# Hope I'm not making a big mistake!



## KDaly (1 November 2014)

Thanks to everyone for their advice on my post re what size and age of pony for my 8 year old!

Against sound advice, we have found the most lovely 9 year old 12.1hh welsh mountain section B mare. She has shown in hand and lead rein and qualified for Royal London. 

She is definitely forward going and loves to jump! When Lucy rode her she did try to put her head down but Lucy confidently pulled her up,changed reins and was also able to slow down her trot and stop her from going into canter. I have to admit that this will be much more of a challenge for Lucy than the riding school ponies she is used to but then she will REALLY learn to ride rather than just kicking along a little robot  She will make a fabulous show pony when Lucy is ready (what is the maximum age of child for showing a 12.1hh?)

I think it will mean Lucy moving back a bit for a while in terms of what she does until she has the confidence and competence to allow her pony to take it up a gear and I would not allow her to ride out on her own until I was sure she had it mastered. I had also thought that I could ride her (I'm 5ft and 8st 4lbs) to make sure she is schooled every day. I did try her yesterday and really enjoyed it. 

I have decided against the working livery and will keep her at a stable across the road from home on a diy basis (how things change!). She really is a friendly, loving little pony!

BUT ... am I just trying to convince myself that it will be fine???

Am I being a fool? Should I really wait for the schoolmaster?


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## SpringArising (1 November 2014)

KDaly said:



			I have to admit that this will be much more of a challenge for Lucy than the riding school ponies she is used to but then she will REALLY learn to ride rather than just kicking along a little robot
		
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I think that's fine, as long as you know she's going to be safe. That phrase makes the whole thing sound a little precarious to me. 



KDaly said:



			I think it will mean Lucy moving back a bit for a while in terms of what she does until she has the confidence and competence to allow her pony to take it up a gear
		
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Again, fine, as long as it's safe. Children lose confidence very easily. 



KDaly said:



			I would not allow her to ride out on her own until I was sure she had it mastered
		
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No one ever really 'has it mastered' when on a horse. They are, and always will be, unpredictable. I wouldn't be allowing her to ride out on her own for at least another five years, but that's a personal opinion. Realistically - is your daughter mature enough to be able to think rationally if there were an emergency?  



KDaly said:



			I had also thought that I could ride her (I'm 5ft and 8st 4lbs) to make sure she is schooled every day
		
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I personally feel that's too heavy for a 12.1 Welsh B, but again that opinion will vary.



KDaly said:



			Am I being a fool? Should I really wait for the schoolmaster?
		
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If I were looking for a first pony for my 8 year old daughter, I would be buying something who had been there and got every available T-Shirt. 

Sorry for the wall of negativity!


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## flirtygerty (1 November 2014)

SpringArising said:



			I think that's fine, as long as you know she's going to be safe. That phrase makes the whole thing sound a little precarious to me. 



Again, fine, as long as it's safe. Children lose confidence very easily. 



No one ever really 'has it mastered' when on a horse. They are, and always will be, unpredictable. I wouldn't be allowing her to ride out on her own for at least another five years, but that's a personal opinion. Realistically - is your daughter mature enough to be able to think rationally if there were an emergency?  



I personally feel that's too heavy for a 12.1 Welsh B, but again that opinion will vary.



If I were looking for a first pony for my 8 year old daughter, I would be buying something who had been there and got every available T-Shirt. 

Sorry for the wall of negativity!
		
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Have to agree with this, sorry, I know from experience, that kids get easily frustrated if things don't go well and tend to panic if things  go really wrong, we use our old WB mare as a confidence giver, our teenage grandkids can ride her and our old TB out by themselves, but not my trotter x or 4yr old cob, kids are novices by the way, the trotter x is too forward going for them to cope with and the 4yr old cob doesn't have the experience to cope with novice mistakes, it sounds odd sending novices out on a 16 2 and 17 1hh horses, but I know they will be as safe as they can be, while getting the experience to cope with the smaller horses.
My advice, keep looking, the perfect pony is out there


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## KDaly (2 November 2014)

Thanks to you both for taking the time to read and reply! I have a tough decision to make ...


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## Midlifecrisis (2 November 2014)

Im with the two previous posters  I think you need to keep looking - if your daughters confidence gets knocked it really is quite a long road to regain it - and it makes mum feel awful.


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## wren123 (2 November 2014)

Sorry another negative, my worry would be that the pony will get naughtier and try it on when she realises that your daughter is a novice.


