Future endurance rider?

[Kris Givens <givensb@prodigy.net>]

I had an experience Friday with some small children that I'd rather not
repeat.  My cousin wanted me to come ride with her daughter and another
cousin's child.  I had not planned on riding that day and relented since
the girls were so excited with stipulation being that I'd only walk.
This was okay as one child had never rode.

When I arrived I found two children on horses. One tiny little girl, a 6
year old, on the biggest quarter horse mare I've ever seen.  (Keep in
mind as an Arabian person I think ALL quarter horses are the biggest
horses I've ever seen. However, Prissy, was big.)  The other girl, an 11
year old, had never ridden was on what can only be described as a Pancho
Villa horse.  Thunder is at least 20 years old maybe even closer to 30,
very mulish looking, and a Mexican import. Thunder can certainly take
care of himself in a pasture full of cactus and really showed up my Arab
picking through that mess.

Right off Dani races off on Prissy.  I don't think that tiny child once
ever walked.  At one point I see Melissa racing by on Thunder, stirrups
too long for her, and she is hanging onto the saddle horn with reins no
where near her hands. I holler at her to grab those reins.  Dani LOVES
to trot and go fast.  I'm fighting my Arab, who always wants to be an
'upfront' racer to just walk with Thunder.  West Texas heat in
mid-morning isn't fun.  It is before the winds pick up and can be
stiffling. After an hour of stress I told the girls I needed to head
home.  Dani says, "But I thought you were going to ride all day with
us!"

It was scary as neither of them had on helmets. I'm giving the moms some
catalogs to order some.  It was actually a good training exercise for me
as I had to keep busy with my horse making him listen to me and not race
off.  I had to keep reminding myself that as a 36 year old woman I
shouldn't let a 6 year old child dictate the pace.  If I had not had
ridden quite as much as I had early in the week we could have gone more
but my horse needed the downtime.  I leanred how to work through
crowhopping episodes - rein in, pop the side of the neck and say "No"
seemed to work.  (I don't like to physically correct my horse.  I'm not
sure what else would have worked but a cupped hand popped on the neck
once worked and brought him back to knowing who was the boss.
Fortunately, we only had two of those episodes and only once did I have
to 'pop' him - more noise and really no pain - just effective to get his
attention.  Would there have been a better way to handle it?)

 I'm telling ya, this little girl is endurance material! At one point
she dismounted to tinkle and before I could get off to help her I see
two little booted feet dangling from under Prissy's belly before she
drops a good four feet to the ground.

What a day! What a ride!

Kris