Horsebacking riding with five-year-old

[KatieCharlotte]

I'm almost too afraid to post this, knowing I may get some critical responses, but my 5-year-old loves all animals, has fed a rhino without fear, has been on a pony a few times a year since she was two, loves swimming, and dreams of riding a horse into the water. Yes, it's my fault for showing her a picture once.

 

We are considering a cruise to Montego Bay when she is five or just turned six. Carnival has a minimum age of six for the horseback riding excursion, but if you book directly with a stable or through Island Marketing the minimum age is five.

 

When I have gone on group trail rides in the US, the horses moved in a slow line no matter what the rider did and only the experienced riders were given horses that needed a little rider effort. The companies in Jamaica, like those in the US, claim they match horses with riders. I would be totally comfortable with this if they would let her ride with me. We're both relatively petite, so our totally weight would be under 160. But it sounds like they'd put her on a horse alone. Would you do this at age five or even six? Has anyone ridden horses in Jamaica and can tell me if the horses were well-trained?

[Scrapnana]

I would e-mail the company and see if they would let a 5 year old on the horse by herself with little experience. My daughter rode the horses in the water on her honeymoon in Jamaica and was scared to death. She had no horseback riding experience and the company just let them loose. It was definitely not the trail rides that you mention.

[yarlenna]

I would try it first near home. If she gets hurt, she would be near her doctor.

If is good at it, then a ride in the waves would be a great treat.

[gerif]

I would try it first near home. If she gets hurt, she would be near her doctor.

If is good at it, then a ride in the waves would be a great treat.

 

Exactly what I would suggest - more so to see if she is comfortable being on a large horse and how well she can control it before spending a lot on an excursion that she might end up having to abort. A lesson or two might be a good idea.

[Mrsdigi]

I'm almost too afraid to post this, knowing I may get some critical responses, but my 5-year-old loves all animals, has fed a rhino without fear, has been on a pony a few times a year since she was two, loves swimming, and dreams of riding a horse into the water. Yes, it's my fault for showing her a picture once.

 

We are considering a cruise to Montego Bay when she is five or just turned six. Carnival has a minimum age of six for the horseback riding excursion, but if you book directly with a stable or through Island Marketing the minimum age is five.

 

When I have gone on group trail rides in the US, the horses moved in a slow line no matter what the rider did and only the experienced riders were given horses that needed a little rider effort. The companies in Jamaica, like those in the US, claim they match horses with riders. I would be totally comfortable with this if they would let her ride with me. We're both relatively petite, so our totally weight would be under 160. But it sounds like they'd put her on a horse alone. Would you do this at age five or even six? Has anyone ridden horses in Jamaica and can tell me if the horses were well-trained?

 

Personally, I wouldn't let my son ride by himself at that age, but I would be fine with him riding with me or my husband. We booked all our excursions privately for our upcoming carnival Dream cruise because of those darn age limits. Basically we could only do beach breaks with them. Since we purchased privately, we are doing cave tubing with our kids (1 & 6) in Belize, a snorkel with them in Cozumel and zipping with the six year old in Roatan. Have a great time!

[KatieCharlotte]

Exactly what I would suggest - more so to see if she is comfortable being on a large horse and how well she can control it before spending a lot on an excursion that she might end up having to abort. A lesson or two might be a good idea.

 

 

Good idea, thanks. Our inexpensive local riding stable requires kids to be eight to ride, but there are other places where she could ride now, at age five, and possibly have a lesson. I would be very surprised if she's scared, as we've yet to find any animal experience that scares her, but it would be good to try it out if we decide to let her ride this young.

[Mom2B&Z]

It's been my experience that most stables want to have children under 8 to be 1:1 with a leader walking the horse. If you could arrange for a guide to go with your daughter this might work out. Just make sure to bring a helmet that fits her :).

[eventamy]

I doubt there are any trail riding programs that will allow your daughter to ride on a trail ride because of insurance reasons.

 

My daughters both started riding at age 2, as I ride and own horses. They are both actively involved in Pony Club (ages 6 & 9) and my 6 year old has only just started doing any trail riding of any sort this year on our dead quiet pony and being led by me on my horse. The horses on the trail riding programs are quiet and well-trained, usually, but they are still horses and it is still dangerous.

 

I would find a local program that does pony rides and have her do that. You still get the fun "horsey" experience and photo ops without the danger. And please, helmet, even for a pony ride!

 

Another warning though: horses are addictive! LOL! I am very happy to have my daughters ride and hope they ride their whole lives, a busy child is a happy child who is too busy to get into trouble and horses don't take vacations!

[nasushorses]

Hi! I can understand that you want to expose your daughter to horses. I am a professional riding coach, but I would never take my son at the age of 5 on a trail ride. We teach 5 year olds, with helmets on, on the oldest quietest ponies that have side walkers and leaders to maintain safety. Even the best trained horses are unpredictable, horse back riding is considered a high risk sport, similar to sky diving. 5 year olds cannot stop a horse should it chose to buck or bolt. They have very little control and their tiny bodies can get horribly hurt by a hoof.

 

Its your decision, but being in the business I wouldn't recommend it.

Consider contacting a good riding stable near home that offers all the safely measures mentioned above. Good luck.

