At least those Britney & K-Fed kids have nannies…
Aug 11 2007
…so one would assume that someone with an IQ bigger than their bra size is watching out for them sometimes. The same cannot be said of these budding equestrians, who are being shamelessly exploited in an attempt to market horses. Because selling horses is SO much more important than your baby’s skull!
Holy schmoley…yes, this looks every bit as bad as you think it does. This is a 4 year old mare which appears to be standing in a pasture. There does not appear to be any restraint on her other than the rope around her neck like a damn noose…which is held only by…the tiny little baby on her back. Is Parent of the Year carefully restraining this filly by holding her right nostril, or is his/her attention focused solely on photography? We will never know.
I am particularly curious about the life vest on the baby. Is Parent of the Year concerned he may be thrown into an adjacent pond? Or is this meant to protect his ribs? Since, you know, those are so much more important than your brain.
I have known and worked with many quiet weanlings, as I’m sure many of you have too. That does not mean we have forgotten that any normal foal has sudden bursts of energy, and you do not treat them like My Little Pony.
Truly, everything about this picture horrifies me beyond belief. From the child on the feet to the child on top of the baby, to Mother of the Year sitting right there blithely oblivious to the trip to the ER in her future, to the rope halter (!) on the baby with the attached lead trailing between his front legs and all the way back to his feet…and finally the conveniently located flimsy foldable lawn chairs just waiting to become part of the melee…Who does not see the almost inevitable “after” picture here? But hey y’all! Look at how quiet that foal is!
*sigh*
I should give this parent kudos for actually acquiring and using a helmet which appears to be an approved type for their tiny toddler. At least this way, when the yearling they are riding spooks and dumps them, they may avoid brain injury! Thank God for small things, huh?
People! Your toddler is not a piece of sacking-out equipment. If you MUST put something on your yearling’s back to see if he’s going to flip out, may I recommend an old shirt filled with some kitty litter? Or a pair of saddlebags? Using your child as a guinea pig and a marketing tool…well, I just don’t know what to say to that.
And don’t tell me YOUR weanling or YOUR yearling is so bomb proof this is perfectly safe. This is the only safe kind of a horse to let a child that small sit on. And the REALLY funny part is that Sega recommends the Dream Pony -which DOES NOT EVEN MOVE – for only ages FOUR and up!
Sega, you see, is run by people with college degrees…and lawyers.
130 comments to “At least those Britney & K-Fed kids have nannies…”
« Previous 1 2
« Previous 1 2
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment. Not a member? Registering is free, and you do it here!
“and anyone who thinks a dressage horse wont kick you off obviously hasnt heard of salinero *LOL*”
Haha, heard about that one. Wish I could’ve seen it. Is it true a mounted police horse had to take a hit to stop Salinero while Anky was clinging on screaming?
luvmyfuglyhorse said…
“Here’s another nomination for stupid parent –
http://www.larkinbrosint.ie/images/pony%20today%20008.jpg“
Good lord! Do they not realize that this is DANGEROUS?!
Whoever posted the Rainbow Morgan site, thank you. It was fun to read. Of course http://www.morganhorse.com is a great website. AMHA’s website has a great FAQ and is very detailed with the registration process.
I admit I used to go into the pasture barefoot. Until I was stepped on by a Shire mare. Just the tip of my foot, but still painful with broken toes. No more barefoot for me – working or riding boots only. Riding boots only when on the horse.
One thing I really hate is the barn owner where I board makes fun of me for wearing a helmet. Doesn’t matter if I’m jumping, dressage work, pleasure riding, or “western” work – I have a helmet on and he pokes fun. I even wear one for driving since there has been a time when I laid on the ground wondering how a miniature horse could gallop so fast with a flipped cart.
Another is at local shows for Western events the JUDGE (not certified judge) and announcers will poke fun at riders for wearing a helmet, even during speed events such as barrel racing.
I used to love showing, but the attitudes of the people and the dangers you see have ruined it.
People don’t seem to realize that even a minor concussion can have serious effects. If a minor one can leave a person dazed and unable to concentrate on something – imagine what a large one could do. Better yet, imagine if there was brain damage done. It does happen. Calm horses spook. Good riders fall. Even if you’re just walking horse horse cooling down after a long ride and the horse is tired, something can still happen. Wearing a helmet, but leaving it unbuckled is just as bad as not wearing one. It’s useless if it falls off before it hits the ground. Getting an approved helmet is not difficult and prices vary. I found an approved helmet for $26.95 – isn’t that small cost worth it if it can save a life?
