I saw this video and fear I have to commit another hate crime against children today by featuring it ;-)
Riding and jumping a mini
It's obvious to anyone with eyes that this rider is far too big for this poor little mini and that he's exhibiting obvious signs of soreness and irritation from the pounding she's giving him. She looks like she ought to be carrying him over the jumps! One really does have to wonder why no parent, trainer or other responsible adult has put a stop to this. He's a nice enough little mini and this video is painful to watch. He's wringing his tail, hollowing his back and looking utterly miserable.
A lot of people think minis cannot be ridden. That's not true, but the same rules apply as do to regular horses. They should not carry more than 25% of their body weight, including tack, and most breeders recommend no riding until age three. Of course, training them is challenging because most of it must be accomplished from the ground by an adult trainer, but it can be done.
You know, by the time you are 16, I hold you to the same Google Rule standard as an adult. As in: If you're not sure if something is safe/a good idea for your horse, JUST GOOGLE IT. While you can't believe everything you read on the Internet, if 3 different sites say the same thing, it is most likely correct. There's also the CALL THE VET option but I know nobody uses the phone anymore, except for texting.
C'mon kid, if you have 22 horses (and your own farm, as you do not hesitate to inform the world) ride them. And call out a chiropractor for that poor mini - he looks like he needs it!
Back to yesterday's topic...please shed out your yak and put some effort into presentation, and then we can discuss whether it is indeed worth the price of a small horse property in some parts of the country! A reader sent me this and I think her jaw dropped so hard it hit the tops of her shoes when she read the price. Mine did, too!
