Gymnastics or horse riding?

[toddlerinterests]

My 3 year old DD has recently shown an interest in both gymnastics, ever since she watched it on the Olympics and was transfixed. She's been trying to copy the moves ever since and enthusiastically says "mummy I do nastics, watch me!" . I plan to take her to gymnastics toddler taster classes as she can't join properly until shes 4 next year anyway.

However she also seems to love horses, as we discovered recently. She had her first pony ride a few weeks back and we both agreed we've never seen her smile and giggle as much. Immediately afterwards she was saying "again!"

Partner and I aren't in agreement about which activity to hone her interest in on a more permanent basis - I think gymnastics is the way to go, I'm of the view that this is likely to be cheaper and safer. Partner thinks horse riding during to how she reacted when she rode on the pony (however she hasn't tried gymnastics as yet so we don't know how she'd take to that). I'd like to have one or the other as a regular weekly activity for her, if that makes sense.

Also, I'm aware that she might grow up to hate both 😂 But I'd like to at least try and hone her interest in one or the other from a young age. Any thoughts on which way to go?

Riding is expensive, and can be cold and wet.

But it's a lifelong hobby - I have known people who have ridden well into their 70s and even 80s. If you learn when you are young, you never really forget and can take it up again later in life. You can become quite an accomplished rider with no pressure on you to compete or anything like that. It also teaches you to consider the needs, wants and moods of another living being, and to learn a bit of cross-species communication.

Gymnastics (and I'm viewing this from the outside, never having been involved) seems to get very competitive very quickly if you're any good at it.

At 3 she could definitely move on to proper swimming lessons not toddler ones. My 3YO does 2:1 lessons with a nursery chum and can actually now swim the length of a small pool. So I’d do that. Then I’d go with dance or gymnastics. Horse riding is great but at 3 they don’t really have the strength to control a pony properly and it’s a crazy amount of money to be lead around on a lead rein, plus the outdoorsy aspect may be off putting whilst she’s so young. I’d park it for now and if she’s still keen look to start her when she’s 5-6.

At her age, just let her see what she naturally takes to.

Competitive gymnastics is brutal from a physical and mental point of view. Unless you have a lot of money, your daughter is more likely to be a recreational horse rider than professional.

Horse riding is something you can do for as long as you are well enough (Elizabeth II rode well into her 90s) but you’re unlikely to do gymnastics beyond your mid twenties.

This might be the best of both worlds

My dc ride and we now have a pony that they share as I can't afford 2. It's more than a hobby. It's a complete lifestyle! Hard in winter l. Has ups and downs. It's a living being with its one. Thought and feelings. I don't think they can learn all the skills involved from any other hobby as it's about far more than just their riding ability. Keeps the teenagers out of trouble too!

@InTheRainOnATrain
Your 3 year old can swim the length of a pool unaided? 😳 Wow that's incredible. I mean, DD has been going since she was 6 weeks and obviously at her age now they have progressed to more challenging skills but she still cannot swim unaided and is on a "woggle" flotation device with me supporting her as she practises. They do a class for age 4 upwards too so I'm planning on keeping her in the classes and hopefully she will get to the swimming unaided point soon. She's really confident with jumping in (obviously I catch her), but the swimming part is taking her a bit longer. It's pricey at £70 a month (weekly half hour lesson), but it's an important life skill so I want to keep her at it!

Horse riding as it has much more potential to be a lifelong passion. I don't know anyone that carried on with gymnastics past childhood. Also horse riding has the benefit of being outdoors (although obviously there is potentially the option to ride indoors). All the gymnastics places we've been to have always smelled horrible which is another negative!

Horse riding!

Pony clubs would be a place to interact with other kids and an opportunity to build up self-confidence and resilience. So much better to learn as a child and it is a lifelong hobby you can pursue, unlike gymnastics.

Nothing is set in stone anyway, let her try various activities and she will hopefully find something she really enjoys.

Ballet is nice too :). And swimming.

@toddlerinterests if I was you I'd knock these swimming lessons on the had if your aim is actually to teach her the skill and not just as a social event for you. Take her swimming regularly yourself - play lots of games, throwing a water ball so she has to take a couple of strokes hoping out of her depth, diving for sticks, making floating shapes etc. she'll progress much quicker.

I taught DD to swim and then just put her into classes when she needed to improve her technique, learn tumble turns and things like that - straight into grade 4 and flew through the other grades. Saved a tonne of money and we were able to swim together far longer than what the cost of a swimming lesson got you although I appreciate most swimming pools offer short timed sessions than before COVID.

It’s a small pool and he’s definitely not doing a proper crawl or anything yet but yes. I think the key is that it’s private lessons, well 2:1 because it’s a bit cheaper and the nursery mate actually encourages him, but no parents in the water and the emphasis is definitely on swimming rather than playing. Maybe depends where you are but all the private swim schools here are 3+ for proper lessons and its only the council pool that waits until 4, but that’s because they do larger groups. Not going to pretend like it’s cheap but it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than his sister’s riding lessons!! So I think that would be far better value for you than riding at her age. Definitely 5+ for riding, maybe even 6 if you want her to actually learn anything as opposed to just being lead around in a circle. You’d be wasting your money with a 3YO.

@toddlerinterests
I would be wary of gymnastics- there is often a dangerous undercurrent of a negative attitude to girl's bodies particualarly as they get older. IMHO she's still too young for riding lessons- although riding is a fantastic hobby. Beware the spiralling costs though!!Do you have a Pony Club near you?

Is there Street Dance or something like that? May be a good idea until she's a little bit older.

