tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post6600617381271022230..comments2024-03-26T05:15:39.663-07:00Comments on Equestrian Ink: The Price of SuccessJami Davenporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259390150273030284noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-10441379201432523292008-10-10T12:54:00.000-07:002008-10-10T12:54:00.000-07:00Mary, mugwump and I have the same approach--as usu...Mary, mugwump and I have the same approach--as usual. My son's horse, Henry, is lazy and my son has a hard time getting him to go faster than the long trot. As far as I'm concerned, this is ideal. Given a choice, Henry will always choose to stop--perfect. Henry also has a very smooth trot--this is important. Its a huge help to a little kid learning to ride (To hear more about Henry, read mugwump's current blog.) Anyway, just some thoughts.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-54490040825850520252008-10-10T12:35:00.000-07:002008-10-10T12:35:00.000-07:00Hi Mary, I don't post much, but I do read your blo...Hi Mary, I don't post much, but I do read your blogs. I too have very strong opinions on this. My daughter grew up on a very elderly, bomb proof dream horse, Annie. My version of a dream anyway. This horse was slow, fat, slow, gentle, afraid of nothing, and did I mention slow? Clare rode Annie from the time she was 4 until she was 10 or 11. <BR/>I was told often (by those more experienced than I)that my bold, confident daughter needed more horse. She felt that way too. But Annie was her horse, and that's the way I wanted it. Clare will be the first to tell you now, that the reason she was and is (at 17) so bold and confident was BECAUSE of Annie, not in spite of her. <BR/>She was safe, so I could relax and let her push herself much farther than I would have had she been on "more" horse. Just my thoughts.mugwumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00319060800328355056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-39556022545985214712008-10-10T11:01:00.000-07:002008-10-10T11:01:00.000-07:00Hi,Thank you both for your help. I think you're b...Hi,<BR/><BR/>Thank you both for your help. I think you're both right. I need to decide how much I trust the instructor, but the first priority is my daughter's safety. I'm going to trust my instincts. I'm just not comfortable with this horse. Maybe when she's older, but right now she's just too little. <BR/><BR/>I love your suggestion, Laura, about asking the instructor to just tell her she wants her to ride her previous lesson horse. Perfect! <BR/><BR/>Thanks so much,<BR/>MaryMary Painehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01312172412621246717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-79198436074288398042008-10-09T15:44:00.000-07:002008-10-09T15:44:00.000-07:00Mary--I don't want to undermine your instructor, b...Mary--I don't want to undermine your instructor, but I totally would not put a not-quite-seven year old kid on a horse like that. No way. Of course, I am currently teaching my just-turned-eight little boy to ride, so I have pretty strong opinions on the subject. I have to admit, I probably wouldn't feel comfortable letting any riding instructor make such choices for my child. Always remember, its not just your kid's confidence and happiness that's on the line--its their very life, too. So, no, no way would I let anyone put my kid on a new horse at the barn--they don't really have any idea what that horse might do. That said, its very hard to work with an instructor and tell them how to do their job. I would also have a hard time discouraging my child if he wanted to take up a challenge. My son insisted on loping his pony before I thought he was ready--I let him do it and we had some wild moments, but he survived and is a better rider for it. Its a tricky one. Follow your instincts as best you can. Does it feel OK to you to let her ride that horse? If not, tell the instructor, in private, that you want the old lesson horse in the future and the instructor is to tell your child that she wants her to ride that horse. That way its not as if you are the one holding your child back. That's the best input I can come up with.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-73844284132618168432008-10-09T11:27:00.000-07:002008-10-09T11:27:00.000-07:00Mary, I feel your concern since my DD also rides. ...Mary, I feel your concern since my DD also rides. She is a much better rider than me so is able to ride more horses than I can. Most of the time when she has had to ride a different horse for her lesson, the horse was well matched to her riding skills. A couple of months ago DD's favorite lesson horse, which she has been riding for 3 summers now, pulled up lame at the beginning of the lesson. Our instructor suggested that she try riding a large but lovely gelding who is quite fast and usually reserved for the more experienced riders at our barn. They did a very quick switch so my DD really didn't have time to think about it. DD rode quite well and the horse behaved beautifully but you could tell that she was scared - especially when she started to trot. He was much faster and stronger than her regular lesson horse. I was very impressed by our riding instructor who kept a very watchful eye on my DD. She slowed down the pace of the lesson so that everything was well controlled. She also spent extra time with my DD so that she felt well supported (it was a group lesson). My DD probably could ride this lovely gelding again but when it comes right down to it, in some situations he might be too much horse for her. Our riding instructor has not asked my DD to continue riding this horse. She is a firm believer of matching horse and rider. <BR/><BR/>I guess it all boils down to how much you trust your riding instructor and how well you or the riding instructor know the new horse. Our instructor knew the replacement mount very well - she has owned him for many years, rides him on a regular basis so she is familiar with his quirks and love of speed. I would have some reservation about having a young child ride a horse that is new to the stable, such as what you have described.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com