Can an 8 year old ride a 14.2 pony?

[nomazeena]

All pony experts out there please excuse my ignorance.
My children all ride and at the moment we have a fantastic arrangement where we borrow 2 ponies on Sunday and pay £20. My 12 year old has outgrown the ponies, she is desperate to get a pony but I cant afford to do both. Would we ever be able to find a 14.2 (min for her really as she's tall and growing) that the others could also ride? Or would it always be unsafe (impossible) for an 8 year old to ride a big pony.
Thank you.

I think as long as the child is comfortable and feels safe and secure then size is no problem imo.
I have know a 8yo who shared a 14.2 with her mum and she got on fine. I also have a friend who lets her 6yo ride her 15.2 who is as bombproof as they come.

I think it compleatly depends on the pony. Obviously if it was a spirited, strong pony its probably not a good idea. If the pony is safe and children happy then you should have no problems.

Agree it largely depends on the child, for me the bigger the better - I refused to ride anything smaller than 14hh by that age and my (then) 5 year old sister went through a phase or riding a 15.3hh old gent.

I share my 14h2 with my 10 year old with no problems. So it depends on the size of the 8 year old and the pony's character.

I don't agree that a 14h2 is the minimum for a 12 yr old though. I'm 5'7" (and not particularly slim :) )and sometimes ride the ponies in class that are 13h.

My tall (5'5"), experienced 12 yr old has recently gone up to a 14.2 Connemara and is doing fine, but she's much stronger than her 13.3hh Welsh/Arab and no way would I have put her on a 14.2 at 8 (actually, she wouldn't have had the 13.3 at that age). I really don't think an 8 year old control a pony that size, so over-horsed kids end up doing less than they could if the pony was the right sze for them.

DD (9 today and tall for her age) is a very experienced rider but we wouldn't put her on DW's 14.2 connemara. The mare would be just too strong and knowing. Fine at the walk (actually she has ridden round the field at walk on her) but her trot and canter would be too ongoing for her.

Having said that I know lots of overseas people start their children on this sized pony seemingly without any hassle so maybe we're over cautious.

I don't think it so much the size of the pony as it's nature and way of going, a strong, forward-going 14.2hh pony would be too much for an 8yr old. Something laid back and well mannered would be fine. At 9yrs old I had a very 'fizzy' 13.2hh and a part-loan on a very laid back 14.2ish cob - which I found easier than the smaller pony. It should be possible for you to find a pony that is suitable for both a 12yr old and 8yr old (even though it may take a lot of searching)

Thank you everyone for all the advice it is very much appreciated. It looks like its possible but maybe not ideal. I dont want to go through the hassle of buying a pony only for my oldest to grow out of it in a year (I'm quite tall and she's heading that way). Its nothing to do with the fact I'd like to ride it too (cough!).

TBH I'm not sure I'm ready to buy, the commitment terrifies me!

I'd say that that is too big. Imagine if it spooked or bolted. An 8yo wouldn't have the strength to stop it.

Saggy I think that argument apply's to everything. All horse's/ponies have the strength to bugger off and not take notice of someone trying to stop them. Its down to how well schooled/behaved they are imo.

I am adult and have ridden 14hh ponies and have struggled to stop them, whereas I have had no problem pulling up my 16hh tb after a brisk canter/gallop. I even have trouble holding my shit of a shetland at times.

I think it compleatly depends on the horse and rider combination.

Yes, but, what are the chances of any horse not trying its luck with new owners? And will two preteens be able to keep up good schooling?
It only takes one incident to ruin a child's confidence. Why stack the odds in favour of the incident? The pony will tower over the child. If it decides to mess about when being led or groomed, what chance does she have?
Dd13 has been riding almost daily for 8 years, and she still only rides 13/13.2. That's plenty big enough for her.
As for the Shetland, we have a traditional. She is a scaled down draught horse. I'd often not recommend a Shetland for children either.