Re: RC: Re: Toddlers

[Lif Strand <fasterhorses@gilanet.com>]

At 04:12 PM 10/10/00, Michelle wrote:
>Would the story of a 3 year old falling off a horse and dying at a 
>sanctioned AERC ride have changed any opinions?

Sorry to be flip about it, but I can't resist:  Would the story of a 3 year 
old belonging to a crew member getting run over at a vet check get the same 
attention?  You bet!  Should we bar all children at races entirely because 
one *could* get hurt?  Of course sensationalism will always get attention 
and will cause people to change their opinions.  That doesn't mean that the 
sensational story represents the way things actually are.

Personally I think it's more dangerous for a 3 year old to be raised in a 
house with cigarette smokers.  Lots of evidence that this is a bad thing - 
on the other hand, the only evidence I have regarding 3 year olds on 
endurance races happens to be positive.  In fact the ONLY people I have 
ever heard of being hurt at endurance rides have been adults.  Maybe only 
children should be allowed to enter if you want to go by what the history 
of the sport has shown us is dangerous.

Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea for *most* people to take their 3 year old 
on a ride of even 100 ft., but this isn't your ordinary family.  Don't 
discount that. This is not just anybody's kid, it's Tom's kid, he & his 
wife made a choice for their family, they're not asking anyone else to take 
their kid on a ride.  Nothing bad happened, no one broke any rules, and 
Cliffy is happy, 3 generations of Lewis's are happy, a 28 year old super 
horse (not just any old horse) got through a 25 mile ride just fine.  Why 
don't we try solving some real problems?  Lif


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