By Rob Van Jacobs
It’s common for kids to become exposed to the equestrian sport by starting on a pony. Ponies add joy, excitement and funny experiences to the lives of children. Ponies have a reputation of being silly and stubborn, but also of being lovable and great teachers. I always start my kids on ponies whether it’s through leasing or purchasing. I try to pick a size and personality that best fits the individual rider. At some point, every rider outgrows their pony and moves on to horses.
There are several ways a rider may outgrow their pony. The rider may have a growth spurt and become too tall for their pony. This happens quicker for some than others, but usually happens to most kids. A second common way to outgrow a pony is to advance in a rider’s skills past what most ponies are capable of accomplishing. If a rider is moving into the 3’ hunters and equitation, even if they haven’t become too tall for their pony, this would fall into outgrowing their pony. For a pony jumper, it may be that the rider is ready to move up to the 1.10m and 1.15m jumper classes. Moving on to a horse should be assessed on an individual basis. The process looks a little different for everyone.
Some riders go through the three pony sizes—small, medium and large—before moving on to a horse. Some go from a large pony doing the Short Stirrup to a medium pony doing the Children’s Pony division, then back to a large pony. Some riders go from a medium pony right to a horse that is gentle and experienced with kids. I always try to find suitable horses that are experienced with kids and are good at their jobs. The right natural stride length, balance and temperament are always key ingredients to a successful transition. The journey is unique to each situation. Some additional factors that may impact the decision to transition to a horse include the goals of the rider and financial needs of the family.
Some riders are drawn toward qualifying and competing at Pony Finals. For some riders, this may be a one-time goal, and for others this may be something they wish to accomplish many years. This goal plays a part in how long a rider may stay on ponies. The financial aspect is important also. Knowing the expense of the sport, as well as the benefits and challenges involved with owning horses, it may be a better financial decision for a rider to move on to a small horse suitable for kids as opposed to purchasing a pony the next size up. This statement assumes the rider is growing quickly and also assumes the trainer picks a suitable horse both in temperament and size. Buying and selling poses the challenge of being able to actually sell the existing mount to move forward with a new mount. Some horses/ponies sell in two weeks, while others may take two years to sell. If the funds from a sale are needed to acquire a new mount, it may be more cost effective to move on to a horse than it is to purchase a new pony every 12 to 18 months.
A “one size fits all” approach should not be taken when deciding when a rider should move on to horses. Of the many factors to consider, the primary factors include rider age, rider height, growth rate, rider goals, financial flexibility and the current buying/leasing market. With USEF Pony Finals around the corner, I hope every rider has a fun experience and is able to work with their trainer to come up with a plan that best suits their needs after the finals. I look forward to seeing everyone there for a week of pony fun in the sun!
Photo by GrandPix Photography
