Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Very young riders in AERC rides

Hi Truman
I don't know about the rest of the country--- but I seriously doubt that 
allowing a child to compete in endurance is going to qualify as child 
abuse. The pendulum is now swinging the other way against ripping kids 
out of their natural homes. The reason: inadequate and insufficient 
foster homes. In fact, I only recently left my position in Protective 
Service in CA and Santa Barbara policy on heroin users/Coc/Speed etc. 
users is that as long as the needles are not laying on the kitchen table 
within reach of the kids and so long as a baby-sitter is hired during 
the "tripping" times, the kid remains in the home. Never mind the 
parental emotional/mental absenteeism. However, if the drug abuser 
parent is not feeding their kids or is beating their kids--- that is 
another matter. BUT some of the foster homes are almost as bad. Gives 
the good ones a bad rep.
My point is that unless CA is waaaaay different from the rest of the 
country, the chances of a child abuse charge being levied for allowing a 
5 year old or even a three year old to ride endurance while accompanying 
their parent and wearing a helmet are waaaaay slim.
Bette

Truman Prevatt wrote:
> I think the issue some have with this is if you replace the world 
> "child" with the word "horse" the AERC does have concern with young 
> horses but not young children. Isn't it up the the horse owner when he 
> can and how far he can ride his horse?  If not they why are young 
> children different.
>
> The AERC is a national organization. It functions in all 50 states of 
> the US and Canada. As such it can come under the laws of all 50 states 
> and Canada. My question is does the AERC as an organization risk running 
> afoul of the law in some state or Canada concerning it's lack of a 
> policy concerning young children?
>
> If so one local social worker or prosecuting attorney could make the 
> AERC's life pretty miserable. We do live and function in a larger society.
>
> Truman
>
> Cocomix3@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > Isn't up to the parents to dicide whether the child can participate in 
> > the sport? Why would it be Aerc's problem to deal with, shouldnt it be 
> > the parents decision?
> >
> > Michelle


--
Bette Lamore
Whispering Oaks Arabians
Home of 16.2h TLA Halynov
who lives on through his legacy
Hal's Riverdance!
http://www.arabiansporthorse.com


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

If you are an AERC member - PLEASE VOTE in the upcoming By-Laws 
Election!!!! (it takes 2/3rds to tango!!)

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=