how young can DD start riding lessons?

[drivingmisscrazy]

she's 20mo, adores horses. DP grew up around horses and is very comfortable with them - I'd like DD to learn to ride, but don't know (a) if she is old enough and (b) whether a riding school would take her at such a young age. If we had horses I am sure we would have plonked her on one by now, but alas we don't. Advice welcome!

The only riding school near me that does pony rides for 2 year olds I wouldn't go near. Not just because it isn't BHS, ABRS, TRSS or similar approved. But have had horrrible reports about. So beware any place that starts that young.
Most places seem to start lessons between 6 - 8
years, with one place from 5 where all lessons are with lead rein and assistants till child is strong enough to have some control.
You may be able to find approved place that will do pony rides from about 4.

Agree with Labradorlover, my instructor from when I was growing up always said she wouldn't take any under-fives. Apart from anything, the usual small pony breeds used for riding schools (Welshies etc) tend to be quite round so under-fives tend to be just sitting on top, as opposed to actually learning to ride.

I understand approved riding schools won't let them start before 4 years. If you are quite horsy or know people with young kids who are, I do think it's OK to try it younger but only on a very trusted pony.

DD had her first ride for her 2nd birthday, on a friend's pony, with cub saddle, DH leading, and me holding her the whole time. See photo on my profile. We bought her her own properly fitted riding hat before the day, but it was quite a mission to find a good one small enough. We actually spent more time just brushing the patting the pony which is think is probably more beneficial at this age. But again, pony must be very quiet to allow this.

DS started lessons at 3 - the school we go to does 15 minute lessons for the littlies where they have a leader and someone walking alongside, and he is now 4 and doing half hour lessons with just a leader, and will prob be off the lead rein soon.

He did want pony rides at every opportunity from the first time he saw a horse though !

Ds started lessons when he was 4.11. Took me a while to find somewhere that would take that age and it was important to me it was BHS approved. He is 6.3 now and a very confident rider despite only having weekly lessons. The riding school is very safety conscious and the ponies will schooled (although can be a bit lively). He rode a 15.2 horse in his lesson last week (not sure why!) and he handled her beautifully.

The school insist that beginners have private lessons until they are good enough to join a class. He is in a WTC class and is looking forward to learning to jump.

I had always understood that regular riding was bad for thier backs, under the age of about 4.

thanks to all - see, where would I be without MN? She is also a titch small for her age - OK, we'll just let her look at them and pet them for now...(there are army and police horses in a paddock near us and she definitely remembers and shouts 'horses, horses', 'clip clop'!!)

DD got her own pony for her 2nd birthday (kind Godparent...) and she was quite happy to go out hacking using her handle. By the time she was 3 she was doing local showing and gymkhanas.

I think there are insurance issues with riding schools giving lessons to the very young though and most won't take them before 4/5.

Perhaps try to find somebody who had a small welsh pony that she can sit on. Maybe ask the other mums at nursery etc.

DD started going out on a lead rein when she turned 4. She is quite small for her age and so isn't quite ready for proper lessons yet, but the lovely girls who lead her chat to her about horses/tack etc and are gradually teaching her a lot. They go out for 30 mins.

When she is 5 or so (and big enough) she will start having private lessons, then at around 6 if she is good enough she will start group lessons.

The stables are BHS registered and are also a Pony Club centre.

We used to take them at 3 (except one 2 year old, who's Dad, we found out later, had lied about her age lol).

Not "proper" lessons; just half hour ambles round the fields with a leader and someone walking alongside. They learned how to hold the reins, how to stop/turn etc.

The trainee instructors usually took them; it cost the parents less, it gave the trainees some experience, and the tinies were generally less intimidated by the younger girls.

When they moved up to proper lessons with "proper" instructors, they'd already been taught the basics in a relaxed and fun way, and their attention spans were better.

I remember one Mum bringing her 3 year old to us who had tried the riding school up the road; the instructor had been saying things like "Move in harmony with the pony". To a 3 year old!