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RE: [RC] Kids/rides/age limits - heidi



Joni was dissappointed with having to wait, I was dissappointed that she had 
to wait,  I imagine that I WOULD have put her in a ride at age 6.   Now, in 
looking back, I DON'T think that would have been a good idea.  Mainly, 
because this mare WAS a green horse. 


In other words, Jody, the need to wait had nothing to do with your
daughter--it had to do with her being matched up with a green horse. 
Certainly a good reason for HER not to start any sooner than she
did--but not a sound argument for preventing juniors who have seasoned
horses from starting sooner.


 The point here is this:  This was my kid, and I very easily could have made 
a bad decision.  Although, Joel has been very vocal about some of the things 
Joni has done with the horses....just ask Angie about Biltmore 100 last year. 
 :))  Anyway, I am not saying that just because my kid MAY have not been 
ready, that somebody else's would not have been.  And certainly, the horse 
makes a huge difference.  I can see the point of some of you out here....it 
does depend on  LOTS of things....the kid, the horse, the ride, the 
parents.....and so on. 


Yes, it does.  And there is no way to legislate that.


Do we (AERC) need to be governed concerning the juniors?  This one can be a 
really tough question..I see both sides of the arguement very clearly.    
Most of the time, the less rules we have, the better off we are.  I 
understand what Truman is saying about liability.  If we had a kid get 
killed, it could be a major issue for the sport.  But, at the same time, 
other sports have deaths, and they survive.   Is this a dangerous 
activity....YES.  It is dangerous for ALL involved.  Does the 8 year old rule 
make it completely safe?  NO.  Nothing will ever take away that chance.   I 
know kids that at 15 had no business on a horse at a ride.  Heck, I know 
adults that way.   I rode as a junior rider myself.   I started as a 13 year 
old.  Did I get killed?  Must not have....Did I get hurt....yes, but I think 
most of it was as a senior rider.  Heck....the first year that I did compete, 
there was no sponsor rule....I was literally turned loose on the trail.  
Funny thing here is, the poor horse is who needed to be protected...not me. 


And you make a good point--the sponsor rule is in place to protect
junior riders.  They are not out there on their own.  We have already
DONE what we need to do to protect kids--and making an arbitrary age
limit simply makes no sense.


The point here is, that I can live with whatever ruling is made.   I have 
done it, and will continue to ride under AERC rules.  I also ride under the 
SERA rules.  Do I think that ALL the rules in both are perfect?  Probably 
not.  Frankly, I like the old way of doing things back when AERC only had 10 
rules....and no amendments.  And yes, I agree that if something isn't broke, 
then don't try to fix it. 


Your last sentence says it all.

Heidi


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