If you could pick one.. which one would you pick in a mini...

none of the above. None of them have adequate experience or training.

I'd get a very broke older, small pony, that had already been a very successful and reliable child's pony and is 100% been-there-done-that.

Not a mini, and not a stud and nothing that is going to get broke - already broke - very, very brok. You very, very rarely geld an older stallion and wind up with something that acts like a gelding, even years and years later. To say nothing of the actual risks of gelding an older animal.

 

I have to agree with wellsummer. If they are set on getting a mini or pony then keep looking for one that has been regularly ridden by kids. Kids outgrow ponies so there should be an assortment to choose from.

 

explain to them that what they are going to spend in vet bills (founder in one, gelding another?) the 500 dollar pony if a bargain. And is anyway, what is their child's safety worth????

 

Personally... I would stay away from ANY PONY breed... just MO...
I would find a small gelding (horse) that has been there done that...

I would also be looking for one around 10/12.

After saying that... I did purchase a horse for my daughter when she was 8 (14 now) and he was only 2... It was an odd situation where she was taking lessons from a girl and was helping us look for a horse. She rode Skip for over 6 months while we looked before we realized the prize horse for her was right under our nose... They bonded and it has been the best horse purchase EVER

Keep looking and please take your time... Do NOT settle because you are in a hurry to get one... when the bond is there... you will know!!!

 

None of them. Seriously seriously. Because any child *small* enough to have any business being on a large mini or small shetland is also physically quite vulnerable to Stupid Things Happening. And they will. And it won't matter how many adults are "controlling" the pony or walking alongside the kid in the saddle, it takes half a millisecond and then you're out one kid or important portions thereof.

They need something bigger and WAY broke-r.

(I am not anti-pony at all, I think ponies are *wonderful* and wish I could have stayed kid-height forever ... but ponies in the 9-10 hh range are not big enough to carry any but the very smallest kids who need the very broke-est ponies.)

You could point out that in addition to the "likelihood of harm to life and limb" angle, the pony will get outgrown really really fast, and it ain't that easy to resell animals in this market so they may be stuck for a long time with an unrideably-small pony...

Good luck,

Pat

 

i would keep looking. in this economy you can find some really nice ponies with mroe training for around 600.
i would NEVER get a stallion for a child even if you are going to geld him. it can take months to get the studly behaviour out of him. and some never loose the behaviour. a gelding would be best, they arent hormonal.

i would also go for a welsh pony. they are bigger and much sturdier.
ponies are great companions, after the child out grows them for riding, they can be taught to drive.

both my girls have a larger size mini that is teaching them to ride, and how to handle a horse. when the time comes they will graduate to a welsh pony. mind you, my kids are tiny. my 7 year old weighs 37 lbs and my 4 year old weighs 32.

good luck on your search!

 

DD's first horse was a dead broke lesson horse that happen to come up for sale. Since DD had been taking lessons on him, we were given first dibs. She was barely 8, he was nearly 16 hands. Yes, it was a higher fall to the ground, but they were awesome together. And the good thing, she never physically outgrew him. She moved onto something with more jumping potential, but never forgot her first love.

 

All of the pony's you have mentioned are disasters waiting to happen. Gelding can cost 500 for a young horse around here. Its 2000 to start off for an older horse. Your cousin is an idiot and a cheapskate. There are dead broke, trained, healthy sound, older, calm animals that people cant give away.


I couldn't give away my extensively trained qh, he jumps, drives, english, western, trail, works stock and then goes and gives the tiny kids ridding lessons and he has at least 5-10 more sound usable years ahead of him. Why? because he is 21 and no one would ever want a 21 year old horse. I wouldn't, not when I could go find a green broke well papered lovely little 5 year old and work it myself.