Magic Seat

[angtomczak]

Just weighing the pro's and con's and looking for feedback. My daughter is 2 years old, and she's a very tough cookie, and knows what she wants. We have a farm with various animals and she helps me every day.

Let me make a few points VERY clear:
I lead the horse at a walk or trot.
I will NEVER let my daughter go ahead without me leading until she can handle the horse and balance properly with no aids.
She has a super cute, pink camo, Troxel helmet on her precious head.
She has a fitting saddle, but cannot reach the stirrups (yea I probably feed my horses too much) properly.
She knows to hold onto the horn.
We are walking in a small area, nothing new to spook at, and nothing to trip over.
She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES (ok, demands) to ride her pony.

I think, the problem is that she doesn't know that a fall will hurt. While leading her, she will be doing everything I tell her, but continue to sort of slink off to one side. I then pull her back straight, and we repeat.

Sometimes, I have just looked at her and thought, I wish I could glue her little butt in place; and then I found out about the Magic Seat. I've heard mixed reviews, to say the least....

So considering the information I've given, what are your thought????

[TXPiaffe]

Have you yourself rode with a "Magic Seat"? I have and there is NO WAY I would strap my child into the saddle with one. They do not come loose as easy as what one might think. I am not a small child or woman, not big but not small, I was running a barrel horse that was a hard turner and thought I needed a little "help" to stay with him. Long story short, horse fell at the 2nd barrel, I was strapped ni with my Magic Seat and remained strapped in and could not get loose, I tore my knee up and still have problems with my shoulder as well where the horse fell on me because I didn't fall free of him.

Your baby is 2, lead her awhile longer and continue with what you are doing. She will learn and if pony spooks, stumbles or falls and you are there, you can get her free of him much easier than if she were strapped in. :) JMHO

[Rubyfree]

Nonononono. Way too many ways that the magic seat can go oh so wrong, even under the best conditions. Last time I had to wrangle a very demanding, pony loving wee one (and had a western saddle handy- so this was a ways back)- this is what we used.

http://ridethebrand.com/lildude-stirrups.php

They don't FIX the little bugger sliding around- I swear, they do it on purpose half the time, they think it's FUN- but it does help a bit, and I greatly appreciate the addition of the whatchacallums, uh, tapaderos. :)

[BuddyRoo]

If you're in THAT controlled environment? Let her fall. WAY better lesson.

Steer clear of the gimmicks.

[pony grandma]

I have a 2 1/2 yr old granddaughter. You know ... the Pony Grandma thing. I have her hold on - one hand in front and then reach behind her (in a leadline wintec) and hold the back of the saddle with the other hand.

#1 it keeps her from holding on in front with both hands and curling her shoulders - she sits up straight and tall . with her shoulders back. And now is the time to make that feel a permanent one to her.

#2 it keeps her from sliding around.

We'll do the reins as she gets steadier, when I see her holding the posture, and she gets used to the pony's active movement more.

[citydog]

No.

[spaghetti legs]

Let her fall. WAY better lesson.



Do NOT let a 2 year old fall off. Jeeeeeeeeeeeesus.

But I absolutely would never agree to strapping the child to the saddle either. :no:

[SLW]

A suede seat cover called "The Other Seat" would provide some traction. I bought one years ago and still see it advertized in some catalogs.

The barrel racing crowd uses the Magic Seat, I've seen it many times, and it is nothing I would allow in my barn.

If nothing else, make the lil grand daughter wait until she has the strength to keep herself erect and centered before leading her around. That pony will be there for her. :)

[Tazzie]

I have a 2 1/2 yr old granddaughter. You know ... the Pony Grandma thing. I have her hold on - one hand in front and then reach behind her (in a leadline wintec) and hold the back of the saddle with the other hand.

#1 it keeps her from holding on in front with both hands and curling her shoulders - she sits up straight and tall . with her shoulders back. And now is the time to make that feel a permanent one to her.

#2 it keeps her from sliding around.

We'll do the reins as she gets steadier, when I see her holding the posture, and she gets used to the pony's active movement more.

I don't have kids, but I still thought that this was a great suggestion!

[Equibrit]

You need one of these; http://www.basketsaddles.co.uk/

[lcw579]

You need one of these; http://www.basketsaddles.co.uk/

I remember seeing those in the leadline classes at Devon years ago - once with a really wobbly baby in it! I was just trying to describe it to someone the other day. :)

[angtomczak]

I have her hold on - one hand in front and then reach behind her (in a leadline wintec) and hold the back of the saddle with the other hand.

:yes:Oh that's a great idea! I'll do that today. Thanks!

