Which equestrian influencers are least problematic for a child to watch?

[GoGoFloFlo]

Not looking to start a debate about social media influencers, I’m aware of the issues.

which equestrians are least problematic? I’m specifically looking for ones that appeal to kids

Esme is really good, very down to earth. Lots of kids like Harlow but her content often creates a very unrealistic vision of life in the horsey world, mountains of cash, new tack and new ponies every other week - not how i want my 13 year old to see things but everyone has different ideas

Not Harlow.

The other part to that is why are the kids watching SM instead of getting outside, dirty, wet and tired with actual horses!

This Esme

TBH (albeit I'm speaking as a older person who didn't have to grapple with any of it when mine were little), it's not so much that any of them are inappropriate as such, each video in isolation is just young girls excited about a new pony, training at home, showing off some new kit, doing a round of SJ or a showing class. Not exactly a warts and all realistic account of everyday pony ownership for the average kid but hardly very different from the Jill pony books I loved as a kid or the KM Peyton / Shanti ones my kids liked a generation later - those were also full of girls who owned lots of different ponies and won all the prizes at shows and other improbable happenings and it didn't make us hugely dissatisfied with our more mundane lives and normal ponies.

I think it's more the insidious, obliquity of it that's harmful (to use some big words!), allowing young kids to scroll through video after video depicting this unrealistic, materialistic type of style in a very glossy, kid friendly, short, easy to digest package and without the context or narrative arc you get in story books where at least there's some struggle to be overcome before the eventual triumph.

So I think I'd be less concerned about controlling who she watches as making sure she doesn't watch too much overall, and has a good chance to talk through what she's seeing online and how it may or may not relate to real life. As she gets older you'll have less and less control of what she is exposed to online anyway so it's about teaching her the skills and critical thinking to keep herself self and sane rather than just banning anything. Of the ones I've seen (bear in mind as per above I'm ancient so not too sure what's cool ATM) esme's videos seem a little more informative and realistic than others as she at least shows more of her day to day with the ponies, and although it's more of a mum account than child-focussed I quite enjoy Verity's pony adventures as again they have more average ponies and aren't afraid to show some of the downs as well as the ups. If she wants to watch Harlow, Ivy, some of the more commercial ones I'd just try and steer clear of the literal advertising of le mieux etc (although if she has yard/PC friends that ship has probably sailed already!).

Esme is very wholesome and much more down to earth than Harlow and her fancy everything and never ending stream of ponies. That said my younger dd does watch Harlow 😆

Tbf they can do both. Ours is on diy living out on a Scottish hillside best part of an hour away firm hone plus we compete, go to pony club or beach/fun rides/hunting most weekends so we are nearly always our but dd12 still finds the time to watch it 😆

The issue with Harlow isn't just the money though it's the riding/training techniques ie gadgets etc.
It's a million miles away from good horsemanship.

Yes but many don't and then all they aspire to is having matchy matchy with zero thought to good riding or stable management.

The other part to that is why are the kids watching SM instead of getting outside, dirty, wet and tired with actual horses

Because access to horses is phenomenally expensive, unless you have the knowledge to have your own on some cheap DIY basis or have the skills to have a share etc

I’m a normal mum with some limited horse knowledge, I’ve enrolled my DD in pony club to learn the horse care & am paying for a weekly lesson and that’s as far as the finances can stretch! Would love for DD to be out playing with ponies all day but we aren’t part of that world!

My DD12 watches Harlow, although I don’t believe she wants to be her at all. I think it’s more the shock factor of it all.

Op, if you’re daughter is keen, there are many Pony Clubs videos on YouTube which demonstrate all aspects of horsemanship- they follow the badge and test syllabus.

As PP has said, there are good Pony Club videos on You Tube which teach actual horse management etc. I would recommend those over influencers as the PC ones teach actual horsemanship and riding.
Or get her into following professional riders, eventers are personally the best one imo.

