Helmets on Children - Optional or Not?

The owner of a Facebook group I follow posted a photo of her son (no more than 3 years old I think, however I am bad with aging children) sitting in a pony. He was in an adult sized aussie stock saddle, was barefoot, could not reach the stirrups, and had no helmet on. The pony was a rescue, and to be fair there was someone standing out of frame holding the pony.


I would usually shake my head in silence at this, as I am not one for Facebook drama (plus I have no children and this seems to be a point raised when I question parenting practices). But I had to pipe up this time, asking where were his boots, where was his helmet? The response from the mother (I assume mother, could have been the father) was that the kid has a problem with helmets. I then stated that if he had a problem with helmets, then maybe he should not be on a pony. The mother stated that she could let him do what he wanted, he was her kid.

I said one last thing to the effect of "That's your prerogative I suppose, but when he falls off and your heart is in your throat wondering if his scull is cracked or not, remember that you knew better. I hope that never happens for his sake".

Of course, there was a barrage of people saying I should mind my own business, etc etc. One person liked my comments. Five minutes later, the picture was taken down.

I may have been harsh, I may have been out of line, but if the next time that kid asks for a pony ride and the mother remembers my comment and puts at least a helmet on him, then I honestly think my comment is worth it.


In my opinion, helmets on children (especially young children) are not negotiable. If you are an adult and don't wear a helmet, that is 100% your choice, you have the right to risk your life if you want. However kids must always wear proper safety gear. I even advocate helmets on kids when handling horses, and when my niece was littler (about 4?) and she came to ride my sister's old retired pony, she had a helmet and boots even for just being around the horses, and when riding she had short stirrups she could reach, a leader for the pony and a walker to hold her leg in case anything happened. She is now 7, and doesn't handle my young horses, ever. Not even to go in the paddock to pat them (over the fence or stable door is ok).  It is not worth the risk.

I believe that a child has almost no sense of mortality. Sure they know that if they fall off it will hurt, but death is not something young kids can comprehend. The parent or guardian needs to enforce the safety rules of riding and handling horses, same as you teach them to look both ways before crossing the street and not to talk to strangers. There is enough danger in this world for kids to get messed up in, they don't need the possibility of a direct hoof to the skull too.

Anyone's opinions differ?

Dots

• I have been trimming a lot. It makes me happy. :)
• I have been trying to get a ride in whenever I can - probably twice a week? They are boring blog material (Allie trotted on the bit! Gracie bent around Nat's leg! etc.) so we have not been updating with these boring details.
• I have been struggling to keep up with Allie's big stride. I thought I needed to practice practice practice but I put my stirrups up a couple of holes and that seems to have fixed the problem. :)
• Hoping to get the girls out and about again soon. Not sure when, where or how but we need to settle that so it happens. Probably to the local indoor again for a proper schooling.
• Also, we want to take them for a proper hand gallop up a hill. See if they can figure out what we are asking for this time.
• Als is nearly ready for another lesson. I wonder what we shall work on next!
•  I'm sick of the cold and dark already. Spring now please. Thanks!

That is all I have for you, except for this cute picture of a pony:

( I think this pony might be a dwarf? He looks it!)

Whoops, maybe next weekend?

I didn't end up riding over the weekend. I'm kicking myself too! My horse is turning into a brat and needs a good schooling session to knock her back in line. Little witch. She is struggling with the whole tying up and standing patiently while mum goes into the tack room to grab something thing. I have nightmares about her breaking her neck or smashing her head when she pulls back, so I only tie her using the blocker tie ring. However, she has figured out that she can just pull her lead out of it and trot off. I got the shits with her tonight when I tied her up for a hoof thrush treatment because Gracie the brat escaped into my backyard and refused to get out of it again. Allie wanted in on the shenanigans and pulled her lead free three times!! I.was.so.pissed.

Anyway, I didn't ride because I ended up taking way too long to do two trims and visit the saddlery on Saturday. It was glorious weather too.

Vet visit went ok. Chakra is going in for surgery to remove the lump on her vulva and have the liver lump ultrasounded to see what it is. There goes another $1000. Ka-Ching! That would be about the fifth grand I have spent on that dog, but she is worth it. :)

We are riding 2-3 times during this week then we will be going out around the block again on Saturday. :) I can't wait to get back on!

Sunshine makes me happy.

I was sitting in my car on my lunch break today and this is what I saw out of my sunroof.

Yes, that is sunshine and fluffy clouds and blue sky. I know, right?


:)





Tomorrow I have a set up trim and boot fitting in the morning, and then I’m off to window shop (and maybe spend a leeeeetle bit of money) at a saddlery warehouse sale, then I do believe I shall get on my horse for the first time since we rode out around the block 2 weeks ago.



