Re: [RC] [RC] [RC] Kids, ponies and distance riding... Get a grippeople - Truman Prevatt
Kids can ride horses in the SE starting at any age the parents feel
comfortable in riding horses. Kids can go to rides with their parents
and ride their horse. I remember Angie McGhee's daughter when she was
about 6 riding the legs off her little pony around camp. I remember
seeing Pam Linahan's daughter riding her pony around camp on the
trails - even during rides since these are public trails in many cases.
What the need to be 8 years old to do is to be an entrant to the ride.
The issue gets down to a risk and safety for all riders involved and
the ability of each individual on a sanctioned endurance ride to be
able to control his mount as to not endanger either themselves, other
riders, their horse, other horses, volunteers or ride staff. Some time
back the SERA BOD recognized that all things considered - it was best
to have a minimum age for riders and to require all jr. riders to wear
helmets. There is also the issue of repetitive stress injuries that
young children might be more prone to since they are still developing
physically and mentally.
Back in '96 at the FL Endurance Classic, when I was in discussion with
the forest service min age was brought up by the head ranger who I was
dealing with. He had implemented a min age requirement for all
organized permited events and wanted to implement a 12 year old min age
on the endurance ride. That is the age they use for other similar
events. I managed to get a compromise to the SERA 8 yo level based on
the fact that juniors had to ride under a sponsor.
With SERA already having an age limit in place, does anyone not come
to the SE to rides because of that? Does anyone that is opposed to
an age limit live in the SE and is going elsewhere to rides because
of it?
I don't think that's the point. To me, the point is that there are kids
who could benefit from being able to ride, but don't get to if there is an
age limit--and it's a darn shame for them.
Heidi
*Hello again Heidi. SERA has instituited an age minimum of 8, I think. I
just don't see how
it is going to adversely affect a child under that age if they have to wait
until age 8, or 9 or 10 to ride. They
can do many other things with horses that are fun, with their parents and a
preparation for the day they
can do their first AERC ride. It;s just too silly to presume anyones life is
going to be ruined because they
could not endurance ride before age 8.....
Karen
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“Why has government been instituted at all?
Because the
passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice,
without
constraint.” Alexander Hamilton
