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RE: [RC] 20 MT and Little Big Man - heidiAt first I wasn't going to respond to this on the list, but I changed my mind. Joe, I just knew we'd be hearing from you, as soon as Colton's ride story was posted. You are about as predictable on this issue as Ridecamp wars over LD, guns, dogs, and all the other classics. The two reasons the Junior Committee and the Board of Directors have given for not having a minimum age for riders at AERC rides are 1) it's not a problem because it almost never happens anyway, and 2) it's the parents right to make that decision. Well, no, I don't know that #1 has been an excuse. Young kids DO ride. But few are ready to do so, so it doesn't happen very often. And there's the #3 reason--the negatives that have been suggested are smoke screens, and there are plenty of positives. Diane's post was very much to the point. This is a feely-good sort of soapbox that simply has no merit. And the BoD has thankfully left it on the table where it belongs. And we don't say "it's the horse owner's right to decide when his horse is old enough." Why are we less concerned about protecting children than we are about protecting our horses? Joe, to use a good ol' boy phrase, that dog don't hunt. Concern for kids is not about wrapping them in cotton wool and putting them on the shelf until they are 18 or 21. And we are not talking about subjecting them to the same sorts of weight-carrying and concussive stresses to which the horses are subjected. Gosh, one reason many of us old folks ride is because we CAN--it isn't hard on our bodies like extensive hiking or running. Riding is a gentle sport to the body, compared to a lot of other sports that 6-year-olds could be doing. Instead, this is about letting kids develop their gifts at their own pace. For some kids, that is young. And for kids who are precocious, what better outlet than the back of a horse? Given the dangers of being a kid nowadays, I find your "take" on this subject petty and inappropriate. Here is a kid out doing a clean, family sport with his parents. And you think that's BAD?? Give us a break. Is it going to take a tragic accident, with a small child severely injured or worse, before the AERC faces up to its responsibilities? Good grief, Joe. Talk about a red herring. A lady in my church lost her little boy when he jerked out of her hand and darted in front of a car. Are we going to outlaw parents taking kids for walks because accidents happen? Are we going to outlaw playgrounds at school because some kid gets hurt at recess? LIFE is full of tragic accidents. If a child is on a horse that is a particular hazard to himself or others, AERC has rules that ride managers can invoke in those specific circumstances. If the parents have made a good choice in a mount suitable for a child of that particular age and level of skill, and that mount has the ability to do this sport, leave 'em the heck alone. I've seen more child injuries at rides from being on the ground and getting kicked or run over than from coming off of horses. Oh, I suppose the parents should leave them at home, too, so there is no risk of that. The fact that this little boy was able to go on with another sponsor when his dad was pulled is prima facie evidence to me that he is ready to do this sport. Kids who are not ready are simply too much of a pain to take. I've sponsored one 7-year-old--and he was way more ready to do this sport than a lot of adults who get started. He turned 8 during that year, but he was the AERC Junior National Champion on the old points system, and since his mom was hurt and couldn't ride, it sure wasn't a matter of his parents dragging him along. When she got hurt, he started lining up sponsors--I was just one of many. And he had been a kid with some real issues prior to his year campaigning--it was just what he needed to come out of his shell and get back on track developmentally. For every potential tragedy, there is just such a potential success. I, for one, applaud Colton's completion, and wish him many more. To paraphrase a famous quote, the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a little boy. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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