Horse stuff for children

[HornungTheHelpful]

Mine are currently 7, 5 and 3. Only one pony as I'm not convinced any are going to stick at it, but we'll see. Am in the process of joining Pony Club (just working out with them if the 5 year old is ready. 3 year old is not) but what else do people do to get their children out and riding with other children, which I think would help immensely. We are on a livery yard and they are the only children (I keep my horses there too, otherwise I'd look for something else - if we could move the pony home we would but no space here - we live opposite a yard, which would be perfect 🤦🏼‍♀️).

I have taken them for lessons on riding school ponies, and will continue to do this, as they enjoy it, but because I have three we always end up with a "semi-private" lesson just for them, which defeats one of the objects. I am also not the right person to help them learn because (a) have no riding/riding teaching qualification; and (b) they don't listen to a word I say.

Eldest is competent and safe in walk and trot, and safe in canter, but does still like to grab the "oh crap strap" so steering can be intermittent. Pony is incredibly sensible and just stops if something goes wrong. 5 year old is probably as good as her brother, but is so incredibly nervous, and any setback becomes a huge issue. 3 year old has just got rising trot, so think she needs a bit more work before we look at expanding her horizons 🤣

I never did pony club as a child and was viewed with suspicion by the pony club children and their parents at shows (no reason - I was rubbish!) and the sort of little gymkhanas I did all summer long no longer seem to exist. I also work full time (but with lots of flexibility) and their father works abroad a lot so unfortunately, ideas like "take them each to a different group riding lesson" are likely to be logistically impossible.

If anyone can think of anything, let me know!

In our area ( Kent ) there are still lots of small shows , evening jumping etc so if you look on your local FB equestrian pages you should find something to do - one of our local places even did a hobby horse show last week ! Neither of mine carried on with riding so we only have the one retired pony .

Hi, it's hard when you're on a yard without other kids for company. Longer term I would consider moving somewhere more child friendly if they're likely to stick at it, it's so helpful to be able to share the supervising and wrangling duties with other parents for instance, and to have the benefit of on-site instructors and ideally summer holiday activities and such you can sign them up for. We were always based at a large riding school and livery combined yard which has it's disadvantages particularly as an adult rider but I'd agree with you that other kids to ride with is a key advantage. PC is great for this of course and do follow through on that, I think things have moved on and a lot (if perhaps not all) the snobbery that used to be a factor in certain pony clubs is a thing of the past so don't worry on that front.

In the meantime, can you find a riding school that offers group lessons for at least the 7year old and maybe the 5 year old too (seperate groups?) - I don't think sharing with their younger and less confident siblings will be helping the oldest that much. They will learn a lot from riding with kids of their own age and similar experience/ability. I know it means being there for two hours rather than 1 and probably extra expense but I think they do all have different teaching needs ATM (the 3yo probably just needs saddle time pottering about on a lead rein which you can presumably manage on your own). Or perhaps the 5yo could have a private focussing on confidence while the 7yo does a group? Maybe look for a school that's a pony club approved centre, so they offer PC for kids using their school ponies - seems counter intuitive I know when you do have your own pony to use the arrangements for kids that don't, but on the whole I have found the PC centres a bit more inclusive for the very nervous kids or non horsey parents than the branches where there's a little bit of a crack on attitude, that might just be my local branch though tbf. Or even if the school doesn't do official PC stuff do they offer holiday activity days or stable management sessions or other stuff just to get them having fun around the horses and socialising with the other kids which is what it sounds like they're lacking?

Thanks - really appreciate the suggestions. I've got three dressage horses myself so reasonably well-embedded in the local online horsey-community, and there really doesn't seem to be much that is child-centric, as opposed to something that they might be able to do.

Sadly no Pony Club centres anywhere near - I think this would have been fab for them. I'm hoping to move the pony to the yard across the way but have to wait for space! There is so little round here (I am not South of England and I think that maybe makes a difference)! Will probably have to bite the bullet and do separate group lessons (though individual sounds like a good idea for my nervous Nellie)

We’re in the northeast and it’s peak show season now - there’s literally at least one every weekend within a half hour drive at the moment. There are various classes like fancy dress and handy pony which aren’t necessarily won by the best or gutsiest riders (does depend on having a fairly compliant pony though!). I agree that being on a yard with lots of other kids makes a huge difference - we moved our horse (dd was a late starter in terms of own horse) to a yard where there were loads of other teenagers from her pony club and it was great - she’s still really close to some of the girls from the yard now.

Pony Club. Just grit your teeth at some of it.

Can you put the pony on livery/working livery at the riding school?

Pony days at a riding school? For the older two anyway, I think your youngest would be too young .

Riding schools around here (midlands) wouldn’t take your youngest yet but why not put the older two in age or ability appropriate separate lessons. That way they’ll make their own friends and improve their riding/confidence at the same time.

Don't need to have any riding ability at all for ponyclub. There is all sorts there starting from complete beginner on lead rein! Sounds like the answer. My girls are active members and share a pony