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I didn't start riding till I was an adolescent, but several of the people I took lessons with started when they were quite young, on the family pony. The only problem I have with starting children riding young is they often think they are "better" than those who started later because they have ridden longer, regardless of their actual riding level. There is also a huge push to do harder tasks based on how long a child has been riding, and I don't condone the fast track to jumping. Just because your ten year old wants to jump and has ridden for six years doesn't make her ready, even if her horse can handle it. I'd like to introduce my kids (should I ever have any) to horses young with all the proper precautions (hard hats always when around horses for kids). But I am very stuck in groundwork and lots of schooling before they get to jumping or hard stuff. You have to learn to walk before you can run.
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