At our local fair they have bull riding on August 1st. One of the men on horseback was supposed to help get the bulls back out of the arena. The horse was a cute little gaited horse. Calm, seemingly gentle. The man roped the bull and was pulled out of the saddle. His boot got caught, causing his horse to spook, and him to be dragged. Luckily he was only dragged a couple of feet when his boot was ripped off, but he was hanging upside down from the saddle awhile. He was not hurt, but this just goes to show that accidents DO happen. I have a video if anyone is interested in proof. Unfortunately missed the start, but do have him hanging off the horse. There’s nothing graphic.
Helmets, proper footwear, and breakaway stirrups are lifesavers. Or at least useful in preventing some serious injury and pain.
i certainly wasnt an eye witness, but reports i read stated he was ‘aimed’ at a couple of police horses, presumably that stopped him somehow. there were a couple of pix of the bolt in question getting around online…
Every year here in Tucson, AZ in February we have the largest non-motorized parade in the U.S.A. to celebrate the Fiesta De Los Vaqueros rodeo. (Okay, I promise my point is coming up! lol) Well, this year, a 6yr old girl was riding a “bombproof” (How many of you actually know of a horse that wont spook at ANYTHING?) old mare. It just so happened that the team of horses pulling a wagon behind said bombproof mare spooked and charged forward, running into bombproof mare and 6 yr old little girl. Bombproof mare took off and dumped little girl on the pavement (no helmet). The little girl was rushed to the emergency room, but unfortunately, didnt make it. Moral of this story? Even bombproof horses can injure and possibly kill a young child. Children should ALWAYS wear helmets and be accompanied (better yet, lead by) a knowledgeable adult.
ChromeCowgirl: The only completely bombproof horse is a dead one.
The only completely bombproof horse is a rocking horse, and even that one can fall over with you!
Re the always-ongoing helmet debate: If you’re over 18 and choose not to, I think that’s your right to choose. That’s a choice that raises your risk but perhaps you make other choices that lower your risk. I always question how we can bash people who don’t wear helmets as possibly putting themselves in danger of having to be supported by the taxpayers, but the person who participates in the most high risk equine events, like eventing or polo…that’s ok. The way I see it, both those people are choosing to take substantial risks of serious injury. How many eventers have died this year? And all wearing helmets when it happened, and chest protectors too if I am not mistaken.
My take: Over 18, do as you please. Under 18, any decent parent is going to make you wear one, every time, just as any decent parent will do their best to stop you from driving drunk, having unprotected sex, dropping out of high school, etc. Parenting is a big responsibility that some people choose. Don’t want the responsibility, opt out of parenting – not that complicated.
Some parents just want to kill their kids, I think. Last year I was instructing the just-off-the-leads in the round yard at Pony Club. One parent had her inexperienced just off the lead on a shetland nervous 12 year old on mounted on a broken-in-that-month often-times downright nasty 3 year old.
I’d been keeping an eye on the pony all lesson, but nothing terrible had occurred, when the pony decided to rear – luckily I was close enough to grab her bridle and pull her back down. The child was in tears and I comforted her, made a joke about seeing her at the rodeo that was on next weekend, made her smile. The lesson was about over anyway so after a couple of quite laps I told everyone to dismount and lead their ponies out the ring. Then I left the ring to go watch the older riders who were still riding.
Next minute I hear crying. Turn around, the mother had put the kid back on the pony and told her to start riding around in the arena without an instructor present completely against Club rules and the poor child had taken a nasty fall (bucked off this time).
So it is quite obvious that there are parents out there who have absolutely no care for their children. Maybe they get insurance money if their offspring die because of an accident? Seems the only logical, if cynical and torrid, reason for their behaviour =/ Aforementioned mother has since gotten rid of the pony (which was only on lease for goodness sakes, she didn’t pay anything for it or have to worry about trying to sell it!) and has gotten her daughter a surprisingly small older standardbred, which has been so far so good! Thank god for small miracles, eh?
Another acquaintance of mine owns and operates a modest lesson/trail barn. She also does day camps and therapeutic riding.
All kids, whether clients, or “working campers” wear helmets anytime they are around a horse, not just in the saddle.
As described in at least one of the posts above, horses kick and just as many injuries can occur off the horse as when mounted.
