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T O P I C R E V I E W
birdof1977
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 07:46:59 AM In about 6 months or so I am going to start looking for a pony for my novice 9yr old daughter. She is currently having private riding lessons at a local RS, and is doing quite well. She can walk, trot canter and pop a little jump, I am envious of her position. LOL. She occasionally has a pottle round on Zar, usually on the lead rein/ or lunge line, but he is too big, and jumpy for her. She is quite a tall 9yr old and I want to get something about 14hh, so that I can ride and school it too for her. She is very good around the horses, and often mucks out for me, fills haynets etc. She has a very clam nature around animals, which we all know Arab's need.
The only reason I asked, was I mentioned getting her an Arab to a horsey friend of mine the other day, well her reaction was undescribable. She said, that you should never put a novice rider on an arab, and especially not a child!!! I then had to remind her, that 1, I class myself as a Novice, and 2 I am not much bigger than a child myself! But I still have one!
Anyway, I just thought I'd ask you guys, if you have had any experience of children and arabs, are they a suitable match, or would I be making a mistake??
25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
Anne C
Posted - 02 Mar 2010 : 10:00:27 PM We had some friends come to visit with their small children, well about 10 and 3, they wanted to 'ride', the only horse available was my stallion. So there he was, in just his headcollar giving 'rides' to the kids, good as gold and quiet as a lamb. He made them feel so safe that they asked if they could gallop him. They were most upset when I said no!
Bebely
Posted - 02 Mar 2010 : 8:47:53 PM I was brought up in the Middle East and learnt to ride in Bahrain - and all we had were Arabs! We had a bit of a mixed bunch at our riding school (kids and horses!). Some were more challenging but we also had some great horses for real beginners. I started riding when I was 10 and had never been on anything but an arab until I was well into my 20's.
As a child I don't think I knew horses came in other varieties.
LYNDILOU
Posted - 28 Feb 2010 : 11:01:41 AM Evie is an inspiration to ALL youngsters,( and oldies)with Arabs way to go Evie
Libby Frost
Posted - 27 Feb 2010 : 11:57:44 PM
Originally posted by arabic
Yes,yes, yes, yes, yes,
Freddie was another of Libby's fantastic offspring (well she bred him lol). Adam was 14, Freddie was unbroken and unbeknown to me Adam had been riding him around his field bareback with a headcollar. Adam's only experience of riding was a ciriculum enrichment week at a riding school.
Breaking wasnt a good experience for Freddie (time over again I wouldnt have bothered)but he forgave us and with patience overcame the fears planted in him. Everyone said green horse - novice rider, forget it and for a while it was difficult but in the end, they all ate their words. At 44, 7yr old Freddie taught me to ride and cared for me as if I was porcelain. Yes, he had a wicked streak but never dangerous and never more than his rider could cope with.
My OH used to laugh at the difference when a young rider who thought they knew it all got on his back, he would soon have them off but never harm them. Anyone nervous or unsure he would cosset. My grand daughter sat on him before she was 12months old and he was as gentle as a lamb.
He will always be the love of my life and I miss him everyday but would say to anyone, never deprive a child the love of an arab - it's magical. In the right hands of course, but that doesnt need saying here.
Thanks again to Libby for breeding such a wonderful chap and giving me the chance of a lifetime xx
the magical, Ghibli family, Taragun and freddie were cousins, because Taretta Tari's dam and Tarib, Fred's dad were 3/4 brother and sister i guess ive just been very lucky and HONOURED to have had such amazing horses in my life. Another strain we had was Mafida's family through, Ma'an by Sa'an out of Mafida by Haroun, we bought Mafida in foal to Talquah Jesse with Ma'an as a colt foal at foot in 1986. Once he was old enough he was my guinea pig as i backed him myself, he was the safest horse ive ever ridden in my life i NEVER fell off him , in all the years we jumped at shows etc, i used to teach the YTS girls we had training at the time, lunging with Ma'any, one would ride and the other lunge him, then swap, he was only 4 bear in mind, cos he would trot round and look at me as if to say , am i doing ok mum??God bless him , miss you Ma'any darling and i guess i allways will
Freddie was another of Libby's fantastic offspring (well she bred him lol). Adam was 14, Freddie was unbroken and unbeknown to me Adam had been riding him around his field bareback with a headcollar. Adam's only experience of riding was a ciriculum enrichment week at a riding school.
Breaking wasnt a good experience for Freddie (time over again I wouldnt have bothered)but he forgave us and with patience overcame the fears planted in him. Everyone said green horse - novice rider, forget it and for a while it was difficult but in the end, they all ate their words. At 44, 7yr old Freddie taught me to ride and cared for me as if I was porcelain. Yes, he had a wicked streak but never dangerous and never more than his rider could cope with.
