Best age to buy a child a pony?

[slipperandpjsmum]

For those amongst us who had a pony as a child how old were you? How old would your own child be or how old were they when you bought them their first pony?

I was one of the lucky ones who grew up around horses so they were always there.
Shared a fat little Exmoor called Polo with my brothers for years, got my own when I was about 7 I think as Polo went to horsey heaven and my brothers needed something bigger to ride.
ATM DS (13months) is showing no interest at all in my horse, phew! I would probably get a pony to share with a friend who has 2 DCs on the same yard as me. Think it's a very difficult thing to asign an age to as it depends on how keen they were, money, facilities etc

We first had them (on loan) when I was about 8.

Graduated through various Thelwell-types until a decent one when I was about 12 and quite capable.

I was 29

I was 15 as I had to save up half the money to buy him, and then earn his keep with saturday job/paper rounds/babysitting.

By the time I had the dcs the pony was over 30 so they had little rides round on him from an early age. Was more for me though (and photo opportunities ), they weren't really bothered either way! Ds developed a love of riding and dd never did so it really depends on the child when/if they will be ready.

I was 32

Every child should have a pony really, or the opportunity to hang out with one if they want to, if at all possible. My mum had a horse once upon a time but I never had my own pony (sob) would rather have gone to state school and had a pony - but used to ride with friends and have long pony trekking holidays in the summer until things went haywire with onset of puberty, expulsion from school etc . Was late returning to riding, but within a month had first loan horse, then had Barney on loan for ages and finally bought him a couple of years ago.

Think my youngest daughter was 8 when she had first loan pony, a dartmoor, then a sec A and last year bought her Joey who is definitely for life. My eldest rides but can take it or leave it, my middle daughter would probably benefit hugely from riding but has had some major health problems.

I was very young, around 3 or 4 if I remember correctly, but it wasn't really "mine". My wonderful, sadly deceased, grandad was a dealer (a good one!) so always had horses and this little shetland was a sod that he wasn't happy to sell on so he kept it for me, I only really plodded around the yard on it, nothing more. My Grandad died when I was 13 and had wound down the yard a few years before so I took a few years out. Bought a lunatic horse from a very dodgy dealer when I was 15 and have had them on and off since.

I bought my eldest DD a pony last year, when she was 9, and the pony is fab, a real mother's dream (my DD2, aged 2.5 plays hide and seek under it's rugs while it's in it!!), really pleased with her and she'll be with us for ever now, along with my horse.

I grew up in a crappy, rough, council estate and honestly believe it was my love of horses that kept me on the straight and narrow. While friends were doing drugs/getting pregnant I was working my bum off to keep my pony.

I didn't have a pony as a child as we couldn't afford it, so I was really keen for my grand daughter to have one once she was really committed to riding (her Dad's never been interested)

I made her wait till she was 10, but I rather regret that looking back as she tends to ride with the younger kids at Pony Club as those who've had their own ponies since they were tiny are further on than her. I couldn't have managed the time commitment though when they were tiny so maybe it was the right time.

I am not the person to ask... I already have a pony for mine and the baby hasn't even been born yet

I don't think there is an ideal age. It's just luck. I never had a pony of my own, had to work a paper round just to afford lessons, and I was desperate for one. My DCs have had access to ponies since they were small and ds isn't interested. Dd is but does take them for granted!

31