Re: RC: Re: Toddlers

[Bette Lamore <woa@stormnet.com>]

OK I don't know Cliffy, the family, the ride... I just feel like adding
one comment here to answer all these replies about personal freedom...
big government....
I see a BIG hulabaloo about ADULTS who refuse to wear helmets. This
group thinks nothing of going on for days about how it is the duty of
every adult to act in a responsible way and the majority of VERBAL
members of this group apparently believes that means wearing a helmet.
Now I see some who feel that having a 3 year old on a potentially
dangerous ride (I just read a post from Linda Hedgpeth describing a
dicey descent where most of the other riders led their horse down on
foot) with a horse who could lose his footing or get spooked, is seen by
some as irresponsible on the part of the parents and the same people who
are demanding that people wear helmets are crying out for personal
freedom. No use flaming me-- I'm not siding with either side. Just an
observation.
Bette

Lif Strand wrote:
> 
> At 04:12 PM 10/10/00, Michelle wrote:
> >Would the story of a 3 year old falling off a horse and dying at a
> >sanctioned AERC ride have changed any opinions?
> 
> Sorry to be flip about it, but I can't resist:  Would the story of a 3 year
> old belonging to a crew member getting run over at a vet check get the same
> attention?  You bet!  Should we bar all children at races entirely because
> one *could* get hurt?  Of course sensationalism will always get attention
> and will cause people to change their opinions.  That doesn't mean that the
> sensational story represents the way things actually are.
> 
> Personally I think it's more dangerous for a 3 year old to be raised in a
> house with cigarette smokers.  Lots of evidence that this is a bad thing -
> on the other hand, the only evidence I have regarding 3 year olds on
> endurance races happens to be positive.  In fact the ONLY people I have
> ever heard of being hurt at endurance rides have been adults.  Maybe only
> children should be allowed to enter if you want to go by what the history
> of the sport has shown us is dangerous.
> 
> Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea for *most* people to take their 3 year old
> on a ride of even 100 ft., but this isn't your ordinary family.  Don't
> discount that. This is not just anybody's kid, it's Tom's kid, he & his
> wife made a choice for their family, they're not asking anyone else to take
> their kid on a ride.  Nothing bad happened, no one broke any rules, and
> Cliffy is happy, 3 generations of Lewis's are happy, a 28 year old super
> horse (not just any old horse) got through a 25 mile ride just fine.  Why
> don't we try solving some real problems?  Lif
> 
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-- 
Bette Lamore
Whispering Oaks Arabians, Home of 16.2hh TLA Halynov
(yes, REALLY!)
http://www.arabiansporthorse.com