IT’S THE TIME of year to hesitate, halt and acquire information before surprising your child with the much begged for pony.
Yes, it is the tugging at our heartstrings that moves us to fill our child’s wants and dreams. And oh how much your child will love and hug you for that wonderful gift.
Soon you will be putting your child on the pony’s back to go lead him or her around your yard. You also purchased a nice saddle, bridal and a helmet for your child’s safety because you envision your adorable child riding that adorable pony all around your fenced yard without a care in the world.
At least that is the hope, right?
Bubbles burst
Sadly, the majority of those dream bubbles quickly burst the first time you let your child ride around the yard on her own — under your watchful eye of course.
Why? Because most ponies or horses sold have not had enough training or experience to be a safe ride.
Do not get me wrong here, I know horses and ponies can make wonderful presents — if you take your time and do your research.
I hope that you’ll follow that advice and avoid some of the falls, spills and scary situations that happened to me and to almost every horse owner I know who was given an equine present, regardless of the time of year or reason it’s given.
I was 8-years-old when my parents moved out of the city and on to a small farm.
While I’d always been horse crazy, and loved sitting on my grandfather’s horses and getting led around when I was little, neither my mother or father ever had an interest in horses.
They just had a keen desire to bring one home for their horse-crazy child.
Thankfully, they leased the first horse they brought home.
Lady was promised to be a “kid-friendly horse everyone can ride.”
Not kid-friendly
As is common, her owner lied, or at least greatly overstated, that she was kid-friendly.
Everyone could ride Lady, the question became could they stay on?
Lady was a small, agile bay-colored horse who was light on her feet and raring to go. A bit spirited as they say in the horse world.
Given the chance, she’d take off running with me hanging on for dear life.
My older brother also was given a horse, an older palomino that was blind in one eye, which was well-trained and obedient for him. Both my parents learned how to saddle up the horses and then allowed us to ride unattended in the neighbor’s large, fenced, cow pasture across the street.
Sometimes I rode alone.
In addition, while Lady would usually just walk on the way down the trail, she always galloped the way home.
She likely got into the habit because my brother (who wasn’t a horse lover and had never had a desire to ride before) loved to get his horse galloping fast, and horses always run faster on the way home.
After Lady bit me, taking a chunk out of my upper arm, my parents returned her.
My grandfather drove eight hours to where we lived and helped my parents find a truly kid-friendly older pony for me.
Sumack, as he was called, and I had wonderful adventures together — until my parents moved us back to the city.
I was 13 and an unhappy teenager when my newly remarried mother bought me another horse — that we were told was well-trained and kid-friendly — that I kept at a stable next to the ocean in Corona Del Mar, Calif.
After being thrown off several times, I convinced my mother to let my horse and me go into training with the local western trainer, who happened to be a good barrel racer. And that’s where I truly learned how to ride, how to work in connection with my horse and how to barrel race.
First step
The best way to introduce horses and riding into the lives of those who have never owned or cared for a horse before is to find a riding stable with a well-trained horse (or preferably horses to choose from) for safety and to see how interested your child really is.
Try signing him or her up for weekly lessons for three or more consecutive months to see if your child stays interested.
Instructions should include grooming and saddling the horse, and even shoveling up some horse manure in the stall.
A child that’s truly passionate about horses will look forward to doing all that and more.
The best way to find the right horse for your child is to bring, or consult, someone knowledgeable.
My parents had the right idea of leasing my first horse on a month-to-month basis before they purchased her because then they were able to return her after she proved too feisty for me.
In addition to buying enough feed, you need to know that you, the parent, are ultimately responsible for feeding quality hay and in the proper amounts, and picking up the manure daily.
Yes, at the age-appropriate time, you’ll be handing those tasks over to the child, but it’s up to you as the parent to show the right example.
Know in addition to feed, the hooves need to be trimmed or shod by a professional about every eight weeks. So count that into the financial costs.
Paying for weekly lessons can be less expensive and certainly less stressful for the parents than keeping a horse at home long-term.
Finally — and I cannot stress this enough — buying a horse and caring for it properly should be thought of as a commitment that lasts the animal’s lifetime, including providing for a humane death when the time comes.
These animals, while not human, still have emotional needs that should always be considered.
If, eventually, you need to find it a new home than please do so responsibility.
The worst thing you could do with an older, beloved animal is to hand them off to somebody else for an unknown scary life in a kill pen to wait with other frightened animals waiting to be slaughtered.
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears the second and fourth Sunday of each month.
If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, please email Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also call her at 360-460-6299.
