From: diane
Jessica,
Have been reading your list for over a year and have really enjoyed it. Now.......I have a question. My almost 3-yr old niece is "horse-crazy". We currently are putting her up on one of our very mellow horses with a set of the little stirrups that fit over the horn of the western saddle and leading her around. She is totally unafraid and is always wanting to "ride the horse". We're also starting to watch for a "dead-broke" small pony for her. Meanwhile, whether on the horse being led, or eventually on a pony, we want to find a helmet for her. I've looked at all the websites for helmets that I can find, ask in tack stores, and no one seems to have helmets that small. Does someone make them?? I'm really afraid of her being on the horse...or eventually a pony.....without a helmet!!!
Thanks, Diane
I really discourage people from putting kids on horses too soon. Three years old is about five years away from having the balance and leg length and strength to do anything resembling real riding. There's no disadvantage to starting later -- a child who starts riding at eight or nine will, in a year, be riding just as well as the child who is put on a pony at the age of three or four or five or six or seven. In fact, the older child will probably be riding BETTER at the end of the year!
The problem with tiny children and horses or ponies is very simple: tiny children have proportionately large heads and proportionately small and weak legs. They can't begin to RIDE a horse, although they can sit on one. Instead of learning to use seat and legs as aids, and handle the reins lightly and gently, with soft hands coming from a balanced seat, children who are put on horseback too soon become habitual hand-riders, relying on the reins for everything. It's not their fault, really -- it's natural to their stage of development! But it's something that you should want to avoid for the sake of your niece's riding.
We all know how difficult it is to break habits. Don't put your niece, or any other small child, into a situation that will guarantee the development of bad riding and bad habits. When she can fit into a helmet, take her for pony rides (see above). But please, please don't try to get her "riding" before she can actually handle the physical requirements of the sport. She'll pay for it later, and her horses will pay for it immediately. :-(
There ARE people who will put your niece on a horse or pony this year or next, and tell you that it's quite all right. It isn't. Little girls adore horses -- that's a given. But it's our responsibility as adults to keep them safe so that they can, if they like, grow up to be real riders. Little girls -- many of them -- also adore ballet. But here again, although there ARE people who will cheerfully put a six- or seven-year-old girl in toe shoes and encourage her to work on point, those people are NOT working in the best interest of the child, and their seemingly encouraging and indulgent actions are actually dangerous and will cause lasting physical damage.
When your niece is a few years older and a lot bigger, teach her to groom horses and handle them. Then, when she's eight and tall and strong and balanced, find a good, certified instructor who will teach her to ride WELL. In the meantime, do the pony rides, watch videos, buy Breyers, and do whatever it takes to keep her happy and interested without putting her at risk. She's lucky to have an aunt who wants to help her learn to ride, and she'll appreciate the opportunity and your help and encouragement even more if you can just wait until a more suitable time.
Jessica
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