RE:kids ride free, Ride fees

["Nicole Huttar" <nhuttar@wcsr.com>]

Gee you guys have been busy over the weekend. I opened my email this morning and wow look at all the posts. My son who is 13 decided a year ago that he wanted his own horse. Not one of mine to ride, and we have seven,  but his very own. At that point he asked around to see if he could clean stalls at the stable where I trained and do other odd jobs for some of the local farmers to earn money. He now owns his own horse, two saddles, and has shown several times this year all with his own money. I have three other sons who want to ride but they are not willing to work for the shows. They have access to my schooling horses that I teach off of , but to even get that priviledge they have to help feed and care for them every day . I firmly believe that if a child, kid, teenager, etc. really wants to ride and compete they will be willing to work a little for it. In the world of horses there is no free ride so to speak. I am all for giving kids a break, lord knows I was once twelve years old saving money for my horse and the people who I bought him from let me make payments to them. My parents have said it was the best thing to ever happen since they always knew I was either at the stable or working my 13 year old behind off to keep my horse. I have seen many of my riding students who have been given the horse and everything bought for them given a free ride and guess what they still get in trouble hang out with the wrong people, gangs, drugs, etc. I say if they want to ride reduced fees is great but they need to work for it. Maybe volunteer at a ride for the priviledge to ride free at another. I usually sponser one or two kids a year that I teach, but they work on my farm and help with the horses and the farm maintenance for the sponsership. It gives them a sense of worth to know that they earned it. Angie the post you sent with the fees was great. BTW anyone who knows my husband and I know that we do not have money to throw away. We just love horses and sacrifice any other extras to own them. I work a M-F job to support my habit so that I can do what I enjoy. Teaching and training is my first love with the exception of my family but unfortunatly I do not enjoy starving in the winter months and my mortgage company is not willing to let me slide December thru February. :) Can't understand why!!!

Nicole Huttar(always reading, learning, and laughing with ridecamp)