What age to start children with formal lessons?

[divadoo]

ok, so yes I could do it myself but I think my children may respond better to a stranger hence I am pondering getting them formal riding lessons.
Both already have their own ponies (one my old 2nd pony and the other was one who was due to be PTS unless rehomed last Easter, we took her on and she is proving amazing with the children). they ride to and from the paddocks bareback, one has mastered riding around the yard off the lead rein just in walk but they have started to watch my liveries riding in the indoor and they want to do it like them. At weekend one of the ponies went into trot when coming in from the field and my little one managed to balance himself and sit to it, I am rather proud he managed it as her trotting was unexpected.

But, what age is too young? Both my children (twins) are 5 so I know they wont be able to have long lessons but having 2, I figure the instructor can maybe teach one for 10/15 min, then we will switch to the other for 10/15min so assuming they will charge by the time, I will be getting good value. A few have suggested they are way to young hence I was wondering what ages others have started theirs off? One is very keen, the other is more of a 'ok, whatever' type attitude about the ponies (although the other day he made me reverse upto their paddock, opened him window just so he could shout to his pony that he loves her and would be back soon).

[gilly]

they used to say when they knew their left from right, but that was years ago.they used to come with R and L on the backs of hands.

[nici]

Cerys had a few lessons when she was about 3 as I was struggling to find a way to teach her rising trot. A few lessons from an experienced child friendly instructor sorted that out. I didn't continue with formal lessons after that, except pony club rallies after her 4th birthday, as I wanted her to mainly have fun riding her pony and thought too much formal instruction at such a young age could take away from that. She's now 9 and for the past couple of years she's had weekly lessons through the summer months, when the field is suitable. She now has a one hour joint lesson with a friend, part flatwork part jumping now, and always comes away with plenty to practise before her next lesson. Her istructor is lovely and has a great rapport with the girls - they want to do well to please her, and work hard for her.

This approach has worked for us, and while Cerys doesn't always have the most perfect seat, and can pick up bad habits in the periods she's not having lessons, she has excellent balance from the games she plays with her friends, and most of all a real love and excitement from her riding. I've seen kids who have had formal lessons from very early ages, and heard mothers speak of how their daughter was lunged every day for an hour at 5yo to develop a perfect seat, but in my experience, the kids who are pushed too hard too soon, and not allowed to just have fun, are the ones who fall by the wayside and give up riding too soon.

[kayjayem]

I would think they would be ready now BUT I would be very careful about the choice of instructor. Do your homework as some are very child friendly and some just aren't if you get my drift

[flo1]

It all depends on the intructor's insurance.

Most of the riding schools round here won't take children under 5 due to insurers age restrictions.

[09rebel99]

I was about 4 when I started at our local riding school. Every Sunday when it use to cost £4.50 for an hours lesson lol!!

[Em5]

I think children are so different, my 8 year old has lessons and our instructor is amazing. But my 5 year old doesn't have/want lessons yet but she has them when we go to pony club rallies. The younger one doesn't have the concentration at home but she does at rallies riding with her friends, at rallies she will happily walk trot canter and has started jumping.

Pony club is an excellent way to get young riders going and build up confidence And make new friends and camps are great.

[gillwales]

give it a go, a good instructor will make it fun, lots of round the world to improve balance, most riding schools accept children at the age of 4 so your 2 should have no trouble.

[sarahp]

If you have your own suitable ponies you could use a freelance instructor, it wouldn't have to be a riding school. But choose very very carefully! It has to be fun, as nici says, or they could be put off. As you have twins and two ponies I think I'd opt for teaching both together which gives a wider choice of exercises eg trotting round to the rear of the ride, which is this case would be the other twin walking, and alternate the attention of the instructor so giving a bit of relaxation time for the other one. and bring in an element of competition to spur them on!

I can't remember how old, or rather young, my children started lessons, which were individual, but they were with a really lovely lady who taught on her daughter's outgrown ponies - first the mobile pram FR, then the slightly bigger Exmoor who did exactly what was asked - but only gave you what you asked for, ask wrong and he did it wrong, then the 2nd pony TB x NF. But I do know my daughter switched instructors at 6yo when she got her first off lead pony - the old LR we had at home was a typical ex-showing LR who wouldn't go off lead and was then retired from being ridden. At that stage we joined the PC, and I used that to choose her next instructor out of the three they used and that taught her at rallies, coincidentally someone I knew anyway who normally only taught adults but got up a small class of four children in which to teach her own daughter rather than do a one to one, which worked really really well for everyone.

[toshiba]

i started having lessons on my shetland when i was 2! As long as they are willing to learn and enjoy the lessons then they should be fine.

[chalky284]

I started 'lessons' for my 4th birthday after asking for a pony ever since I could say the word! Back then it was an hours hack for £2.50!! We had a proper lesson about once a month to be honest as my family couldn't afford a pony I cherished every second in the saddle, lesson or not.
So as your children are in the envious position of having their own ponies I would go with a few lessons from a child friendly instructor, other children in the lessons will make it more fun for them but I would let them make the decision of continuing lessons or not. If they learn the basics of a good seat and kind hands they will learn as the ride more and join in with pony club things