A Pony For Christmas?By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · November 30, 2010
“Daddy, I want a pony!” Before parents consider buying a pony or horse for their youngster, the child should take a minimum of six to 12 months of riding lessons that include all aspects of horse care (grooming, tacking up, care of equipment, leading, mounting and dismounting). If the child is still interested in a horse of his own, ask the riding instructor if the child has mastered sufficient skill in all these areas.
Take the instructor or a reliable horse expert along as you shop for a horse. Look at, and have the child ride, a number of horses before making the final decision. Buy something the child can ride at his present level, avoiding a bigger or faster mount for the child to grow into.
Ideally, the ages of the child and the horse should equal at least 20, and preferably 25. The advice to “buy for temperament” should be the top consideration in purchasing a child's horse.
