Re: RC: baby blues

["tracey ritter" <traceyr@intfac.com>]

>>> "guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net> 02/01/01 04:10PM >>>
JB jcbrown@chorus.net 
Here it is, freezing outside, I have a cold, my baby has a cold 
and I'm just sittin' dreaming of riding.
But I need advise - my little girl is 13 months old and someday
I will just have to buy her a horse to ride.  So how early can 
you start?  This spring will I be able to have her ride infront 
of me?  Can I lead her on her own horse?  What's practical?  
What's reasonably safe?  Helmet - of course, but I'm itching
to get her started, but this spring will make her 1-1/2 years.
Do I have to curb in my desires for another year or can we get
on with it.
Anybody been there, done that?

JC - 

Greetings from this single mom and Ridecamp lurker!  I live in Portland, OR and have a little girl who will be 2 y.o. on March 1st.  I started her at 18 months on a friend's Peruvian Paso stallion (not a bad first ride!), and one of us would clutch the back of her overalls for support and the other would lead her around the arena. We would complete a circle and she would say "Again!".  And we would do this until we became either tired, dizzy or both.  She would start to cry when we would try to take her off, too!

Needless to say, she's come down with a severe case of "Equi-Flu".  These days, she rides an ancient Shetland pony named Coco who lives down the aisle from my own Peruvian, but she still needs to be led around with minor assistance until she gains more self-confidence and ability to "steer" on her own.  If you have a reliable horse with a good head on his shoulders, then it's a judgement call as to whether or not the little one rides along with you.  One thing I'm learning is how different kids can be at this age range... some kids are veritable giants and can easily start riding on their own, and others, like my Sarah Mackenzie, are on the smaller side and will need some catching up physically before she can feel confident to go solo on her own mount.  The important thing is that you're exposing her to this wonderful part of our lives - whether or not she embraces it as easily and readily as we did is another story!  It's a mixed blessing... while I'll be fortunate enough to have a future riding buddy, I'll also have another board bill facing me in a few years! :-)

Best of luck with your blossoming little rider!

-Tracey Ritter, Portland OR


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
 Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=