Some riding schools don't start till 5. I would press on with the gymnastics, as it's inexpensive till she starts competing, and the skills she learns (balance, fitness, flexibility) will help with riding or any sport. Although my eldest did ride at 5, she also did gymnastics (briefly) swimming, running/athletics, trampolining, football, and later sailing etc - basically we tried every sport. In the end she stuck with the riding, it was the one she loved most.
Can thoroughly recommend Pony Club if you get your own pony, she learned so much more than riding school and made so many friends.

I'm an ex riding instructor whilst 3 year old can have fun and gain confidence, I don't think they learn a huge amount at that age. I'd go with an occasional pony ride until they get older

Realistically, no decent riding stable offers lessons younger than 4 and even at 4, it’s very hard to find. 6 is a more typical age to start lessons if you don’t own your own pony.

She’s still a toddler, let her try lots of different things. As a horse person, if I had to choose, I wouldn’t steer her towards riding. It’s expensive and time consuming (£25 per half hour lesson where I keep my horse) and you’d need to ride 2-3 times a week if you actually wanted to get into it.

My dd does trampolining and climbing and plays cricket. We did try her with riding but I’m grateful it never took off!

Horseriding will cost a fortune but could become a lifelong passion and activity

I figure not many folk are still summersaulting along a beam at 40!

Body image issues, eating disorders, bullying, emotional, physical and sexual abuse is rife in gym circles. It is very pressured and also very, very hard on growing bodies. DD is 5 and it’s one of only 2 things on my “not a fucking chance” list. The other is Brownies due to their stance on trans.

I’m also a bit anti ballet although I loved it as a child and do watch it. It’s not quite as bad as gymnastics but can be.

DD is starting drama soon, just completely for fun and for confidence- so mix of performance which will include some dance potentially. I think she will love that. Not at a full on drama school, just a local fun group.

Horse wise she is just starting proper lessons at 5, I’m horsey and we just borrow small ponies as mine died recently. I don’t think you need lessons until 5+. We will do pony club next summer.

My DD (10) has tried lots of clubs & activities.
She does swimming (has done since a baby) & is nearly at the top of the levels. She'll move on to Rookies then.
She did Ballet for a year or so (toddler/preschool) but we weren't impressed (mainly the teacher tbh, her studio has gone bust) & DD decided she wanted to try gymnastics. She stuck that out for about 3 years - stopped when the pressure started to get more intense; she was never going to compete/be in squad so the pressure just made her lose interest/confidrnce plus she had an accident which didn't help. I think it's quite obvious from a young age if you're going to be good at gymnastics, & that's when you're offered squad - if you're not, just stop when it stops being fun.
She tried & loved archery - but the location put her off, so I'm hoping she might rejoin in a few years when she can attend a more local club.
Also tried Cubs but wasn't her thing. & she does do guitar lessons in school & enjoys that.
She started horse riding in December & loves it. She only does one 1hr lesson every two weeks; no intention of competing or owning a horse so it's just for fun & love of animals. We pay £22 for 1hr which is a lot more than most clubs hence only every other week.
I'd wait on the horse riding lessons till she's older; but try lots of other le now & see what she likes.

Body image issues, eating disorders, bullying, emotional, physical and sexual abuse is rife in gym circles.

That's absolutely awful and worrying, I hadn't realised. I've got her booked in for a toddler taster session at our local gymnastics place this afternoon, it's more like a soft play type set up I think with gymnastics equipment suitable for little ones. I'll see how she takes to that and go from there. But this has given me food for thought tbh, as I absolutely do not want to risk exposing her to any of the above!

I've done both as a child - didn't stop riding until after uni when it became impossible with new job location.

Gymnastics gives long term flexibility and core strength which are very handy for horse-riding, dancing, fencing, swimming and diving. I'm not sure there is huge value in starting her at riding before she is 7, there's quite a lot of cost involved for such a small child who won't have the strength or motor control as yet.
I'm sure there'll be lots of horsey folk along to say they started as a toddler and were hunting to hounds by age 5 but that's the sort of experience you get with your own pony, not 1 hour a week.

My own kids have tried several things over the years, ballet, dance, gymnastics, horse riding [8 years] and a myriad of school sports. Ultimately kids who immerse themselves in a sport and do it to a high level are driven so by themselves and only the most pushy parent will make them achieve a certain level through sheer willpower [theirs not their child's].

So my recommendation would be to try lots of things but let the child drive it. I've always insisted on a minimum time commitment though in starting something new especially if there is a high entry cost in "gear". It's far more important that they are active and enjoying it.

I did sell horse riding to my husband on the basis that pony mad girls don't have eyes for boys for years and years ..... :) But they've never had the passion for it that I did [early mornings mucking out for free in the freezing cold] and knocked it on the head in their early teens.

Get a horse and she'll never be able to afford drugs or Botox.

Also any partner that steps out of line will get that look as a first warning; they won't need another.

Win/win 🐴

Gymnastics is one of the best starting sports in terms of strength, flexibility, fitness.

Horse riding can be started much later, I wouldn't want to be trailing around on a lead rein for years with a tiny tot.

Apart from needing to keep heels down instead of pointed toes I switched easily from gymnastics to riding aged about 10.

If she does both she could end up doing equestrian vaulting

My dad bought my pony partially as a tactical diversion to keep me away from boys (non horsey family), and in my mid 40s I have one pony mad child (got her first pony age 3) and one completely ambivalent one (who has the older pony now and enjoys pony club but it's not "in her" like it is the other one). It's totally a lifestyle and costs me thousands in both pounds and hours but is amazing for mental health and I wouldn't change it!

Is it not possible to do horse-riding without having a p