As a parent with a young child competing, this comment scares the crap out of me! Number 1, we put young kids on old horses to keep them safe! Young horses are completely unpredictable and they don't know what they are doing. The argument they will learn together... If the child does not know what they are doing how can you expect them to teach a horse? The value held in an aged horse is monumental, these older horses know what they are doing and teach the kids how to do it right.
What is the best age horse for a child?
The answer to this question has a lot of room for discussion. Many things come into play when determining a magical number. The most important thing is finding a horse that is well seasoned. These are the been there done that horses, many are former world champions who can no longer compete at the top due to age. Others may have never been top competitors but have ran consistently in the 3rd and 4th division. Notice that the most important thing is that these were "barrel horses" who have been used in competition. I am by no means ruling out ponies as good options. There are wonderful ponies out there, however the trick is finding one that has been used for barrel racing by the previous owners. We will get back to choosing the ideal kids horse after we finishing investigating a good age range. A good place to start is at minimum of the double digits. Beginners young and old need a dependable and reliable horse, many NFR competitors will tell you horses do not hit their prime until they are 12-15 years old. Basically, when you are buying your child a horse it takes right combination of experience and age to make a great beginners horse.
What should the beginners horse resume look like?
Let's first take a step back and look at what "well seasoned" means. A seasoned horse is a horse who has been hauled extensively. Seasoned horses are prepared for any situation they may find themselves in. World champion barrel racer Martha Josey presents the following list of tips for seasoning a horse, on http://www.barrelracers.com/winning_ways/seasoning_tips.htm.
Things a seasoned horse should not react to:
- Different sized patterns
- Noise
- Other Horses
- Side Entrances
- Short or long; wide or narrow alleyways
- Running into light or dark
- Small Stopping Space
- Rodeo Clowns
- Parking
- Warm-Up Arenas
This list is just the start of things that seasoned horses will not react to, it is a given why you would want a beginners horse to tolerate all of these things and more.
When I use the word "resume", I am not saying that every peewee horse needs to have a long list of wins. These horses may not have any wins behind them but, they have to be seasoned and sane.
Why???
PeeWee and beginner riders need horse that can teach them. WHY? Unseasoned horses are inconsistent and unpredictable, these horses need constant tuning and training. Young and beginning riders are not capable of providing either of those things to their horses. They need a horse that makes the same run every time! Additionally, the rider has to have a connection with the horse. The rider needs to like the horse and want to ride it.
Why, do many young and beginning riders give up before they actually learn what they are doing? "Discouragement" An inexperienced rider paired with an inexperienced horse is a formula for despair. The rider does not understand why they can't get their horse to do what they want it to and the horses continue to loose confidence with every ride. This period is followed by refusal, horses that never became properly seasoned are some of the horses who refuse to enter the ring. These horses have so little confidence in being able to do what is asked of them that they would rather refuse to do it all. These horses need an experienced trainers/riders to take them back to the basics and regain their trust and confidence.
Safety First
There are no rules or laws governing barrel racing in general. Each organization has the right and ability to create rules to keep their riders safe. However, safety starts with the right horse. An aged and seasoned horse is much more likely to keep your kid safe than the pretty pony you paid $200 for. With that said, do I think that kids should wear helmets? That's not my choice to make, that is yours as a parent. I think it largely depends on the horse and the rider. Another hot topic is magic seats. These seats were created to help riders maintain balance and build their confidence. The seat will break away and release the rider if the rider completely looses control. These like helmets are safety devices that help keep the rider safer. For more information check out this great link, http://www.barrelracers.com/products/sure_grip_saddle_seat.php
FYI, from the author
My decision to start this blog is based upon things that I am seeing in the barrel horse world. This post or any of those to follow are not targeted at anyone specifically, but the industry as a whole. I see a need for some down to earth discussion on topics that are being misconstrued. I hope you find my posts interesting and educational. My finals thoughts as I end this post is to make my standpoint on this topic and all topics very clear. I am the parent of my child, it is my decision what horse he rides and what safety devices he uses. I take full responsibility for my child. I feel this follows true to everyone. I will NOT tell you how to raise your child or how to ride your horse. I will however, be happy to help ANYONE who reaches out and asks for help. I really love the phase, "Not my monkeys, not my Circus". If you see someone who flat outrages you, do not go behind their back spreading rumors. Talk to that person and do not persecute them, have an educational and motivational conversation with them. Discuss your concerns and hear their rational, maybe there are extenuating circumstances you are unaware of. Remember we are all out here trying to build up our industry, we need to work together to make it a place where our children want to be!
Why, do many young and beginning riders give up before they actually learn what they are doing? "Discouragement" An inexperienced rider paired with an inexperienced horse is a formula for despair. The rider does not understand why they can't get their horse to do what they want it to and the horses continue to loose confidence with every ride. This period is followed by refusal, horses that never became properly seasoned are some of the horses who refuse to enter the ring. These horses have so little confidence in being able to do what is asked of them that they would rather refuse to do it all. These horses need an experienced trainers/riders to take them back to the basics and regain their trust and confidence.
Safety First
There are no rules or laws governing barrel racing in general. Each organization has the right and ability to create rules to keep their riders safe. However, safety starts with the right horse. An aged and seasoned horse is much more likely to keep your kid safe than the pretty pony you paid $200 for. With that said, do I think that kids should wear helmets? That's not my choice to make, that is yours as a parent. I think it largely depends on the horse and the rider. Another hot topic is magic seats. These seats were created to help riders maintain balance and build their confidence. The seat will break away and release the rider if the rider completely looses control. These like helmets are safety devices that help keep the rider safer. For more information check out this great link, http://www.barrelracers.com/products/sure_grip_saddle_seat.php
FYI, from the author
My decision to start this blog is based upon things that I am seeing in the barrel horse world. This post or any of those to follow are not targeted at anyone specifically, but the industry as a whole. I see a need for some down to earth discussion on topics that are being misconstrued. I hope you find my posts interesting and educational. My finals thoughts as I end this post is to make my standpoint on this topic and all topics very clear. I am the parent of my child, it is my decision what horse he rides and what safety devices he uses. I take full responsibility for my child. I feel this follows true to everyone. I will NOT tell you how to raise your child or how to ride your horse. I will however, be happy to help ANYONE who reaches out and asks for help. I really love the phase, "Not my monkeys, not my Circus". If you see someone who flat outrages you, do not go behind their back spreading rumors. Talk to that person and do not persecute them, have an educational and motivational conversation with them. Discuss your concerns and hear their rational, maybe there are extenuating circumstances you are unaware of. Remember we are all out here trying to build up our industry, we need to work together to make it a place where our children want to be!
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