Do any of you compete at the same time as your children?

tootsietoo

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By that I mean - do you take yourself and your under 16 children off to a competition or event by yourselves, and all of you ride? My children are just getting to the stage where they need less hands on attention from me, and I am itching to do a bit more with my lovely Welsh cob. Eg, there is a Pony Club beginners ODE coming up soon which I'm taking my 8 yr old daughter to, and it also has an 80cm class for riding club members which I could do. And there is a tetrathlon I am taking same daughter to, with a wrinklies class which I would love to do! On both dates my other daughter has things on which hubby would take her to, so it would just be me and daughter on our own. Assuming I could manage the timings (which is debatable!) I think it would probably be completely irresponsible for me to do a xc course whilst in sole care of child - so I would need to find a friend to come with us. But I did just wonder if other people try it, and if so, what type of competition do you feel it is reasonable to do this (e.g. you may feel all doing a showing class each may not be particularly high risk, or that at a PC event where you know lots of other competitors and organisers it may be ok) and at what age the children are old enough to deal with unforeseen circumstances (I know all children are different in this respect).

Or do I need to resign myself to alternating weekends with the children, or forgetting about competing altogether??

Would be interested to hear what others do!
 

PorkChop

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I do with my just turned 14 year old daughter. I consider my children very independent, and I am not a worrier, however I personally think 8 is too young to be able to contact someone if there was an accident and be expected to deal with a horse iykwim.

I know that my daughters at 12 and 14 they would be able to sort the horse out, load it up, and contact my husband without flapping - they wouldn't have been able to at 8.

Honestly the time will wizz by, but at the moment I think you need another adult with you :)
 

tootsietoo

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Yes, I know you are right. Even if it is a low risk horsey activity anything can happen and they need to be able to have and use a phone and deal with a horse at least. I also know the time will wizz by, I had the depressing realisation that I only have 10 years of horsey fun with them before they are probably going to be off!
 

PorkChop

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Of course if you know others who are competing the same day, that might work :)

My daughters keep telling me they are never leaving!!!
 

FfionWinnie

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I've been competing with my now 6 year old daughter since she was 3. I'm on my own. We hack together all the time. I personally think competing is a lot safer than hacking by ourselves!

She was able to control her own pony at 3 and he was a very safe pony. She was cantering and jumping off the lead rein at that age. Her current pony also bought to fit in with our life style and very safe. She can't quite mount on her own yet but she can get off and hold it etc no problem.

The venues I go to are friendly and welcoming and I know in an emergency they would deal with whatever. Also my horse is a sensible cob.

Our ponies behave impeccably at all times and can be left on the trailer etc so I don't see that it's particularly dangerous. My parents would come at a moments notice if anything happened. Life is full of dangers, having lovely fun with your children at a horse event is not outrageous.

Generally I will leave mine on the trailer while she rides then swap over. It makes life easier I find (because the cob's one fault is she eats the outside of the brand new trailer given half a chance!!)
 

tootsietoo

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Well yes, hacking is quite risky, and we do go cantering round the fields all together regularly! Interested to hear that you do manage it though - as you say, friendly venues where you know people and they are not too big help a lot. (I'm not convinced that any 3 year old is in control of their pony though - mine were cantering and jumping off the lead at about 5, but it was pretty hairy to watch!!)

My new job involves setting up a company health & safety policy so I suspect I am overthinking the risks at the moment!
 

FfionWinnie

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I can assure you she was in control. The pony had never been ridden before we got it so if she wasn't in control I don't know who was! They achieved an awful lot together. He was a mini Shetland with a very good temperament and I put in a lot of effort to make sure she could control him.
 

Nicnac

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Yes always did and never even thought about it. There were always other people around and daughter was perfectly able to ask people parked up nearby if she was worried.

Why don't you leave her mounted near start/finish so there will be lots of people around if she gets into any trouble.
 

Henry02

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Check the rules. I would think a lot of places will say no under 16s to be left unaccompanied or similar
 

CrazyMare

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I'd say it's workable if you could persuade a friend along for an outing. I'd go with my friend and her kids to help do that if asked.
 

tootsietoo

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ha ha ha Mike007!

I'm not worried about her getting into trouble, she's very sensible and would happily wait at the start/finish/by an arena for me, I'm worried about falling off and having to be carted off!

I've actually entered us both into a little arena eventing comp tomorrow, at a small venue we go to regularly 10 minutes from home. She's doing the 60cm, me the 70cm, and I will wear my medical armband saying that she's there and to call husband if there's a problem. In fact, hopefully he should be able to come and see us both on his way to taking the other DD to her thing. I don't think I would do it anywhere else.

Yes CrazyMare, I think my next door neighbour, who is learning to ride, would be very happy to come with us if she was free. I might try asking her soon.
 

stencilface

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I think if it's your RC and you know they'll be people there you both know it would be fine. My friend took her 6yo daughter to a comp where my friend was competing in dressage, daughter wasn't riding. The daughter stood by warm up when she was in there and then sat on a chair next to the arena when she went in. She was great, very quiet and sensible, and I don't think anyone frowned upon it.

I think if your child is old enough to be going round an XC unacomapanied on her pony, she's old enough to stand and wait for you, you don't think it's unacceptable for her to be riding across country alone, that's far more risky lol
 

tootsietoo

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I wouldn't worry about whether anyone would disapprove of me leaving her standing alone by the arena, she is more sussed than many of the adults there, she would be fine! As I say, I think the big risk is me falling off and not being able to deal with the ponies or drive us home, or even taken off in an ambulance. I wouldn't want her to have to deal with that on her own. But tomorrow the husband is only 10 mins away, so could be on hand to look after her very quickly.

Thanks for the replies.
 

OldNag

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I have - with 2 kids on 2 ponies. The only way I could do it was to do this at a competition centre where I could hire a stable for the day. I dunped mine in the stable with a big haynet, I could then concentrate in the kids for the morning (my class was in the afternoon).

I was with friends so if I had been carted off in an ambulance, kids would gave been ok

Was blooming stressful though!

With one kid it would be much easier. I would say go for it.
 
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