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## lme (2 November 2014)

You say the pony has done lead rein send in hand showing. Has she done much ridden work with children? Is she a nice person? I think that, for an 8 yo temperament is everything. Also you need to consider whether you will be happy to sell on or whether you are looking for something that will work for you / your daughter long term.

We have never bought schoolmasters as first ponies and have gone for slightly larger ponies as we didn't 't want something that would get outgrown quickly by our older children. Our first pony was a very whizzy welsh crosse 8yo 13.1 failed RS pony and, when we needed another one (one pony between 4 children wasn't 't enough) we chose  a 6yo 13h NF, who had never been ridden by a child. Both have turned out to be fantastic. And at 13h plus can easily be ridden by a lightweight adult.


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## KDaly (2 November 2014)

I do totally understand where you are all coming from with the warnings but it is so nice to see one positive!

My daughter is 8 going on 16! She is confident and strong due to years of karate. Goes to Cubs with all the boys and regularly climbs 30ft trees in the garden 

I have a friend who has worked on professional yards and studs all her life and will come to help me with schooling.

The pony is so incredibly friendly and doesn't appear to be at all naughty, just inexperienced with riders off the lead rein. She is keen to canter but not strong and was very easy for me (a novice) to pull back.I spoke to the owners before the current owner (who has only had her for 6 months due to her daughter not coping as she has only just learned to trot) and they told me she has been very well schooled by them and has absolutely no vices. They don't have any reason to lie.

I wanted a younger pony so that my 4 year old Amy can take over in 3 or 4 years time when Lucy is moving up and can still enjoy a few years riding her; with the idea of selling on to another little girl when she (the pony) is 18yrs.

I do not plan for Lucy to ride on her own either in or out of the school; it is lessons only or hacking on lead rein with me but that would be the case with any pony I chose.

Lucy had her second jump lesson at riding school yesterday and was so much more in control than the first time, really keeping his head up and getting him to the right pace and position. I was so proud of her!

I do realise that she will have to work with a novice pony but I do think she can do it with the great teacher we have available to us...

I had hoped to ride the pony a couple of times a week for half an hour to an hour each time but realise that at 8st 4lbs I may just be too heavy. Think I will ask the vet. I could just learn how to lunge. 

Lucy can have 3 lessons/week on the new pony whilst continuing to have 1 at the riding school.

I really do want to buy this pony :/


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## be positive (2 November 2014)

I don't think you are overly heavy for a 12.1 pony but am a bit confused about what type she is as it will make a difference, is she a sec a or b? you put sec b welsh mountain but the welsh mountain is an a and should be no bigger than 12 hands, she could be slightly overheight or they may just not know exactly how high she is, a full up 12 hand sec a will carry you no problem, a 12.1 sec b, which is usually much finer may struggle a little. Being slightly pedantic but it does help to clarify these things, check the passport if you are not sure.
It sounds to me as if you really like the pony, have thought it through and have a good support network in place, if she has been a good off lead pony in the past there is no reason that she cannot get there again with some sensible help and care taken that she does not get away with anything, these ponies tend to try their luck with little riders, one step at a time until they are in control and the child has lost confidence, if they don't get away with the first step you usually find they get better and better.


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## Pinkvboots (2 November 2014)

A friend of mine has a welsh section B pony for her 8 year old daughter and her 5 year old daughter also rides and jumps her off the lead rein, she was not backed until quite late as she was used as a brood mare, I can honestly say this pony has been brilliant she is not a plod but so so safe, she has even started taking the 5 year old out on small hacks off the lead rein and the pony does not put a foot wrong, although both of her girls are fearless nothing worries them when riding, this pony also does really well showing as she is very correct and looks a picture so they are lucky they have the whole package I suppose.

Just wanted to add the older girl has a lesson most weeks with a good instructor and they are now working towards doing prelim dressage as she did intro this year, so I think it can work out I would find a good teacher and get your daughter having lessons from the off and I think if your daughter is confident it makes all the difference. Good luck


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## OwnedbyJoe (3 November 2014)

I'm not negative...
My now 10 year old was riding a 12hh 7 year old Welsh pony when she was 6... She nicked him off her older sister! Pony was too much for the older kid, but even at 6 my younger daughter was a confident little rider. She is not that strong as she is a stripling of a thing but she has natural balance and has the instinctive reaction of "sit back" rather than "lean forward and clutch" when things get a bit out of shape, so rarely fell off him. 
We lost the Welshie to colic 12 months ago and we had nothing lined up to replace him so she started riding the 15hh mare we had in the paddock  (bought as a project for me but I had barely got to her). She is only 10 and looks like a pea on a drum but they are having a good time together.
neither of these horses was "easy". The Welshie used to bulge his shoulder and try to run home, and the mare she now has likes to pigroot after a fence, but the child has perfected the art of landing on her feet and just hops back on.
Yes it means they take a step back to basics, but some kids are just good riders and can handle more than others. I myself learnt to ride on little feral ponies (Dad would chuck me on them the first time in a  ploughed clay paddock so they couldn't buck much) and 40 years later I'm still riding... I can still remember at age 7 deciding that out of the 4 ponies we had viewed that day that I wanted the "sharp" one..
If the pony is basically a kind little character and your daughter loves her, then I'd go for it.


