While I do not disagree with Joe's position I offer the facts that the
main proponents are Cliff Lewis who took this son Tommy on a 100 mile ride
when he was five years old and his picture graced the pages of the endurance
publications. The latest is Tommy's son, Cliff's grandson, repeating the
adventure. This is a family with a deep background in the history of endurance
competition in the US. It is a family with an ingrained deep experience
in horse riding. It is a family that is well known.
I
doubt you will ever get a negative experience from any of the family no matter
the age.
Bob
Bob, I would like to state here, since I do not
know the family at all, that this is TOTALLY beside the point!! I am
going to assume that this family deeply loves this child and takes every
precaution. That said, it is still beside the point!!! The fact
that this family has been in the sport since the conception, and is well
known, is no argument that this is a good idea. A recent survey showed
other AERC members 5 years old and younger, and the latest endurance news
showed, I think, a 6 year old rider.
Personally, I can't imagine taking a child into a
race situaiton at that age! My kids were learhing how to safely ride a
pony at that age by themselves (not ponied), in situations I could totally
control. (On my property, or certain trails) To take them out in a race
situation with people on hyped or green horses? No way. IT was bad
enough the very first LD I took my 8 year old daughter on....her pony with red
ribbon in tail...and lady on a nutty horse on the 50 PARKED herself on the
ponies tail....pony was swishing her tail, swing her head (making my daughter
nervous), and I had to tell the lady in VERY strong terms to not use us for
bumper!!! That kind of stuff happens all the time!
Is this an activity that is safe for a child that
age? We all know the risks of horses tripping and falling, other riders
crashing into you, horses getting stung, etc, etc. Is a child that age
able to control a horse? Do they have the strength, skill and balance to
not only ride that long, but deal with any emergencies? Are they capable
of engaging in a strenuous activity for 12-24 hours at ages below age
5?
Can they go without sleep for 24 hours....or is
it okay for parents to give them short naps or tie-or duct tape them into
the saddle?
Are they endurance riders, or just being packed
on a horse? What happens when a rookie family takes a child with them;
without all that experience?
Why does AERC not trust adults to make a
rational decision regarding horse age and distance (minimum age rule for
horses), but has no concern for junior riders other than the helmet rule and
sponsor rule? I also do not understand why ride managers are allowing
this.
I was one of the people who brought this up on
another list and elicited a response from Joe Long. I was very
disappointed when AERC declined to set any reasonable minimum age requirements
when discussed by the Junior Committee. It should be fairly easy to
discuss the sport with pediatricand child development specialists and come up
with some realistic age limits.
Lets keep the family out of this. Lets look at it
from a rational and theoretical point of view.
Karen Sullivan West
region
