kids

["JOLYNN MAYNARD" <jolmayna@whitepine.k12.nv.us>]

My daughter was on a horse shortly after she was born.  Actually, I took
her to a rodeo on the way home from the hopital.  She went with us on
tractors, jeeps, and horses and so did our son 2 years later.  At six
weeks our daughter was put into a cast that went from her arm pits to both
ankles until she was 9 months old.  (She had a congenital hip disorder or
born without hip sockets and the cast held her femur in place so the hip
joint could grown around it.)  The cast had her little legs spread out (no
walker, car seat, stroller, baby swing etc.) but she did fit nicely in
front of me on a horse.  By time she was four she had her own horse and
helped on the ranch.  I could tell her to go across the pasture about 1000
acres and bring all the pairs in.  Never let her out of my sight but she
knew what pairs were and would get the work done.  She always loved it,
our son did the same things but never really loved it and eventually quit
riding.  Funny as an adult he has taken up riding again.  I would have
never dreamed of using a helmet back then but if I were doing it all over
again my kids would ride with helmets.  Just know your horse and then
always look out for the unexpected.  

Good luck.