World's youngest rider (long - but read, there's even an apology!)

["Tracey" <tracey@tbt.co.za>]

This might be a bit rich coming from me, as I have been a tad...um...mean of late (and yes, that is an apology, not a good one, but an apology, I'm trying!) but here's my 2 cents:

 

 

I think that Barb was not so much criticizing the people involved as making a general comment to others who were reading, and might be tempted to place their toddlers on horseback, to think about whether this was something the child wanted, or whether it was something they themselves desired.  Unfortunately, because this is a public forum, we very often have to err on the side of caution and for this reason can be circumspect in our support of others and what they do.  I didn't read Barb (hell, I hope it was Barb.  Could have been Bette.  Long week) as being unsupportive of the child, but more as saying : "this could work, but let's be a bit careful here".  I was recently flamed alive on another forum (see, it's not just here :-)) for suggesting to a poster that, if she wants to learn to jump, she should be very, very, very, very careful.  She took my comments on a slight on her riding skills, which is not as they were meant, it's just that I try to be aware that kids might read the posts and think that any broad-brush "hey, great idea, go ahead" post is a licence for them to do anything.

 

 

Hope I'm making sense here. 

 

 

Anyway, there are youngsters out there who are dying to ride from the time they're ready to walk and talk.  I'm just not sure that they should be allowed to do an endurance ride at that age.  My personal opinion is that, just as we don't take baby horses on long rides, little human bones, muscles and heads might not be ready for it, either.  They might THINK they are, but that's another matter.

 

 

Tracey