Yes, ponies are very naughty. In England where i learned to ride. every child starts on ponies. These ponies range from 10hh to 14.1hh so are sized to the children so they can use leg aids properly. Our western saddles with all the leather are not as suitable to that, and our western mustangs (original cowboy mounts) are not very big horses. DH couldn't understand why these large tall cowboys at rodeos had small cow ponies for ropomg, etc. I explained that if you are roping cattle, then dismounting to doctor, brand, etc., then remounting all day long, you don't want a super tall horse to work off.
In that tradition I mounted all of my children on ponies. They had to take care of them, groom and saddle them, so I figured it would be easier for my kids to do that on smaller ponies. By the time they were 8, each of my kids could catch, groom, pick hooves, saddle and bridle, and ride off on their own with no help. The only family member needing any hel with their mount was DH who had to be overseen at all points.
DH adored the horses but was not really a rider. He was more of a sitter onner. But his favorite thing in all the world was to ride out on a Sunday afternoon (almost his only time off work) with the entire family mounted and riding with him. His horse was a large paint who looked like a carthorse crossed with an Arab. Pretty dish face and great big hairy footed body! LOL Rusty was a wonderful horse that even the smallest child could scramble onto and ride safely. This was a good thing since DH could never grasp the idea of tightening the girth one last time before mounting, leading to some memorable moments in the yard as we raced to rescue him.
But back to ponies. If you can ride a pony well you can ride anything! They can be contrary, rambunctious, bossy, disobedient, etc. This is because there are not many good riders small enough to school a pony and teach it manners. By the child has learned to control his naughty pony they can get on anything and ride it fearlessly. When we were looking for our ponies as each child grew old enough for his OWN HORSE (pony) we ran into some doozies.
"Child Safe" - the pony is only able to carry a tiny child due to some injury.
"Bomb Proof" - the pony is so old that it falls asleep and doesn't notice the child is even on board.
"Needs work" - so green that it has seldom seen a saddle, let alone worn one.
"Experienced rider" - so rank that it is practically an outlaw.
"Has been shown" - Either didn't do well or is now crippled.
"Child's pet" - unbroke pony bought as a present for a baby who is now 2 years old and "tired of it". This pony was an actual ad that I clled looking for a pony. The owner did not have any other horses, did not ride, and had bought this pony as a foal for his newborn son so "they could grow up together"!
Of course, these for sale terms are also applied to all larger horses as well. My uncle was a professional cattleman and rodeo cowboy back in the day. He bought and sold a lot of horses and always warned me to
"never trust a horse trader".
A really well trained little pony with no vices is worth twice as much as the same horse in standard size due to the impossibility of finding one. We finally found 2 that our children grew into in turn. These well broke little ponies took all our children through lessons, gymkhana, parades, trails, and all the crazy stunts that children on ponies or horses get into when out on the trails alone. Like all our horses they remained as pensioners and died here of old age in their 30's. Can't wait to see them again and ride across the morning sky with all our beloved dogs at our heels. I may put the mini dachshund in the saddle bag. or she might have doggy wings
? and be able to keep up.
, but my advice is to stop while you're ahead!
