Breaking large minis for small children to ride

[champsmom]

I am wanting to train my larger minis to ride. I am only going to lead line them so I won't even be using bridles. Just to accept a saddle and a small child. I have never done this so I could most definately use some suggestions.

Also what size saddle should I buy?

 

[heartkranch]

I am wanting to train my larger minis to ride. I am only going to lead line them so I won't even be using bridles. Just to accept a saddle and a small child. I have never done this so I could most definately use some suggestions.

Just throw the blanket on and off. Do the same to the saddle. cinch it, and walk around with the horse till it doesn't mind it. Do it for awhile. Then find a bigger kid that can handle the bucking and sort of go from there.

 

[Charlotte]

What size (how tall) and age are your minis you want to saddle train? That's the first place to start so that you can figure out how much weight they can safely carry.

Give us that info then we can go from there.

Charlotte

p.s. do you have a round pen?

 

[champsmom]

What size (how tall) and age are your minis you want to saddle train? That's the first place to start so that you can figure out how much weight they can safely carry.

Give us that info then we can go from there.

Charlotte

p.s. do you have a round pen?

 

[champsmom]

One of the mares is 34 inches. The other is probably too small at only 27 inches. My stud is 35 inches and then I have two colts that I will break when they are older who will be around the same size as the larger minis. No, I don't have a round pen but I have several separated pastures. Thanks for the help.

 

[Riverrose28]

We had a 38" gelding that I trained for lead line for my then 2 year old grand son. I started by getting him used to the blanket, then wearing the saddle and being lead with both. Then I filled a feed sack with straw and tied it on the saddle, after awhile I put some bricks in either side. This guy was pretty smart and learned all this in a week. Then I put the grandson on, I lead and my daughter walked along side just in case she needed to catch the kid. Well this gelding was fine for every thing and never bucked at home. The first show we took in leadline class and wouldn't you know he reared up in the ring, good thing my daughter was beside the kid to catch him. So embarressed, it was as if we didn't train him at home at all. He had been riden by this kid for three months I thought the horse was ready for the ring boy was I wrong. Good luck!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Instead of a saddle, have you looked at the little pads with stirrups? I had a saddle for my miniature and it was so bulky I sold it. Plus it adds extra weight.

You'll need to start with a fearless child; an older one who is small. I found a 10 year old girl who was small but fearless. We went for a 2 mile walk and by the time we got home my horse was fine. Her mom walked on one side and I walked on the other. He's had many 2-5 year olds on him since.

Finding the small fearless older child is the hard part.

 

[Blackwater Farm]

When my daughter was younger she would ride my 31" gelding. I won't let her ride him anymore though because I wouldn't dare put over 40lbs on him. When I "broke" him to ride I would get him used to the saddle and cinch and lunge him a bit. I would have my husband hold him and I would swing my leg over him and lay just my leg on top of the saddle. All my weight being on the leg I was still standing on of course. That way he could get used to the swinging motion and feeling a bit of a weight change in the saddle. Then when he got used to that I would again have my husband hold him and I would hold my daughter and just set her gently on him all the while still holding her, that way if he decided to do something I still had her and she wouldn't fall. He took it all in stride of course and never threw any kind of a fuss. I was worried though because the place we bought/rescued him from had older children that would torment him and try to ride him and they were WAY too big...talking teenagers! He was very bitter when we first got him and I couldn't blame him for that but after a good castration and some trust building he has been our best family friend since!

 

[Sandee]

IMHO the 34" is barely big enough for a SMALL child.

Ok, now that that is out of the way. I have used my 34" gelding and my 34" mare for leadline. My grandchildren are/were small and my saddles light. I bought the small 10" saddle that has very little leather (like a cordura saddle). Careful when buying a saddle as the skirt is often too big to fit a mini's back.

My grandchildren were 2 and 3 when we started. The gelding had been driven so a cinch for the saddle was no big deal. This gelding is also one of the more heavy built (more shetland like) minis. I was unsure of the weight on his back so like someone else said I lunged him with just the saddle and then one person lead while another walked next to the child holding on.

