I found this video on http://shameinthehorseshowring.blogspot.com/ and i thought I'd share about it since it is about one of our main focuses, barrel racing. Before I go any further with commenting on this video I would like to say I am not judging anyone who allows their young children to barrel race, and I believe it is possible for young children to participate but I'm wondering where do you draw the line? After watching this video I noticed a number of things wrong with this video:
1. The little girl does not have a helmet on, this is very unsafe considering she could have hit her head on the ground very hard in that fall.
2. The horse she is riding is very big and I have a hard time believing she has complete control of it. It seems it is just running the pattern on its own.
3. The worst thing I see is that her legs are rubber banded to the stirrups. That is why she is hanging when the horse stands up. This is one of the most dangerous things anyone can do when riding.
Now I know it is not required in some associations to wear helmets, but barrel racing seems like one sport where a helmet would be a smart choice. I have seen numerous riders hit barrels or poles at a fast pace when running, and lets face it, you only get 1 head your whole life. Also, I know that some horses are very calm and good for little kids to ride. Also, I dont believe this horse is out of control, it just lost its footing, but it is so big it could have easily crushed her if it rolled the rest of the way over. Finally, I dont care what age you are, you should NEVER have your feet strapped to your stirrups! If your horse goes down there is a HUGE chance you'll be stuck to the saddle and be dragged along if the horse runs. I am very thankful to see that it appears this little girl was not injured badly, but this is just one example of how a fun sport can turn dangerous. So let me know, where do you think the line should be drawn for young riders?
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