Sunday is a little sad – I’m off to a vet appointment to talk about a lump my dog has on her liver that doesn’t look good. Pray for my little Chakra, will you?



Cutest (and best behaved) staffy in the history of the entire world.



Pleh

It has been cold and wet and rainy this week. I didn't ride at all. Funny how sometimes having the horses at home makes you ride less. There is always tomorrow.

So this leads me to have very little motivation to get on after dark, in the cold and rain, to just do walk circles because that is all the footing will allow. Harumph. It's a long weekend this weekend too. I hope to get on tomorrow (Monday) at least.

Not much else is happening either, except  got a tail bag for Allie because I saw another bay with a glorious tail and I want her to have a tail like that. Exciting, huh?

I get so jealous reading all the blogs from overseas who are in summer now and looking at their sleek summer coats and sunny skies and t shirts.

That is about it really.

The Plan

My wonderful friend Linda gave Allie and I a lift a few weekends ago to go to a lesson with dressage instructor Ann Serrao. Ann has a property just a 10 minute float ride away from me, and my place is almost on the way to Ann's for Linda. Perfect!

My husband Andrew held Allie for me for a sec while we waited for Linda.



He luffs her. :)



First Linda rode her lovely arab warmblood gelding Houdini (Hoodie). She has been taking him to Ann's for 3 or so years, and I think he just looks amazing. She has done really well with him. She is competing him at novice and is just about to bump him up to elementary (he is schooling elementary at home). 

 
While Linda rode, I watched. My horse was very worried to be off property.


Obviously.



 I hopped on and got her used to the arena while trying to stay out of Linda's way as she finished up.



She liked looking at herself in the mirror. Must have been admiring her mule ears...





Talking to Ann about Allie's history, and our goals.



I was warned by Linda that the nest 12 months in Allie's dressage training will be so boring I may want to take up team penning instead. We spent 45 minutes working on Allie being soft and giving to the bit 100% of the time. No exceptions. Mainly, it was all me getting used to timing, when to reward, and getting used to the feeling of the moments when she gives correctly. It must have been boring to watch, but I have to admit I got a tear in my eye because we clicked.

Ann showing me what to do.

Allie does not agree that this dressage thing is a common goal for us.

 

Banana neck!

NO!

Harumph. Fine.

She started to understand what I wanted.

Ann said "I would be more than happy if all we get today is one step forward while she is soft". Allie surprised us by actually taking many steps while being soft! This is why I teared up, my dumb galoomph of a horse is actually quite trainable and 'got' it.

I liked Ann. I expected a dressage instructor to get me to shorten my reins. Instead she told me to lengthen them, as Allie is so young and needs to stretch forward and out.

Fin. Good girl!!!

I was so pleased with her. So now, the plan. At home, once or twice a week schooling, being 100% consistant with softness, giving, asking long and low and out, building muscles and settling brains. Then, Saturdays are a tiny bit of schooling (to make sure her brains are there) and then FUN! We had an awesome road ride last Saturday (just around the block). They were so good, ignoring cranes and dogs and speeding (!!) cars and deer and trucks and cantering up hills and and and they are just going to me the most level headed, quiet, bombproof mares once they grow up, honestly. They were just great. :)

As it is winter, I am not going to set myself unrealistic goals when it comes to schooling her during the week. I am not going to want to set up flood lights and school in a tiny little uneven yard 4 nights a week. I will be bored, she will be bored, we will both get sour and it will not be beneficial. She is still only 4 and a half, it is not going to kill her to take it relatively easy over winter, and then come summer, we will have plenty of daylight to ride. Then, next winter we will have a float by then and can haul over to the indoor that we took them to recently for schooling on a regular basis if we got bored at home. Plus I think I may send her to a proffesional dressage trainer for some training for maybe 2-4 weeks to kickstart ourselves next winter.

Linda is having another lesson in a month's time with Ann. I will go if we have walk & trot while being soft down pat by then, if not, I can always work on it more and go back to Ann's a little later.

:)

The Twenty Fifth of September, Two Thousand and Six.

Allie's breeder found some foal pictures of her and she emailed them to me this week!

The day she was born.

Again day one.

Fuzzy cuteness!



One week old. Her dam looks so much like Allie in this photo! Same kind expression.



One week old. Again, she is now the spitting image of her dam.



Three months old - starting to look like my Allie!



Weanling - already a total grot.

 



'Giant stifle, tiny neck' was the first thing I thought when I saw this photo. :P

  It is so nice to have baby photos of my girl. If only we could have the same for Gracie!