Question: I have two horses (one for myself, one for my husband) and was considering purchasing a mount for our daughter. She’s only seven and we keep hearing terrible things about ponies versus an older, well broke horse and how she’ll grow out of a pony, but she seems more comfortable with a smaller animal. What would you suggest?

Answer: Ponies are often labeled as “bad”, but so are many horses. In my opinion, ponies can be just as well trained as horses, although finding the right one is sometimes difficult. There are quite a few poorly trained ponies (and horses for that matter) available for sale, and quite a few ponies who behave like angels for adults and appear to be little demons for young riders. Other ponies are babysitters in a sense that they appear to take care of their young riders.

The first thing I would consider is how much the animal is going to be used. Is your daughter quite interested in riding and spending time with an equine friend? Will you be using this mount for other purposes than just as your daughter’s mount?

If your daughter is more at ease with a pony, I suggest you seek out a pony instead of a horse. If you purchase a horse, she may be too intimidated to ride it. Well mannered and well trained ponies put young riders at ease for many reasons. First of all, ponies are smaller and youngsters who are somewhat intimidated by larger horses may seem more approachable. Ponies are easier for a young rider to brush and even tack all by themselves due to their smaller stature, which is a great confidence booster. Your youngster may also be more comfortable leading a pony and learning how to perform basic pony/horse care, including feeding, watering, mucking out the stall, brushing, picking hooves, etc.  I have a daughter about the same age as yours, and she is MUCH more comfortable working with the pony than the larger horses, even though she sees them every day and they are well trained.

From my own experience with a pony, I remember how proud I was tacking up my pony all by myself and taking care of it. While I could have (and eventually did) do the same for a larger horse, I found that learning the ropes with a pony was a valuable experience. And while your daughter may eventually outgrow a pony, especially if you choose a small or medium sized pony, you might be able to purchase a medium or large pony that will “fit” her for years to come. As a general rule of thumb, horses (and ponies) can carry up to 20% of their own weight. So, the maximum weight you would want to put on a 750 lb pony would be 150 lbs (including rider and all tack). This isn’t a hard and fast rule, just a rule of thumb. The animal’s frame size and overall conformation also affect how much it can carry well. Some breeds of ponies are often shown by adults, such as Fell ponies. I’ll often hop on my daughter’s 12.3 hh Morgan/Shetland cross pony for a trail ride, or to demonstrate a new skill (and to keep her skills tuned while my daughter learns).

 If you are planning on using the mount for yourself or as an “extra” horse if you invite a friend for riding, you may want to choose a larger animal if your daughter is alright with that. A well mannered horse will also give her the confidence she needs to enter into the horse world. The most important aspect of all of this is that the animal you purchase (whether horse or pony) be well mannered and easily handled by your daughter. While you will obviously need to supervise your daughter’s equine experiences, you will want to choose an animal that is calm, collected, and suits your daughter’s abilities. 

Another question that I’ve been asked is whether to choose a mare or gelding for a novice rider. Honestly, I don’t believe it matters. Some mares are moody when in estrus, but geldings can have their off days too. I would not be concerned with sex (although I wouldn’t recommend a stallion for a novice horseperson).

Looks are among the LEAST important of aspects in first equids in my opinion. Even if your daughter claims she’ll only love a feisty palomino with lots of chrome, remember that that this is a first horse and temperament is of the utmost importance. A pony or horse with good ground manners is an absolute must. Animals that kick, bite, charge, nip, push with their bodies, and drag their handlers around are not suitable for novices. You’re looking for a well broke kid’s mount, so I’d be more willing to overlook blemishes and minor conformation flaws than poor manners. Good luck!