Ridecamp: Re: [RC] there is no way that young and small a body can ride astride a horse that many hours without damage

> Well, I find that statement totally at odds with reality, but I guess
> there's not much point continuing "'tis not!"  "'tis too!"

You're right that we are not apt to agree.  The reality I've seen is
hundreds of kids participating in equine sports with no damage, unless as
Bob said, they come off the horses and suffer fractures.  The recent post
from Ms. Caldwell is the first time I've ever heard someone suggest that
early riding was damaging--and I notice that she was doing more intense
equine sports than endurance.  Although I never went the distance or the
speed as young as 5, I certainly spent the hours in the saddle starting at
about 6 or 7, as at the time, we didn't have the caliber of horses that I'm
used to now, and hence it took a LONG time to get much of anywhere.  There
were many days when I spent far longer in the saddle as a child than I do
riding endurance, but we rarely got off a walk, so didn't do anywhere near
the mileage.  My only regret is that I didn't get to ride better horses
until I was a bit older (I didn't start on the half-Arabs or the TB remount
offspring until I was about 10), and boy howdy, that sure got me over a lot
more miles.  I was never a very good athlete, but thanks to the riding, I
developed far better balance, etc. than I would have otherwise, and it was
sufficient to keep me from being a total klutz in other sports at school.  I
see nothing but benefits from the hours in the saddle as a kid.

Heidi


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