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Member
Posts: 18
| My husband and I just had our first child December 13th, 2013. A baby girl named Sarah Cade. I was thinking about going ahead and getting in the market for a pony (probably a miniature). I was wondering when your babies first began riding or being led around? Being the proud momma that I am, I have to share a picture of my baby girl with y'all (if I can figure out how to do it)! 
Edited by Gocowgirl7 2014-02-25 11:33 AM
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  Fact Checker
Posts: 16572
  
Location: Displaced Iowegian | She is a real "cutie".
Both of my boys started riding (being led by an adult on a VERY safe pony) about the age of two. They were both showing by themselves in "walk-trot" by four. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| So cute!!
I let them start riding by themselves being led around when they could balance themselves. You'll find out that they don't sit up there very well. They will start to slide to one side and if your not there to straighten them up they'll go all the way to the ground. I think both mine were about two when I would pony them around and let them be up there by themselves. It can be nerve racking because if the horse spooks they don't have the strength to hold themselves on. Be very careful and find a horse you can trust. |
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 Triple Extra-Ordinaire
Posts: 4244
Location: Okla | Mine was 3 when he got his first pony and was being led around on a big horse. By the time he was 5, he was trotting and loping barrels. |
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 Tough Patooty
Posts: 2615
Location: Sperry, OK | Don't really know when they started to let me ride alone, but I ran barrels in the rodeo for the first time when I was 4. We didn't have lead line back then, so I was entered. I rode a paint mare that was 15.2 or 15.3.. and she crow hopped with me and bucked me off. My dad got out there, picked me up, put me back on and I finished. (she crow hopped because dad said to use my whip between the first and second.. when i did, I hit her in the flank and she didn't like it..LOL) |
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 Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | My son will turn 3 in May and get his very first horse of his own (my retired all around horse) but he's been comendeering our horses for almost a year, and riding with us before that. He did his first jr rodeo at 26 months last July...
We've really been blessed with this horse. He's hubby's heading horse, who has turned out to be the most careful, gentle giant goober with my son. He's only 10 this year, so they will get to be partners for a long long time.
And his first horse show in September, riding my mare...
Here's the horse that will be all his :) She'll allow Daddy to have his horse back, LOL. I've had her for 17 years, and won everything under the sun on her. I can't wait for them to be partners.
He has a 35" pony too, but I doubt he rides the pony much. I'm just getting him broke, then gonna let my friend's boys ride the dog poop outta him for a few months or so, then we'll see what his attitude is like. I'm hoping he'll make a little goat tying pony, but for barrel races and ropings, and riding with us, I much prefer to keep him on the big horses.
I've been blessed to have the number of horses that I do that I can let my son ride and mess with. Most of them have been there and done that, but I'd have never guessed that they'd have been kid horses when they were younger. Heck, the best two I have for him are each blind in one eye. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1898
| Mine was a year and a half. We bought a mini for her in January of 2013. We LOVE him. At first we would walk right beside her, setting her back up when she would start to slide off. By March she was able to walk without someone adjusting her and by November, all she wants to do is "go faster"! (which is a nice trot). Now she wants to do it "all by herself" but she doesn't have the strength to use the reins, although she tries and we are working on how to make the horse stop, turn and back up.
If you are going to look for a pony/horse do it now. Good ones aren't easy to come by. We were lucky to find our Bill, I looked for almost a year before I found the right pony.
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Hannah and bill March 2013.jpg (63KB - 201 downloads)
Hannah and bill Nov. 2013.jpg (97KB - 207 downloads)
Hannah and bill February 2014.jpg (79KB - 203 downloads)
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Member
Posts: 18
| I love seeing everyone's pictures! I cannot wait till Cade gets old enough to ride!! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1096
| Mine was super early. I have a really broke mare and I had a backpack type thing I wore with her in the back. She was maybe a year? Then I got this second seat that hooked to the front seat and she rode in that for a long time. I think she was on her own at about 3 on her pony?
