Ever since the Cambridges released the photo of Prince George looking longingly at Lupo (the family dog), I’ve sort of wondered if George is an animal-obsessed kid. Like, Lupo is probably George’s best friend and companion, although Lupo would probably tell a different story about George pulling his tail and trying to ride him like a horse. Speaking of, George is only two and a half years old, but the Cambridges are already going to allow him to learn how to ride horseback. Is that too young? Eh. If they get him a gentle little Shetland pony, maybe it will be fine.
She recently vowed never to let Prince George on a motorbike, but it seems the Duchess of Cambridge is more relaxed about her son riding ponies. The two-year-old Prince shrieked with delight after clambering aboard a Shetland owned by friends of his parents in Norfolk. Royal sources say he has taken to riding like a duck to water.
Sadly, Santa will not be bringing George his own pony for Christmas because Kate has a serious allergy to horses, and being too close to the animals causes her to come out in a rash. In contrast, William has ridden from an early age – his parents gave him a Shetland called Smokey when he was four. He is an expert polo player and hopes his son follows in his footsteps. And the Queen, of course, is an accomplished horsewoman.
My source says: ‘William and Kate were keen to get George on a horse once he was walking confidently. George loved his first ride – he was led around a paddock on a rein and shrieked with delight. William and Kate were both there to watch.’
A love of horses and dogs comes with the territory of being born into the royal family. It’s sort of weird that William ended up marrying one of the few girls in England who is not into horses, when you think about it. Horse Culture is so big with the Windsors, so obviously George was always going to be encouraged to ride horses and to play polo. I’m glad Will and Kate aren’t getting George a pony yet, because I do think he’s too young. But in a year or two, yeah, he’ll definitely have his own pony. And then he’ll have his own polo horse. In the meantime, maybe give him a bunny for Christmas? That poor bunny.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet and Pacific Coast News.
That picture of George and Lupo is so cute! I feel like I’ve never seen it before.
Seeing these older pictures of Kate from only a year ago makes me realize how much weight she’s lost again. She’s almost as tiny is Amal
I’m sure the pony was being lead by an adult. I rode that way at that age. I doubt they sat him on a horse, handed him the reins and said bye now. I’d love a picture.
My thoughts exactly. I know a few who put their kids up on ponies at a young age, but it was always under very controlled circumstances (pony being led, etc). I think it’s a very safe way to expose kids to horses, teach them about how to handle them, and safety, and so on.
It said he was led on a rein around a paddock, GNAT.
Stop reading so thoroughly.
I agree about the safety. This is such a non-story. Much more interesting is the story on DM about how Kate is looking “shattered”. They keep coming after her with some regular frequency. I still have not figured out why they do the sugary articles or why they do the mean-spirited ones. Any insights on this?
Never too young to start riding – as a girl who got her first little, sweet pony named Pancho at birth, and began learning to ride at 18 months!
Also, you should know Shetlands are notorious little shits – despite their cuteness and size, they are the LAST breed you should start your kids on, as as an equestrian family will tell you – for real. My parents NEVER put us on a Shetland.
Haha, true, but that’s how you learn to ride! 😉 Seriously, some Shetlands are really gentle and appropriate while many are just ruthless like you said. It’s kind of funny to know that they try to trick children whenever they can though 😀
MisJes
Agree- re- Shetlands. They have long memories. That’s the problemo.
Yeah I’m not into ponies for my kids. My two year old rides our old campaigner quarter horses. Of course she’s being led slowly, you don’t just throw a kid on a horse. We started putting her on the backs of horses at 6 months (with our hands still on her). I’ve also ridden horses with my babies in a carrier and pregnant. I trust our old boys more than I trust any ATV; it’s up to every parent to make their own risk assessments with their beloved children. I see nothing wrong with a 2 year old on a pony.
“One of the few girls in England not into horses”?!! Me and, i think, every single Brit female I know begs to differ! Neither are we all white with posh accents, a pile of money and a fetish for Benedict Cumbersquash!
Also, Diana hated horses, didn’t she? Sorry, I know that wasn’t your point. Should have posted it somewhere else.
Think she broke her arm in a riding accident when young and this put her off.
Diana didn’t hate horses, she was afraid of them. She took a bad fall when she was a kid. Because she broke her arm, she wasn’t able to get right back on. She took riding lessons when she was older. Her teacher was James Hewitt.
I’m sorry, I should have said was afraid of, not hated.
Ha. I was never into horses either. During my childhood, an interest in horses was synonymous with being in the mean girl brigade. Only the obnoxious girls liked horses. On the other hand, now I’m out of the city and in the country, everybody, including the boys, rides horses from age veryyoungindeed. Having said that, everyone gets their tractor licence before their driving licence too.
I learnt to ride in my 40’s.
