Giddyup N Go Pony Review
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Amazon.com Review
Summary: The Amazon review gives the Little Tykes Giddyup 'N Go Pony 5 stars for durability and 4 stars for fun.
The Little Tykes Giddyup 'N Go Pony puts your little one on the road to adventure. With your child in the saddle, the pony will actually move forward while your child operates and steers it. Designed for children ages 3 to 8, and up to 160 pounds, this pony offers fun play that's both imaginative and physical, helping develop both coordination and creative play.
Plush, Cute, and Sturdy
The pony is much like an oversized stuffed toy, with its plush body, longhaired mane and tail, and its friendly eyes. Our child tester loved just petting it, let alone riding it. Beneath its plush fur is a hard, sturdy body that's heavy enough to support to even larger children. It wears a permanent saddle, and the metal, adjustable footrests -- which the toy's instructions call "stirrups" -- have rubber grips for extra security. They're attached to the horse's body with a heavy-duty, permanent metal bar. This toy is definitely built to last. Grip handles are located at the base of the pony's head, and its four hooves are fitted with hidden wheels.
To make the pony move, the child sits in the saddle and places her feet on the footrests. By alternating a sitting position and standing up onto the footrests, she makes a bouncing action that causes the pony's legs to splay out and then come together, making the pony roll forward. Bouncing smoothly and continuously will make the pony continue to roll forward. The child can steer the pony using the handlebars. A brake lever is located at the right handlebar. It can be ratcheted up or down to loosen or completely tighten the pony's wheels.
Imaginative Fun That Comes With a Workout!
In these days of rising childhood obesity, we're happy to have found find an innovative toy that's powered by a child's sheer physical exertion, rather than by remote control or batteries. (Yes, this toy takes 3 AA batteries -- but only to create its sound effects. Squeeze its ears, and it will neigh and make trotting sounds.)
The Giddyup 'N Go Pony offers plenty of fun physical challenges: the rider is challenged to master the bouncing action that makes the pony go, and she must maintain balance while driving and steering at the same time. The pony is built for both indoor and outdoor use, which expands its versatility and gives kids the opportunity to go outside and play.
Some Wise Precautions
But whether the pony and rider are inside or out, make sure an adult is always on hand. For safety reasons, the pony will not roll backwards, and because of its weight and height, only an adult can lift and move it away from "dead ends" or other obstacles. Smaller children will definitely need some help getting in and out of the saddle. And even though the horse has a break, it's not intuitive or quick to use -- so you'll want to keep a watchful eye to ensure that pony and rider don't stray off into steep or otherwise hazardous territory.
If you keep these precautions in mind, your little adventurer can have plenty of fun imagining rustling up cattle, chasing down outlaws, or riding off into the sunset.
Conclusion:
The toy is sturdy and provides outlet for physical activity although it is somewhat heavy and the brake is not intuitive or quick to use. Adorable, child-sized riding pony moves with your child's movements, offering plenty of physical, imaginative fun.
Customer Reviews
Review 1
I bought this for my nearly 4-yr-old daughter who loves horses. Rather quick and easy assembly, but you really have to push hard to get the tail to click in. The box says you need a screwdriver, but no tools were necessary. She first took it for a ride around inside the house. We have tile floors--it won't go very well on carpet--and then took it outside for a spin. I really had to watch her ride because any big bumps or cracks in the sidewalk could mean a nasty head-over-handlebars spill, plus, since there's really no break like for a bicycle, any slope is potential danger--the horse rolls pretty fast! There is a break, which seems too close to the handlebars and often gets in the way, but it's not intuitive for kids to use and not very effective in slowing down--it seems it's either on or off. She loved the bounce-bouncing of getting the horse to go and the sound effects and got the gist of riding it rather quickly. Although you can steer the horse, it doesn't have that great of a turning circle, so an adult or older child has to pick up the front wheels and manually turn the horse. Watch your toes, this horse is not light! My 6-yr-old son helps his sister, plus he has fun on it too. It helps that there are two sets of footrests: lower for big kids; higher for the little ones. It seems to be a very sturdy and well-made toy, although the reins are made out of thin vinyl. They probably won't hold up too long, especially if the kids lead the horse with them a lot. All in all it's a fun toy. The kids use their imaginations in feeding, brushing and taking care of the horse, which is cute. It's a toy I would've loved as a kid, which I'm sure is a big reason I bought it in the first place!
www.amazon.com (November 5, 2008)
* For safety reasons ensure young children are properly supervised at all times by an adult.
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