I like the idea and I am going to start doing that too. Put the helmet on as soon as I step into the barn, paddock, pasture. Why not? Just by virtue of being a mom of teenagers, my brain is mush already, I don’t need it battered further!
Ok, more stupid moments.
Before I got my own horse, the afore mentioned grumpy farmer let me and his daughter play around with the ancient, kind hearted, forgiving (breed unk) chestnut gelding, Red, and the epitome of the bratty, untrained, but absolutely adorable gray pony Pixie. (pixie story to follow)
Farmer’s daughter and I used to just lead the horses around. We were a little young to actually tack them up ourselves. So one day I was just leading ol Red around and I stopped to do something, I forget what, and tied ol Red to a tree with his leather halter and the leather lead rope. Tied, in a double knot mind you. Ol’ Red put his kind ol’ harmless head down to snatch a bit of grass and his lip touched my barefoot (yep) toes. I raised my foot suddenly, whacking poor red in the forehead with my knee. Red reacted in kind, slamming his foot down on that same bare foot and, using that foot as a lever, pulled against that tied lead with all his might. Pop goes the halter and ol Red high-tails it back to the barn.
Farmer’s daughter and I were terrified about the broken halter. Grumpy farmer could yell – loud! We snuck a hammer and nail into the little shed from which they sold corn by the road side and farmer’s daughter poked a new whole through the crown piece, just like she’d seen her father do! Good as new, thankfully.
I wish my foot had been as easy to fix. I had a purple hoof-shaped bruise on that foot for at least a week.
Did that stop me from going barefoot around the barn? Not a chance! Not until the farmer’s wife told us about hookworms. acckkk – that did it.
What ARE people thinking???
We’re famous for being safety fanatics. When a child or timid senior citizen rides our horses they wear a helmet and a vest AND have an adult on each side of them as well as ME on the leadline since it’s my horse they are on. The two adults must be close enough and large enough to pull the person off the horse if necessary and for the child I always have one holding the belt or waistband of the child’s pants at all times.
We did a birthday party for children where almost all the parents were attorneys. You can guess that the mount was a 9 hand stout mini (4 & 5 year old kids) and no kid rode without me holding on to them. Everyone of these kids went home with a big smile on their face because they did hold the reins and steer the horse even though it was being led and a couple even got to trot on the horse. So you can be safe and still have fun.
I might add I slept the entire next day though I was so tired. The mini thought she’d died and gone to heaven because the kids stole baby carrots from the buffet table and gave them to her!
On the local, open show level, helmets are most certainly required for juniors regardless of discipline in this area. H/J, english pleasure, etc, always wear helmets regardless of age and you are *beginning* to see helmets on adults in other classes as well.
The rules for APHA at the very least state that a judge cannot “legally” mark you down for protective gear, but we all know the image of a cowboy kind of thing. I think the best way to change this is for folks to STOP being scared to wear their helmets and start wearing them at shows – adults, western riders, you name it. It’s SILLY to wear a helmet at home but not in a show, where the lay of the land is unknown and the events are less predictable therefore potentially more dangerous. It’s like using an umbrella when it’s not raining but tucking it away when it starts to pour and hoping you don’t get wet.
I haven’t had a riding horse to show in quite a few years, but I have made up my mind when I get back into the show ring on a horse (instead of leading one), regardless of whether it is an open or breed show, I will be wearing a helmet. I am going to be 22 years old this fall. I thank god everyday for the minor helmet rule, a 14 year old is NOT old enough to make up their own mind about these things, IMHO!
And just so you know – as a kid, never wore a helmet. My mom and I, both, in several decades of horse ownership between us never wore helmets right up until I was about 15 and the local rules started requiring it. After that point, my mom also purchased a helmet and has been wearing one ever since. It just makes more sense. Sorry if I’ve offended those that are pretty enough to get by on their looks if they are rendered braindead by an accident, but I know for me, my noggin is all I have and I need to protect it!
I am in my late 40′s, so of course growing up no one wore helmets for anything. When I got my first horse, didn’t even consider a helmet, although looking back at the unstoppable nut case she was it’s a miracle I wasn’t seriously hurt.
When I moved to MD 19 yrs ago, I found most barns required a helmet, so I bought one. Still didn’t always wear it.
