7 homework lessons for first-ridden combinations to build confidence and success for the new season

Winter training for the first-ridden pony – and their rider – will pave the way to confidence in the ring come the summer shows. Learning to ride off the lead rein is arguably one of the biggest leaps a rider will make in their equestrian journey. This year, a new batch of mini showing stars will be making the transition from lead-rein jockeys to first-ridden riders, foraying from the safety and security of a handler by their side.

The choice of pony will be one of the most influential factors in determining how successful a child’s adjustment will be, but ensuring that the pair enters the ring with plenty of preparation under their belts will be equally important. Consistent flatwork training, repetition of the class structure and consideration of the overall picture should all be considered when preparing your first-ridden combination for the season ahead.

First-ridden classes can be found in most show schedules across all levels, and they’re among the most competitive showing classes as young riders’ talent in the saddle continues to advance. At major shows and on the county circuit, there are separate first-ridden classes for show ponies and for M&Ms. Show hunter types do not have a first-ridden class at major finals, but some shows do accommodate them.

Under British Show Pony Society (BSPS) rules, first-ridden show pony classes are open to riders who have not attained their 10th birthday before 1 January in the current year. M&M first-ridden ponies can be ridden by a rider who has not attained their 12th birthday before 1 January in the current year. No cantering is allowed on the go-round, only in the individual shows.

To provide younger jockeys with an initial experience of riding off the lead rein in the ring, some shows hold Tiny Tots sections. The Tiny Tots first-ridden class is open to riders who have not attained their eighth or ninth birthday (depending on whether it’s show pony or native classes) before 1 January in the current year. In the go-round, ponies will not be asked to change the rein. In their individual shows, ponies will be expected to walk up, trot back; cantering is optional, but no figure of eight or change of rein is required.

In the mini championships, first-ridden contenders will perform alongside the lead-rein combinations.

First-ridden pony training: 7 key lessons

H&H speaks to three of the circuit’s leading mini pony producers about training the first-ridden pony and child so that they are well-prepared for the upcoming show season.

1. The right pony for the job

First-ridden show ponies are some of the hardest to source given the need for them to be quality and super-safe in equal measures. Sara Parrott and her partner Craig Elenor run Craig Elenor Equestrian, a leading showing team specialising in producing ponies for the show ring. They were the producers of this year’s HOYS supreme pony winner, the mini show pony champion Derw Dream Boy and they have trained many champion first-riddens over the years.

“You can often tell if a pony has the right temperament very early on,” Sara begins. “Ultimately, if a pony is really sharp it’s likely going to be unsuitable and it needs a different job, even if it’s beautiful. There is a lot for ponies to deal with at those bigger shows, so they really need to have the brain to cope with the atmosphere; they need to be unfazed by most things.

“Our first-ridden show pony mare Seamoor Lady Derby, who won at HOYS in 2022, is totally unflappable and doesn’t care about anything. While she was very well started on the lead-rein by Oliver Burchell, she knows she’s a queen and therefore never feels the need to spook or be silly. She does, however, have her own set of rules which we must follow, and we do play by them to the letter. But she thinks she’s too important to be bothered about anything in the ring!”

Sharn Linney is a leading mini pony producer who has led and produced HOYS and RIHS champions. In 2024, Sharn was responsible for producing the RIHS M&M mini Heritage champion Thistledown Princess Letizia. Sharn agrees that if the pony has a can-do attitude, it has strong potential as a first-ridden mount.

“If a pony is sane and isn’t too sharp, nine times out of 10 they can be taught the job,” Sharn says. “The main things I would look for is ensuring a pony isn’t too headstrong or sharp, but otherwise most ponies can make great first-riddens, even if they’ve had other jobs previously. The show pony Hollybush Enchantment gave me the first HOYS win of my career as a lead-rein, but she later went onto be successful first-ridden, even finishing second at HOYS.”

2. Overcomplicating the process

With the show season approaching, it might be tempting in your first-ridden pony training sessions to push your mini rider to the maximum to try and perfect everything before their first show ring outing. This is a mistake, as Sara explains.

