Anybody's horse act different when children are riding them?

[Carrie+Morgan]

It really strikes me as odd that it seems that Jade knows what she can do with certain riders, when my oldest son hopes on for a ride (he is only 5 and a half) Jade is a typical cobby plod and doesnt look like she has any get up and go in her at all, but when mum gets on (me :p) she is like head up, ears pricked, lets go!!!!

I would like to think that she does realised that she has a little one on board and is taking care of them :D

Anybody else's horse do this??

[Cortrasna]

Oh that is so sweet - nice to think that she is looking after your little one:)

I actually do believe that some horses do 'adjust' their attitude according to who is on board - i.e your hot wired nutter can sometimes be the one you just know will walk around sensibly with children on board.

Just wondering if someone would be kind enough to suggest to JJ they he plods around in a genteel manner when he has an old Granny on his back;):D

[Carrie+Morgan]

Just wondering if someone would be kind enough to suggest to JJ they he plods around in a genteel manner when he has an old Granny on his back;):D


Let me have his mobile phone number I will get Jade to have a chat :D

[Esther.D]

Polo (my eldest Shetland) is so good with Beth (3) riding that she says he is too boring and wants to ride the others who are a bit more lively, yet with a more competant rider on board he is a cracking gymkhana pony and very forwardgoing.

[Skippys Mum]

Skippy (16.3 IDx) was an angel with young children - or beginner riders:D. With competant riders though he would give them a run for their money:eek:.

Arnie, my little demon cob, who is a sod with most folk, is a doll with kids. They can climb over him, under him and round him and he wont put a hoof out of line. He is also really good with my 74 (non riding) year old mum when she has a wee shot on him.

Wish he would be so good with me:(

[Peaches]

Skippy (16.3 IDx) was an angel with young children - or beginner riders:D. With competant riders though he would give them a run for their money:eek:.



Lance exactly!

However with him, it's often not naughtiness/cheekiness that makes him difficult for a competant rider - more that they get on and start to ride him, and all of a sudden a different person is in charge: that freaks him out, he's a mummy's boy!

Put a beginner/child on him, and he's angelic. He has been teaching 2 little girls how to walk on, halt, reinback over the summer. However he's comfortable, because even if not holding him, he knows it's me in charge on the ground...:rolleyes:

He does look after them though! He's beautiful with them :)

[fairlady]

I used to share one that was totally different with Kids. He would
take the proverbial 'P' out of me all the time but my two boys, couldn't fault
him. In fact one day it was snowing heavily and one of my boys, aged aboput 5 then, was
climbing the metal gate, I was telling him to get off before he slipped and
he was ignoring me :rolleyes: Sonny, the horse, grabbed him by his coat, lifted him OFF the gate and put him on the ground.........My Son's face
was a picture........he is 23 now, lol, and still tells the story to people:p;)

[diplomaticandtactful]

Used to know a kids pony called Silver, a crabby old mare who had been there, done it, got the teeshirt, an old pro.

With a novice child, she was perfect - wouldn't put a foot wrong. As they got better, she got worse and more challenging. She was a right little angel. Clever and sharp and sensible.

[Demson]

KYle is just the same, I can put a young child on him and they can kick and flap about as much as they like and he will jsust plod around in walk. Put someone heavier on him and he's like "Whoosh.............> lets go and you ain't gonna stop me.

If the bigger / heavier person tries to stop him he just locks his head and neck or fights them.

[Portia]

My mare went very differently according to the skill of the rider; me on board- ploddy, gentle, careful. Daughter - sharper, alert, excited about what she was going to do 'next'. A beginner (my son) - rock-solid and 'bombproof'. I was wary given what I knew she was capable of, but she never let an inexperienced rider down.

Those times that, with me riding, we had a bit of excitement, if she felt me losing my seat she'd slow down or even stop until she felt me secure again. Even if she put in an complaining buck about something, always did the same, stopped if I unseated. . If I fell off she'd nuzzle me as if to say what was I doing (are there sweeties?) Lovely girl - one in a million.

[Chiicken]

The gorgeous ex racehorse I ride is an absolute angel with nervous beginners and children. Yet I get on him and things that he's walked past god knows how many times in the last 10 minutes become terrifying monsters that warrant a dropped shoulder, and cantering just becomes THAT exciting he has to do a couple of bucks! I think it's because he knows I'm going to ask him to work though, and he's a bit of a lazy soul, bless him ;)

[laceyfreckle]

Um, yep my 10yr and 7yr old children 'ride' my 13.3hh pony on lead rein in walk and trot and off lead rein in walk.

He is the same pony that can be a spookmonster nappy pony who takes the proverbial P (but not with the kids;))

Oddly he still hates kids (and most people) on the ground though lol