Originally published by The Plaid Horse
What should you be looking for in a pony for your child? A great canter, more scope than is needed for the job at hand, and a kind and forgiving personality. Everything else is gravy (and expensive!) - that jaw dropping trot and perfect gorgeous model is fun to have, but not necessary to your child learning to ride correctly if you’re trying to stay on a budget.
What do these all mean?
Great canter. A pony’s natural canter should be rhythmic and uphill to teach kids to develop a natural “eye” for pace, distance, striding, and help keep them in the tack when things inevitably go awry.
More scope than is needed than the job at hand. Your child will miss and make mistakes, so the most safe ponies are the ones that don’t get scared or think it’s a big deal. For Short Stirrup, find one that can do the children’s. For the Children’s, the pony that can do the Division. They don’t need to be competitive a division up, just the scope and stride to jump out safety and calmly and not be maxed out by a mistake. If a pony is never worried about its own ability, it will focus on your child and keeping them safe.
A kind and forgiving personality. When this below happens... you want a pony that canters down to the next jumps and still loves your child just as much as ever.
Let Stonewall Ponies help you find your perfect match today. Contact Emily Elek and check out her available ponies here
Photo sequence - Andrew Ryback Photography.