ELS Eventing is very good. Very down to earth and humble. Not at all flashy, shows the good and the bad. She is probably my favourite to watch now. Ashley Harrison Eventing is another good one. Especially her older vlogs when she was competing at 4* but even now her top horse is at the lower levels, she still does fun vlogs.
Simon Greive who is a 5* rider who has also recently started vlogging and his vlogs are great too.

Esme is very wholesome but she’s in her mid-twenties now and dull as ditchwater so not sure if she’d be that relatable for a ten year old. The likes of pro eventers and vloggers like Ashley Harrison are interesting/inspiring for serious riders but I’d have thought the average ten year old horse-mad girl wants to watch kids around her own age having fun with ponies (which probably involves quite a bit of matchy matchy). My daughter teaches some young girls and I’m afraid they’re all mad about Harlow - the child influencer phenomenon makes me very uneasy but there’s no doubt their parents have got their target demographic sussed

Esme I think is least an easy watch for children, especially if you go back a few years into her videos, has a lot of useful info for kids to watch. My daughter also like Elphick event ponies.

Not social media but fiction, but what did posters think about Free Rein in Netflix? My DN loved it (she had virtually no experience with or interest in horses), I found it a fun watch but it was probably totally unrealistic!

Influencer wise, my DC are into other things, I watch sometimes with them and try to get them to think about who is paying, or was paying to start it all off, and content that’s ‘consumption’ heavy or costly - or indeed exploitative of DC when it’s parents driving it, since the industry is unregulated

Frankie’s ponies and Belladunsneath both brilliant to follow. Frankie has lots of health challenges but is an incredible horsewoman and Bella produces all her own ponies. Neither have lots of financial backing.

Not Frankie’s ponies - that account is one of the most problematic - blatant exploitation of a vulnerable child by a mother who should frankly know better

I'm probably going to go against the grain here, but I really do think all SM influencers, both adults and children, are just in it for what they can get for free.

They all seem to be opening a new delivery of the latest equestrian clothing / hat / boots / bridle / saddle / feed etc - and then raving how amazing it is. It really is a win-win situation; companies provide them with freebies in return for them promoting it positively on SM.

My DH is in the equestrian trade, and he refuses point blank to have sponsored riders. In his words, "I want people to use my item because they want to".

Sorry - rant over 😳

Depends what you want!

I've followed Claudia Groves since she was a little kid bopping around on her Dartmoor pony, she's 16 now and qualified for Badminton Grassroots next year. She works VERY hard on her ponies come rain or shine, not a gadget in sight.

For funny slightly more realistic horse life... Sillyprune! Not a serious bone in her body 😂

I know one locally, and find the whole thing extremely unsavoury.

Shy 13 year old girl made to sing and dance in front of camera looking very uncomfortable.
It used to be her jumping her 138, but has become less horse based, and shows more and more of her dad on camera.

I also know it’s him interacting in the comments, and him orchestrating all the Lives, usually well into the evening with her in the background bored still in her school uniform.

Why would a Middle Aged man want to spend his evenings chatting with young girls doing lots of 🩷 and 🫶
emojis ‘SLAAAAAYING IT’ ?

Oh that sounds worrying behaviour @Finetoday

Came across an old, glossy pony annual type book in a charity shop with lots of pictures of a very young Katie Price! In print ‘influencing’ early in her career.

@Surreyblah - who would I even report Safeguarding concerns to ? He reaches out to other young ‘influencers’ arranging meet ups, collabs, etc. It’s just an unregulated minefield.

There’s a few adults accounts with excellent, knowledgeable posts, but I’d avoid all the under 18s ‘kids’ accounts being managed by someone else.

My girls have both loved Harlow at different stages but have grown out of her now, I did have to keep reminding them about how unrealistic it is! Esme and Meg Elphic are better in my opinion, they are definitely less annoying. Mine also liked the This Esme fiction books, quite a good little series if they enjoy reading.

DD (12)!watches Harlow. I watch it with her sometimes and she is well.aware that it Harlow is given everything and it's advertising.

I imagine their horsebox has been given to them or is leased for minimal ,£.