The horse show model is a failed model to follow in an effort to attract new riders to horse ownership. The fundamental flaw of the horse show world as it relates to kids is that it produces winners and losers. If a family's goal is to put more competition in a kid's life they can put him on a soccer team easier than in a horse lot.
Teaching natural horsemanship to kids to the degree that they can safely handle and start their own young horses with adequate supervision is a perfect model to attract new riders to horse ownership. When a kid learns and applies natural horsemanship there are no winners and losers, only confident, secure riders.
This picture of some of my riders is about two years old. One kid in the picture came from a horse owning family. Today every kid in that picture has a horse to call her own.
This model gives us skilled future horse owners, reduces the surplus of horses, and puts more meaning in a kid's life.
And it is fun.
What's also interesting is how this unique bunch of riders all have beautiful unique horses to compliment the indiviual beauty of each one of their personalities!
ReplyDelete