Was out riding with a group of friends on my ‘dead broke’ calm TWH mare, when we decided to canter across a field. All was going well, until my girl decided to jump some tall weeds. This was ok, jumping was fun, but right as she was about to jump another bunch, she tripped, and because I was in 2 point too early (jumping ahead of the horse) I fell on her neck. No worries, been there many times before, but then she trips again, and I roll right down her neck and fall at her feet. She runs over me, no way she can avoid it. One hoof, with full weight crashed down on my head, then scrapes down my cheek, taking out a chunk. Yes, I was wearing a helmet, or else I wouldn’t be here today. Cracked the helmet, and I bled all over the place, but otherwise ok. I kept that helmet for years, to show kids what can happen. This was a calm horse, who didn’t spook, wasn’t doing anything wrong, just tripped. Accidents can happen.
You can’t win wearing a helmet??? Malarky!
We entered two of our paso finos in a well attended allbreed show. We put them in any class they were eligible for but the canter classes since we had only owned them for a couple of months and hadn’t ridden them much. We pulled them out of the pasture, hosed them down, grabbed the goodwill jacket, the second hand boots and the “onsale” riding breeches and the used velvet helmet (legacy gold). Threw in some black jeans and my western saddle for the western pleasure class. Rode in three classes and were getting ready to put on the jeans and the western saddle when S O’s horse decides to lie down and roll – with him on her back. Well obviously we yelled, swatted her, yanked on her and got her back up, but by the time we got everything situated they called us to the gate. I still had on my English outfit with an Aussie wannabe Orthoflex saddle and my Velvet HELMET. It was a go as you please allbreed class of about 14 horses. Everyone all spiffed up in their nice Stetsons, sparkly tops and fancy jeans or chaps, fancy silver inlaid Western saddles, breast collars etc. S O had on Western gear.
Now those of you who show Western know that if you have a snaffle bit with no shank you can use two hands on the reins but if you have a shank bit you have to use one hand. Well we both had shank bits so putting all my great RFDTV Clinton Anderson reining exhibition knowledge to work I threw caution to the wind and went for it. I walked when they said walk and for GAYP I chose the LARGO or long step gait at full speed. This mare did not neck rein so I used my outside leg to cue. She passed everyone, turned on a dime, stopped when asked and stood like a statue when we lined up.
I really didn’t even expect to place but they called 6, then 6, then 4 then 3, then 2, then suddenly I heard our number. An APP judge gave us FIRST place in Western Pleasure wearing an English outfit with an Aussie type saddle. WHY??? Because the horse was perfect AND the type who says LOOK AT ME – I”M WONDERFUL. It will probably never happen again because we are too impatient to do the ring work it takes to show well but my point is -
You win when your horse is obviously the best. Yes it’s the overall package but the horse is the main thing. So don’t use things as an excuse – Oh if I hadn’t worn a helmet I would have won. Baloney. If you and your horse were the best you would have won. And then what???
My point is – your brain is worth protecting. Why in the world would you risk injury to it to get a ribbon that will gather dust. If a blue ribbon in a horse show is the high point of your life you really need to rethink your goals. WEAR THAT HELMET!!! We don’t want to lose any more horse lovers.
I don’t buy the “FREEDOM” thing for adults. Life is like a lottery. You pick the things you do for a reason – the benefit outweighs the risk. Riding that horse has more benefit for you than it has risk. But you tell me one way NOT wearing a helmet has more benefit than risk. There are no benefits to NOT wearing a helmet that are even worth mentioning. It’s like not wearing a seatbelt because you’ll wrinkle your outfit. Perhaps Darwin needs to take over with people who think like this.
while I agree, people do anything to sell a horse even if it means putting their CHILDREN IN DANGER…
I just don’t feel as strongly about it as I do the overpopulation problem in the equine market.
This may sound very cold, but if they are stupid enough to put their 2 year old kids up on a horse out in the field with nothing to control the animal… they deserve everything they have coming. That’s just plain stupidity, and greed if you’re trying to get a picture that will make the horse look flattering in the eyes of a prospective buyer.
Shame on the parents.
I don’t care if adults don’t wear helmets- they are adults and it’s their own stupidity to choose to do whatever. I am not a fan of kids, and we’ve chosen not to have them, but obviously children need to be protected from injury while being around such unpredictable animals as horses! If my little niece comes out to visit and wants a pony ride, she is sure as hell going to be kitted out properly and led on that pony with full tack and adults flanking her! Children do stupid stuff all by themselves- it is up to parents to be good teachers and good examples about safety, and then hope that the kids carry that through even when the parents aren’t around.
