How many wrong things can you count?

Question

Okay so I went to watch a 4H barrel racing event a few days ago and there is was this girl around 7-10 years old. She entered the barrel racing competition and was allowed to use a English saddle. Her horse was about 16.2 HH and this girls feet barley reached the stirrups(and stirrups weren't even past the saddle flap!). She approached the first barrel and as she rounded the barrel at a trot the horse took off at a canter, she tried to pull back with all her weight to stop but it didn't work! ...The horse continues to gallop to the other side of the arena as the girl is clinging on for dear life to the reins and front of the saddle as she is trailing above the saddle. She lets go and gets flung off like a doll and lands face first in the dirt... She got a concussion only, she probably had an angel watching her because so much more could have gone wrong....

What do you think about this... does this sound wrong? What are your opinions about this? How do you think this could be prevented?

Answer 1

wow,that must have been funny

Answer 2

my daughter did 4-h for many years. I never seen anyone ride in a English saddle. I don't think there is any rule saying you can't ride English. I am thinking the child has parents some have common sense some don't.i would never let my child ride English on the barrel pattern

Answer 3

Just out the gate...an english saddle for barrel racing.

Then not adjusted correctly for the girl to fit in the stirrups.

Did she have a helmet on??

Then not being able to stop her mount.  Canter or not...if you can't stop your horse...then you shouldn't be on it.  Especially a child.

Of course...this all started with a parent thinking it was okay without thinking about safety precautions.  We as parents...HAVE to think of what MIGHT go wrong...and take the necessary steps to prevent injury if we can.  Education is the first step...and you DON'T do barrel racing with an english saddle.

**EDIT...I also agree with AM...it's not the size of the horse or the age of the girl.  Plenty of young riders are on large horses and can outride many 'adults' or pleasure riders.

Answer 4

That is why they make barrel racing saddles & barrel horses are broke to neck rein.  The size of the horse & the age of the girl were not the problem.  Having a horse she could not control & riding in the wrong kind of saddle was.  The 4H leaders or parents or SOMEONE should have told her no.  

Answer 5

I would LOVE to know where this happened!  I am a 4-H advisor of an equine club in Ohio and this is just stupid!  In 4-H you can't canter at that age, and you can't use an English saddle in a barrel competition!  The horse was too much horse for her age/size/experience level.  The saddle was wrong, and too large. The advisor needs let go, the club or Junior fairboard that hosted the show needs fined, the sanctioned judge needs their state certification revoked and the parents of the child need instruction.  I see a whole group of adults that endangered this little ones life needlessly!  The girl had guts, but thats about all.

As for prevention... the guidelines were set up for the riders protection and the judge should have enforced those guidelines.  The gate person should have never let her into the arena, and the ringmaster should also have stopped the rider.  The people in the announcers booth are usually 4-H people as well and with a birdseye view could have foreseen the catastrophe that was about to unfold.  They also had a perfect opportunity to stop it.  So many people with so many chances to prevent this.  It should never happen!

Answer 6

how many thing were wrong with it?...haha everything...i think its sad on the trainers and parents cuz they could hav prevented but they let competition get to their heads and now this girl will probably never ride again and if she does she'll be scared or become a very agressive rider so really nothing good will come from this lolz  

Answer 7

Whats really sad is I totally witnessed about the same exact thing at an open show last year!! only difference was that the little girl's horse was smaller, but I do believe she broke some bones(her horse didn't stop til he about ran into the fence, which she hit when she fell off). I hate how at these shows they allow riders to use improper equipment... and since that was at a 4H show, they should be REALLY ashamed for not thinking of the little girl's safety!

On another note, Ive seen some pretty Kick-*** little girls run barrels (on big horses).......(I'll be humble enough to admit Ive been beaten at a rodeo by one!) It all comes down to parent/trainer responsibility...

Answer 8

Omg, what were her parents thinking? Buying her a 16.2h horse, and letting her ride in a competition without a proper saddle on a horse that is way to big for her? Talk to to show organizers about possibly putting restrictions on the entry

Answer 9

I think the question should have been Whats right about this?

it would have made the list shorter.

some people just let their kids do what ever they want.

not what is actually right/safe. there are some really irresponsible parents out there :(

Answer 10

well she should have had a shorter horse and there should be a higher age minimum to reduce accidents. her stirrups were way to short.  

Answer 11

well.. first off, if she was in a western, proper saddle.. she probably would've been able to hang on better.

second, she shouldnt have entered if she cant canter her horse

it could have been prevented by more riding experience.

i think from your story.. she could've gotten badly hurt, and shouldnt have ridden a horse she cant handle

EDIT:

I agree with AM Boss Tom Cat (might be time cat. i forgot)...

its not the age of the rider or the size of the horse. its that the girl couldnt handle the horse. and riding in an improper saddle. the parents and trainer/4h leader need to step up and take a stand.. that is just rediculous

Answer 12

omg that is just wrong for her parents to let that happen!! in an english saddle with a horse waaaaaaaaay to big for her i mean seriously

Answer 13

I don't even know where to begin. barrel racing in an english saddle is stupid, especially when the rider is inexperienced and over-mounted. She should have been on a reliable pony that was more suitable for her size, in a western saddle so that she would have something to hold on to. Shes lucky she wasn't seriously injured. Whoever was irresponsible enough to let this happens needs to be slapped(I'd like to use something a little stronger, but I'll keep this family friendly)

common sense would have prevented this. but people seem to be lacking that these days.