I have headed out on the last three
rides with my ducklings (as gramma calls them ) in a row
Sponsoring juniors offers great fun
and alot of responsibility. Sponsoring more then one at a time is a
challenge.
How do you ride with juniors and
what are you setting out to accomplish?
First when I ride with
kids I realize that I am riding there ride not mine. I let
them pick the pace (with some guidance) and I ride at the back letting them
lead and follow the trail.
We ride at the back of the pack and
I let them get lost. Never to far off the trail before I say don't see any
ribbons anyone see foot prints??? I try to teach them to look for signs other
then ribbons. I have them make notes on the map at ride briefing and we read
the map together to figure out where we are at on trail.
Most of the kids I am riding with
(mom is off doing faster rides and enjoying riding her ride) have never had to
find trail. They have followed along blindly relying on mom or the
sponsor.
I don't coddle them in any way. I
expect them to be able to saddle and take care of their horse.
They vet their horse and whining is
strictly forbidden, Whining gets you dropped off at the vet check and pulled.
So far I have never had to drop a
kid yet.
We sing , play games and have
fun.
Last ride one of my juniours was so
excited. She had never cantered down a hill before or travelled bush at the
speed we were travelling. With many stops to fix tack, go pee and eat snacks
we really move when we move.
These kids are 8 to 12 and I love
every moment I spend riding with them.
Sid my gelding is loving his new
job. Babysitter. (For those of you who read his story from last year at
this time he is doing great)
I told the kids to get fit cause
next year we move to 50s.
Sid and I are heading for the
Owyhee Canyonlands at Steph and Johns in Idaho.
He is not fit for 50s yet but
I promised him last year when he was so ill if he lived I would take him this
year.
So we will ride the LD and enjoy
the companionship of good friends. Sid is a social butterfly.