I was born in 1970, and only wore a helmet for jumping until I was in college and took a break from riding. One of my stupid kid stories is when I was 9 and leasing a little Quarter Horse that summer. I usually rode with my friend Kim, who lived down the road from my lease pony and had her ponies at her house. We would often gallop hell for leather across some nearby fields and spend the day looking for crazy stuff to jump over. No helmets, usually a bridle but no saddle, wearing shorts and tennis shoes! Several times, I jumped her sister’s green 13hh POA over this ridiculous homemade obstacle (I believe lawn chairs, dead wood, and the hose might have been involved) that we later measured and found to be 4 feet high. No helmet, bareback, halter and leadrope…..
One day, Kim was busy, so I took my pony out to the field and started galloping around. I had gotten a fancy new crop for my birthday and was of course carrying that, even though I didn’t really need it to gallop bareback around a field, lol. Anyway, pony spooks and starts *really* speeding along. I fall off, land on my head (luckily the grass was thick and tall- it probably cushioned my fall a bit), and pony takes off over the hill. I got up, a little dizzily, and start running up the hill, scared to death that he’s gone. Of course, he was hanging out eating grass at the bottom. At this point, I realized that I had LOST MY NEW CROP. Augh- the anguish! I went and got pony and stumbled around for a half hour, crying, looking for my whip. Then I walked him back and called my mom to ask if she could come pick me up, still crying.
I never told her about my header, because I *knew* what I had done (riding by myself, galloping pony alone with no saddle, etc) was stupid- but the idea of riding with a helmet? Never occured to me, nor would my mom have thought about it.
Those were different times, and although I grumbled about having to buy an expensive approved helmet and wear it even just to hack when I took up riding again a few years ago, it is a barn rule and my husband made me promise. Now, I wouldn’t think twice about not wearing it- it’s a habit and I’m used to it. Particularly since my horse is green and I usually ride other green horse, too- it’s just common sense now. But again, if other adults choose not to wear them, I don’t care- it’s their own fault if something happens.
I won’t sell a full-grown horse to anyone who’s going to put a small child on it alone. I can’t believe the fucking retards that want to buy a 15-16h horse for their 5 or 6 y/o kids. Get them a pony or pony cross and even then supervise them! I got my 20 y/o rescue mare and her 18 m/o filly at the time from just such a situation. The idiot parents, who admittedly were horse retards, bought the mare and 1 month old foal for their then 6 y/o daughter (I’d like to flog the people who sold them the horses too)! Of course the daughter knew nothing about horses and couldn’t ride, plus the bigger the foal got the more disrespectful and hard to handle she got. It was a disaster. By the time we got to them, the 20 y/o mare was half starved and the 18 month old filly was a biting, kicking Hell Bitch. Now they’re both doing great and the filly is a sweetheart with a little discipline and proper handling.
>Oh for crying out loud<
I totally agree…we call that “Natural Selection”.
Although I agree that in all the photos posted, the parent’s behavior is inexcusable, I do disagree on the wee ones riding.
I had a horse trainer/riding instructor for a mom. I rode in front of my mom from the point i could sit up until i could walk. I was in my first lead line horseshow at 16months, and was trotting on my own without the use of a sissy strap (grab strap attached to the pommel) by the time i was 4.
For the vast majority, i dont reccomend it in the slightest, but with the right instruction, apparel, supervision and trustworthy horse, i think it is perfectly reasonable.
Most wee children are far more capable than those handicapped involved in theraputic riding.
yep, its always a bad idea except for YOU.
you do realise those people who drive home drunk and havent yet killed themselves (or anyone else) use exactly the same argument?? the backyard breeders do too. “IM the exception”… suuuure you are.
for your information, disabled people in therapeutic riding have FAR superior care and safety to what youre describing. they have walkers either side to prevent disaster. you had luck.
While I’m guilty of not always wearing a helmet, I can attest that one almost certainly saved me from a trip to the hospital (or the morgue)! I was training a Paso in Florida that just wasn’t right in the head (obviously had a screw loose, as his full sister was awesome!). He almost choked me to death at a horse show (part my fault, part freak accident,part freak of a horse!), but the day he really could have sent me to my maker, was the day he was walking around the round pen without a care in mind, (I should have had red flags on that one!)he suddenly came unglued and bucked me off! I landed on my tailbone first, then fell backwards and hit my head (on sand), and cracked the helmet! The sound of the helmet cracking was so loud, my sister who was thirty feet away at the time, thought he had kicked the helmet! Needless to say, that was the last time I rode that horse. And you know what? The owners are still trying to sell him to some unsuspecting buyer, and are trying to claim that I exaggerated what happened at the horse show and all! I’m sorry to say this about any equine, but he really needs to meet his maker as he will never be safe!
