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I suspect there is a lot of data available on physical endeavors 
concerning youth. I suspect if the AERC went to say Stanford medical 
school, Johns Hopkins medical school or Harvard medical schools they 
would find people with some answers to what age it was advisable for a 
youth to participate in endurance riding based on physical  development, 
mental development and other factors.

I suspect these institutions would be happy to advise the AERC if 
approached. I would like to see any rule based on science. Just because 
someone carts a 3 year old kid around an endurance corse and the kid 
didn't did does not imply that it was a good ideal to do so. That logic 
is the same as - Old Joe left out on his boat West two years ago. Old 
Joe hasn't returned. Old Joe must have fallen off the edge of the earth. 
Hence the earth is flat.

My question to the AERC BOD is why not bring in the experts in child 
development and see their advice?

Truman

KimFue@xxxxxxx wrote:

> Joe,
> From the statistics Mike Maul posted and from the AERC's past history 
> it seems unreasonable to make a rule change.  Ride managers always 
> have the option of having an age requirement if they feel their ride 
> is not suitable for children under a certain age.  Tevis is an example 
> of this.
>  
> Does anyone know the percentage of incidents or accidents at AERC 
> rides that have involved junior riders under the age of 8 or 10.  It 
> seems that in a 30+ year history of the organization there should be 
> some statistics that would make or not make a case on whether there 
> should be an age requirement for children. 
>  
> I really don't have an opinion on this issue but nobody has really 
> made a very strong case that would sway me to support the idea 
> additional age restrictions or rules are needed.  Are there any facts 
> out there that show that the 5-9 year old riders are more prone to 
> accidents even with good supervision of a parent or a sponsor?  Are 
> there facts out there that show there are more accidents with young 
> children entered in endurance rides?
>  
> I don't buy the arguement that just because other organizations have 
> age restrictions we should have age restrictions.  Traditionally our 
> organization does not make new rules just because other equestrian 
> organizations have particular rules or regulations.   Historically 
> AERC has never imposed age restrictions on juniors and I am not sure 
> why this is now a major issue for this organization.  Show me some 
> statistics and past AERC historical documentation that proves that it 
> is necessary to make a new age rule for juniors and you will have my 
> full support for a rule change.
>  
> Kim Fuess
> AERC #6648
>  
>  
>  
>  



--

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm 
not sure about the former."  - Albert Einstein


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