When I began teaching my mare to drive, I did the same thing. After she was used to the driving saddle, I put the other saddle on and wiggled and wobbled it around; ****** on the stirrups a bit and lunged her. The first time lunging she did object (bucked just a little) but I hollered NO just like I would for any other unacceptable behavior and she quit. My mare is more refined so at age 5 (the kids not the horse),I consider the grandkids too heavy for her. We will still use the gelding this year in leadline but leadline is just that LEADline NOT Riding ALONE!

By the way you will need to train the horse to carry a bit and learn how to back on cue. In leadline the judge usually asks the child to back the horse and they really expect the child to do this not the person leading.

 

[RhineStone]

We have always advocated that minis were not for riding, not because they couldn't handle a small child, but more for the child's sake. Some children are just not mentally capable of understanding that they are too big when they grow too big. Forty-fifty pounds isn't a very big child. "What do you mean I can't ride the pony? I rode him last time!"

And yes, I agree with Sandee, I don't think that 34" is big enough to ride, especially if the horse is fine boned and not stocky. I would aim more for 37" and up IF I was to pursue it. (But I still don't think minis should be ridden....

)

If you drive them, you can drive them for life.

 

[Raine Ranch Minis]

IMHO the 34" is barely big enough for a SMALL child.

We have always advocated that minis were not for riding, not because they couldn't handle a small child, but more for the child's sake. Some children are just not mentally capable of understanding that they are too big when they grow too big. Forty-fifty pounds isn't a very big child. "What do you mean I can't ride the pony? I rode him last time!"

And yes, I agree with Sandee, I don't think that 34" is big enough to ride, especially if the horse is fine boned and not stocky. I would aim more for 37" and up IF I was to pursue it. (But I still don't think minis should be ridden....

)

If you drive them, you can drive them for life.

I totally Agree!!!!!!!

 

[Mona]

Don't let others discourage you from allowing a child a little happiness by alowing them to sit "lead-line" on your minis backs. A 34" mini can easily carry a small child for a short lead-line ride, without problem.

It's not like you're planning to ride them for hours or miles or at top speeds. Right or wrong, I don;t care...I enjoyed sharing my "kids" with children that came to visit.

This is "Playgirl", a 34.5"-35" mare. I walked these two little boys that came to see the horses, around the roundpen a few times, and they thoroughly enjoyed their ride.

This is "Lynsdey", a 33.75" mare taking our (nearly 4 year old at the time) grandson for a ride.

This is "Dawn", a 34" mare with our little 1 1/2 year old (at the time) grandson on her back, just being led a little in the pasture.

This is "Hoot", a 34" gelding with our 4 year old (at the time) grandson sitting on him for a short ride.

This is "Ginger" a 34" mare with our grandson "Jonathon" who was nearly 4 at the time.

And finally, this is "Treasure", a suckling filly, and NO, there was NO WEIGHT from the child on this filly. His mother was was holding him in that position for picture purposes only!!! So of course, and needless to say, this would NOT be acceptable if the child was actually sitting on this foal!!!

When it comes to the little horses and the weights placed on their backs, COMMON SENSE MUST ALWAYS PREVAIL!!!

And, in saying this, it also means there is no reason that a young child cannot experience the joy and happiness of a short leadline "pony ride" to help put a smile on their face!

 

[rubyviewminis]

I think I agree with Mona, as long as they are leadline children, and to be honest, our opinion does not really matter as far as your small children riding your minis on leadline.

Everyone gave wonderful advice, I would like to add a couple that I transferred from training Quarter Horses to minis. Once in awhile we have tiny tots parents bring to pet and sit on the minis for pictures, and I desensitize to any and everything.

Use a cotton rope or long line, long rein, whatever you have and start to put it around their barrel just behind the point of elbow like a cinch would go. Gently at first tighten the rope, I use one hand on that and one hand on the lead. I pull up a littlle to give pressure, slowly advance to crossing the rope lightly at first then tighter, tighten then release, if they don't react I give a treat and praise while they get a little time. If they react, keep the same stance and pressure until they relax. If you let go before they accept it and relax you are teaching them that they can escape it by reacting. I do this up and down their barrel to their flank, then advance to using my arms in a *hug* bending over them. They all hate it at first, scares some, others don't care. Just a little squeeze at first then gradually increase. Pretty soon I can give them big bear hugs and they are fine. This part also is very important in that it teaches them to see something on their other side from the side you are standing on. VERY IMPORTANT. Then I have used large horse cinches when I had no miniature tack, made a kind of surcingle and gradually taught them to drag little ropes, bags, whatever, things I already had them desensitized to. You can do this kind of thing all over them and use your imagination. Then you won't have a scared mini taking off with the child on top, even if you are holding the child. It also keeps some of them from reaching around to bite if they are afraid or have attitude about something on both sides of them.