I have been riding since I was twelve (I’m 42 now), and there was a time when I was “fearless” and rode my wonderful grade pony bareback and bridle-less in the pasture…yes, you read that right. That pony taught me to ride, but would I ever consider doing that on any of my current horses? Not likely! We didn’t wear helmets back then either!
I taught a seven year old to ride for our walk-corto leadline class, but even then, I was in control of the horse, not the child. I once saw a five year old ride a Trote-Galope Paso Fino (a little different than what most people are used to seeing). He put that horse through its gaits, and appeared in complete control. (“appeared” being the key word)He had a helmet on. PFHA requires all riders under the age of 13 to wear a helmet on the show grounds, regardless if they are showing. They also are not allowed on stallions on the show grounds until they are 13. You might be amazed at how many people will try to give their young child a victory ride on their stallion….even at Nationals!
Motor,
“motor said…
You can’t win wearing a helmet??? Malarky!
We entered two of our paso finos in a well attended allbreed show. We put them in any class they were eligible for but the canter classes since we had only owned them for a couple of months and hadn’t ridden them much. “
Umm.. you can at a local show most of the time. I usually don’t have problems there. We aren’t talking about local all-breed shows, but breed shows and more competitive shows. Name any world champs that have worn a helmet. You won’t find any in western.
I want to get out there and change the system! Who’s with me?!
“I won’t sell a full-grown horse to anyone who’s going to put a small child on it alone. I can’t believe the fucking retards that want to buy a 15-16h horse for their 5 or 6 y/o kids.”
I will be one of those “fucking retards” I guess. My horse wouldn’t hurt a fly and is BEYOND easy to control. Any pony I have ever ridden/been around/owned has been FAR more high-strung than any horse I have ever helped start/finish or have owned. Ponies may be shorter, but are in general more hard to control. Now there are a few greats, but judging by the number of nose dives my sister took off her fully broke pony vs the number I took off my nearly 16 hand mare, I was on the safer animal.
I was 85 pounds on a 15.3 hand mare when I learned. And I didn’t fall off in my first 3 years of riding.
I strongly disagree. Either animal needs to be deadbroke and you should be more concerned with temperament than height. LOL.
colorisn’teverything, I’m with you!! I expect to travel quite extensively to show APHA shows with my upcoming colt when he is ready to go under saddle (we have a grand total of two pointed (usually not because there aren’t enough entries for points) APHA shows here in my area, so I’ll have to travel most of the New England area to get points), and I’ll wear a helmet 100% of the time.
I’d love to see someone on a SNAPPING NICE world show quality horse riding as an adult with a helmet. Just for the hell of it. See if a judge could turn you away then!
Exactly! I am not showing APHA shows at this point. May show next year (IF I get a nice filly). Keyword: filly. I love my little colt, but I SO want a filly. The boys and I are just not very compatible. I want a mare.
AND NO… LOL… I don’t want to breed her. I have no need for a freezewalkerpaintaloosa at this point, but if I come across a need, maybe I will (jk).
My colt also will make it there at some point and will probably make a nice show gelding. When/if I show him (he is technically my trainers), I WILL be wearing a helmet. LOL.
For Worlds in ’08, our slogan should be Project Helmet! LOL. I want to see one.
Someone asked a long way up and I didn’t see it answered… “can children ride stallions in leadline?” The answer, at Welsh shows, is yes.
Regarding which is safer, a horse or a pony — I teach, and I used to put my leadline students on my gentle horses as well as my small pony. After a mare was spooked by gunfire and a 5-year-old fell off and broke her arm, I now have a new rule that a child may not ride a pony whose back they can not touch while standing flat-footed next to it. Sure, my pony might have spooked at the gunfire too, but the fall would have been much shorter. I went out and bought another pony so the one pony doesn’t have to do all the leadline, and now the horses are saved for the older children.
I guess whenever my sister got up, she was always attended by a person on her side. She didn’t get to ride by herself until we were sure she could fully control the horse. I guess a 5 year old on its own wouldn’t be great on a big horse.
