Toddlers

["beth glover" <bgloverhrsewmn@hotmail.com>]

Hi RC.; After recieving a number of interesting responses, I would like to 
summarize my thoughts.
Yes nomadic tribes travel on horseback, but not in competition pitting 
chilren against adults at high speed. Also child mortality rates are higher 
in third world countries and were in the good old days.
No I do not have a personal vendetta against these people, and yes it's nice 
for little kids to be raised in fresh air and sunshine with horses and other 
pets.
However..It was interesting to read this week about the girl who's horse 
dumped her, knocked her unconscious, and ran off. I also met a lovely, 
champion rider who was knocked off her horse by such a runaway, in full view 
of her husband, and wound up being airlifted to a trauma center. I can tell 
you all with absolute certainty, that if ANY three year old child in an 
endurance ride, had such an accident, and was airlifted to ANY regional 
trauma center, that Someone on the medical team would question the 
circumstances. Medical people are not necessarily fond of any creatures on 
earth, and many dislike livestock. (imagine that) If the Medical staff 
member (Doctor, Nurse, Psychologist, of Social Worker) SUSPECTED that it was 
an innappropriate or potentially dangerous situation that the kid had been 
put in, they would be mandated by law to report their suspicions to Child 
Protective services, who are mandated by law to investigate. Not to mention 
that if the kid was in a wreck that smashes the hell out of an adult, they 
would be less likely to live through it. If parents do these kinds of 
activities with their kid, it might be useful to realize that there are 
potential consequences that may occur, if they come into contact with people 
less sympathetic than us riders (who aren't very sympathetic either ).
My two daughters both ride, both have fallen while I was holding the pony. 
Once was a bee avoidance situation, and once was a leisurely turn on the 
forehand. They were okay, but I know that my local E.R. doctor would have 
reemed me if I had needed to bring them in, he chewed me out when I brought 
myself in.
So there it is. Beth
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