For Successful Riders: My first School Pony

For Successful Riders: My first School Pony: Match an experienced pony with a young rider, a good experience in pony dressage can definitely help shape a later career, as the experienc...

My first School Pony

Match an experienced pony with a young rider, a good experience in pony dressage can definitely help shape a later career, as the experience in the arena is priceless and pony dressage gives the perfect opportunity for riders to start early¸ Here a good example young Swedish dressage rider Blanca Bosson and experienced dressage pony Findus at Swedish Pony Derby 2013.! 

Size Matters

Don´t buy a pony for your young rider to grow into instead by a pony that fits the rider and be prepared to move up through the sizes 

This picture is from Portugal were ponies are rare at competitions and it goes to show that everything is possible with good support and a well mannered horse.

Good Front

A pony with a very good front that sits up in front of you is a lot easier to learn how to balance your posture. A pony built downhill no matter how good the temperament will be difficult for you.

Weronea Hills Sensational Dream - Rider Teleah Lindsay 9 yrs
Photo Credit: Kim Adby

Temperament

A good temperament is of course the first priority.  A good Pony Club pony must be confident enough to have a go at everything even if the young rider is a bit nervous.  It does not have to have the movement of a dressage pony but it needs to have good steering and good speed control to allow you to do jumping and games and learn the confidence to go fast.

Choose a pony with a good mouth and not to big stride. The best pony goes easily forward to a light kick, but not too forward so it frightens the rider or to lazy so it gets boring.

Dylan Philips & Rusty

My First Pony

A good pony can set you up on the right path and teach you the joys of riding.

Finding the right pony depends of course on your goal, whether it is to introduce you or your young rider slowly into riding or win international pony championships. Each has very particularly things that must be sought. Many of the world's top dressage riders began their riding career at their local pony club, usually with a pony that was an “allrounder’ and that allowed us to learn the joy of riding.

How do you succeed as a pony rider