Re: [RC] Kids, ponies and distance riding - Karen Sullivan
Laurie,
Quite a bit of this should be in the
archives......it was as much a volitile issue as LD stuff some years ago.
I will rerain from repeating my rant on the lack of
a minimum rider age limit that AERC refuses to institute and
offer the following thoughts.
1. Do you know the ride, terrain and a bit of
the sport?. Yes, like Angie said, be aware that people on 50's may run by
you, or people having trouble controlling a hyper horse may use your kid's pony
for a bumper.....
2. For me, it was essential my daughter (I
think age 9 at her first LD ride) was able to control the pony, was able to
commit to doing the ride, which entailed a huge committment to condition and
care for the pony both months before the ride and the day of the ride.......be
able to do the trot out, make a simple mash and feed at the ride and do some
tacking up. I felt the pony was very safe. Asmy daughter got
older, we really discussed a lot of conditioning issues, importance of
good warm up, how to determine a tie up or uncomfortable
horse. I think at age 11 or so we did a 50 where I got pulled at
lunch when my horse lost a shoe. My daugher was determined to finiish the
ride, and so 2 very nice men offered to finish the ride with her (Dennis Sousa
and John Niehaus). So off she went with strange men <g>. I was
more worried about her slowing them down, but knew she would no be a
whiner. I had absolutely no worries about her handling the horse or the
horse taking care of my daugher (she was now on the horse I rode when she did
her 25 on the pony...very steady mare).
3. The horse I was riding alongside was 100%
bombproof and reliable and certainly capable of ponying the pony and
kid
if something bad happened. This is a
requirement of all my horses......and with all the riding I do, I have had to
pony a child on a horse out of remote areas more than once. I would NEVER
ride a green or unreliable horse if I had my child on something like
that!!! I would say #1 is get your horse used to ropes and ponying the
pony.......
4. 25 miles can be a very long distance for a
child. It was too far for my son. He did 2 LD rides, I am guessing
age 11 and 12 or something like that. He just did not enjoy it. He
gave it a fair try though. After that he had no desire to ride anymore,
which was fine.....
5. Like Angie said; comfortable tack for pony
and child. I have seen some horrible, very insecure pony saddles.
Obviously helmet, but also safety stirrups a good idea. My daugher's first
saddle was a small Australian saddle with a very deep seat, poleys, and a horn
(the horn unecessary). She was very secure in the saddle and it fit the
pony....
Anyway, like I said, both my kids had to
agree/commit/want to do the ride....after that they had to follow through on
conditioning. So, yes, some 4-5 hour rides. They have to exhibit
responsibility for the horse and concern for the horse....and be able to control
the horse.
Anyone up for a topic that isn't LD vs. everyone
else on the planet?
I'd like some information from
experienced parents on how and when kids can handle distance
riding. What worked? What didn't? Is there
something you wish you hadn't done? Something your are glad that you did
do? How far and how long did your child ride before you took them
to their first event? Many moons ago, Edie Booth said she wouldn't
let Robin ride in an event until he could use both hands and both legs to
signal his pony, not just be a passenger. Obviously, every kid is
different. I saw Ceci Butler riding 50s as a six year old, but have also
seen kids that refuse to even come to a ride after being pushed. Up
until they hit puberty, Deb Bosma used to bring a trailerload of kids and
appys to the Michigan rides.
Last summer we traded in a quiet (but too
wide) horse for a pony, which has greatly helped my 5 year old son be
more independent with his riding. She does what I call "pony tricks",
like drifting over to stand by the gate if he isn't actually giving her
definite signals, but she sticks close to my horse when we're out of
the small pen, and has never bucked, bolted, kicked or nipped.
Unfortunately, my horse is a little too insecure to pony from (doesn't like
ropes dangling by his side), so Mitch has to be his own rider.
(Hmm, maybe that should be Fortunately) .
Anyway, Fergie is about 11 hands, more
hackney-type than shetland, and has a walk fast enough to keep up with my 14.2
Arab. How far has anyone taken their kids' ponies? Jeannie, how far
did Heather the creep go?
