Re: Children and Horses

 jeez, if I had a horse/pony of my own, I'd never speak to anyone else probably!

Of course, you should look after it yourself! Anyway, why's she got a pony if she's scared to do anything?

That's like me getting a dog and then saying "mum, you can walk it coz I'm scared of it"

(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Re: Children and Horses

Children should DEFINITELY take responsibility for their own horses in any way they are able (of course very young children won't be capable of doing everyrthing). I got my first loan horse at age 10 and my first own horse at age 11 and I did EVERYTHING for them, and still do to this day. My dad (who isn't horsey at all by the way) would step in if I was literally at deaths door or if I could not get to the yard (1 day a year, Christmas Day), but otherwise I did everything 7 days a week without fail. I re-broke and fully schooled my first own horse all by myself (of course I had the help of a friend as a leader etc when I started getting on him again) and I was only 11/12 so I can;t understand why children/teenagers are allowed to behave this way now! There's a few on my yard at the moment who are very lazy and really don't have much interest in their horses or looking after them, but they do like winning rosettes!

I agree with Ryfraf, I was told that anything that needed doing, I had to do it, on show days I was at the yard for 4am bathing and plaiting (if I bathed him the night before he always got filthy!). I also agree however that I hate it when children are pushed into things they don't want to do, especially when it involves animals.

Re: Children and Horses

Sounds to me like she doesn't really want to ride, my sister tried it and didn't like it. she had dancing lessons instead and loved it.

We're all different. BUT if she does want to ride then really she should be taking more responsibility. My parents did very little for my pony when I was a child. She was my responsibility.

XX

Re: Children and Horses

sadly seems to be quite common, the kids at my place are the same only interested in getting on and jumping - they are 7 and 12 or thereabouts, their mum barely gets to spend any time with her horse and runs them about to competitions/pc events everywhere and they show very little appreciation.  i went along to the last show they went to and they got straight out of the car and went to speak to their friends leaving me and their mum to unload the horses and groom them, the youngest barely knows how to tack up, she too is scared of her pony but it does kick/bite to be fair and at the end of the day they dont usually get out of the car, especcially if its cold godforbid and mummy is left to put them away!! and they dont think anything of getting up at 5 to go to a show but when the weathers bad its too much of a chore to go there til the afternoon!!  It gets my back up but i think its the parents that are to blame for letting them get that way, i would not let them ride unless they took some responsibility!

Re: Children and Horses

Without a doubt! I sacrificed all the normal clothes, going out and holidays and stuff to have a horse when I was little and that was after working for a stud from the age of 6 - 9 learning about stable management and horse care in return for rides on a litte welshie mountain pony that repeatedly threw me off!!! After him we got a 14.2 on permanent loan and although my mum had to drive me to and from the field every day and helped me, I had to do it all every day! I also got no pocket money and had a paper round to buy him things coz I knew it was such a privelige to have him and thet my parents struggled to afford him but did it for me! I think it was vital for me as a kid to have that kind of dedication drilled into me, my mum often said if I didn't have Magic I could have nice clothes and go on school trips and stuff and go to the prom but I didn't care, that stuff would have been nice but my Magic was more important to me! To have your own horse is the most amazing experience in the world as far as I'm concerned and while it has its tough times the rewards you get back are so so so worth it!