| Once in a while you come across great kid's | | | | Kid's horse going, even though he's thirty years |
| horses that are ponies. My younger siblings had | | | | old. On the other hand some horses are just born |
| one named Tony Pony. | | | | a Kid's horse. I had a colt years ago that as a |
| Tony was a champion with kids. After my | | | | green broke three year old was the best Kid's |
| brothers out grew him he went to a dude string | | | | horse going. My five year old daughter learned to |
| and gave kids rides for several more years. This | | | | ride on him and I wouldn't have risked her safety |
| is one of the problems with ponies, the kids | | | | for the world. To sum it up Kid's horses come in |
| outgrow them. It happens faster than you can | | | | all ages, colors and sizes. You need to exercise |
| believe. Then you are faced with keeping the | | | | patience, do your home work and shop around to |
| pony forever as a pet that eats a lot and does | | | | find the one that fits your child the best. |
| other things a lot that have to be picked up and | | | | I want to remind you right here that all of these |
| disposed of. Ponies often live a long time as well, | | | | guidelines are generalities and there are constant |
| Tony was up around forty when he finally went | | | | exceptions to every one of them. That is one of |
| to that golden stable in the sky. It's good they | | | | the things that makes horses so much fun is their |
| can live so long, as long as the child is riding them | | | | individual personalities. They are all different and |
| but it's a lot of mucking stalls if your child is grown | | | | they are best suited for different types of jobs. |
| up and gone and you're still taking care of the | | | | Now, let's discuss some of the more important |
| pony. | | | | things to consider. |
| The other alternative is you sell the pony to | | | | Disposition, handle, and what the horse's job is |
| some other deserving child's parents. Even though | | | | going to be are far more important factors to |
| you know, deep down inside you did a good thing, | | | | consider than height, color and age. If a horse has |
| you still have to face the looks given to you by | | | | the right disposition, isn't spooky or ill tempered it |
| your wife and grown child for the next few | | | | counts for a ton of peace of mind for the |
| months or depending on how well liked the pony | | | | parents. It also makes the child's rides more |
| was, maybe a few years. Don't worry, they will | | | | pleasant and they can learn to really enjoy riding |
| finally forgive you, it just may take awhile. All | | | | horses. |
| joking aside, it truly is like selling off a family | | | | If a horse handles easy, he neck reins or, in |
| member or maybe a little harder. | | | | English riding, is what they call, light in the bridle, a |
| Most ponies are very ill mannered. An old man | | | | kid can handle a horse with ease. No matter what |
| told me years ago that if you have a kid you | | | | is happening, if a horse will stop when you ask |
| hate buy him a Shetland pony. One of the main | | | | him to, just about everything else can be fixed. |
| reasons for this, I believe, is because it's hard to | | | | What the child is going to use the horse for is |
| find a good trainer that is light enough to ride | | | | probably thought about the least by first horse |
| them. Hence, finding a well broke pony is much | | | | parents. Yet this may be the most important |
| more difficult than finding a well broke horse. As a | | | | factor to consider from the stand point of the |
| kid I would ride anything just to get the chance | | | | child's future with horses. Take for example if the |
| to ride. Therefore, when we went to visit friends | | | | Dad, wanting to be the hero, shows up one day |
| that owned a pony that was less than well trained | | | | with a good riding, Kid's horse that is nice and |
| I was enlisted into service on the spot. I've ridden | | | | slow and easy going the child will be ecstatic for |
| ponies that would bite, buck, run away, sull, rear | | | | awhile. But, let's say the child is a little girl, who |
| and one, that if all of the above tricks failed to | | | | unknown to her parents because they didn't ask, |
| get you off, he would throw himself to the | | | | idolizes Charmayne James and wants to be a |
| ground. I also rode some that were very nice to | | | | world champion barrel racer. She is going to get |
| ride and a couple that were good heeling horses | | | | tired of old Plug Along and getting beat every |
| (although I never took them to a jackpot or | | | | time she competes pretty fast. Soon barrel |
| rodeo where people would see me rope off | | | | racing's not fun anymore and boys, hot cars and |
| them). | | | | alcohol are. Do you see a pattern here that |
| Another thing that's of least importance in buying | | | | could've been prevented with the right horse? |
| a Kid's horse is color. I know we all like a pretty | | | | More often than not what happens is the family |
| horse but in the case of a Kid's horse I feel it's | | | | ends up owning and feeding two horses even |
| much more important how the horse handles and | | | | though the girl only rides the new barrel horse. It's |
| in general, how he gets along with the child, than it | | | | often just too hard to sell off old Plug Along. |
| is how pretty the horse is. Believe me, if the | | | | A kid's horse should be what we call bomb proof. |
| horse takes good care of your children, he is | | | | It means he doesn't get excited even if you set |
| soon going to be the prettiest horse around, to | | | | a bomb off underneath him. He should handle well |
| both you and your child. | | | | and fit the job the kid wants to do with him. |
| The age of a Kid's horse, when you buy him is | | | | Good Kid's horses are hard to find but they do |
| very much irrelevant. While it's true you don't | | | | exist. A good one is worth whatever you have to |
| want a horse that is on his last legs, as long as | | | | pay for him. He's a combination baby sitter, best |
| the horse has a few good years in him, he can | | | | friend, confidant, entertainment center and |
| teach your kid more on how to ride than all the | | | | psychiatrist. I personally, won't hardly ride anything |
| instructors going. If he rides right, takes care of | | | | else. |
| your child or children, then he may be the best | | | | |