My OH used to laugh at the difference when a young rider who thought they knew it all got on his back, he would soon have them off but never harm them. Anyone nervous or unsure he would cosset. My grand daughter sat on him before she was 12months old and he was as gentle as a lamb.
He will always be the love of my life and I miss him everyday but would say to anyone, never deprive a child the love of an arab - it's magical. In the right hands of course, but that doesnt need saying here.
Thanks again to Libby for breeding such a wonderful chap and giving me the chance of a lifetime xx
templars
Posted - 27 Feb 2010 : 7:30:21 PM Second all the opinions.
We bought the beautiful and talented Taragun (forever grateful to Libby for breeding such an amazing mare )
When we bought her, Evie was 11. They were on every Pony Club Area team - dressage, show jumping and eventing.
When Evie was 11, just a few days before her 12th birthday, the pair became British Horse Society National Hunter Trials Champions, Style and Performance. Here they are:
Here they are doing a tiny bit of in-hand (they only did this a couple of time because neither of them enjoyed it as much as flying cross country)
Here they are at the award ceremony for the WAHO trophy when Evie was 13:
They competed extensively at one day events, and here they are at their first three day event:
Snaffle bridle and cavesson noseband throughout.
And before partnering a pure bred at the age of 11, Evie rode the super Vlacq Tinwe (Sparky), a cracking part bred who is now in grand retirement. Here they are when Evie was 10 and they won the show jumping at the Nationals at Malvern
Now Evie is 15 and is competing at British Eventing at JRN level - again partnered by a horse with Arab blood. This time a 16.3 French Anglo (= British part bred)
And this is them in action at a three day event
Like the others say, it depends on the child and the horse but speaking from personal experience, I didn't have any qualms and I truly believe that the special bond Evie formed with that magical Arabian blood has helped her enormously. I don't think Evie would have got as far as she has without the Arabian magic that has become part of her soul
birdof1977
Posted - 27 Feb 2010 : 6:19:24 PM I have loved looking at all of your photo's and hearing your stories, good and bad, although it would appear that the majority are good.
This has encouraged me to very seriously consider looking at an arab for her more than any other breed. She has a special connection with my boy. They adore one another. She has no fear around him, where she can be quite nervous with other ponies and horses, he is my one in a million horse, and in the words of my wise 9 year old, its a priveledge to know him :)
Ps keep the stories coming. They are a joy to read. :)
susan p
Posted - 27 Feb 2010 : 6:01:59 PM Lovely photo
LYNDILOU
Posted - 27 Feb 2010 : 5:26:16 PM This is the pure bred Arab mare I rode 55 years ago, aged 10, bare backed , rope head collar, not an ounce of fear, despite riding at a full gallop this way. she kept me safe and taught me about the true arabian nature , kind, intelligent, human loving yet spirited and wild at heart ( although god knows why they love us when we humans treat them as inferior beings !!) one day when man has evolved (not in our lifetime) he will come to see that ALL living creatures have as much right to dignity and respect as he does !
Libby Frost
Posted - 27 Feb 2010 : 4:36:25 PM Spey crystal's daughter by ludancer, i backed and she was sold on to a child with physical dissabilities, they hit it right off which was truly amazing for such a young horse
Taragun ( shogun / Taretta ) together with Evie her young jockey won so much eventing they won the WAHO trophy in 2008 in recognition of their achievements
I bought El campeador when i was 17, he was an amazing horse, he was so good in traffic when we took him racing, if the lorry had broken down i would have had no worries about riding him down the dual carriageway horse in a million and im touching wood as i say this still alive at 35
Miska
Posted - 27 Feb 2010 : 12:57:02 PM I got Miska when I was thirteen. She has taught me so much, by not being exactly the safest of rides. I wouldn't change her for the world. One thing I will mention though is that if you child wants to do pony club or jumping alot then an arab may not be the best breed. I know that there are arabs out there who are fantastic jumpers and behave themselves impeccibly. But there are alot who get over excited and are not exactly the best pony club ponies. This is my experience with Miska - as I never got a chance to do anything like that because Miska was a nutcase jumping...ok she jumped like a pegasus but she scared me half to death sometimes and I never risked xc. She was not a pony club pony and I regret not being able to do all of the camps etc when I was young enough. But this is my experience with Miska, might be different with other arabs. I wish they had invented pony racing when I was thirteen - we would have always won, as Miska hated things overtaking her!
I think you need to be the right type of rider to ride an arab and if you are then they will do anything for you (though obviously at speed in Miska's case!).
garnet
Posted - 27 Feb 2010 : 10:37:00 AM My friend in NZ has been taking her son to Pony Club on her 14.2ish endurance mare since he was about 2 (on the lead rein of course) and now at 5 he is competently handling this mare, her bigger daughter and a purebred, all fit endurance horses.
