Kid safe, bomb proof, broke to death, however you want to say it, we all have the same idea in mind. A been there, done that horse, toting the grand kids around the yard. A babysitter, if you will.
Everyone thinks age and experience create this unicorn of a creature, the truth is, above age, it’s more about the animals ability to process the world around them.
I‘ve had 3 year olds through my program that, because they were started proper, I’d trust to babysit over some seasoned show horses I’ve hosted.
When making kids ponies, you have to be mindful to make your “asks” as big as you want the response to be. A small person is going to be taking over and you want the transition to be a seamless one.