Bull riding for 13 yr. old????

Question

My husband is at odds with his ex-wife's decision to let their 13 year old son ride bulls. My husband is totally against it, I guess you can say he's a "city slicker" and his ex's family live a more country lifestyle, hunting, riding horses and bulls. (It's a popular thing where they live, we live in a major city out of state.) He has voiced his opinion about bull riding as being unsafe, the child has already had minor mouth injuries from it, but his pleas has fell upon deaf ears. Now, he has an upcoming event in which my husband's family is saying they are attending to watch him, but my husband wants nothing of it. He wants to be supportive, but he doesn't want to sign his son's death certificate after being trampled by this thousand pound creature. His family are now looking down at him for not wanting to attend, his son wants him to "tie his hand down" to the bull and my husband just wants to run away!! He doesn't want to let his son down, but if anything terrible was to happen my husband would hold himself responsible for the rest of his life. Any suggestions on how to handle this would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Yes, it CAN be dangerous, but, if he is going to do it anyway, his father should be there to let his son know that he will be there for him, no matter what. Your husband doesn't have to like it or agree with it but it seems that the decision is made. Therefore, he should accept that that's the way it is & be there for his son.

Now, with that said, the younger riders ride younger & smaller bulls. The bulls selected for riding are not as mean or aggressive as the older "professional" bulls that the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) pros ride. There is a chance he will get hurt. There is a very slim chance he might get killed or worse BUT...don't cheat him out of experiences that will help him grow. He will be a lot more confident & have more self respect than he does now. He will know that he is able to overcome his fear & be able to tackle situations in the future that scare him. That experience and self confidence is invaluable. Besides, how many kids that rodeo do you hear of getting involved in gangs or drugs? Almost NONE!!! They don't need to do that stuff to make themselves feel accepted. They have the self worth & self confidence to know that they have worth and acceptance. They don't need to search for it elsewhere.

There is a motto that goes something like this:

My goal in life is not to arrive at Heavens gate in a pristine & well preserved body. It is to come sliding in sideways. Worn out & totally used up saying "Man, what a ride!!!"

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"We fully support his activities w/ barrell racing or roping, but we can not sit back and rest just "accepting" it. "

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Sounds like you're not looking for "How to handle it". You're looking for "How to stop it".

Hate to break it to you but, from what you posted above, that's not going to happen. So, you can decide wheather you want the boy to think of his dad as someone who will always be there for him. NO MATTER WHAT, or someone who will be there for him WHEN IT SUITS HIM.  Choose carefully. The choice will have lifetime lasting concequenses.

I don't have a dog in this fight. My opinion is worth just what you paid for it.

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Lord, grant me the courage to change the things I can, the humility to accept the things I can't  and the wisdom to know the difference.

Answer 2

1st off, i believe that the child is TOO YOUNG to be bull riding........that is a very serious sport, and i don't think that a 13 yr. old can handle himself well enough to take on something that strong and massive. i totally support your husband and his beliefs, he should tell his son that he is proud of him for getting involved in proactive activities, but also he should let his son know that he is worried about him,and tell him that he only wants the best, and he doesnt want to see anything happen to him........maybe the father should try to have a talk with the mother, and tell her how he feels, and see what she says about it. if that doesnt work, all he can do is tell his son how he feels, and hope that he knows what he's getting into. i wouldnt recommend the dad tying the son down....i can see where he would hold himself responsible if something happened, but he can still sit in the stand and be there for him.......................

Answer 3

Let him do now or he will do it later with him or against him. So it's better to help do it or his friends will teach him.