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## KDaly (4 November 2014)

Thank you!


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## Orangehorse (4 November 2014)

I don't think you are too heavy either!  If the pony has been well schooled and you have good back-up it could be a better prospect.  It is probably easier to get to be able to ride on a responsive pony rather than a kick and shove one.

I note you said that you were able to pull it up - can you get it to respond to voice aids and use a noseband so that it gets used to light aids and not an adult's. (See Josephone Knowles on ABC of Breaking where she schooled all childrens' ponies to go from a noseband).


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## Midlifecrisis (4 November 2014)

Own up KDaly....the pony is arriving this weekend isn't it?LOL


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## KDaly (4 November 2014)

Thanks Orangehorse. That is good advice and  I will take a look !


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## KDaly (4 November 2014)

Hi Midlifecrisis. You got me! We will take her on Saturday subject to positive vet check on Friday


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## FestiveFuzz (4 November 2014)

wren123 said:



			Sorry another negative, my worry would be that the pony will get naughtier and try it on when she realises that your daughter is a novice.
		
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I have to agree with this and the other posters. If she was already trying it on when you tried her she's only likely to get worse when you move her to a new home and she starts testing you/your daughter. If I were you I'd definitely be waiting a schoolmaster as confidence is a hard thing to replace once you've lost it.


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## showpony (4 November 2014)

op i would really consider re-considering!! How much riding has your daughter done??? 



GG2B said:



			I have to agree with this and the other posters. If she was already trying it on when you tried her she's only likely to get worse when you move her to a new home and she starts testing you/your daughter. If I were you I'd definitely be waiting a schoolmaster as confidence is a hard thing to replace once you've lost it.
		
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## showpony (4 November 2014)

Ok here goes, my honest opinion.

Firstly pony is NOT used to being off lead... that is imo NOT a suitable first pony for a child.. Trust me , Ive been there, wont go into detail but never again.

Secondly making the transition from a RS Pony to a privately owned one is HUGE for a child .

Thirdly @ 8yrs old should she not be just having fun, enjoying riding rather than having to strip back what she does to suit the pony...?
As I know if I did stripped things back for my own 8 yr old because of inexperienced pony it would really upset her & take the fun out of actually owning a pony - there is plenty of time for that if they decide when a bit older they want to focus on showing/producing etc... My daughter does everything from Lessons, XC, Hacking, Mock Hunts , Jumping, Lessons & general faffing about with the other kids at the yard - you have to think how long would it be before your daughter would be able to really just kick on & have fun?

Also if your daughter is used to RS , do you think she will be keen on not riding with other children etc ( thats obviously if there aren't any where you will be moving pony )

Sorry if I come across as blunt but Ive an 8 yr old myself who has has had her own ponies for couple yrs now.




KDaly said:



			Thanks to everyone for their advice on my post re what size and age of pony for my 8 year old!

Against sound advice, we have found the most lovely 9 year old 12.1hh welsh mountain section B mare. She has shown in hand and lead rein and qualified for Royal London. 

She is definitely forward going and loves to jump! When Lucy rode her she did try to put her head down but Lucy confidently pulled her up,changed reins and was also able to slow down her trot and stop her from going into canter. I have to admit that this will be much more of a challenge for Lucy than the riding school ponies she is used to but then she will REALLY learn to ride rather than just kicking along a little robot  She will make a fabulous show pony when Lucy is ready (what is the maximum age of child for showing a 12.1hh?)

I think it will mean Lucy moving back a bit for a while in terms of what she does until she has the confidence and competence to allow her pony to take it up a gear and I would not allow her to ride out on her own until I was sure she had it mastered. I had also thought that I could ride her (I'm 5ft and 8st 4lbs) to make sure she is schooled every day. I did try her yesterday and really enjoyed it. 

I have decided against the working livery and will keep her at a stable across the road from home on a diy basis (how things change!). She really is a friendly, loving little pony!

BUT ... am I just trying to convince myself that it will be fine???

Am I being a fool? Should I really wait for the schoolmaster? 

Click to expand...


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