“So many people overcomplicate the process and this is where the problems come; they try to get the new first-ridden jockey to do too many things at once,” she says. “I always teach three things initially – go straight, go at a ‘speed of five’, and use all of your ring. In terms of straightness, I tell the child to think of a straight line through the ‘ears and shoulders to the tail’.

“To begin to work in a consistent rhythm and speed, if you tell the child to think that one is slow, and 10 is fast, they consider five as middle speed, which is about right for a first-ridden class.

“Then, if they use all of the ring, even when they go wrong in their show they can usually pull something together as they’ve got enough space. Giving more than three aims at once can overwhelm a young rider. Once these basics are in place, you can fine-tune the rest.”

Sarah Newbould (née Emmerson) is one of the circuit’s most consistent mini pony producers. Sarah and her father Peter have produced many HOYS and RIHS winners and they also run a popular riding school. Sarah recommends that, if possible, a child can benefit from having a fun pony to ride off the lead rein before the move onto their competitive first-ridden ride so they can find their balance and refine their technique.

“My children ride the riding school ponies a lot and it means they can learn the ropes without the pressure,” Sarah says. “Of course, not everyone has this luxury, but if they can ride something else alongside their beautiful first-ridden pony they can really benefit.”

3. Sat-nav errors

“Most of our time in winter is spent learning and practising shows,” says Sarah of first-ridden pony training. “And we teach the shows in trot initially before we even consider adding canter. We have two shows for our jockeys to learn – Sarah’s show and Peter’s show. One show is going towards the line-up and the other away from it. Then, when we’re at a show we can tell the children to ride either Sarah or Peter’s show depending on where the line-up is.

“We also get the parents to video their shows in training so the children can go home and practise on foot in the kitchen or garden – it really helps!”

4. Staying consistent

Establishing consistency in speed and rhythm can be tricky for young riders to grasp when they first fly solo, though keeping them on the ball in training will eventually follow through into the ring.

“During lessons, I will get the jockeys to ride loads of circles, changes of rein, figures of eights, and I’ll also get them to ride off the track, rather than just staying on the edge of the arena,” Sharn says. “It sounds simple but getting them to change direction helps the pace become more consistent as they’re constantly having to think about their riding.”

5. Working in a contact, while staying light

“The main thing is to get the rider to establish how to go straight and to go forwards,” Sara says. “Then, you can ask them to take a little bit more contact down the rein. I usually find that asking the rider if they can feel the same down each rein is a good way to work on straightness. If they ride at that speed of five while keeping the same feel down each rein, they begin to understand how to ride into the contact.

“When this is solid, I would slowly add in transitions, while again encouraging the child to keep the rein contact the same down each rein. If you can nail the rhythm and straightness, you can add the rest on easily.”

6. Coping with nerves

“It’s so important to make sure the jockey is happy and that they don’t have too much pressure on them when they first start out – they’ve got to enjoy it,” Sharn says. “Problems are going to crop up on those first few outings, especially sat-nav issues, and it’s not going to be perfect straight away. Give yourself those first shows to make mistakes and ensure the combination gets a positive start to their partnership.

“Practice makes perfect, so even before you go out showing, get the pair out of their original environment at arena hires and to clinics.”

7. Finding the brakes

Sarah finds that when a child has been on the lead-rein for so long or have become accustomed to riding quiet ponies, they can struggle to move on to the more refined pony earmarked for the show ring. Training them to ride a first-ridden pony will require plenty of work on their seat security and position.

“Often, a child will have only ridden a pony who is super quiet and need kicking along,” Sarah says. “Some of these good first-riddens are like little Ferraris and consequently the child doesn’t know where the brakes are and they can’t stop them. Plus, early on, a child is unlikely to have a very strong seat and they tend to perch on the pony, which also makes it harder for them to stop.

“Dad will work on getting the children secure in the saddle while they’re standing still on their ponies, teaching them to keep their heels down and feel down the rein while sitting down and back. While I’m teaching, I will get the children trotting around before suddenly asking them to stop. They must learn to sit back and use their seat to stop. It’s so important they can pull up; I’ve seen so many ponies do the wall of death around the school and it’s frightening.”

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