Dumb question-- 18-month-old and pony rides?

[Anonymous]

My 18-month-old has told me she wants to ride a real horse (we have visited stables, been to Butler's Orchard and seen ponies, she's seen photos of young children riding horses/ponies in books, etc.)

Is this at all possible or advisable?

I am thinking one of those dwarf/mini ponies being led around slowly at a Butler's Orchard-type place, maybe something to strap her on, while I/DH is ALSO holding her around her waist or whatever. Is that totally crazy? If it is, no problem, she can obviously wait. But if your <2-year-old has done this relatively safely, also let me know.

[Anonymous]

You could do it, but why not wait? Does 18 month old always get what she wants?

[Anonymous]

It's relatively safe if you go somewhere nice. Please don't take her to those "petting zoos" where the poor ponies are forced to walk in circles. Breaks my heart.

[Anonymous]

I looked into this for my 2 year old (I live in Wheaton), and the stables at Wheaton Regional Park require kids to be 3. So you might have to wait a bit.

[Anonymous]

We did a pony ride when they had them for a special event at Frying Pan Park. Three adults walked around the ring with the child/horse. My 2.5 year old loved it but other kids seemed scared. Horses, even ponies, are big! So while you may be able to find a place where they'd let her ride, you may want to wait until she's a bit older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could do it, but why not wait? Does 18 month old always get what she wants?

OP here. Come on! Obviously not.

I just thought IF it is reasonably safe, why not? If NOT reasonably safe, well, you obviously didn't read my OP. Sheesh. Only on DCUM.

Thanks for the input, other folks. We'll probably just wait, then. She's a little smaller than average, too, so I'm also thinking that unless the pony is truly the size of a large dog, she wouldn't even be comfortable, let alone safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 18-month-old has told me she wants to ride a real horse (we have visited stables, been to Butler's Orchard and seen ponies, she's seen photos of young children riding horses/ponies in books, etc.)

Is this at all possible or advisable?

I am thinking one of those dwarf/mini ponies being led around slowly at a Butler's Orchard-type place, maybe something to strap her on, while I/DH is ALSO holding her around her waist or whatever. Is that totally crazy? If it is, no problem, she can obviously wait. But if your <2-year-old has done this relatively safely, also let me know.

I know someone who just did this with a toddler that age. If she gets up close and still wants to do it, why not? Yes, you'd have the pony wrangler leading the pony, and a parent would have to walk right alongside.

[Anonymous]

My DD did it at age 2, and she's pretty little, so smaller than most 18 month olds. She loved it. Weirdly, now she's almost 3 and has decided she is afraid of horses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 18-month-old has told me she wants to ride a real horse (we have visited stables, been to Butler's Orchard and seen ponies, she's seen photos of young children riding horses/ponies in books, etc.)

Is this at all possible or advisable?

I am thinking one of those dwarf/mini ponies being led around slowly at a Butler's Orchard-type place, maybe something to strap her on, while I/DH is ALSO holding her around her waist or whatever. Is that totally crazy? If it is, no problem, she can obviously wait. But if your <2-year-old has done this relatively safely, also let me know.

I know someone who just did this with a toddler that age. If she gets up close and still wants to do it, why not? Yes, you'd have the pony wrangler leading the pony, and a parent would have to walk right alongside.

Well, maybe I can find a large-dog-sized pony. I do think she might get a kick out of it, but she also freaked out when she saw an adult in an animal costume, so who knows? I won't go out of my way, but we're planning on going apple-picking at a farm when we visit my parents (out of state), so maybe we'll pick a place with that option (if it exists) and see. PP who mentioned those terrible petting zoos, I agree with you-- I'd only be looking at a place that has these rides incidentally.

[Anonymous]

We did it with our just-turned-two year old at the MD state fair and she LOVED it. I was 50-50 convinced she was going to freak out once she actually got on the horse, but my husband held her around the waist while someone led the pony in a circle 3-4 times. I want to say the name of the company was Mary Go Round? Mary something for sure.

[Anonymous]

OP again-- if it helps (?), my DC is doing all the 2+-year-old gross and fine motor things. Has great balance (not that she'd go it alone!) been kicking a ball for months, goes up and down stairs easily (standing), running since 11 or 12 months, etc.

[Anonymous]

Oh, totally do it! I couldn't say where to do so now, but my now 4 year old LOVES the Montgomery Fair because he gets to ride the pony around a ring a few times. We did it first when he was about 18 months old, and he was THRILLED!!! This was the first year we let him sit on the horse by himself (the trainer leading the pony, but neither one of us walking along side). I thought he'd actually explode from excitement!

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't.

[Anonymous]

My DD saw a pony for the first time and fell in love at 17mo. We were at Butlers and yes, we let her ride. They had some very small ponies, the wrangler was holding the reigns and my husband was holding my daughter the whole time. SHE LOVED IT! She has ridden several times at different places since then always w/ a wrangler and someone holding her. As long as you can hold her waist, why not?

[Anonymous]

My older daughter rode a pony before 18months. My younger daughter won't get near a pony at age 3.