It's always a great challenge to find a good "kids' horse" that will be safe for small children or beginner riders, without being a complete dead-head who won't leave the barn!It's even more of a challenge due to the fact that so many folks out there have such a ...unique idea of what constitutes a good beginner's horse!I vividly remember the time, over fifteen years ago, when we had first bought our little acreage in Bosque Farms, New Mexico, and were looking for a good, solid, "bomb-proof" horse to teach our four small daughters, ages 3-8, how to ride. I looked all over the Albuquerque area. I called on ad after ad, to no avail. Finally, I decided to run my own ad: "Wanted: Bomb-proof Kids' Horse for small children." And the phone started ringing! And ringing! And ringing: "Hello, Ma'am, I seen yer ad for a good kids' horse, 'n I got a great one. He's a stud colt, just goin' on three years old. I know he'll take great care o' the young'uns..." "Yes, I see you're advertising for a horse for small children, and I think mine might suit. We adopted her three months ago, from that wild mustang rescue that the BLM runs, and she's really become a lot friendlier in the past few weeks...." "I'm an experienced local trainer, and I have mare that I think might work out very well for you and your children. She's a three-year-old thoroughbred who just wasn't quite fast enough to win at the race track, so her owners want to sell her...." You think I'm joking, don't you??? Wrong! Those are actually three "offers" we had at the time! Needless to say, none were suitable mounts for small, beginner equestrians! And I'll bet my problem was not unique to the Albuquerque area! So, how can you find a good kids' horse? Here are some suggestions I'd make based on some substantial experience:
So, if you're really looking for a dependable Old Dobbin for the kids to ride, take some time, do your homework, and remember: some folks have a really crazy definition of "Kids' Horse!" See more Albuquerque Horse Owners' Resources on my website any time! |
It's unfortunate, but true. I was involved in US Pony Club and 4H when my kids were growing up and I am still involved in 4H as a Leader. At the low level shows, I see so many children mismatched with horses that are beyond their level. In some instances, the parents listen to the child as to the horse they want. The child wants a spunky horse to ride and jump. Parent buys the child exactly that type of horse, even though the child is not ready for it. Not a good combination. The child has trouble with the horse and says that the horse is a problem horse that will not listen. Truth of the matter is, the child has not learned enough to ride that sort of horse. What I have also noticed is that the parent wants the child to "grow up" with the horse, so they get a young one. I have seen too many of those and the child eventually gets hurt. Parents need to start listening to the professionals and not their kids.
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