[pony grandma]

Here's a photo -- don't flame me about no helmet! my son is right there by her side and he's a brut of a protective man. But you can see the correct posture sitting up, shoulders back and into her seat bones. http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/jj186/JMAM_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN284811.jpg I wish that mom had gotten the photo from the front with her face -- next time (they live out of town 3 hrs away). I have a small children's size helmet but it's still a bit loose on her, she only weighed 1 lb 7 oz when she was born premature, so she's very petite. The doctor's did a heck of a great job with her - she is as smart as they can come!

This is a new step-grandkid, my son just married a young lady with a 2 yr old child that he is totally infatuated with and he will be adopting legally soon. And for the record he said that he would never get involved with any female that wanted anything to do with horses! Guess what, they pull into the driveway and head straight for the barn -- and he's smiling ;).

This is actually Joey's first real pony ride. She was too afraid at first, she had to get used to the size and the movements (we have 4 other large horses), before we started even this much. They are large and even just a head move is scarey at first. I took it real slow, she had to ask for it first, when she was ready on her own terms. Now we never hear the end of it. She tells everyone that she rides a pony. And I just bought her a large spring horse for Christmas. Yee Haw!

[angtomczak]

Pony Grandma: Your granddaughter is lucky to have such a wonderful Grandma! Thanks for the photo.

[deltawave]

Safety first. A two-year-old cannot POSSIBLY have the strength, balance, or judgment to even REMOTELY avoid or get themselves out of trouble. That is 100% YOUR JOB. If she can't sit upright without someONE holding her, then someone has to hold her. Not a thing, a PERSON. One that has the judgment to make an instant decision if the pony spooks or stumbles as to what to do with Baby.

Of course she doesn't know a fall will hurt or possibly injure her very badly. She should never come close to finding this out until she's quite a bit older.

No matter what she "demands", she just shouldn't ever be doing something on or near a horse that is anything but as safe as you can possibly make it. That doesn't mean "free of risk" because nothing with horses (or life) is free of risk. But trotting? Riding on her own? Nuh-uh, not for a few more years at least. Just MHO. 2yo's demand a lot of things, but they ain't old enough to vote. :)

Unless you really and truly trust that pony with your daughter's life, don't glue her butt to the pony.

[lesson junkie]

OP- therapeutic riding volunteers are taught to secure the riders by holding the front of the saddle flap palm down, and pressing the rider's thigh against the saddle with the forearm-elbow to the back, arm parallel to the ground. If the rider is supported from the back, the volunteer's arm becomes tired from reaching up, and he starts resting his arm on the saddle, and can unbalance the rider. Is that clear as mud? Sorry to get so wordy.

Pony grandma-your son is done for! I still have my spring horse-50 years later.

[pony grandma]

Your granddaughter is lucky to have such a wonderful Grandma!

Oh yeah, and you should have seen the look on the grandmother on the other side's face when she found out that I had a pony! :winkgrin:

p.s. we took an old spring horse where the frame was broken and hung it like a swing on the playset frame when my girls were little. They loved it. The sunlight eventually took it's toll on the plastic but they enjoyed it for 4-5 yrs.

And the daughter-in-law actually asked for the pony as a wedding present! Dream on. He's my driving pony and we love Christmas and sleigh bells!! I just can't find a pony-sized sleigh without the $$$ for a custom one made.

[vbunny]

Um, she's 2. I don't think that she has the ability to even understand that if she slips off it will hurt. She's a baby, she will learn in time, don't rush it..

[tpup]

Am I the only one who thinks that a 2 year old has no place on a horse unless it is a pony ride, on a lead line and the child is HELD by the parent who is walking alongside?!! One spook - one bad fall - that's ALL it takes. Call me crazy but....no way.

[Equibrit]

I don't think at that age that children have even developed equilibrium yet; even standing on the ground.

[spaghetti legs]

this is very very true.. she is just a baby. if she wants a pony ride she needs a sidewalker (or two) holding her. Do not rush the "must love horses / must ride horses" thing.

[meaty ogre]

My 2.5 yo only rides her mini (bareback) with me leading and daddy walking alongside or in front of me in the saddle on my 24yo spookproof horse (after I'm done riding, when we're cooling him out). Toddlers have zero attention span. They go from, "Ooh, mommy I wanna ride my pony" to "Look, there's a lady bug let me go catch it" in a second. Several times my little one has tried to wiggle off her pony without letting us know she's done riding.

I vote absolutely NO on the magic seat, and NO on letting her ride without a sidewalker. Even though my little one has taken some spills (not off the horse...off of toys, etc.) she still has no concept that things could seriously hurt her. I'm not an overprotective nut and I do let her face some natural consequences (she found out about the electric fence this week...I've told her a million times not to touch it but I bet you she'll listen now). But riding a horse is no place to be anything less than 100% overprotective.

[Seven]

I agree with the PPs. I've used a fleece seat saver cover on my daughter's own leadline saddle to give her a little extra grip, but I'd never secure/attach her to the saddle in any way. Far too much risk.