Still, the pony would have to have the BEST temperament I have ever seen. Most of them aren’t my cup of tea. I have seen some lovely Welshies, though. POA’s, I love ‘em, but they are spitfires. It’s the appy in ‘em I think – makes them colorful in MORE than one way. I’m not dissing apps, mind you, but they have a little more “kick” in them than other breeds (comes from the arab blood, I think).
I may be biased since I breed them, but I think the absolute BEST mount for a small child is a Welsh pony. My Section A gelding walks as though he is carrying precious cargo with a tiny child on his back, but will jump courses and get his flying lead changes with an older child. Sometimes I let my students race him against the bigger horses and he wins every time so he has plenty of spunk. He’s had patient, quality training, he has a good brain, and he chooses to use his pony powers for good instead of evil. I know there are plenty of ponies out there who are truly nasty but I think it’s mostly a response to the years of abuse they suffer at the hands of inexperienced children. I make sure nobody yanks my pony around!
Yeah. A lot of ponies do get screwed up because ma and pa got them a green broke POA that cost $1300.00. LOL. You have NO idea the predictaments I have seen 4-H’ers get into on these ponies. You feel bad for the kid because mom and dad are too stupid to realize the danger and are forcing the kid to ride and for the pony who is getting BEYOND confused.
POA’s just tend to be REALLY stubborn, as I have found. We live in a western area, so you generally find POA’s everywhere. OUr pony was a better adult ride (he was 54”), I think.
Welshies seem really nice though. I knew a couple of english riders who learned on them and they were very horse-minded at times (by my standards). They weren’t as stubborn as the POA’s and were generally quite smart.
You do learn more on a pony, however. LOL
oh, my ponies are definitely PONIES and would probably be offended if I tried to compare them to the big, dumb beasts that horses are!
The same gelding I mentioned above has intelligence easily on par with most dogs. He’s scary-smart. I have Welshes, Arabians, Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods and the size order is also the intelligence order!
No, ponies are far smarter. My mare and the other big dumb horses used to get P’ed off when our pony could jump/go under/break through to the next pasture over and they could never figure it out.
I mean that the typical horse person (non-pony person) would probably appreciate their temperament more than the run-of-the-mill shetland or POA (which made up the rest of the pony world where I showed).
That pony could jump anything… but he was no “kids horse”. I don’t think 20 years of riding him down would have made him an off-lead pony. On a lead he was great with kids – an angel. Off lead, he would have done God knows what. LOL
ok, here’s another stupid thing I did – just this morning!
I have one of those sprayers for the fly repellent that you pump up. I like it because it doesn’t usually make much noise, and the horses don’t seem to mind it as much as the noiseier sprayers.
I pumped it up this morning getting ready to spray the third horse and for some reason the sprayer clogged and the nozzle shot off, sending the rubber hose sailing around with a stream of fly repellent expelling at a good velocity. The hose turned and I got hit directly in the eye with a good shot of the stuff.I wear contacts! I removed the contact and flooded eye. It didn’t hurt at the time, but it’s rather irritating now!
If you use one of these things, be prepared for that! Where some eye protection! Please. No blind riders!
Hell, when I was learning to ride horses, I had a trainer whose first rule was: You wear a helmet while you’re riding under my instruction, or you don’t ride at all.
Just last month I went on a trail ride and had some ignoramous make fun of me for wearing a helmet. I was more polite to him than he was to me. I refrained from telling him to take my helmet and shove it up his ass. Sorry, but I think it’s sheer arrogance to say that because you’ve been riding ever since you were knee-high to a grasshopper, then you don’t need to wear a helmet. Even the most experienced riders have accidents. Even the most dead-broke horse can spook at something or misjudge a jump and send you flying.
A couple of years ago, HORSE ILLUSTRATED magazine ran a great article about how it’s actually more experienced riders who have the worst accidents with horses. These experienced riders have become comfortable around horses and think they can by-pass certain rules for safety. There was a story about a woman who wasn’t wearing a helmet, and she rode her horse out to a field during some big show so that it could graze. The horse got stung by a hornet or somesuch creature and of course flipped out, throwing the woman, who of course landed right on the back of her head and ended up in a coma.
So people who ride without helmets–it’s not worth it! Riding without a helmet isn’t some kind of badge of awesomeness. At the very least, don’t make fun of those of us who choose to wear a helmet, because we’re most likely the ones that will be conscious in order to dial 9-11 when you’re skull is fractured halfway up a mountain trail.