NUTTER
Posted - 27 Feb 2010 : 12:12:28 AM My daughter we bought a purebred arab mare when she was just 11 yrs the mare just turned 9 but had been turned away for 2 yeas My daughter went of on the mare for nearly 2 hours i was like worried sick, drove around looking for her !! She was back the yard as happy as could be, her words were she,s a bit funny with tractors but mum ive never felt so safe before.. I love her, so that was it we bought her.. 2 weeks later took her to a show which happened to fall the week before Devon County so loads out first time for show Each class had anything up to 28 in it !! That little mare bless her just 14.2 got placed in 4 out of 5 classes.. Only classed that they questioned her twice which angered me as they called her up as said twice out of approx 20+ was the family pony class !! judges obviously had a problem with a arab being in the class but being fair after making my daughter redo her thing with the mare placed her 4th so i bit my tongue lol.. I think arabs really do sense younger ones around them and enjoy children interacting with them.. Now my daughter is 17 yrs and can do anything with her, we can put my nephew on 4 yrs and she plods happily up the road, but you get a adult on her who can ride and she will give you a push button forward ride and can be very sharp.. So i really do think they suit all abilities..
zebo
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 10:59:43 PM I breed, show and produce Arabs for myself and for clients and also have a small riding school where I only teach children. I have a part bred (75%) mare who is about 14hh and a pure bred mare who I use most days for teaching the children, all of the children who ride them love them to bits and are obsessed with Arabs, these two mares are excellent schoolmistresses and rarely put a hoof out of line. My niece has had a purebred mare for four years ( since she was 10) and has grown and developed a special relationship with the mare, she has now progressed on to another purebred mare. I feel that Arabians are fantastic horses for children.
s.jade
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 10:28:25 PM Depends on the arab and the child, but if they click - why not My mum decided when I was 11 and wanted to try at Teams, it was silly to look for an event pony to loan - so plonked me on her 15.2hh Intermediate TB stallion....very unconventional, but we had a fab season, won everything and gained masses of experience and confidence! If they suit each other, they will have masses of fun
debs
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 9:18:31 PM On one of our famous pub rides(!)whilst knocking back a beer, a child, after coming up to say hello, ran at Giz and went straight under him! Thank god i used to practice this in the stable...
T42
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 8:53:43 PM My first Arab understood about children. The YO's son used to come into the stable with me & brush the horse's legs. I kept an eye on him but got distracted & lost sight of him. He was standing under the horse's belly (he was only 2) grooming his tummy. The horse never moved a muscle. We took him & a 12.2 to the local county show to give pony rides. The Arab plodded up & down all day without complaint. The little pony had to be taken behind a bush & severely spoken to after he tried to buck the children off. Get a nice, mature small Arab & your daghter will have a friend for life that will grow with her as she gets more ambitious.
debs
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 8:31:35 PM I was the only person to ride my Gizzy so he was quite apprehensive when a friend put her child on him,and when another friend asked for a go!! what he was used to I guess! However the same 3 yo child could lead him and he followed along so slowly nibbling her hat!! Oh I do miss him so! Bless his heart
moonlight
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 8:24:22 PM My 6yo niece and 9yo nephew regularly ride my 18yo pure bred mare and they all get on really well. The children listen to what they are told and Zara takes excellent care of them- she has done RDA too! So to echo many, it depends on the child and the horse but I would say why not?
suyents
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 7:39:17 PM I bought my first Arab when i was expecting my daughter, and they literally grew up together. She used to ride him, as an entire, bareback from the age of two..in fact, i have a newspaper picture of Justine sitting on Aqaba just after he had won at the Royal. Arabs are amazing, don't let the prejudices of the hack and hunter fraternity put you off!! (oh, and he was 14.2hh)
susan p
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 7:37:07 PM Definately,,,what else? Riding lesson with Happy age four
Roseanne
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 7:11:55 PM Callisto, this is a link to the book; I mis-remembered the title!!
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 7:01:27 PM Wouldn't hesistate. All mine are wonderful with kids and novices.
Keren
munchie
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 4:52:23 PM What about a smaller part bred? Wasn't there a 13h 2 advertised here recently? A small adult could still school it and if she decides to compete she won't be against 16 year olds therefore may have more chance of winning and the resulting confidence boost
Callisto
Posted - 26 Feb 2010 : 4:27:38 PM Thanks for the book suggestion Roseanne, I will look out for it.
i guess ive just been very lucky and HONOURED to have had such amazing horses in my life.
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