Buying toddler Shetland or something to last longer ?

[Gmaes]

Second post in a day can tell I’m struggling with any and all decisions 😂 Potentially looking to buy a horse in the near future, I have a preference towards buying something at the top end of pony height like a Connie or welsh D, so me and my daughter can share from day one and I much prefer the idea of buying something we will have and have purpose for forever. However she is three, does anyone have any toddlers that ride bigger ponies, some are saying I should get her a Shetland or something smaller as she may struggle. My budget is healthy so I’d be looking to get something super safe either way and would keep it at a tidings school most likely so could potentially loan a smaller pony. Any advice or personal experience would help, I often see little ones on bigger ponies but not sure if she’d struggle more than I realise

I think even with the quietest, saintliest Welsh D or Connie it's going to be many years before your DD can really ride a pony of that size - maybe if she's very tall at 7 or 8 (and even then I don't think it's ideal). For pottering around on the lead rein (which is all she'll be doing for a while yet) she'd probably be fine of course but if you want her to learn properly she needs an appropriately sized pony. There's a little girl on my yard of about 7 who rides her sister's 14.2 connie sometimes and her legs barely reach below the saddle so to use her legs she has to flap and bang them around for him to feel the aid, she gets exhausted quickly, it's not good technique, the pony mainly just looks confused and overall it's not much fun or use for anyone.

That being said if you want a horse for yourself I'd get one that suits you for now, your DD is so little yet you really don't know if riding is going to be something she wants to pursue in the long term and like I say all toddlers can usefully do is have a quick sit on and be lead around on a lead rein and a bigger pony can do that job as well as a smaller one (or even better because an adult can be the main rider to keep them well schooled and quiet which is the problem with Shetlands and minis and why they have some a reputation for being badly behaved, if they never have a proper competent rider up they never learn, so it all has to be done from the ground and not everyone puts the effort into doing that so they end up badly mannered and renegade). So long as the horse is quiet and not so big you can't reach up to hold her on that would be fine, but be honest with yourself that's it's your horse that your DD has a sit on sometimes rather than a true 'share' - personally I think genuine mother/daughter shares where both ride the horse equally are only really viable from about 10-11 onwards unless there's the unusual combination of a very tall DD with a very small and lightweight mother, until then the needs in terms of size and type of horse needed are just too different.

So if and when she wants to start actually riding (i.e. using legs, steering, rising trot) you'll need to either get her lessons at the school or loan/buy something suitable (I'd skip the shetland stage altogether for the aforementioned reasons and get a nice section A or dartie type of about 11.2). But that sounds like it's possible for you - can you afford to keep 2? Even if not buy the horse for yourself now and worry about DD later would be my possibly selfish advice!

A 3 yr old can sit on any size pony but for actual riding they need a tiny pony . Personally if I were you I’d get a horse / pony the correct size for yourself and look to loan / share for your daughter if she stays interested . We are a horse owning family and both of my children rode as youngsters but both had given up by 7/8 , as we don’t sell anything that means I now have a 31 yr old pony on full livery and 2 adult children .

Ah I think your right I am just so keen to have my own I toyed with the idea of just getting a little one and being patient but like you say she may not actually choose to go through with it ! Thank you that really really helps

Thanks I think your right, felt a bit selfish getting one that’s only truly suitable for me but I know similar to you I won’t sell once I have them so makes sense to see how she gets on and perhaps get her a little loan rather than vice versa in case she does lose interest

For a 3 year old to develop a good seat and good technique, it's arguably better for them not to have their own pony and to ride a variety of different ponies to get used to their various differences of gait, individual wiles etc.

Get something for you, and in 5 years time maybe you can share.

I didn’t think of that, feels selfish just getting something suitable for me but as you say we can share down the line if she’s still into it by that point and I’m sure there’ll be a loan or there’s always lessons !

We used to ride the ponies with the absolute worst habits at the riding school we went to and it really did help us get 'sticky' seats and good instincts.

I always see little lead rein type ponies for full loan in my area, way more than any type of horse 🤣 Could this be an option?