Sorrry to be so long, but also rub and pat all over while leaning over them, I gradually put my upper body weight more and more while I rub and pat all over. I don't let my minis, just like my big horses, have one little area they don't like touched. My minis can be touched, rubbed, and petted everywhere. For some reason all my colts have had to be trained to relax when I lift their tails, for a crupper, and I use massage techniques to get them used to having their tails lifted, rotated, stroked. I don't want a goosey guy I guess.

 

[champsmom]

We have always advocated that minis were not for riding, not because they couldn't handle a small child, but more for the child's sake. Some children are just not mentally capable of understanding that they are too big when they grow too big. Forty-fifty pounds isn't a very big child. "What do you mean I can't ride the pony? I rode him last time!"

And yes, I agree with Sandee, I don't think that 34" is big enough to ride, especially if the horse is fine boned and not stocky. I would aim more for 37" and up IF I was to pursue it. (But I still don't think minis should be ridden....

)

If you drive them, you can drive them for life.

 

[champsmom]

Thank you everyone for the wonderful advice. I re-measured my mini's this morning and they have actually grown since I got them. The larger mare is almost 37 inches and the stud is 38 inches. They are not the small beautiful class A mini's. They are heavier boned and look more like ponies. Again, thanks so much for the adice. I hink I would like to maybe go with a synthetic type saddle. Even thought about an english saddle so the skirt would not be an issue.

 

[Sandee]

Thank you everyone for the wonderful advice. I re-measured my mini's this morning and they have actually grown since I got them. The larger mare is almost 37 inches and the stud is 38 inches. They are not the small beautiful class A mini's. They are heavier boned and look more like ponies. Again, thanks so much for the adice. I hink I would like to maybe go with a synthetic type saddle. Even thought about an english saddle so the skirt would not be an issue.

Maybe it's my Western background but I don't particularly like English saddles for kids. Kids don't have good balance to begin with and they tend to want to cling to something. If there is no saddle horn, they may grab the reins and if they loose balance there goes the horse. I try to teach my grandkids to hold the horn and when they get braver and just want to sit on bareback I tell them to hold the mane hair.

 

[horsehug]

I totally agree with you, Mona, and have given small kids little rides when they visit for years!

Susan O.

 

[champsmom]

I totally agree with you, Mona, and have given small kids little rides when they visit for years!

Susan O.

Susan, that little leopard appy in your picture is absolutly gorgeous!!!!!

 

[rgsiiiya]

As with any riding animal, it's not about how tall they are, it's about their overall size.
As a general rule, they can carry 20% of their body weight. So more a good size mini, a 40# - 50# child on saddle is likely not a problem.

I saddle break all my minis, even if they never carry a child. It's good training for them no matter what.

 

[madmax]

We taught my small in size granddaughter when she was four proper seat and reining (always on an adult leadline as well), but when she was smaller just to be led around for short walks with an adult on each side as well. Western saddles for minis I think are too heavy so we used an English saddle. This photo shows an synthetic model that has a handhold for safety measures, if you look closely between her hands on the reins you can see the grip. She could ride two of my mares safely, these girls were well broke driving horses (show driving horses) that had been exposed to lots of "stuff" on and off the farm and were 33/34 inches but we still did not let her ride freely on her own. In leadline classes the judge definitely will ask the child to back the horse and then step up, it is good for the child to know that anyway.
I love Mona's photos, calm minis giving a brief ride to thrill a small child, obviously the adults knowing which minis to use.
I have seen photos of teens and adults abusing minis for "fun" that make me feel sick, so I think it is usually mini owners wanting to protect them that makes them say not too ride them. I confess that is what I tell people just in case.
I feel those "pads with stirrups" are unsafe, just my own unsolicited opinion, no proof about it.