 

 

I'm almost too afraid to post this, knowing I may get some critical responses, but my 5-year-old loves all animals, has fed a rhino without fear, has been on a pony a few times a year since she was two, loves swimming, and dreams of riding a horse into the water. Yes, it's my fault for showing her a picture once.

 

We are considering a cruise to Montego Bay when she is five or just turned six. Carnival has a minimum age of six for the horseback riding excursion, but if you book directly with a stable or through Island Marketing the minimum age is five.

 

When I have gone on group trail rides in the US, the horses moved in a slow line no matter what the rider did and only the experienced riders were given horses that needed a little rider effort. The companies in Jamaica, like those in the US, claim they match horses with riders. I would be totally comfortable with this if they would let her ride with me. We're both relatively petite, so our totally weight would be under 160. But it sounds like they'd put her on a horse alone. Would you do this at age five or even six? Has anyone ridden horses in Jamaica and can tell me if the horses were well-trained?

[Lerin]

I would e-mail the company and see if they would let a 5 year old on the horse by herself with little experience. My daughter rode the horses in the water on her honeymoon in Jamaica and was scared to death. She had no horseback riding experience and the company just let them loose. It was definitely not the trail rides that you mention.

 

That's what I was thinking.

I've ridden many horses, but have seen photos of those "water" rides cruises offer. I would not let my inexperienced child do it, and I wouldn't go either they look dangerous! I'm surprised they let 6 years olds go.

[KatieCharlotte]

When I emailed the company, asking for more information about my five-year-old riding, they replied that she would have to ride with one of their professional guides. I assume this means on the guide's horse with him/her? She would probably be more nervous about that than being on a horse, but I would feel like she was safer. I will have to think about this more before making a decision, but I appreciate all the input.

[cozumelrocks]

When are you going? I have booked the horseback riding excursion for myself and DD who is 7 while we are in Grand Turk. DD has been on a horse this year while at summer camp and does occasional trail rides with her dad. We aren't going until December but if you are planning on going after that then I would be happy to let you know how it was for us.

[KatieCharlotte]

When are you going? I have booked the horseback riding excursion for myself and DD who is 7 while we are in Grand Turk. DD has been on a horse this year while at summer camp and does occasional trail rides with her dad. We aren't going until December but if you are planning on going after that then I would be happy to let you know how it was for us.

 

Thank you. It will probably be in the spring, unless we see a great deal on a Thanksgiving cruise.

[kellylw]

I used to teach riding lessons a d my youngest student was just around six. Helmets are an absolute must, and not bike helmets. A stable in Jamaica will not have them so you'd want to bring one. Horses at tourist places are generally predictable but no horse is perfect. We spent weeks with our little ones on a long lead line with only the best trained ponies and even then we'd have a fall now and then.

 

When I was 13 we went riding in Antigua. My female cousins and I all rode but make cousin never did. Our guides were maybe 16 and had us galloping up the beach with my poor cousin hanging on for deal life. He won't ever ride a horse again.

 

As a former riding instructor, I wouldn't do it with my kids at that age. unless they have had experience with horses (10 or more lessons). And again, not without a helmet.

[Sky616]

We did this with our then 6 year old a few years ago but it was in Cozumel not Jamaica. We didn't book through the ship but a private tour. Our son could have rode on a horse but didn't feel secure enough so he rode on the horse with his mom and it was totally fine for both. It was not on the beach but through the jungle and the horses did go slow. Guess it helped they knew the path like the back of their hand.

[laragc]

I wouldn't do it. Riding a horse in the water is not like riding on land - it's tough for even experienced riders if the horses want to swim, and many of them love it. I taught for many years and I would tell my parents of young riders that I would not think this was a good idea. Even with some pretty good experience, a 5yo is just too little to manage much of what is going on during a beach trail ride. If you are a very good rider, you could do a trail ride, but not a beach ride yet. Save it for an 8th birthday or so present. I have a 5yo too - telling them no can be so hard!

[Haber]

I did a ride and swim in Jamaica. Helmets were available and all the stables I checked out had that information listed on the website. Honestly, having done it, I would rather put a kid on a swim than the trail ride portion. A guide led each swimming horse, and if someone fell off (no one did) they would have landed in the water. And swimming hooves are still far away. But even booked privately, the minimum age was 6 and the two youngest girls on our trip were both in lessons and the older one had even graduated to jumping.

I’d be more nervous about a horse becoming startled and bolting or bucking or rearing on the trail ride portion. We put our kids in front of us on an excursion when they were younger, and honestly, it’s not very comfortable. It turned my son off riding and even my animal loving daughter chose to come back from the excursion by ox-cart rather than get back on the horse. 20/20 hindsight, I wouldn't do it again.

My 6 year old daughter has had a few lessons at the stable I ride at, but they are private lessons with someone walking right beside her. No group lessons until kids are 8 and even then, the instructor prefers to do a few private lessons before the kids are allowed in group lessons. You can probably find a stable near you that would be willing to give your daughter private lessons. Because it’s absolutely adorable watching my daughter giggling like crazy as her instructor jogs along beside her trotting pony, or seeing her look so darn professional standing in two-point at a walk.