>>> I work as a trauma nurse at a level one pediatric trauma center and I have >>> to say >>> that I am not crazy about this recurring theme of using kids to start >>> horses. I am >>> sure that Nasi is well prepared and that all will go well, but no matter >>> how many >>> people write and tell me that this is how they prefer to start their >>> horses, I am >>> still going to think it is a bad idea.
I have to go with Jacki on this one. Even if the risk is minimal, if something DOES happen, it will be all the harder to cope with if a small child gets hurt. When you start a horse, you automatically have an inexperienced horse, and in Nasi's case, a very young one. That's the worst combination you can have: an immature, inexperienced kid and an immature horse. No matter how many times you tell a kid to do something, or not to do something, they are still kids, and they can still be impetuous or simply not hear or understand what you mean. What seems sensible to them can seem totally ludicrous to us. And, it's not like they can actually practice this in advance. So, I'd also advise against it for the HORSE's sake. You want nothing for your horse but small incremental successes, even if it takes forever to make progress. As far as having you on one side and Donny on the other: when you think about it, if something does go awry, that's a very crowded situation. Horses are, in my experience, more likely to panic if they feel claustrophobic. There are times when I work with Shirley with a young horse that only one of us is right with the horse at a time, just in case there's an overreaction, it's easier to CALMLY clear the area. We also have a rule that the rider gives the leadline person the direction for when to stop, go, turn whatever. The rider can often feel some tension building that the leader can't feel, but if it's a kid up, you can't bank on having that feedback. If there are two or three people in the mix, it's harder to be sure that you don't crowd the horse and make things worse. Can you have an "evacutation plan" that you can depend on? I can guarantee you that if it were Cary where you're talking about Donny being, Cary wouldn't move the way I'd react. In a panic, you can't get yourself and the kid out of the way, and at the same instant, be telling a husband where to move too...while staying CALM for the horse's sake? That's a lot of players involved in a small area. I was on Gracie, probably her third ride, when the unforeseen happened. A huge horsefly bit her on the butt, she bucked, I instinctively grabbed mane to stay on, and when I grabbed, she thought something REALLY had hold of her, and then she REALLY bucked. I hit the ground hard, and she landed on my ankle - luckily just brushing it, not a solid blow, but I still limped for a month. I had the wind knocked out of me and I simply couldn't move out of the way for a few minutes - thankfully, Shirley was right outside the area and she knew immediately to stay calm and get Gracie settled down first, before checking on me. Gracie is a calm horse, and had had a lot of groundwork before that too. I was really glad that Cary wasn't there - he would have run to me, probably panicking Gracie more. No matter how many young horses I work with, I KNOW there's still some "unforeseen" potential out there. I haven't seen it in a while, but there's always something there. Since that Gracie incident, I'm very careful not to back a horse for the first time during the second week in August. That's the week the barn swallows leave the area, and that's when horse flies appear. Up until that moment, I had no idea that Gracie had such a hatred for horse flies, but believe me, I'll never forget it! I know not to make THAT mistake again, but I'm just not sure of all the other mistakes out there still left to be made... Karen Thomas, NC