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 Perky Gal
Location: On a paint horse... | Congrats!! My daughter was led through events and then rode in her first 'race' on her second birthday.  |
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 The Purple Princess
Posts: 2226
Location: Charlestown, IN | My daughter was riding by herself in our barn at 16 months! At 17 months she got a miniature. She is 3 and recently got a big girl pony. She can walk and trot by herself but it scares me to death. She showed in her first leadline class at 20 months. She's been doing Pee Wee barrels since she was 2 (26 months) with me leading her...
 
Edited by Racey Stacey 2014-02-25 2:19 PM
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 I Love the Oldies
Posts: 3767
Location: Central Washington | Leadline around 2, depending on which kid (I have 4), by themselves 4-5.
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i think i was around 3 doing gymkana(sorry guys i dont think i spelt that right) no lead line......and i was rodeoing by 7 if not a bit before........
m |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| I started riding at age two by myself just walking around on a big western pleasure mare (16.2). lol and I was showing pretty competitively at 3 1/2 in the peewees. I started on a faster horse at age 6.
My neices started riding at 3 years old by themselves a little. Started really taking the reins at about 5 1/2.
My newest neice is 2 1/2 and has started riding my barrel horse around with us in close range. But she can use the reins to a certain extent. |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| See if I can get pics to work
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 902
Location: Qld Australia | 2
I had a whole reply typed and I don't know what happened to it!!
The first pics are of Leo's first pony Bluey the day we got him and at their first show when Leo was 2. Devistatingly we only had the pony for twelve months and lost him. We had two vets working on him and he was only 10 when he died.
The next grey pony is Jac, not a patch on the original at all. I searched high and low for this 2nd pony and had to settle. If we had had him first, he would have been great but he had big shoes to fill.
The big mare is 14.3 and a big step up for Leo, we got her at the end of last year. The first two rides he was terrified until she started moving and then he relaxed knowing that the feeling was the same. He would trot her all day if he could. I can't wait for thie Qld heat to go away so he can start riding consistently again.
Edited by rockinj 2014-02-25 8:36 PM
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Leo and Bluey first day.jpg (16KB - 199 downloads)
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 I'm Here!!
Posts: 4583
Location: Is it Summer Yet? | My son started riding with someone when he was probably 6mths. "Met" his first horse the weekend he got out of the hospital. He's now 4 and rides by hiimself, probably started by himself when he was 3. Being led around when he was 2. Bomb proof horses are the key, what mine will do for that little boy, she's worth her weight in gold. She's not a mini just a regular quarter horse. |
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Expert
Posts: 1586
Location: west of East Texas | My oldest was about 3 before before I started riding again so she started then too. She was on her own from the start. My youngest was about 9 months old when I divorced and became a single mom. If I wanted to ride, I pretty much had to bring her also so she spent a lot of time in the saddle from that point on. By about 16 months she was begging to get on anything. She was 18 months when Spring rolled around and I started taking my oldest to playdays and horseshows. The youngest did fine at leadline then. She didn't slide but she did have to learn that she couldn't just walk off the horse. The next year (2 1/2) she could ride by herself around the house but I still did leadline with her because I just didn't want it take forever. At 3 1/2, we started arguing over leadline or not. My vote was not because I was tired. Her vote was yes because she could go a lot faster if I was running out in front. On her 4th birthday I retired from the leadline business and told her she was on her own and if she wanted to go faster she would have to make it happen. I skipped the pony because the horses were better trained and easier to ride. |
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Formerly Horse
Posts: 4552
Location: TEXAS | I have twins and they turned 2 in November. I have ridden around with them in front of me in the saddle a few times over the last 6 months. They really like it and always cry when their turn is over. Grandparents bought them a 3 year old pony mare who is green broke and pulls a cart. She is smart as a whip and willing to do anything! My mom has her sidepassing and can pull tarps over and under her all day long. She is young but I am convinced she is going to be a GEM!!! We are bringing her to our house in the spring and will start the lead lining:) |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7264
| These pictures are wonderful! |
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