I bought a pony last year with the intention to share with my son who is now almost 6 and tall. Pony is 13hh fine cob type and I’m tiny so works for me. He has sat on her once!!! 😂

Happy horse hunting @Gmaes 🐎

Yeah most definitely I spoke to the riding school I’m looking at and said they have plenty for loan so may be that I buy something for me that she’ll be able to ride later down the line and loan something little in the meantime !

Haha yeah definitely making me lean towards the selfish move and just buy something for me and see how we go ! 😂

Thank you so exciting !

I wouldn't want a 2yo riding a wide-ish 14.2 for any length of time- it's not great for their hips. Can be fine for a little sit, but not as a main riding pony, even on the lead rein. Some kids will also get scared that high up, even on the lead rein.

IMO overhorsing young children is one of the biggest ways to put them off.

I agree that if you can afford it, get the 14.2 for you and look for a loan/share for your child. I don't think it's selfish to have the main horse for the adult who's committed to riding. There's also no reason why your child can't have an occasional sit on the 14.2 which may develop into more as she gets older.

But I would be keen to keep her on appropriately sized ponies until she's actively confident on yours! It's also generally more fun for kids if they can groom their own pony etc!

I'm concerned that in your posts you keep referring to 'getting something' and 'something suitable'.

No horse, (nor any other animal) should ever be thought of simply as a 'thing', like an item that can be bought and sold.

If I were paying to keep it at a riding school I’d get something for me, my kids only had ponies as I needed companions for mine.

We kept our Shetland and he's now a driving pony, which he absolutely loves, way more than being ridden actually. He was and still is the kids best friend and while he couldn't grow with them we could change his 'job'. It's the best fun for the grown ups too, I really recommend it!

Not the same but I bought a horse for my husband to ride too.... he is 6' with long legs, I am 5'3 with short legs. I should have bought a stocky 14.2/15hh as husband is slim, but ended up with a 16.2 ID X.. he was lovely but it was a mistake as firstly husband stopped riding after a few years, and I was completely over horsed... I COULD ride him, but I never enjoyed it as much as I would have done had I bought something the correct size for me. I had to work soo hard with him, my legs barely came past the saddle flaps either so it was much harder to give correct aids, couldn't mount from the floor etc ( although I probably fell off less out hacking as I knew I couldn't get back on so my desperation to cling on was greater ) . If I was a child, and similarly over horsed I would have quickly given up without a doubt... I know good small people ride big horses well... but I was never more than a competent novice. When we lost him, I never bought another as I'd lost my riding mojo as it had all been such hard work.

Don’t be so ridiculous, the OP has quite clearly stated that she whatever she buys will have a home for life , which can’t be said of many horses / ponies .

I’ve got a 3 and 6 year old and because I’m horseless they ride my sisters 13.3hh who’s great on a lead rein They are both at the sit on for about 15 mins once a week stage so it works really well.

My daughter had to start on my 14hh Forester as we didn't have the money for a second one (and I am definitely not small enough to ride a kids pony!)

He always looked after her and actually I found a bigger striding pony actually helped her learn rising trot as she didn't have to do it so quickly 😅 once she got the hang of it, it was then easier to transfer to the little sewing machine trot of tiny ponies!

I've got a great video of her learning rising trot on him but it won't let me upload it, but I'll try and upload a pic - think she was 4 in it (now 12 with 2 of her own!)

She was maybe 2 in these photos, he was gentle enough for her to get involved handling too 🥰

my now 8 year old learned to ride on my mums 15.1 irish cob x

My two (5&2) have a Shetland who is sent from heaven. And what I love the most is they can lead him about and help with the head collars etc., brush more than just his knees and feed him snacks.
they may not learn as much riding him for as long, but they have certainly learned to love being around horses. They see him as a big dog I I think and crawl all over/round him. It’s magical

im between horses currently, had my old boy pts a year ago so I am now resigned to borrowing roses off friends until they kids are bigger and I can ride out with them. All the time I have to be on foot, it’s pointless me having one as I’m I my at the stables with them

Post on local horse groups. Where I am there's always someone with a super child friendly older Shetland that can be loaned !