closer to 2? I’m surprised they are able to ‘compete’ at that age. I took mine for a first riding experience at 3 and the very earliest they would take them on tiny Shetlands was 21/2. My little one was very physically able at an early age but I wouldn’t have put her on a pony at 1.

According to the Riding Club website, Rosie and Toffy came sixth (last), not third!

www.north-mymms-riding-club.co.uk/app/download/5809844608/Results+of+3rd+Showing+Show+4th+August+2019.docx

Yeah, as others have said, despite the name, the 'Royal London' show and indeed North Mymms riding club, whilst perfectly well run and proper events, are not really prestigious competitions, they would be more local/regional events. There is not a chance that you would qualify for Horse of the Year show or the Royal International or any of the big shows with a cub saddle (the special adapted saddle for tiny tots which holds them in place) - you are allowed a handle to hold onto but the child needs to be able to sit independently in balance with the pony and hold the reins themselves etc. Usually the lead rein riders at these shows are 4/5 minimum and they can go up to 7 providing they aren't too tall.

I doubt any harm will come to the child from a little bimble around on a quiet pony on a lead rein in a cub saddle but I wouldn't recommend a child does more than that until they are 3 or 4 depending on growth/strength. Too much riding earlier than that isn't good for their joints and as others have said the helmet is heavy on a little one's neck. Aside from anything else if they aren't physically comfortable they won't enjoy the ride and at this age it's all about fun and fostering a love of the animals. I am sure the mum here knows her child best though and what she can cope with, as others have said there isn't much actual riding to be done in a lead rein class anyway and there is a lot of standing around!

Also, the way 'qualification' for shows usually works is that (e.g.) the 1st 3 in a local class qualify for the regional event, but if there are 8 in a class and the top 3 have already qualified, then places 4-6 will qualify. This applies even if there are only 6 in the class, so you can actually qualify for the next tier event even by finishing a distant last in a local event, if there is a lack of competition! Obviously this will rarely if ever happen in a HOYS qualifier or similar but the smaller regional type events will often want to boost their attendance and class sizes by running lots and lots of qualifiers even if this means the quality of entrants gets somewhat diluted...