Re: [RC] [RC] Kids, ponies and distance riding... now age requirement - Sisu West Ranch
".... If we, as the AERC, decide that there is a
'minimum safe age' for kids to ride endurance then that opens a whole new
can of worms...."
I can hear the argument now. A junior gets
injured. He/she was the minimum age. A lawsuit is filed.
The attorney argues: "The AERC admitted that children younger than X years
old should not ride endurance, but my expert says that they were wrong, the age
should be X+2. The AERC's negligence in not properly researching the issue
and then prohibiting riders younger than X+2 years old caused the
injury..." Another potential argument would be: "The injured child suffers
from (insert any disease, birth defect, or condition that affects balence, or
coordination), the AERC admits that children younger than X should not ride,
they also had a duty to prohibit children with (insert the condition) from
riding."
As it is now, with no mention of age, the AERC can
rightly defend itself by stating that horse related activities are dangerous,
and it is the parents right and duty to decide if their child should
participate. The parent of the injured child did agree in writing that
they knew this and felt that the child should participate.
Parents, good, bad, prudent, imprudent, overly
protective, or properly protective have the right and duty to raise their
children, with only minimal interfearance by outside authorities and
forces. The AERC charter does not say that a purpose of the AERC is
to raise children for their parents.
I also personally feel that at times our duly
elected government (Which, by the way, does have in its charter the duty
to protect all citizens, including children.) interfears with the right of
parents to raise their children.
Ed
Ed & Wendy Hauser 2994 Mittower
Road Victor, MT 59875
