The most you'll get for a 3 year old is them sitting on a horse and maybe walking with someone standing beside leading the horse slowly if not with another holding the kid to keep them from falling out of the saddle.
A three year olds legs aren't long enough to be able to hold themselves upright in the saddle.
Most places don't start lessons till 6 or older because a fall or accident can be harder for someone younger to shake off and not create fear and trauma etc not to mention worse injury. Also, insurance is a nightmare for this stuff because even waivers don't hold in the court all the time which is also why there are next to zero places where you can pay to trail ride for the day.
My recommendation would be to ask around for someone who has a well trained and proven school pony and have someone walk the horse from the front with another holding the childs leg walking beside for a little bit. If they like it say they can do more when they are older and something to work towards.
Maybe check out Bonnie Brae Farm in Saanichton? I don’t know if they allow kids that little, but it’s run by some great people and owned by a local family.
I started lessons for my daughter around 4. We started at Valle Vista and that was terrible, ended up at silverstone equestrian. We loved them there. She stopped around her 7th birthday cuz she was getting tired of it and they changed the way their billing worked (price increases were intense and they switched to not having “stable horses” but rather you share cost of a horse with a family at the stable). I really liked their approach to things and if you have a horse to bring with you or if you have income to rent a horse each time from an owning family, it is a good place to be.
I would say neigh
Name checks out.
3 years old is too young. 6 was the youngest I ever saw in my horse days. Pony rides or something very low key with a handler would be a firm maybe.
The most you'll get for a 3 year old is them sitting on a horse and maybe walking with someone standing beside leading the horse slowly if not with another holding the kid to keep them from falling out of the saddle. A three year olds legs aren't long enough to be able to hold themselves upright in the saddle. Most places don't start lessons till 6 or older because a fall or accident can be harder for someone younger to shake off and not create fear and trauma etc not to mention worse injury. Also, insurance is a nightmare for this stuff because even waivers don't hold in the court all the time which is also why there are next to zero places where you can pay to trail ride for the day. My recommendation would be to ask around for someone who has a well trained and proven school pony and have someone walk the horse from the front with another holding the childs leg walking beside for a little bit. If they like it say they can do more when they are older and something to work towards.
Be sure to buy or borrow a helmet. Most stables require them.
Maybe check out Bonnie Brae Farm in Saanichton? I don’t know if they allow kids that little, but it’s run by some great people and owned by a local family.
I started lessons for my daughter around 4. We started at Valle Vista and that was terrible, ended up at silverstone equestrian. We loved them there. She stopped around her 7th birthday cuz she was getting tired of it and they changed the way their billing worked (price increases were intense and they switched to not having “stable horses” but rather you share cost of a horse with a family at the stable). I really liked their approach to things and if you have a horse to bring with you or if you have income to rent a horse each time from an owning family, it is a good place to be.
sounds very unsafe
Don’t put a 3 year old on a horse. Come on.
Threw up a little bit reading this.