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[RC] Kids/rides/age limits - Jody Rogers-Buttram Ok, I imagine that there are some people out here wondering when and if I would sound off on this one. Frankly, I would prefer NOT to. But, since I do (or did) have a dog (KID) in this race. I would just like to say a few things. I do live in a region (SE) that has a minimum age limit....8 years. The only region. I do have a junior rider, Joni, will be 12 years old in July. Joni did have to wait until she was 8 to compete, but in the meantime, she did all of the conditioning on her horse, which I took and rode through the first 5 rides the mare ever did. This did two things, gave Joni the experience of conditiong/training her own horse, and gave me a chance to take this green mare through the first few rides to "get the bugs out" of her. I think it didn't scar Joni to wait that extra two years. She did go to the rides, she did pit
crew, she met people that she heard about, she got to see the winners of the 100's finish....the point here is she learned a lot. Joni was dissappointed with having to wait, I was dissappointed that she had to wait, I imagine that I WOULD have put her in a ride at age 6. Now, in looking back, I DON'T think that would have been a good idea. Mainly, because this mare WAS a green horse. Joni was probably not ready to handle this mare in a ride situation. So, I would have done the wrong thing and started her. I don't know if I would have continued with her after a ride or two....if nothing bad happened, proabably would have. The point here is this: This was my kid, and I very easily could have made a bad decision. Although, Joel has been very vocal about some of the things Joni has done with the horses....just ask Angie about Biltmore 100 last year. :)) Anyway, I am not
saying that just because my kid MAY have not been ready, that somebody else's would not have been. And certainly, the horse makes a huge difference. I can see the point of some of you out here....it does depend on LOTS of things....the kid, the horse, the ride, the parents.....and so on. Do we (AERC) need to be governed concerning the juniors? This one can be a really tough question..I see both sides of the arguement very clearly. Most of the time, the less rules we have, the better off we are. I understand what Truman is saying about liability. If we had a kid get killed, it could be a major issue for the sport. But, at the same time, other sports have deaths, and they survive. Is this a dangerous activity....YES. It is dangerous for ALL involved. Does the 8 year old rule make it completely safe? NO. Nothing will ever take away that chance. I
know kids that at 15 had no business on a horse at a ride. Heck, I know adults that way. I rode as a junior rider myself. I started as a 13 year old. Did I get killed? Must not have....Did I get hurt....yes, but I think most of it was as a senior rider. Heck....the first year that I did compete, there was no sponsor rule....I was literally turned loose on the trail. Funny thing here is, the poor horse is who needed to be protected...not me. Joni is like I said, going to be 12 this summer. I STILL try to protect her on the trail. Heck, most likely will when she is 30....but, I try to watch and make sure that she is controlling her horse, I place my horse between her's and some danger. I block her's going down those race track roads in south Georgia....so they don't run away with her. Lord knows that Rose ain't gonna be able to catch Lovie or Cash Pony if that
happened. But, again, she is NOT riding a bomb proof horse. The new horse, bucks and likes to GO. If she was on a dead broke, completely stable horse....it might would be different. Someone said earlier that juniors are not competeing with the adults. No, they are not...BUT, they are on the same trail, at the same time. And that can sometimes be an issue. Could a kid stop a runaway? I seriously doubt it. Can I stop a runaway. I know that to be a great big NO. I have had too many times that a horse did runaway...and I couldn't stop them either. If I were to fall off would I break up worse than a kid? Who knows???? I always heard that kid's bone were more flexible than adults, and that they heal faster, but I DON'T KNOW that answer. Should we try to govern the kid's and their parents decisions to let them ride??? I would have to say that I am in the gray
area here. For every 10 smart, practical parent...there will be the occasional idiot. Do I think kids are better off with horse activities than TV, dating, doing other sports....Of course I do. Kids will learn more from this sport and horses than just about anything in life. Kids are sometimes smarter than we give them credit for. Do I think making them wait until they are 8 is going to scar them? No. If waiting until 8 makes them turn away from the horses/sport....they really didn't want to do it to begin with. The point here is, that I can live with whatever ruling is made. I have done it, and will continue to ride under AERC rules. I also ride under the SERA rules. Do I think that ALL the rules in both are perfect? Probably not. Frankly, I like the old way of doing things back when AERC only had 10 rules....and no amendments. And yes, I agree that if
something isn't broke, then don't try to fix it. Jody and the girls. (and Cash Pony)
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