I have two relatively new grandsons (3 years old and 10 months old) that I am considering buying a horse for. I want them to know the joys of being a horse owner and was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions?

Try and get a dead broke Shetlon Pony (sp?) that way if the kids happen to fall off, at least it isn't a long way down. You can also buy one of those saddles that have a seat belt attached, like they have at pony rides.

True, shetlands are very low to the ground but I had shetland ponies as a young child and, if memory serves, they were all mean little critters. Maybe it was just the ones we had but they were always trying to rub us off on trees, posts, etc and had a tendency to be "run-away ponies".

The thing about ponies is that if they act up you can't get on them and show them who's the boss unless you were a very small adult or exp. child. Even though I began riding when I could sit up and it was on a welsh pony. He hated adults but put a kid on him and he was very gently. He was a little bull headed at times. I grew up with POAs. They are bigger than a shetland or welsh but not at big as a full size horse. I rode them from the time I was 3 years old until I left home. I rode in parades, horse shows and trail rides.
As an adult I had quarters and pasos. I love pasos but they are very expensive. We plan on getting horses again soon but we need to build a barn and fence our new property. My dad and grandfather have appy horse ranches in Illinois. Apps just aren't that popular in Colorado where I live now.
Well, good luck with your search. Maybe you could find a retired 4-h horse. Those are always good.

Is there a type of pony that has a calm temperament?

nangle:

It all depends on the horse. Each and every breed has different temperments, it just finding the one with a quiet temperment.

I am learning more and more that it has less to do with the breed and more to do with the individual personality/temperment of the horse (or pony) While breeds have characteristics that are unique, each horse is still different.

I rode a WONDERFUL Shetland pony when I was young. I loved that pony with all of my heart! He was a gem, though, and was used for therapeutic horseback riding when he was older.

The best small horse I had when I was around 9 was a welsh mare. The man that sold her to us told us to be careful because she was a runaway pony. As it turned out, she only misbehaved when a teenager or larger person got on her, never with me or my friends.

As with dogs or any other animal, it all depends on a combination of genetics and environment. I have to agree with the poster who said that the majority of Shetlands tend to be nasty little critters - the majority that I have ever met have been ornery as well, though there are a few diamonds in amongst all the bad apples.

My best experience was with a Welsh Mountain pony - she was very calm and very gentle with me though, as I got older, she wasn't above showing me that she could still sit my butt in the dirt and scramble for home lol.

The idea of not having as far to fall doesn't always work either. When I was 16, I was training a Chincoteague pony who had a fabulous habit of running away with the bit when you turned him towards home (barn sour horses are horrible!). One particular time he did it and suddenly leapt to the side to leap over an imaginary something in the road, and I wasn't ready for it... I went down and went down hard.

Surprisingly "Dreamy" (as he was named), stopped and came back to me and stood patiently as I grabbed onto the stirrup and then the saddle, using it to pull myself upright so that I could stand. Some people stopped and lifted me into their truck and drove me home... proof that you can get hurt bad, no matter how tall or short the ride.

I highly suggest 4-H horses for young children. For some of the best ones, look at the older kids; sometimes they are getting ready to go off to school and want to find good homes for their horses. Quite often, these horses are practically push-button, they are so used to the show ring. Wonderful first-time horses for young riders.