That’s cool!
Problem (for me) with grown-ups riding hereabouts is that it’s all the people who used to go fox hunting and would like the ban repealed.
The kids are all into jumping and trail riding and dressage, so hopefully it’ll change as the generations go on and the oldies give up on the idea of ripping up foxes for sport.
Auggie and I just enjoyed our nice ramble along the groomed trails; a nice trot and the occasional short canter. We were too old for all that other stuff. And we agreed we would never participate in ripping anything apart. Except pears. Auggie gleefully ripped through pears when he got them!
Harry was on a pony before the age of two. He wore protective head gear and spotted by trainers/groomers so what’s the problem?
No problem to me! I put my own two year old on horses.
Being able to afford horses & ride to my heart’s content is what I think would be the best thing about being royal. Yep.
Sometimes I think about selling my house and buying property in the country so I can get a horse and ride every day. Then the 1st of the month rolls around and I realize that I have to continue working!☺
I think so too. That would be lovely. Riding when I wanted to, with nice fields for turn out and beautifully maintained stables with someone to do the stall mucking when I didn’t feel like it. Heaven.
I don’t see anything wrong with him learning how to ride at his age. My niece who is 11 months old, was born with limb differences (her right arm ends at her elbow and right leg ends at her knee) and recently began her horseback riding lessons. She has them once a week and the pure bliss it gives her is so amazing to see.
I LOVE those therapeutic riding programs. They’re so amazing for all the participants; riders and workers alike.
@AnitaCocktail,
Thank you for sharing about your niece.
Yes, she has admitted a horse allergy. No, no horse allergy that reporter was lying. Yes, she has a horse allergy but suffers it so their son can ride a pony. Make up your minds “royal sources”!
I always figured the allergy story was a cover up for the Middletons not having the money to be horsey like the titled set.
Nota
This bothers me. There are so many puff piece variations for what should be simple facts. It’s those cracks in the stories that makes it easier to weed out the nonsense fluff from actual reports.
This story reads as a mindless pr piece hoping to gain favor from and or for the Cambridges.
Also, aren’t they super private? Why is this information allowed? There’s too much contradition with words and actions and pr from them.
So Kate is still using the horse allergy excuse? She has no problem around them when she ditches Charlotte and work to go and watch normal bill play polo.
How close would you need to get for your allergy to kick in?
Maybe it’s only if you’re very close/touching the horse.
Watching polo seems totally reasonable
There are a few picture that show her quite close to the horses when normal bill is out playing.
I thought he rode a pony at a petting zoo a while back, so this would be at least his second pony ride? Or am I completely making that up? Still it’s always cute to see a little kid on a pony. I begged my parents for a horse since I was a toddler and my babysitters’ husband took me to the track to see the horses.
This is 1) made up or 2) rewritten with them being there when in fact is was Maria with him.
Bingo!
Pardon me if this comment shows up twice; I tried to reply to Maia’s comment about the DM photos of Katie. Just something else to consider is the following Guardian article. http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2015/dec/14/daily-mail-is-cruel-and-childish-about-the-duchess-of-cambridge
Thanks Olenna. Interesting to see the Guardian come to her defense. I do tend to agree that they were quite vicious in that article of her.
I am far from Kate’s biggest fan, but that DM article was mean-spirited garbage. I shouldn’t be surprised though, it was written by Sarah Vine, who is a nasty piece of work (and married to Michael Gove, a politician who is also a nasty piece of work).
What I found odd about the article and the shopping photos was that the photos were actually printed.. is normal Bill threatening to sue yet?
meh. one of my first babysitters was a horse. our parents would toss my cousin and i on this huge old horse and let him wander around the property. when he got tired of us he’d go find an adult. i couldn’t have been more than 3, and my cousin is a year younger.
i then grew up riding and competing with horses through most of my teens before i quit. but my love of horses has never faded. just my love for the drama and stress of competition.
1 Giant distraction is all this article is. The statements made arre not based in facts. As above Nota is pointing out the claims she has and has not a horse allergy. And for a couple that is so private they leak or approve of or simply do not care to shoot down these stories because end result is positive on them.
And people eat it up without caring if it’s a lie or not. They will just defend without facts.
A couple of months ago – maybe in July when Kate was off grid – I read Zara was helping Kate get over her FEAR OF HORSES! I guess we’ll never know the truth.
I remember this. Zara countered the story as false I believe. It was along the frame of Harry giving Kate piloting lessons. It was random and made up stories their pr didn’t bother with because it was giving reasons why Kate was too busy to visit her charities or attend an event.
Thanks for your insight, Florc. It was difficult to imagine Zara and Kate hitting it off together.
Zara: Busy, practical, no fuss, down to earth.
Kate: Not.
Williams garish, teeth baring “smile” creeps me out.