4 year old - first lesson!

[babycorn]

Just needed to share as bursting with excitement that I've booked dd's first riding lesson! I've been riding on and off for twenty years, sadly had to give up my beloved loan when I was pregnant and won't be able to ride myself for the foreseeable sadly, due to becoming a single parent (and London prices ) I will be living vicariously through her!

Anyway, it's at a yard that I've ridden at before on occasion (not where I used to ride as they don't start lessons until they are older), but I just wondered if anyone could tell me what to expect from a half an hour first lesson? Booking etc all done online these days, so not really much info. I didn't ride til I was older so not much knowledge about what they do with the littlies.

Thanks!

The weird ecstasy advice aside () I'm so glad she enjoyed it! TP have the most amazing tiny ponies. They are so cute and some aren't much taller than a (large) dog. It's a great age to start. My daughter's best Pony Club friend has been riding since the age of 2 (although she didn't come to TP until later) and she is now 12 and has had no falls at all(!) from any ponies.

@SilkLabrador Definitely can't afford drugs from myself or kid after all the Le Mieux matchy-matchy sets 🙈

for myself*

Lovely to hear she's enjoying herself! I'd say in terms of progression the more she can ride the better, short frequent sessions are the best at this stage (stopping before they get tired or fed up!) but your bank balance will doubtless be the rate liming step, once a week or once a fortnight absolutely fine...

It is a dangerous sport, no doubt about it and it's important to take safety precautions (most importantly a properly fitted helmet but also body protector is a good investment if she's going to be riding regularly), and also to ride at a properly regulated, approved riding school that has well trained ponies, qualified experienced staff, appropriate first aiders available etc. Sounds like OP's daughter is doing about the safest form of riding there is and the benefits and enjoyment more than outweigh the risk - which is the equation we all have to perform every day whether it's about riding a horse, crossing the street or popping an E !

Thanks @maxelly for the sensible post! And everyone else! I don't think I'll let her have e's yet, will stick with the riding lessons...

She loves it, and properly concentrates for the full half an hour, doesn't want to get off, so lovely to see.

Think I will try and do once a fortnight, for this year anyway, won't be as much time when she's in reception

Before you know it she will be joining Pony Club! Pony Club do weekly lessons on weekends and it's a great way to make horsey friends. My daughter's best mates are from Pony Club/riding

Definitely encourage the drug habit - it will be substantially cheaper. 😆. For now it's just the lessons but in a couple of years time she's going to be watching This Esme and Harlow and flipping popcorn on YouTube and wanting all the gear. By then she'll be in full hour lessons, then she'll want a share pony because rocking up to ride for an hour isn't enough, then the competition entires and spending your days hanging about a cold yard and mucking out while they have all the fun..... Seriously though it's such an amazing thing for them to do, the confidence it's given my dc is amazing and worth the sacrifices, plus I'm never stuck for what to get them for birthdays and Xmas. There's always something they need

@Fet2021duejuly2022

It’s good to be aware of risks, just make sure you get her a proper padded jacket (I had one that was supposed to help prevent back breaks which obviously worked well when I fell off). Anyways it’s just always been a stat that’s always amused me - the very idea that taking ecstasy is by far safer for children that sitting on a horse 🤣.

Not really "far safer". If you take the number of children taking ecstasy and the number who ride horses, I would imagine that would account for the difference in likelihood of dying from either.