What makes anybody think this is okay?

This is a serious question: Has the younger generation (yeah, I know how that makes me sound) lost interest in reading horse books the way we all did when we were kids?

I am continually shocked at the lack of extremely basic knowledge about horse care/handling and what is and isn't right to do. Today's example: Here's a nine month old Saddlebred filly under saddle. Yeah, you heard me. Nine months old.

I am pretty sure that, looking back, by the time I was, say, TEN, I understood that you couldn't ride a horse that young. How is it so many people have just totally missed such a basic principle? Do they not read anymore? Do they just not care? Did they see their equally idiotic neighbor do it?

You know, if I were running a horses for sale site, I'd take a stand and refuse to accept advertising like this. They could take the opportunity to educate the public that riding a horse under 2 years of age is wrong. (You know that I personally like to draw the line at 3, but I think we can mostly all agree on 2). Equinenow, why don't you set an example here?



Here's the ad. I welcome comments from gaited horse folks. It's not my area so let me ask you - do they "grow out of" racking? Feel free to comment!:

"Mesquita is one of the sweetest horses I've ever encountered. She is a dark bay/brown American Saddlebred. Even at 9 months, I've sat on her with luck. She knows how to give to pressure, and flex. When leading her, I don't need to lay on her. It's a simple "hereherehere" and she looks at me and understands. She has no vices. I've never seen her buck or rear, but she has the tendency to sit back on pressure when she gets very very frightened. I've only seen this happen once. Never does she flick an ear, accept when she's paying attention to you. This filly has been taught respect, and knows what she ought to do. When I bought her, she was very, very poor looking. Now she's a happy filly with a giant hay belly. She has amazing action, and loves to play in the pasture. She loves the company of other horses, but she doesn't mind being alone. She doesn't bite or kick, and is most likely to be the less dominant mare. She is a perfect saddleseat prospect. She has the prospect to be gaited, as well. I've seen her rack a couple times, but I don't know if she'll grow out of it or not. She also has a bright blue rim around her left eye, which is very eye catching."

Another observation - this person can actually spell. She can't use the Appalachian Defense for her extremely ill-considered actions. She actually sounds like she finished high school. How, how, how can she think riding a nine month old is okay??? I really don't get it. How do you miss information like that?

P.S. Anybody in the Seattle area want a cheap, cute, well-bred, lightly raced bay 5 year old TB gelding? I just got an emergency e-mail about one that HAS to go or it will go to Enumclaw. And we all know who will buy it there - eiher a kill buyer or Dean of the Photoshopped Ass (featured here a week ago!). If you are looking for a prospect, e-mail me and I'll hook you up. Please put TB GELDING IN SEATTLE in your subject.